AP: Tons of Republicans switched sides in March (OpChaos Returns)

That's why I think the only hope is to keep the economy free enough that per capita the government shrinks relative to our growth.

Expanding economy and "the invisible hand" of free markets and free trade [and as a corollary, free movement of people and capital, interstate and/or overseas] are essential to keep at bay and limiting the growth of government's interference (taxes, regulations, mandates etc.) in our economic and private life. Without them there is nothing to stop governments from doing what is natural and what they do "best" - accumulation of more power and financial and human resources which would have nowhere else to go, no valve to escape and leave the "wells" of the oppressive government dry. That's about the only check on the oppressive government.

In that light, it's interesting what's going on regarding autonomy movement of some provinces and farms in Bolivia and financial no-confidence vote in currency and government of Argentina right now.

I have a serious problem with the GOP's primary process. It seems to have been tailored by the Country Clubbers to make sure that northeast liberals get the nomination. They emphasize Iowa and NH, let Dems vote in several of the key states, and use a winner take all system. When there are 2 main candidates (Bush vs. Reagan in 1980, or Bush vs. McCain in 2000) or when there is a strong frontrunner in the pack, like when a VP is running, it might work out ok. But when it's a wide open field, a 30 percent vote gets you 100 percent of the delegates. This allows the MSM to concentrate on the Pubbie they like the most (Dole, McCain) and work really really hard on behalf of that candidate. Dem voters come out and vote for that candidate, too. Then, when there are 3 or 4 or 5 other candidates, the good ones get lost in the shuffle. Especially if they split the conservative votes between evangelicals (Huckleberry) and security/fiscal conservatives (Thompson).

A proportional system like the Dems have would have given us a race that lasted longer, with conservative candidates in in to the end. Operation Chaos in reverse, except keeping conservatives in the race helps our party. Then they could go to the convention with no one having a majority and the convention would pick the winner. Even better would be to reshuffle the order of states and only allow Republican, genuine Republicans, to vote in the primaries. A $10/year charge for joining the party ought to suffice to keep the phony Republicans away.

Unfortunately, I see no sign that any of those things will happen in the GOP nominating process. 2012 will be a repeat of 2008, and we will have another RINO nominee. Therefore, whatever people choose to do this year with McCain, all conservatives need to look at setting up an alternative system for 2012, either within or outside the GOP.

When Marlin at- tempted to turn in his completed ballot, an election worker informed him he "could not cast his ballot while wearing the sticker." Affidavit of David H. Marlin

After a second election worker accepted Marlin's ballot, the first worker told Marlin he would not be permitted to vote in the general election if he was wearing "any sticker, button, emblem, or clothing that showed support for a candidate." Id. After the primary Marlin and his counsel contacted the Board, which told Marlin's counsel that the District's election regulations, promulgated by the Board,1 prohibited voters from wearing political paraphernalia inside a polling place but that, if Marlin insisted on wearing a campaign sticker, he would be permitted to vote curbside at the general election. Marlin wore a sticker and voted curbside on November 3, 1998.

Seems this refers more to actual candidates, rather than a political process - closing primaries - at the very least in FL, TX and OH.

Marlin wasn't the candidate: “The material facts are not in dispute. On September 15, 1998 Marlin, a resident and registered voter of the District of Columbia (District), went to his polling place to vote in a primary election while wearing a campaign sticker in support of mayoral candidate Anthony Williams.

Political stickers, clothing with political slogans, hats with political logos, and in at least one case I can recall a bumper sticker on a car, are all generally considered campaigning at polling places and will get you kicked out. I have lived in several states as an adult and all of them have the rule that you cannot campaign at polling places, period (they usually have a rule about X feet).

The basic rule seems very widespread. A quick search shows tons and tons of links to laws, cases, etc. This claims (not doesn't cite it's source) that all 50 states have some sort of law regarding that sort of thing: http://www.ehow.com/how_2121948_campaign-near-polling-place.html

It doesn't even have to be blatantly for one candidate or the other. Here is the bumper sticker case:

http://www.bloggernews.net/11202

The bumper sticker read "Grand Oil Party".

You would be better off wearing a RW&B bandana or something else that was noticable but not blatantly political. They hand out RW&B "I voted" stickers, so that should be ok.

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