Mich. Democrats Blast Nominating Process

[Judi Lynn]

Mich. Democrats Blast Nominating Process
By Associated Press
November 6, 2005, 12:32 AM EST

SAGINAW, Mich. -- The Michigan Democratic Party took a shot at Iowa and New Hampshire's "monopoly" on the first steps of the presidential nominating process, adopting a resolution Saturday calling for fairness, equity and diversity ahead of future elections.

Potential 2008 presidential candidates are already stopping through Iowa -- at least eight of them in the last half of October.

"Michigan Democrats renew their call for a fairer and more diverse presidential nominating process for the Democratic Party," state party Chairman Mark Brewer said Saturday.

"We urge the Commission on Presidential Nomination Timing and Scheduling to recommend changes to end the monopoly of Iowa and New Hampshire," he said.
(snip/...)

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-presidential-nomination,0,375336.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines

[lakemonster11]

1. I'm glad this is being talked about

I resent the fact that the first few states that vote basically get to choose the party's candidate. By the time our caucus came around in the 2004 election, it didn't even matter.

I wish everyone could vote on the same day---that way, it wouldn't be like an internet poll where later voters tend to choose only between the vote-leaders because they want their vote to "count" (not to "waste" it on someone who seems unlikely to win).

What if 3/4 of the country was planning to vote for candidate X, but the first few states vastly preferred candidates Y and Z? If they had all voted on the same day (blind, if you will), candidate X would have won. In our current system, the 3/4 of the country that supported candidate X will drop him/her as "unelectable" and scramble to choose between candidates Y and Z.

(I know the arguments against this---small states wouldn't get visits from the candidates, etc.---but I stand by my complaint).