The 2008 presidential field at-a-glance

[Drolefille]

Gotta love the BBC.

Very interesting.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

A number of states are being "punished" by the democrats and republicans. According to the BBC at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7049207.stm

"The Democratic Party is punishing Michigan and Florida by refusing to accept their delegates at the national convention. So neither state's Democratic primary will count. (The main Democratic candidates have said they will not campaign in either state.)

The Republican Party is penalising Florida, Michigan, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Wyoming, by reducing their quota of delegates by half."

This is how we let democracy work in our own country, and we think we're in a position to put it in place in OTHER countries??!?

[Thetagirl218]

I am getting kinda mad that because our state legislature passed law when Florida's primary should be, the parties are punishing us? Why would they cut out the voice of the people??? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, and there are talks that Conventions will change their minds, but who knows! I do know this.....after the whole affair in 2000, I was in high school, and it was all that was ever discussed it seems; You would think more attention would be paid to FL instead of diminishing it. We are still a pretty big swing vote and have 27 electoral college votes....2 more than in 2000.

[honeychile]

My private fantasy: that at least two people from Greek Chat run for Delegate to their party's Convention - preferably one from each party. I'd love to hear the "insiders' reports"!

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by Thetagirl218

I am getting kinda mad that because our state legislature passed law when Florida's primary should be, the parties are punishing us? Why would they cut out the voice of the people??? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, and there are talks that Conventions will change their minds, but who knows! I do know this.....after the whole affair in 2000, I was in high school, and it was all that was ever discussed it seems; You would think more attention would be paid to FL instead of diminishing it. We are still a pretty big swing vote and have 27 electoral college votes....2 more than in 2000.

Yep, because the national party leadership want to punish the party leadership for a state, they basically punish and somewhat disenfranchise any regular party members in that state, and yet, the party members or anyone willing to vote in the primary and not have his or her primary or caucus vote fully count at the convention is still supposed to stay loyal enough to vote for the party's candidate in the general elections. Why does that seem to make sense to the party leadership?

If it had happened in my state, I think I'd very much feel like a complete free agent in the general election. (Actually, if Huckabee is the nominee, I would anyway.)

And why do we privilege Iowa and New Hampshire, anyway? If the parties' position was that we'd have all the primaries on the same day, that'd be one thing, but why are some states just expected to sit back to see if their candidates appeal well enough in the early states to even stay in the race until you can vote for them in your states primary? )

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Wasn't Florida getting threatened with the same fate?

Poor Florida and their hanging chads -- now this.

[AGDee]

See, and I don't necessarily blame the DNC either. Why MUST we have such an early primary? It's our fault that Iowa and NH had to move theirs so far forward too. I think it's ridiculous that we choose our candidates so far in advance of the conventions. It sounded like it was good in the "olden days" when you actually found out who the candidate was going to be DURING the convention. Now it's a big deal if they wait til then to announce the VP candidate.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by AGDee

See, and I don't necessarily blame the DNC either. Why MUST we have such an early primary? It's our fault that Iowa and NH had to move theirs so far forward too. I think it's ridiculous that we choose our candidates so far in advance of the conventions. It sounded like it was good in the "olden days" when you actually found out who the candidate was going to be DURING the convention. Now it's a big deal if they wait til then to announce the VP candidate.

I like the idea of a rotating primary system where it's set up so that different states get to be earlier each election. (And Iowa/NH/SC can still go first if that's oh so necessary, I've seen models that do both) Then we could all stop playing the "I'm moving MINE a day earlier" "No ME" "No ME!" game.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

I like the idea of a rotating primary system where it's set up so that different states get to be earlier each election. (And Iowa/NH/SC can still go first if that's oh so necessary, I've seen models that do both) Then we could all stop playing the "I'm moving MINE a day earlier" "No ME" "No ME!" game.

I would like to see the primary system go even one step beyond that.
Set up rotating groups of sectional/regional areas.
Would save money and increase the time candidates are in a given area.
This would never happen.

[SigKapAngel767]

Does anyone know when/where Florida's primaries are gonna be?

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by SigKapAngel767

Does anyone know when/where Florida's primaries are gonna be?

WHERE?
If you mean where the polling locations are, normally they are where they are anytime there is an election.
Call your local election board HQ for details.

[Thetagirl218]

Originally Posted by SigKapAngel767

Does anyone know when/where Florida's primaries are gonna be?

Florida's primary is going to be held Tuesday, January 29th. Where you vote is determined by your county elections office. I would call them or even use their website to look up your voting place and make sure you are registered and all that. I believe the deadline may have just passed to register for this election. If you have any more county specific questions, please feel free to Pm' me.

As for candidates, I am a Huckabee fan. I like McCain, but it bothers me that on his website, he does not list education as a major issue. I understand that taking care of foreign policy is important, but so is the education of our youth!! Can you tell that my degree is in education? lol!

Is anybody out there a Ron Paul supporter? At this point, I am kinda convinced they are all whack jobs. No offense to anyone, but they said in one blog that Glenn Beck is the devil???

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Thetagirl218

Is anybody out there a Ron Paul supporter? At this point, I am kinda convinced they are all whack jobs. No offense to anyone, but they said in one blog that Glenn Beck is the devil???

Who is "they"?

Do "they" speak for all Ron Paul supporters?

-- I agree with you, I think education is probably the defining civil rights issue of our time.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Who is "they"?

Do "they" speak for all Ron Paul supporters?

-- I agree with you, I think education is probably the defining civil rights issue of our time.

Oh boy do I agree!

Cannot really see any of the so called in crowd and front runners be The It Candidate.

Ron Paul has some off the wall ideas, but also some very good ideas.

Fred Thompson is starting to come on and getting more comforatable with interviews.

But if neither are included in some of the major debates, how are we to know?

[SWTXBelle]

I'm a Ron Paul supporter, and not a "whack job". I guess it is in the other candidates' best interest to portray us as nutty, but I know many reasonable, intelligent people who are supporting Ron Paul.

Glenn Beck the devil? Naw, that's Hillary. KIDDING - I'm KIDDING.