Both national parties are proposing changes in the way primaries are run for the 2012 election cycle.
The Republican National Committee is putting forward proposals that would slow the primaries, and prevent any candidate from accruing an insurmountable lead in the first few states that vote. (Now, if they could only do something to close the primaries as well, so the Dems don't cross over and give the weakest candidate the win).
While the Democratic National Committee seems to be putting forward proposals that will prevent any candidate from taking the nomination away from BarryO. The committee that is proposing the DNC changes is headed by the same man who found all the loopholes that made Barry the nominee despite the fact that Hillary got more popular votes, so it seems very likely that 2012 will be a referendum on Obama's (lack of) performance in the White house.
All-in-all, it seems the campaign for the next Presidential term is already at the starting gate. yay.
If anyone knows how to set this so that the Happy Birthday thread goes on top, please do, 'cuz I don't have no mad computer skillz.
ReplyDeleteI tried changing the time stamp on the Happy Birthday post (twice!) but it didn't work. 8-}
ReplyDeleteI wonder if our Magic Fayre is up this morning? Oh Faaayyyy! ;;) :x
DWT, I think our system DOES need a bit of an overhaul. It's discouraging when a candidate is crowned the winner before I even vote.
ReplyDeleteI also think that primaries should be closed, but that's up to each individual state. As an Independent, I can ask for either ballot, and though I've never asked for a ballot to vote for the WEAKEST candidate, I have considered that strategy.
Lady Red - I like the system in California, where it is up to the party to allow either only those registered with them, or those floks plus independent voters.
ReplyDeleteHey, there had to be Something I like about California, right?
Need to get ready now and head for Mom's house for a Family Fourth Feast.
I was wandering around the net too long it seems, and lost all track of time.
Have a great time, DWT!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome :)
ReplyDeleteWhile requiring only party members to vote in a primary seems like a good idea, there really is nothing to stop someone from switching their registration to vote for the other party's weakest candidate.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see something happen with the process, though. I know I have told this story before:
I first made my famous statement quoted at the top of this blog at a district caucus in 1996. Before such a caucus is held, people are allowed to nominate themselves as candidate to be a delegate to the state convention. The deadline for this is about a week before the caucus. When the caucus began, there were about 50 people who had submitted their names. But of course to make it fair, the floor was opened up to nominations for those people who did not read the instructions. The head of the district Bob Dole campaign – after saying the district should just fall in line behind Bob Dole as a show of party unity -- nominated about 100 people who had pledged their support to Bob Dole. Someone tried to stop his obvious power grab, at which point the guy made the requisite statement against such an infringement on democracy. We did manage to cut him down from nominating 5 people at a time to nominating 3 people at a time.
After the floor was closed to nominations, several people were allowed to make a brief statement – that is when I voiced my support for Allan Keyes and made the statement at the top of the blog.
Washington State got a horrendous candidate for governor that year. She was anti-abortion. I do not have a problem with someone who is anti-abortion – Allan Keyes is anti-abortion. But some candidates who are anti-abortion cannot tell you what they plan to have for dinner much less what they plan to do as governor – other than that they are anti-abortion. This woman didn’t have a clue what else she had in mind. It would have been a hard race for the Republicans, as the Democratic candidate was the incumbent, but I don’t think we had to make it easy for them, either. I firmly believe the Republican candidate won on the vote of Democrats in the primary.