Lawmakers look to revolutionize presidential primary plan

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/lawmakers-look-to-revolutionize-primary-plan-2007-07-31.html

Lawmakers look to revolutionize primary plan
By Sam Youngman
July 31, 2007

Three senators — one Republican, one Democrat and one Independent — are proposing a plan that would revolutionize the nation’s presidential primary system.

Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) announced Tuesday they are proposing legislation that would institute a new primary structure that divides the country into four regions, with each region’s states voting in a different month.

The Regional Presidential Primary and Caucus Act, which would take effect in the 2012 elections, is a result of this year’s rush by states to the front of the line, with big states like California, New York and New Jersey moving to Feb. 5 and Florida jumping to Jan. 29.

A document outlining the plan that was obtained by The Hill said it would “encourage the greatest number of good candidates to enter the race, allow voters an opportunity to hear all candidates’ ideas ensure more Americans a chance to cast a meaningful vote.”

The proposal calls for a rotating schedule of the four regions, while still protecting the “traditional” first states of Iowa and New Hampshire.

The states would be divided into the East (Region I), South (II), Midwest (III) and West (IV) regions.

more...

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/lawmakers-look-to-revolutionize-primary-plan-2007-07-31.html

[MonkeyFunk]

1. I'm not sure how the feds have any control over this...

primaries are functions of the parties, not the government.

[babylonsister]

2. Me neither; just thought I'd throw it out there. nt

[babylonsister]

3. Legislation introduced:

http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2007/07/another-bid-bei.html

Another bid being made to create 'regional primaries'

A bipartisan trio of senators will today introduce legislation that would significantly change the presidential nomination process by creating regional primaries and caucuses, USA TODAY's Kathy Kiely tells us.

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Joseph Lieberman (I/D-Conn.), according to a statement they've released, believe the current process "discourages lesser known candidates from running, because it makes it very difficult for them to gain the financing and name recognition to be serious contenders." They propose breaking the nation into four regions, and rotating which region goes first.

They would, though, allow New Hampshire and Iowa to continue their traditional first-in-the-nation contests, outside the regional process.

This kind of reform has been proposed in Congress before, obviously without success.