What do you think of a National Primary Day?

[Poiuyt]

Have all the primaries on the same day. I've heard other recommendations to having regional primaries, etc. The problem is that by the time my state's primary occurs, the nominations are pretty well sewn up.

(Of course, it might be a good thing to not have all the airwaves smothered with commercials)

[Lasher]

1. I'm very much in favor of it

For all practical purposes the Democratic party's presidential nominee is already chosen before the primary ever gets around to my state.

[havocmom]

2. Used to think it was a good idea. Not any more

We need time to watch candidates and how they react to issues/news/stress.

[Robbien]

10. What, a year between their announcement and the first primary

isn't long enough for you?

Primaries are going to start in January with the last primary being in June. Makes no sense especially when the whole thing will be basically settled by the end of February.

[Vincardog]

3. All the primaries on the same day? Lousy Idea. Whom ever the corporate controlled media whores bless

would win hands down. Whom ever collected the most parasitic corporate money could buy the most adds and it would be over.

How about getting PUBLIC FINANCING and kick the parasites out of the process instead?

[napi21]

4. I used to think it was a GREAT idea, until recently.

I don't recall who I heard say this, but even if you have what loooks like a supper duper primary day as appears to be going to happen, the candidates simply won't be able to campaign in all those different States, and will have NO OPTION but to buy TV time to get their message out. That of course will result in only the BIG fund raisers having any chance at all!

I never thought about that before, but it's true. Money and the media will pick our next President!

I don't want that. Do you?

[Nailzberg]

5. I gotta agree with those who say money/media makes this bad

Those small primaries in the beginning mean the candidates get out and put their message out in person. Sure, the bulk of the candidates may be out of the race by the time my state comes around, but I don't think lumping all the primaries together is a move in a more positive direction.

The system just keeps getting worse. Large states are moving up their primaries, and it's already hurting this race. Look at the staggering amount of cash that is being raised this far out. Some candidates aren't gonna make it to the first primary, simply because they cannot afford to be in this race. IMO, the system is getting worse and worse as it is. If we're gonna fix this, we first need to see some campaign finance reform, for real this time.

[emulatorloo]

6. Not Realistic -- only the Big Dollar Candidates can participate.

EOM

[Ignacio Upton]

7. Bad idea...but we're heading toward it

It will only help those with the most cash.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. Good idea. It will end the influence of the small states.

Not to mention cutting down on the absurd spectacle of the politicians running for president East Dog Turd, Iowa, rather than president of the United States.

Also, it could have the, much needed effect, of starting the circus 2 years before the election.

[meldroc]

9. Better than our current mess, but we can do better yet.

I remember reading, but don't remember where, about a proposal where primaries would take place on ten consecutive Tuesdays in the spring. The states would be assigned to a particular Tuesday at random, so one state doesn't get to monopolize the start of the primaries and dictate the nominees to the rest of the country a la New Hampshire. The way it would work, you take each state's number of electors that would go to the electoral college. Then you rig up the primaries, in a completely random fashion, so the first week, you'd start with enough primaries to give you 8 electoral votes. Then the next week, 16, then 32, then 64. That way, you bias towards the states that have smaller populations, so candidates starting out without much money have a fighting chance to get some votes and some momentum, but if California gets lucky, it can have a 4th week primary so it isn't always screwed.