Here's something to think about: Senator Hillary Clinton is saying she'll take the fight for Michigan and Florida to the convention floor. They broke the rules Clinton had agreed to, and so the votes were tossed.
Does America really need another President so comfortable with bending and breaking the rules?
Showing posts with label Presidential Primary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Presidential Primary. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Clinton: To Hell With Economists
Well, this is a scary thought:
Now, we seem to have two candidates who want us to eliminate the gas tax for the summer. Economists have panned the idea as having little impact for the consumer, because there's no guarantee any of the drop in price would be passed on to the consumer.
Then, you have to add in the fact we as taxpayers would have to borrow money to replace the transportation funds to repair bridges so they don't collapse like the one in Minnesota. So not only is there no guarantee we wouldn't be hosed at the pump, we'd be paying the money back with interest.
I know I don't comment much on the Presidential race, but this comment is absolutely too ridiculous to ignore.
Clinton raised questions about Obama's ability to connect with working-class Americans while dismissing economists who have said her plan to suspend gas taxes over the summer would do little good.Back in 2006, economists at the New York and Philadelphia Federal Reserve banks started sounding the alarms about where the economy was headed. I was scoffed at when I'd bring this up during presentations. I would argue they were pretty much on the money.
"I'm not going to put my lot in with economists," Clinton said when asked to name an economist who backed her proposal.
Now, we seem to have two candidates who want us to eliminate the gas tax for the summer. Economists have panned the idea as having little impact for the consumer, because there's no guarantee any of the drop in price would be passed on to the consumer.
Then, you have to add in the fact we as taxpayers would have to borrow money to replace the transportation funds to repair bridges so they don't collapse like the one in Minnesota. So not only is there no guarantee we wouldn't be hosed at the pump, we'd be paying the money back with interest.
I know I don't comment much on the Presidential race, but this comment is absolutely too ridiculous to ignore.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Bring the Change
With reports out of New Hampshire indicating record participation in the primary process, one has to hope the slumbering giant of American self-preservation has finally awoken. As a nation, we are facing great challenges. The divide and conquer party politics of the last eight years need to change if we are to meet these issues. Voters in Iowa knew it. Voters in New Hampshire seem to know it.
January 15th is the last day to register to vote in the New Jersey primary. Unaffiliated voters, which outnumber Republicans and Democrats combined, may participate in the primary. You'll have to go to the polls, declare a party, and then vote. You can unaffiliate yourself the same day by dropping another registration form in the mail, free of charge.
Get out and participate.
January 15th is the last day to register to vote in the New Jersey primary. Unaffiliated voters, which outnumber Republicans and Democrats combined, may participate in the primary. You'll have to go to the polls, declare a party, and then vote. You can unaffiliate yourself the same day by dropping another registration form in the mail, free of charge.
Get out and participate.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Bi-Partisan Support for Change
Even if the numbers don't quite hold, I am so fired up about the bi-partisan vote for change. I always pick candidates on both sides, and tonight is extremely exciting for me. Those that have spoken with me privately (or looked at my Facebook page) know I've been hoping for either Huckabee or McCain on the Republican side and Barack Obama on the Democratic side for a long time.
First, on the Republican side: Mike Huckabee absolutely stomped Mitt Romney and his fans at the Club for Growth. If there is a moderate Republican thinking about taking on Representative Scott Garrett and his CFG this should serve as motivation. You will be outspent, the CFG will come after you, Garrett's special interest backers will call you names, but if your message is strong enough and resonates with voters you can win.
Second, on the Democratic side: Senator Barack Obama absolutely stomped the very politics as usual machinery we are all so sick of dealing with. I've been talking about Obama since reading his books, and I believe now as I did then the fact that he represents the best chance for change on the Democratic side.
Our politics have been broken by the last eight years, and we are in need of change. I am so happy that the people of Iowa voted for the two competing candidates who represent that opportunity.
I have such hope for New Hampshire on Tuesday, and the rest of the primary process. Regardless of party affiliation, voters of Iowa said we need change and showed up to vote for it. I hope the rest of the nation will follow suit. The only way we get the kind of politics we want is if we show up to vote and hold politicians accountable. Politics as usual took a beating today, and to move this nation forward we need a lot more of this.
Game on.
First, on the Republican side: Mike Huckabee absolutely stomped Mitt Romney and his fans at the Club for Growth. If there is a moderate Republican thinking about taking on Representative Scott Garrett and his CFG this should serve as motivation. You will be outspent, the CFG will come after you, Garrett's special interest backers will call you names, but if your message is strong enough and resonates with voters you can win.
Second, on the Democratic side: Senator Barack Obama absolutely stomped the very politics as usual machinery we are all so sick of dealing with. I've been talking about Obama since reading his books, and I believe now as I did then the fact that he represents the best chance for change on the Democratic side.
Our politics have been broken by the last eight years, and we are in need of change. I am so happy that the people of Iowa voted for the two competing candidates who represent that opportunity.
I have such hope for New Hampshire on Tuesday, and the rest of the primary process. Regardless of party affiliation, voters of Iowa said we need change and showed up to vote for it. I hope the rest of the nation will follow suit. The only way we get the kind of politics we want is if we show up to vote and hold politicians accountable. Politics as usual took a beating today, and to move this nation forward we need a lot more of this.
Game on.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
A Solution to Primary Leapfrog Idiocy
With the Wyoming GOP announcing their intention to move their delegate selection contests to January 5th, it is now conceivable that New Hampshire will hold its primary on December 18th, with Iowa going December 10th, due to each state's laws dictating their position in the process and the fact that both Christmas and New Year's Day are on Tuesdays.
Nothing says Presidential elections like hot chocolate and candy canes. How will primary voters react to the carolling of the candidates? Fred Thompson may not even be in the race at that point, but I bet he does a heck of a rendition of "We Three Kings."
From the AP story:
First off, Iowa and New Hampshire don't call the shots: President Bush lost in 2000, Senator Bob Dole lost is 1996 and President Bill Clinton lost in 1992.
Now that we've got that out of the way, here's my solution for 2012 and beyond. However, part of it starts now.
- Iowa and New Hampshire go in mid-January.
- The remaining states are split into four groups of 12, with a geographic distribution so that each region of the nation has 3 representative states in each group.
- Then, the second Tuesday of February, March, April and May one group has a primary.
- This primary rotates every four years, so that the group that goes last one year goes first the next.
(ex. Year 1: 1234 Year 2: 4123 Year 3: 3412 Year 4: 2341)
- The initial order would be determined by overall eligible voter turnout percentage in the GENERAL election of 2008 for the group. The group of states with the top turnout goes first in 2012, with the group coming in second going 4th so they get to go first in 2016.
- Finally, in 2024, after everybody has had the chance to go first, the order is redrawn based on the voter turnout percentage over the last four elections (2012-24), and the process begins again.
It really isn't that hard, and I would think the parties and states could come to some kind of agreement before their conventions in August 2008, which at this rate will be nine months after the first primary ballots are cast.
Nothing says Presidential elections like hot chocolate and candy canes. How will primary voters react to the carolling of the candidates? Fred Thompson may not even be in the race at that point, but I bet he does a heck of a rendition of "We Three Kings."
From the AP story:
"We're first in the nation," said Tom Sansonetti, the state party's 2008 county convention coordinator. "At least for the next couple, three weeks until New Hampshire and Iowa move, which I expect they will."
[snip]
"Ultimately the goal here is to look beyond 2008 and fix the system, because the system is broken," Sansonetti said. "Ultimately the goal here is to look beyond 2008 and fix the system, because the system is broken," Sansonetti said. "All this jumping around is because the states feel disenfranchised by letting Iowa and New Hampshire call the shots."
First off, Iowa and New Hampshire don't call the shots: President Bush lost in 2000, Senator Bob Dole lost is 1996 and President Bill Clinton lost in 1992.
Now that we've got that out of the way, here's my solution for 2012 and beyond. However, part of it starts now.
- Iowa and New Hampshire go in mid-January.
- The remaining states are split into four groups of 12, with a geographic distribution so that each region of the nation has 3 representative states in each group.
- Then, the second Tuesday of February, March, April and May one group has a primary.
- This primary rotates every four years, so that the group that goes last one year goes first the next.
(ex. Year 1: 1234 Year 2: 4123 Year 3: 3412 Year 4: 2341)
- The initial order would be determined by overall eligible voter turnout percentage in the GENERAL election of 2008 for the group. The group of states with the top turnout goes first in 2012, with the group coming in second going 4th so they get to go first in 2016.
- Finally, in 2024, after everybody has had the chance to go first, the order is redrawn based on the voter turnout percentage over the last four elections (2012-24), and the process begins again.
It really isn't that hard, and I would think the parties and states could come to some kind of agreement before their conventions in August 2008, which at this rate will be nine months after the first primary ballots are cast.
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