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CA: After redistricting, Schwarzenegger to push open primaries?
Sacramento Bee ^ | October 20, 2008 | Shane Goldmacher

Posted on 10/20/2008 8:12:05 PM PDT by calcowgirl

In an appearance in San Diego today promoting Proposition 11, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called passage of Proposition 11 "the most important thing."

But Schwarzenegger also hinted at what good-government reform he might tackle next: open primaries.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled such a system in Washington state constitutional earlier this year.

Political scientists generally believe open primaries lead to more moderate, centrist candidates.

So here's what Schwarzenegger had to say today:

"We will change the way the district lines are drawn and we will change the performance in Sacramento and will create more performance. And, of course, the next thing is open primaries. That's how we have to walk down that road and create the real change and not stay with the status quo."

(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: calinitiatives; openprimaries; prop11; redistricting; schwarzenegger

1 posted on 10/20/2008 8:12:07 PM PDT by calcowgirl
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To: calcowgirl
More competitive elections are fine. But NO to open primaries. No conservative wants to see liberals pick our party's candidates!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

2 posted on 10/20/2008 8:13:45 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: SierraWasp; ElkGroveDan; NormsRevenge; Carry_Okie; Amerigomag; CounterCounterCulture; Czar; ...

Destroying the conservate movement, one initiative at a time.


3 posted on 10/20/2008 8:13:48 PM PDT by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: calcowgirl

How in the heck can “open primaries” be legal? Primaries are all about each party selecting their OWN candidate!


4 posted on 10/20/2008 8:14:58 PM PDT by rivercat
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To: calcowgirl

Next initiative needed: Valid ID to vote.


5 posted on 10/20/2008 8:16:42 PM PDT by GunsAndBibles (God save Calif. - 'cause it's gonna take a miracle.)
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To: rivercat
RINOs don't fare well in party only or "closed" primaries. What they are really talking about is diluting or eliminating the present conservative character of the Republican Party under the guise of reform.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

6 posted on 10/20/2008 8:17:09 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: calcowgirl

california is stuck on

liberal-socialism.

it’d be nice to live in a state where the elections aren’t

predicatable and the outcomes the same each time.


7 posted on 10/20/2008 8:17:13 PM PDT by ken21 (people die and you never hear from them again.)
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To: calcowgirl

Thanks for posting this, just saw it ..

I was leaning toward Yes on Prop. 11, but after reading this ,, it’s all about performance and then..

Political scientists generally believe open primaries lead to more moderate, centrist candidates.

So here’s what Schwarzenegger had to say today:

“We will change the way the district lines are drawn and we will change the performance in Sacramento and will create more performance. And, of course, the next thing is open primaries. That’s how we have to walk down that road and create the real change and not stay with the status quo.”


8 posted on 10/20/2008 8:17:35 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... "You know, when you can't ask a question of your leaders anymore, that gets scary,")
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To: calcowgirl

Okay, here’s the plan... We get tom McClintock to switch parties, tehn we all vote for him in the Dimocratic primary. Enough idiot Dims will just vote for him because he has a D after his name.


9 posted on 10/20/2008 8:18:05 PM PDT by rivercat
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To: rivercat
Calcowgirl and I might back it if every Republican could run as a Democrat in November. LOL

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

10 posted on 10/20/2008 8:20:43 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: rivercat
How in the heck can “open primaries” be legal? Primaries are all about each party selecting their OWN candidate!

In MN primaries are open. You can only vote for one party when you vote. Voters do not register by party at all.

I like the closed primary system in California much better.

11 posted on 10/20/2008 8:22:52 PM PDT by RDasher (El Nino is climate, La Nina is weather)
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To: RDasher
You can choose either Democrat or Republican, I think. Monkeying around with a party's character goes both ways as well.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

12 posted on 10/20/2008 8:25:03 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: NormsRevenge; ElkGroveDan
You probably got the same news alert I did, LOL.

I was just going to look up this one that was at the bottom:

Dan Walters speculates on the budget and the impact of next month's election: "This is shaping up as a strong election for Democrats, perhaps a real wave; they could come very close to two-thirds majorities in both legislative houses, and perhaps even go over the top," he writes. "As a practical matter, then, it will be easier, perhaps much easier, to enact the new taxes that Schwarzenegger, Democrats and groups such as the Education Coalition want when a new Legislature begins its session in December."

13 posted on 10/20/2008 8:30:07 PM PDT by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: calcowgirl
We always hear the Democrats overperforming. But what if they underperform? That's what no one talks about!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

14 posted on 10/20/2008 8:32:26 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: ken21
california is stuck on liberal-socialism.

Part is, but a large part is not.

Unfortunately, the CA GOP has been infiltrated by the former so the latter can't win an election.

Instead, they back European socialists like Arnie that have advanced the liberal agenda like no democrat could have ever done.

15 posted on 10/20/2008 8:32:46 PM PDT by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: calcowgirl
The dimRATs already have an open primary so this is targeted at Republicans only.

Arnold blows more each day.

16 posted on 10/20/2008 8:32:55 PM PDT by South40
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To: calcowgirl

I saw that bit too,, as always, polls can be wrong and often are.


17 posted on 10/20/2008 8:34:35 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... "You know, when you can't ask a question of your leaders anymore, that gets scary,")
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To: rivercat

LOL.

Hopefully, Tom will win with the (R) next to his name and not have to resort to that.

But I like your creativity!


18 posted on 10/20/2008 8:35:07 PM PDT by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
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To: NormsRevenge
The Democrats are boxed in by their own gerrymandering. They won't win more seats than they currently have.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

19 posted on 10/20/2008 8:36:32 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: NormsRevenge

Prop 11 is great to vote yes on. Since our Assembly has failed its Constitutional duty to justly draw Assembly and Senate lines we turn to the establishment of citizen committees of both parties to draw lines as closely to squares as possible. This requires that each Assembly District respect the community of cities within it and that each two Assembly districts shall equal one Senate district.

This takes from the hands of the politicians the human passion to draw themselves snake like “safe” districts for their re-election. (a real problem here.)

Don’t mix the two things up. Prop 11 is very, very good.


20 posted on 10/20/2008 8:37:43 PM PDT by The Californian
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To: The Californian
Its not a perfect solution. The downside is Republicans risk losing their guaranteed seats. If you consider being in the minority a guarantee. So if the district lines were drawn fairly, Republicans could with the right strategy, build their seats up towards a majority. Its been done in Canada.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

21 posted on 10/20/2008 8:41:16 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: The Californian

Open primaries might be a good thing in one respect. First, keep the Democratic and Republican primaries closed for those two parties,then let non-aligned candidates compete in an open primary for a standard independent spot on every ballot.

That would allow fresh ideas and fresh people into the mix without being ordained by party bosses. I bet you’d see an amazing number of independents elected and making extraordinary contributions.


22 posted on 10/20/2008 8:42:33 PM PDT by johnnycap
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To: The Californian

Open primaries might be a good thing in one respect. First, keep the Democratic and Republican primaries closed for those two parties,then let non-aligned candidates compete in an open primary for a standard independent spot on every ballot.

That would allow fresh ideas and fresh people into the mix without being ordained by party bosses. I bet you’d see an amazing number of independents elected and making extraordinary contributions.


23 posted on 10/20/2008 8:42:56 PM PDT by johnnycap
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To: The Californian

I ain’t 86’d Prop 11 yet,, THings couldn’t possibly get any worse if it passes. (I sure hope not)

I’m currently looking at Yes on 4, 8, 9 , 11 and 12. I have yet to comb the voter guides and ink the ballots,, but I doubt much will change ..

No to the High-speed rail job.. Prop 1A


24 posted on 10/20/2008 8:44:41 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... "You know, when you can't ask a question of your leaders anymore, that gets scary,")
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To: NormsRevenge
No to tax increases, more debt and more borrowing. Yes to everything else.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

25 posted on 10/20/2008 8:45:58 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: NormsRevenge
“I was leaning toward Yes on Prop. 11”

We are defiantly voting NO on 11!!!

26 posted on 10/20/2008 8:58:47 PM PDT by dalereed
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To: goldstategop
I lived in CA for 7 years. When you went to vote in a primary, they looked up your party, and gave you a correct ballot.

In MN you get one ballot, but can only vote for one party. If you vote for candidates two or more parties your ballot is voided.

27 posted on 10/20/2008 9:26:53 PM PDT by RDasher (El Nino is climate, La Nina is weather)
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To: calcowgirl; Ernest_at_the_Beach; NormsRevenge

I still say we need to recall this clown too...

if we recalled on Lib, we can recall another!


28 posted on 10/21/2008 4:41:52 AM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: kellynla

The worst that could happen is we have Garamendi for a year..

We may be insolvent by 2010 at the rate things are percolating. California is a gold stretch limon that the progressives wold love to run with their own select crew.

Here’s hoping we hold the line of sets in the senate and assembly. especially while the Gub and legislature are still spend&borrow haPPy.

I’d put Ray Haynes and Tom McC back in play in 2010, not Meg Whitman or Poizner,, but.. we know how stubborn the moderates are, little mavericks , it’s what ya get when ya cross a trojan horse with a moderate out here of late.

The GoP core elites can hop on that pony and ride out of state for all I care as it sits today.

Maybe we need a new party.

A New&Improved Republican Party

NO tent poles required. ;-)


29 posted on 10/21/2008 9:03:47 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... "You know, when you can't ask a question of your leaders anymore, that gets scary,")
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