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A bold, fair way to choose a Republican nominee (from a National Review columnist)
The Chicago Tribune ^ | 3/15/16 | Ramesh Ponnuru

Posted on 03/15/2016 4:37:26 PM PDT by Faith Presses On

Republicans have been talking about changing the rules for picking a presidential nominee at their national convention in Cleveland in July. Their best bet may be to go bold.

Right now, their options do not look good. Let's assume that Donald Trump finishes the primaries with more delegates than any other candidate, but not a majority, and Sen. Ted Cruz comes in second.

Trump is already arguing that having the most delegates entitles him to the nomination, and his sympathizers are saying that any other result would amount to stealing it from him. But a very large fraction of the party is still bitterly opposed to him, and seems likely to fight to keep him from getting a majority.

(snip)

It's not too late to apply some version of this idea to the choice of a Republican nominee. Republicans could change the rules of their convention to permit some kind of preferential ballot. The rule change would have to be proposed in advance, so that members of the convention's rules committee have time to consider it before voting on it during the week before all the delegates arrive in Cleveland. Then, if it passes the committee, a majority of delegates would have to vote for it too.

When it came time for the delegates to vote on the presidential nomination, delegates would rank their candidates - with pledged delegates putting the candidates to whom they are pledged at the top of their lists. It would probably also be necessary-to reduce the likelihood of accusations of dirty tricks - for each delegate to make his or her rank orderings public immediately after the vote.

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


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
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Floating rule changes for the convention.
1 posted on 03/15/2016 4:37:26 PM PDT by Faith Presses On
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To: Faith Presses On

Yes having the voters/people decide is a bad idea.

The boards of NRO, Weekly Standard, WSJ and Fox News should choose the nominee.


2 posted on 03/15/2016 4:40:46 PM PDT by tips up (When the people find that they can vote themselves money that will herald the end of the republic.)
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To: Faith Presses On

ROFL


3 posted on 03/15/2016 4:42:23 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Yuge 2016)
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To: Faith Presses On

Make the releases we go along. More fun that way.


4 posted on 03/15/2016 4:43:11 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
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To: Faith Presses On
Republicans could change the rules of their convention to permit some kind of preferential ballot.

So do that next time.

A major overhaul of the rules in the middle of this cycle wouldn't be fair and would only disgust voters.

5 posted on 03/15/2016 4:43:26 PM PDT by x
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To: Faith Presses On

Another fantasy land “if trump doesn’t have the votes” story. They keep printing these in hopes that if they keep repeating it, it happens. The most likely scenario is that Trump has 1400-1500 delegates and these reporters and on-air personalities will have spent countless words and hours on nothing.


6 posted on 03/15/2016 4:43:28 PM PDT by Personal Responsibility (We need a separation of press and state!)
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To: Faith Presses On

Whichever Democrat comes in second in the Democrat Primaries should be the Republican nominee, right?


7 posted on 03/15/2016 4:43:33 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy
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To: Faith Presses On

“Floating rule changes for the convention.”

They MUST know that any Republican that is given the nomination via a rule change will simply LOSE in November. There is NO WAY that rank and file Republicans, even ones that hate Trump will support being used in that way.

So what really is their motive.


8 posted on 03/15/2016 4:44:10 PM PDT by BobL (Who cares? He's going to build a wall and stop this invasion.)
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To: Faith Presses On

Not going to happen. If it did that would be the end of the Republican Party, and we would have three parties thereafter.


9 posted on 03/15/2016 4:44:30 PM PDT by Keen-Minded
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To: Faith Presses On

Anyone who wants to challenge the delegate leader should have to duel for it


10 posted on 03/15/2016 4:46:13 PM PDT by dila813
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To: Faith Presses On

1237 is the number I hear that is needed to win the nomination. My thought is, if Trump comes in to the convention with 1300 delegates, they will deny him the nomination.
Rules is rules but they make the rules and will change as needed.
They? Think GOPe.
There ain’t no way no how they are going to allow him to be their nominee.


11 posted on 03/15/2016 4:46:18 PM PDT by Tupelo (Honest men go to Washington, but honest men do not stay in Washington.)
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To: Faith Presses On

If Trump ends up with the most and close to the required amount and is denied the nomination, I will stay home in November. I will not vote for another candidate.


12 posted on 03/15/2016 4:46:46 PM PDT by dforest (Ted took your money and is laughing all the way to Goldman Sachs)
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13 posted on 03/15/2016 4:49:47 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Facing Trump nomination inevitability, folks are now openly trying to help Hillary destroy him.)
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To: Faith Presses On

I guess “most votes” isn’t bold or fair enough.


14 posted on 03/15/2016 4:51:09 PM PDT by LostPassword
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To: Faith Presses On

I hate the National Review. May they all get an itching disease if their private parts.


15 posted on 03/15/2016 4:52:41 PM PDT by Mamzelle
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To: dforest

Don’t stay home. Write in Trump instead.


16 posted on 03/15/2016 4:53:16 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Yuge 2016)
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To: Faith Presses On

Look at the contendors Trump has had to compete against compared to previous candidates. He’s been up a list of sitting governors and senators in their own states!

Romney was against: former senators and reps like Rick Santorum, Gingrich, and kook Ron Paul.

McCain was against former governors Huckabee and Romney only.

Total jokes of primaries.

GW’s only real opponent was McCain

It’s obvious Trump is a very very strong candidate.


17 posted on 03/15/2016 4:53:50 PM PDT by MNDude (God is not a Republican, but Satan is certainly a Democrat.)
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To: Faith Presses On

Totalitarianism is being exposed...


18 posted on 03/15/2016 4:53:54 PM PDT by Wpin ("I Have Sworn Upon the Altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny...")
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To: Faith Presses On

Absolutely. It’s unfair to have the actual rank-and-file vote on the nominee.


19 posted on 03/15/2016 4:54:13 PM PDT by Yashcheritsiy (You can't have a constitution without a country to go with it)
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To: BobL
So what really is their motive.

To lose in November. Being the "loyal opposition" is an easy job. You don't have to do any actual governing, and you strill get boatloads of lobbyist money.

20 posted on 03/15/2016 4:55:21 PM PDT by Yashcheritsiy (You can't have a constitution without a country to go with it)
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