Posted on 03/23/2016 1:38:18 PM PDT by roses of sharon
A top Republican National Committee official helping to oversee the party’s convention preparations attended a series of private meetings on Wednesday with top conservative leaders – many of whom are bent on finding a way to stop Donald Trump.
Many of those there to hear Cairncross are seeking out ways to defeat Trump at a potentially contested Republican National Convention in Cleveland, going so far as to consider imposing rule changes at the convention that would hamper Trump’s ability to secure the nomination.
Those familiar with Cairncross’s remarks say he spent much of the time laying out the process of an open convention, complete with detailed explanation of the state-by-state rules for allocating delegates. He was careful, they say, to appear fair and impartial in his remarks – a position the RNC has rigidly adhered to as it navigates the treacherous waters of a divisive primary.
He also detailed the rules process, which many conservatives are delving into as they search for ways to derail Trump's march to the nomination.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Correct. There have been no State Conventions. The National Convention delegates are selected at the State Convention.
But if you were not elected at your County Election as a delegate, you are not even going to the State Convention. Period.
Yikes.
But here's the rub. The winner in Pennsylvania's April 26 primary won't be guaranteed all - or even most - of the state's delegates.
More than three-quarters of Pennsylvania's delegates are unbound, meaning they can choose which candidate to vote for at the convention. They're not legally required to vote for the state's primary winner.
I believe some delegates have already been selected by being named on state primary ballots. And each state’s party chair and two RNC members are of course known. There may be a few other delegates already named.
Yes, you are correct. Top elected officials in all states and their state Republican Party are already known and slated.
Theses particular officers are called “permanent delegates”, by virtue of the offices they hold in each state. Governor, Lt.Governor, Speaker of the House, State Party Chairman, State representatives, US Representatives, etc., etc., etc.
Texas for example has 28 of these delegates that automatically go to State and National Conventions. “Permanent” Delegates are not grassroots.
I was thinking these Permanent Delegates are mostly Establishment delegates.
If all the Permanent Delegates in all the states voted as a block, they would account for a LOT of votes all by themselves.
Texas may have ‘permanent delegates’ but other states do not.
No. Unfortunately, I think one of us understands the process and one of us doesn’t.
Delegates are unnecessary, huh? So when the States have enough calls for a convention to amend the Constitution to take back our country, you’re opposed to electing delegates to represent the states?
Similarly, you’re good with eliminating the Electoral College and going with the popular vote?
Do you also want a majority-rules democracy instead of a representative republic? Because that’s what it sounds like. Doesn’t seem like something you’d normally support.
Anger is clouding rational judgment around here.
The Republican Party of Pennsylvania submitted a delegate allocation plan to the RNC in October 2015. The Pennsylvania voters who participated in the local, district, and state caucuses proposed, voted on, and approved the state party's platform and committees. Likewise, the state government, elected by the people, decided not to bind its delegates by law.
I heard 2 on talk radio last week - one is Cruz, no matter what. The second prefers Trump, but said that if the voters chose someone else he would respect their votes and vote as they did.
Let’s just stick with one rabbit trail at a time.
The “process” is the key word.
The Primary is nothing but a culling of the candidates and the popular vote is virtually meaningless for any other reason.
When the forces at the top are unhappy with the popular vote.
The forces at the top have several stop gates to redirect the outcome of the simple popular primary vote; beginning with state delegate allocations; winner take all; proportional take delegates; open party primaries; closed party primaries; caucuses.
If the winning candidate survives all those hurdles, then comes the National Convention “delegates”, who have already voted one time in their state primary.
Potentially these individuals are privileged to vote three more times at the National Convention with and without regard for their state popular vote. That is not representative of their state popular vote.
One man = *four* votes.
This becomes the actual election of the nominee.
The people cull, and the forces in power elect the nominee.
Or, maybe not. They can even install another, on a Third Ballot, who did not run at all, or one who did run but got 4% of the popular vote.
If it weren’t all so laughable already, it would be hysterical.
We are not forming a Union. We are a Union. We are not a Convention of States. This the 21st century.
That's incorrect and illogical. One delegate gets one vote per ballot. Just like you get one vote per ballot: one primary ballot, one vote in any primary run-off election, one general election ballot. You may physically vote three times, but your vote isn't counted three times in the end results. Multiple ballots at the national convention are equivalent to primary run-off ballots. Same concept.
The people cull, and the forces in power elect the nominee.
At the national convention, the delegates hold the power. They make the rules. They cast the votes. If the delgates want to make a rule change that lowers the threshold of required votes to something other than 50% + 1, they have the power to do that. Likewise, they can make a rule that prevents anyone other than the two candidates who received the most delegates from being listed on a ballot.
We are not a Convention of States.
The national convention is precisely a convention of states.
Damn. Straight.
“Trump is payback, and it’s a beautiful thing to see.”
Kind of like marrying the bad boy from down the street to screw your parents. Then you get to live in the trailerpark with your four kids on welfare when he leaves you for the next dumb girl.
Technically, all delegates are free to vote for whomever they choose even on the first ballot. The courts have ruled repeatedly that state governments cannot legislate the inside-baseball rules of political parties. Political affiliation is a choice not a requirement.
“Cruz was my choice, but if he, understanding the founding ideas as he does, allows himself to stoop to accept the power of the Presidency under such contrived conditions,”
The GOPe cabal plotting to keep Trump from getting the nomination will not give it to Cruz either. They are just using him in the attempt to keep Trump from getting 1237, which they have to do first.
Once that is achieved they will turn their guns on Cruz. Their nominee will be selected in the open convention that they are aiming for. It will be Jeb, Mitt, Romney, Ryan or maybe even Kasich. It will not be Trump or Cruz.
“We have not had a President against amnesty since the last amnesty.
“Truthfully we haven’t had one enforce the laws and borders vigorously since Ike.
“Both parties want to keep it that way.
worth repeating
Na, the GOP is more like an abusive husband...he hates you, humiliates you, smacks you around and yet you say to yourself...I need him, and he will never do it again.
Sort of like battered wife syndrome.
I can not post, or I would want to post this every 12 hours for months, until July.
* Timothy P. Carney, Washington Examiner, March 22nd. *(Yesterday, via Hotair.com)
His story is the account of exactly what happened in the 2012 National Convention— what is in store for us, in 2016.
The tactics, in 2012, were brutally undemocratic and assure us that democracy does not reign if the Establishment determines that the frontrunner is the “wrong” pick, by some silly popular primary vote.
While the coming July Republican Convention is a National Convention, it is certainly not a Convention of States by any measure in the same vein as you propose, nor is anyone represented but for the Establishment. It is simply a *Republican” “National” Convention.
Carney exposes the caterwalling, the corruption, the facts of the 2012 Convention as the events on the floor took place.
I do not think the people will stand for such a thing, twice.
Were you there? You know this already, if you were.
You say, “the delegates hold all the power”. They do not, actually.
You toy with me when you say, “One delegate gets one vote per ballot.”
I said delegates get four votes until a nominee is selected.
I did not discuss rabbit trails of general election ballots. You know very well I am speaking to the 1237, or bust, and nothing else.
My point was *obviously* that FOR THE NOMINEE, rank and file primary voters do not get four ballots to vote four different times.
It is only delegates who potentially vote *four* times.
These individual delegates vote in their primary, one time, for a nominee.
They vote a SECOND time, as a delegate on the first ballot, for their state popular winner candidate.
They vote a THIRD time, against their state perhaps, on the second ballot.
They vote a FOURTH time, as a delegate, for someone perhaps who did not even run, on the THIRD BALLOT.
Four votes for one man.
Just sayin’.
Ping away for reinforcement. It doesn’t change the facts. I have met and am personal friends with a few on your list. I know them to be good and reasonable people.
One delegate - one vote. Not one delegate - four votes. You can’t twist that any other way. Multiple ballots at the convention are akin to primary run-off ballots.
I’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt. I watched it in Technicolor as Obama stole delegates from Hillary in 2008. I was elected as a Hillary delegate during Operation Chaos. Detailed it many times here. I’ve also served as a Republican delegate more than once. I understand the process. I know the rules. I know who makes the rules.
Yes, Romney’s crew manipulated the 2012 Convention Rules to keep Ron Paul off the ballot. They learned that from Obama and ACORN. The difference this year? We know what to expect. We are armed with information. The MSM and the new media are talking non-stop about a contested convention. Have been for months. Any delegate who goes to the convention unprepared deserves a public flogging.
The delegates have control at the convention.
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