Topic: WorldNetDaily
Bill Federer has a thing he does called the "American Minute," which his website tells us is "broadcast daily across America and by the Internet." WorldNetDaily republishes his "American Minute" things, which is why we have gotten involved.
Federer's May 15 "American Minute," as republished at WND, begins this way:
President Calvin Coolidge warned in a speech given May 15, 1926, at the College of William and Mary, in Williamsburg, Virginia: “But there is another … recent development … the greatly disproportionate influence of organized minorities. Artificial propaganda, paid agitators, selfish interests, all impinge upon members of legislative bodies to force them to represent special elements rather than the great body of their constituency. When they are successful, minority rule is established. … The result is an extravagance on the part of the Government which is ruinous to the people and a multiplicity of regulations and restrictions for the conduct of all kinds of necessary business, which becomes little less than oppressive. …”
All those ellipses should set off warning bells that something is being left out. Indeed, if you look at Coolidge's original speech, you'll find what that is:
But there is another element of recent development. Direct primaries and direct elections bring to bear upon the political fortunes of public officials the greatly disproportionate influence of organized minorities. Artificial propaganda, paid agitators, selfish interests, all impinge upon members of legislative bodies to force them to represent special elements rather than the great body of their constituency. When they are successful minority rules is established, and the result is an extravagance on the part of the Government which is ruinous to the people and a multiplicity of regulations and restrictions for the conduct of all kinds of necessary business, which becomes little less than oppressive. Not only is this one country, but we must keep all its different parts in harmony by refusing to adopt legislation which is not for the general welfare.
So Coolidge is actually specifically referring to "direct primaries and direct elections" as resulting in "paid agitators," not making some sort of sweeping statement. But what does that mean?
The 1926 book "American Labor and American Democracy" provides some context, explaining that Coolidge is actually railing against the direct election of U.S. senators, enacted a decade earlier, and the practice of allowing voters to select party candidates in a primary election instead of party officials doing it.
In other words, Coolidge is complaining about the effects of what he saw as too much democracy -- as if letting party officials or state legislatures control the process was ever free of propaganda, paid agitators, and selfish interests. And WND itself is nothing if not a font of artificial propaganda, paid agitators, and selfish interests.
You can see why Federer edited all that stuff out about taking away the voice of voters and insisting that a small cadre of party officials knows better than the general public.
