Posted on 01/22/2008 8:38:59 PM PST by neverdem
Based on South Carolina, I'd say they will split. Their interests would be better served by Romney, IMHO, but some have bought into the "Mormons worship Satan" garbage and will vote for anyone but Romney. As I stated long ago here, I have no problem with a Mormon president, just with that particular Mormon, IOW my problems with him have zero, zip, nada to do with his religion. I'd take most from Utah, but one liberal enough to get elected governor in Massachusetts? That makes me nervous. But then again I can't have high confidence in a guy that is a reverse ace, and would shut negate the first amendment 30 days before a primary and 60 days before a general election.
I suspect there would be a lot of hookers who were even more bored than usual.
I guess Lazarus Long didn't contemplate the situation where you'd want to vote against all of them.
The two highest achievements of the human mind are the twin concepts of "loyalty" and "duty". Whenever these twin concepts fall into disrepute -- get out of there fast! You may possibly save yourself, but it is too late to save that society. It is doomed.
Of course, unlike Lazarus Long, we have no where to go.
But the problem has been, "which people". The primaries, conducted as they are on a state by state basis, front loaded with less conservative states, don't necessarily reflect either "the base" or the party and it's sympathizers (not all states have closed primaries, Texas does not for example you can vote in either, but not both).
Congress has the power to set election dates for elections.
The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.
Art. 1 Section 4
The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.
Art II Section 1
Since the Constitution doesn't address parties, it doesn't address primaries, but I think a good case can be made that the primaries, since they are part of the process of "chusing electors" and are those for Congress are certainly are covered by "Regulations" of the states, which Congress can overrule.
We need national primaries. Everyone votes on the same day, under the same rules.
As far as the parties role.. I agree with President Washington.
Problem with that is that many states, Texas for example, don't register voters by party.
I think just doing away with a primary schedule that is front loaded with less than conservative states would help a lot. Right now, it drives both parties leftward. Then those in the late voting states get stuck with the "best candidate *remaining*, or as some would have it, the one most likely to beat the SOB on the other side. At that point, we aren't getting the one best able to run the executive branch of the federal government, we are getting the best demagogue. The process results in a leftward drift of both parties, as it is repeated in subsequent cycles. (at least at the Presidential level).
Good analysis.
Appreciate this thread. Too many are saying we just have to suck it up. If that were true, we’d be seeing Justice Meirs and a McAmnesty law. I say we raise holy hallelujah and not surrender conservatism.
Question will be, which way will Huckabee’s Evangelicals break?
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It looks right now like evangelicals split pretty evenly in Florida between Huckabee, Romney and McCain. These are self-designated evangelicals, so your limiting them to “Huckabee’s Evangelicals” is right. I’m a late comer to the “Huckabee’s Evangelicals” group being more a straight line conservative in politics than just a member of one wing of the party.
Right now it looks like Huckabee has the possibility to take as many delegates on super Tuesday as Romney, so they aren’t breaking anywhere yet. If McCain has 400 or so delegates, Romney has 200 or so, and Huckabee has 200 or so after super-Tuesday, the question becomes more whether Romney and Huckabee both go for brokered convention . . . and why. I find it unlikely they’d work together, but odd couples happen. Romney has alienated both Huckabee and McCain with attack ads at this point — more a function of Romney’s cash I think than an intrinsic nastiness on Romney’s part — Romney has the money to do the rational thing in the game.
However, Romney can’t buy himself the win . . . that is becoming clear. So will Romney stay in, and continue to spend his own money to bring us to a brokered convention, or will he drop? Huckabee is doing this on low $’s (something that should give pause — how talented a politician do you have to be to run as well as Huckabee has with so little support by the money men in the party — and how committed and impervious to outside advertising is the evangelical vote?). They’ve got their own networks, their own websites, their own counselors. Whatever you can do in the future to ensure communication between evangelicals and mainstream conservatives in the future before the conservatives promote a candidate in the primaries would be important since the religious right and the conservative wing of the party are natural allies who need each other to win.
If Romney drops, Huck will likely stay in as the McCain alternative I think. If Huck drops, Romney will likely stay in as the McCain alternative. If it turns into a staring contest between Huck and Romney, who blinks? My bet is Romney cause this is costing Huck nothing while Romney is spending enough to buy major businesses outright in this election.
I was in complete agreement with this until last night. After seeing McCain's lying and smirking face through that debate, I'm back to not knowing who would be worse! I think it's a tie.
I agree, but there is always the hope!
BTTT
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