McCain's wrapped up the GOP nomination...

[GePap]

Originally posted by Zkribbler


Don't do the crime if you don't have the dime.

Translation: Don't violate election rules if you don't have the funds to fix the problem you create.

Election rules? You mean Party rules. Also, party rules that make no real sense, since why should Iowa, NH, SC, and Nevada go first?

Yes, Michigan broke party rules and it has paid the consequences, but lets not act like these party rules actually make sense or are anything more than each state party playing politics. Michigan was stupid and failed to play the game right.

[Dinner]

Like them or not they were the rules everyone agreed to before the first vote was cast. It would be unfair to change them now.

Both states have offered to hold caucuses since caucuses cost a tiny fraction of a general election but Hillary has been oh so whiny about not wanting a caucus. She seems to have figured out she loses caucuses so now she's dug her heels in and insists people just give her her ill gotten gains. But that just isn't right. Either everyone abides by the agreed upon rules or the states get to decide how they want to allocate their delegate (as the constitution dictates they should). Sucks for Hillary but Michigan and Florida will no doubt go the cheap route and opt for caucuses instead of general votes.

Lesson to learn is don't cheat, follow the rules, and you don't end up like this.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by GePap


Election rules? You mean Party rules. Also, party rules that make no real sense, since why should Iowa, NH, SC, and Nevada go first?

Yes, Michigan broke party rules and it has paid the consequences, but lets not act like these party rules actually make sense or are anything more than each state party playing politics. Michigan was stupid and failed to play the game right.

The Rules do make sense. They're designed to prevent a charge to the front, which would make the the early primaries so expensive that only rich candidates could finance an effective campaign. If a rush-to-the-front had been permitted, only Hillary would have had the warchest to run for the Democratic nominations.

Iowa and NH have long been first, and their citizens are well schooled at vetting candidates. To add balance to the two contests, SC (a southern state) and Nevada (a western state) are also permitted to go ahead of Super Tuesday.

[VetLegion]

Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 2008 Election Early

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by GePap
Michigan was stupid and failed to play the game right.

Exactly. The DNC was incredibly clear about what the consequences of moving up the primary would be, and they moved it up anyway. Ditto Florida. Nobody punished them; they hosed themselves and their state party members, and I don't see any reason to overlook that. I'd support a do-over in the name of keeping the peace in the party, but there's no way in hell they should seat the delegates based on the January votes (and I say that as someone likely to be voting for Hillary).

[GePap]

Originally posted by Zkribbler


The Rules do make sense. They're designed to prevent a charge to the front, which would make the the early primaries so expensive that only rich candidates could finance an effective campaign. If a rush-to-the-front had been permitted, only Hillary would have had the warchest to run for the Democratic nominations.

If this is a terrible concern, move to a system where the party, not states themselves, choses when state delegations can have their primaries, and then make it a rotating schedule so that different voters go first different years.

Problem solved, withouth all the stupid and unecessary melodrama, or problems like he fact that the Democrats simply can;t disfranchise their voters in two states critical to winning in November.

Iowa and NH have long been first, and their citizens are well schooled at vetting candidates.

And that "vetting" means what exactly? What experience does it really give them? Please, I don't buy the "vetting" arguement at all because there is no evidence to show that these voters make a "wiser" choice than any other voters. It does sure keep ethanol subsidies around, though......

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Zkribbler


Don't do the crime if you don't have the dime.

Please take that attitude. I really want to see a convention fight.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly


Exactly. The DNC was incredibly clear about what the consequences of moving up the primary would be, and they moved it up anyway. Ditto Florida. Nobody punished them; they hosed themselves and their state party members, and I don't see any reason to overlook that. I'd support a do-over in the name of keeping the peace in the party, but there's no way in hell they should seat the delegates based on the January votes (and I say that as someone likely to be voting for Hillary).

Charlie Crist and the Republican legislature screwed the Florida democrats. They had no say in their primary getting moved up. And the republicans had that luxury because the RNC was not as stupid as the DNC in desining their punishment.

[Ramo]

Sorry to disappoint you, but there will almost certainly be revotes. Probably a mail-in primary. The Parties (national and state) should easily be able to raise soft money to pay for them.

[Ramo]

Charlie Crist and the Republican legislature screwed the Florida democrats. They had no say in their primary getting moved up. And the republicans had that luxury because the RNC was not as stupid as the DNC in desining their punishment.

I don't remember any objections from the FL Dems. Bill Nelson and the major players in the House (Wasserman-Shultz, etc.) were big fans of the change.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Ramo
Sorry to disappoint you, but there will almost certainly be revotes.

Senator Levin doesn't see at this time a practical and fair way to hold a "do-over" election in Michigan given the immense financial and logistical hurdles

[Ramo]

Levin doesn't control the Democratic Party. All we're seeing right now is posturing by the various parties to get the most favorable deal possible.

[MarkG]

Carly Fiorina stumps for McCain

Carly Fiorina, the former head of Hewlett-Packard, is stepping into a high-profile role in Republican presidential hopeful John McCain's campaign.

The Republican National Committee on Friday tapped Fiorina to be chairman of fundraising for get-out-the-vote efforts and a leading surrogate for the campaign, according to the San Jose Mercury News. She'll apparently be touring the country in an effort to get folks to rally behind McCain and his economic policies.

Since her stormy reign at HP, Fiorina has been slipping further into the political realm. During her lecture series in the San Francisco Bay Area last year, her discussion veered swiftly from business-related matters to political rhetoric, including the U.S.' role in Iraq and what she called the government's risk-aversion.

Fiorina reportedly has been a longtime backer of McCain, as has Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers.

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9889308-7.html?tag=nefd.pulse

[Dinner]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
Senator Levin doesn't see at this time a practical and fair way to hold a "do-over" election in Michigan given the immense financial and logistical hurdles

Seeings how Levin is a super delegate who has come out for Hillary it is just so shocking that he's parroting the Hillary line on this issue.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Unrelated question, but one I've been wondering about: What happens if McCain croaks between now and the nominating convention?