AP: Dems Recommend 2012 Calendar That Starts in February

[flpoljunkie]

Dems recommend 2012 calendar that starts in February
By PHILIP ELLIOTT

The Associated Press
Friday, July 9, 2010; 6:26 PM

WASHINGTON -- Democrats recommended a February start for the 2012 political calendar and the likely renomination of President Barack Obama, with Iowa and New Hampshire keeping their traditional early voting spots.

Abandoning the typical January beginning, the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws panel on Friday proposed holding the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 6, 2012, and the New Hampshire primary eight days later, on Feb. 14. Nevada caucuses would be Feb. 18 and the South Carolina primary on Feb. 28.

All other states would hold their primaries and caucuses after March 6. The calendar must be approved by the full DNC at a meeting later this summer.

Democrats who gathered in Washington for a two-day session also looked to limit the influence of the independent superdelegates in choosing the party's nominee.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/09/AR2010070903670.html

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

1. Is this the Mayan Primary calandar? Maybe they should move up the

Inaugeral?

[davidpdx]

2. It's a conspiracy

:sarcasm:

[Arkana]

3. Pushing the primaries into February? Hmmm....

[DCBob]

4. Wonder why?? Maybe just practical weather concerns to avoid the coldest months..

for better turnout? maybe.

[Politics_Guy25]

5. I know that a lot of you on here will be working to defeat President Obama in the primary

and have Dennis Kucinich become the 2012 democratic nominee. Ummmmm....uhhh...yeah..., good luck with that.

[DCBob]

7. Why did you direct that comment at me?. I am no DK lover..

I support the President... most of the time.

[Politics_Guy25]

8. Not meant for you at all-sorry dude

It's just how it works if you click reply sometimes. It just ended up right below yours since it was last I guess. Sorry again. It is meant for the relentless critics on this board, not you.

[DCBob]

10. No problem. I have done the same many times.

I am also losing my patience with the "relentless critics".. Maybe someday they will come to their senses.

Cheers!

[DailyGrind51]

11. A lot depends on the economy, especially the employment picture.

If we go into our second dip and things REALLY get bad, Dems will be making a hard left turn towards a decidedly Progressive candidate. Had we gone with Ted Kennedy over Jimmy Carter, Reagan would not have been elected.

[quakerboy]

6. just what we needed

Longer. Perhaps in 2016, we can start in 2015...

[Sebastian Doyle]

9. Well, at least it's a move in the proper direction, but it's not nearly enough.

What they need to do is change completely over to a system where you have 6 weeks of primaries/caucuses. First 5 weeks, you would have 10 states each, and then the remaining territories and other offshore primaries. Hold these elections on the weekend for the best voter turnout possible.

States would be rotated each election cycle, so there would be no more of this bullshit of Iowa & New Hampshire deciding for the whole country.

If indeed there is no primary opposition to President Obama in the 2012 election, this may be the perfect time to set up a new system, so all the bugs could be worked out by 2016 when it's an "open race".

And of course there are also the issues of electro-fraud machines (going to all caucuses would be fine with me), campaign financing, and whore media hype. But that might be another thread altogether.