Rotating Primaries

[question everything]

It is that time of the year, again, when states are pushing their primaries, again. Seems that Nevada now is early and Florida is thinking of moving its own, again.

And if Vilsack is running, that the Iowa caucus will be a moot point, just as it was in 1992 when Harkin did.

I think that it was Republicans who planned this but it is still a good idea.

Have several blocks of primary days, similar to Super Tuesday, when several states vote at the same time. And rotate the order.

Such blocks can be determine by geographic location, or by size - who would want to have a primary the same day as NY, or TX, or CA? or by areas of interest, like agriculture, or military bases, etc.

I think that the most recent proposal suggested to leave IA and NH in place as the "first in the nation" but I really like the idea of rotation. And have only one primary date per month. This would make it easier for "poor" candidates (as in money) to stay in the race longer, and it would help us, the voters, regroup and re consider our choices between primaries. Having five dates, starting in February, we would still end in July before the slack time of summer set in.

I know that several states earlier this year had their in August and, looking at CT, I have to wonder how such dates with poor attendance and interest may have been distorted.

And then we have Minnesota with a caucus in March and a primary in September. A dark cold night in March that can keep many away, and primaries that are expected to be a rubber stamp for party's endorsements.

Talk about disenfranchising the voters! And in Minnesota, of all places.

[emulatorloo]

1. I am an Iowan and Vilsack does nothing for me

Sure I am not alone. The sense I get from people around me is that they think he wasat best "ok" as a governor, but not presidential material.

So I dont believe as you do that Iowa will be a moot point.

Even in the highly unlikely event that he wins, he will not get much momentum out of it -- people will be looking hard at the 2nd and third placers.

[question everything]

3. Interesting. The head of the IA Democratic party

was yesterday on MSNBC and he was all praise but the only thing that he had to say in support of Vilsack was about his poor childhood... I do hope that the governor has more to say than him growing up in a log cabin, or something.

[Debi]

7. Gordon Fischer is the FORMER head of the Iowa Democratic Party

And hasn't been Chair since 2004.

The current Chair of the IDP will not be supporting any one candidate but will work to keep the caucuses fair and first.

[Debi]

8. Funny how many of us there are!!

:hi:

[emulatorloo]

9. It is, idn't it!

:hi: :patriot: :toast: :patriot: :hi:

[question everything]

12. I was there, i was there, once.

I remember the 1988 primaries. At the time I was thinking that when there is an open race for the White House, when one is an Iowan, in theory one can get one's picture shaking hands with each candidate and at the end will have that hand shake with the President. But, of course, one of the candidates was V.P. Bush who was surrounded by the secret service.

But 2008 will be a real open race since Cheney is not running... at least, this is what he said.

[Debi]

14. He'll probably just be part of the 'candidate selection committee'

like he was in 2000. :eyes:

Actually I think Cheney enjoys being 'Second in Command' people (and the press) don't pay as much attention to his commings and goings as they do the President.

[Debi]

15. Oops, dup.

[Le Taz Hot]

2. Interesting proposal

and I think a good compromise for those that think the status quo is fine and those (such as myself) who think the primaries should all be on the same day. I think it addresses everyone's concerns.

[Le Taz Hot]

4. Kick because

I think this needs to be discussed.

[Le Taz Hot]

5. QE, it looks like

this thread is going to die a lonely death. Do me a favor? Post it again at some point in the future, will you? I think it's a fastenating proposal.

[Debi]

6. Having a large block of contests at different areas of the country

on the same day will make the small-money-big-heart candidates obsolete. It will also make the campaigns only happen at airports and on television.

As an Iowans and a caucus attendee I can tell you that no amount of persuasion sill get me to support Tom Vilsack in 2008, and there are several out there just like me who anticipate meeting and questioning the other candidates so that I can make an educated decision in January on who to caucus for. This will be nothing like 1992.

[question everything]

17. No, not at different areas of the country

One Super Tuesday per month. Starting with the Northeast. The next month - the Upper Midwest. Then, the Northwest, etc. Four years later, the Northeast will be the last, while the first would be the Upper Midwest, and so forth.

[election_2004]

20. How is that fair?

Wouldn't that give an advantage to whichever candidate(s) is from the geographical region that's drawn first in such a lottery?

And what happens when there's a Democratic incumbent four years later?

[Pyrzqxgl]

10. 48 Ballots at a Democratic Convention is still more fun to watch and maybe even less tiring than all

how about a series of regional primaries. It'd be OK to vote on Texas, Oklahoma, & New Mexico on the same day, or NY, NJ & CT and so fourth. You could put one big state with a series of adjoining states. It'd make it a hell of a lot easier on the candidates. Its probably never going to happen. I think folks were talking about the same thing back in 1960. Don't hold your breathe. It's still all just a lot of political hot air.

[question everything]

18. Precisely. You set the regional primaries

and every four years the order is changed so in one year, say, New Mexico get to select from all the candidates while four years later, the winner would be a forgone conclusion.

[MaineDem]

11. States may get more delegates for having late primaries

There's a proposal before the DNC Executive Committee this weekend to reward states with extra delegates if they wait until later in the process to have their primaries/caucuses.

I'm still afraid of frontloading, though.

[election_2004]

13. As long as they aren't "regional primaries"....

That ridiculous proposal (I forgot who has sponsored it) of developing a lottery where the Eastern states, the Midwest states, the Southern states, and the Western states would randomly draw what order they get to hold primaries in - - no thanks.

There needs to be geographical diversity.

[JNelson6563]

16. I hope things get changed

for the better! It totally sucks the way it is now.

Julie

[Infinite Hope]

19. I'm from Minnesota and that doesn't disenfranchise voters. n/t