Open primaries need to disappear forever.

but it would create problems for those who caucus with Dems and hurt them in critical House and Senate votes

to not allow independents to vote in the Democratic Party elections doesn't keep an independent from running as an independent.

Didn't Bernie just join and then drop out of the Democratic party when he didn't get the nomination? People can join the party, they can leave the party, but maybe they should be IN the party to vote for the party?

elected Independents may not caucus with Dems.

It looks simple and truthfully when it reaches the stage where Don the Con can steal a party's nomination, one can't ignore your point, but voting blocs in the legislative chambers also count.

Do you agree?

19 states, by state law, do not have party registration. Those states CANNOT have a closed primary.

The only reasonable answer is to level the playing field and have open primaries everywhere. Let everybody vote when selecting the presidential nominees. Let's not advocate for restricting that right.

Let me make myself clear that this position in no way is in support to the busters, who I consider to be acting like two year olds.

My best to you.

In mine you don't have to do then juvenile loyalty pledge. Each voter can vote in a Republican OR Democratic OR Libertarian primary. It's a good system because forcing people to join a party stifles the voices of many people who are actually willing to break old bad habits and vote for Dems.

But I think every other year (to coincide with house races) just to make sure that the platform is being followed, updated etc.

Get the house members and the senators to strategize, let the voters know what they're thinking.

Like that.

The platform isn't always relevant to a mid-year election, anyways: you need to tailor the messages based on the districts that are in play, the candidates you have, and the events of the day.

If there were a 'convention type TV spectacle' that shows what kind of legislation the two parties are working on (or trying to kill) it would help keep people more informed about the function of the government.

As it is now, there is a whole bunch of energy put into the presidential election, and not much talk about the legislature.

They should make infomercials or something.

Make the rooms a little more smoke-filled...

Last edited Thu Jul 28, 2016, 03:28 PM - Edit history (1)

Let people see how the unbelievably tedious work of running a party is actually done

Good idea

Obviously we don't need there normal YouTube noise there, but the platform could be interesting for two-way communication.

This election has been the worst I've seen for discussing personality and character traits at the expense of issues.

The republicans can never win if the discussion is about the actual issues.

Except in very rare situations. They're about process.

I have found work meetings to be painfully unproductive. That would be easy to beat (ratings wise) if it were televised.

There are probably better methods to get people involved with the issues.

The DNC mostly is just funneling money to those state parties, so there isn't all that much for them to talk about

In my city state, there are elections happening every year because in addition to midterms, we have municiple elections in odd years. Too much statewide and national coverage of electoral issues would easily hinder the issues that are addressed in local elections.

Here the county Democrats meet monthly to hammer out party differences, etc. and the state has a platform committees, etc. that meet and have all of that hammered out long-before the national convention. My guess is a national convention is beyond the means of many party loyalists. It costs thousands of dollars to attend Philly and many of my state's delegates were asking for donations to afford to go. I'm not sure how they would swing a yearly event.

As to silencing fellow Democrats... I don't believe anyone is being silenced. But screaming over an invited speaker is bullying. We would not allow it in our classrooms or our workplace. So, asking someone to respect the venue or the event is not silencing. Not when they can walk outside to a media tent and be interviewed on international news. "Say what you want, but don't scream it over someone else" is not silencing. Having access to international media and freedom to say everything you want to them but being asked not to scream over the President or the nominee is not being "silenced."

It is a tricky issue but nobody has been silenced. Every one of those delegates has the right to talk on the floor and debate any issue they want, discuss things in meetings, do interviews, carry signs, etc. All they have been asked to do is not scream over the invited guests.

but there are folks who would love to silence them. Truthfully I have enjoyed the way in which many speakers embraced the Bernie supporters.

Like you I think it is a tricky issue - but many liberal democratic parties across the globe have annual conferences.
I understand that's it's much easier at state and county levels.

Ago, we would send our county reps to state dem meetings twice a year, but they rarely gave two shits about our endorsements. The larger the county and the amount of money they can raise, the more "access" they have. It would help, but only if the voices were taken into consideration.

and yours is the voice of an insider.

Why don't we let the UN monitor our elections? We don't care about democracy, only when it benefits us then we care.

In reality most businesses close down by lunchtime and treat it as a half day public holiday.

Is pot legal there yet?

but since folks can have 2oz and three plants per family, the cops have moved on.

The real war hasn't started yet with the real ganja farmers and the big planters but we all know who will cash in across the globe

I was weighing my options of where to move to, just in case the Worst Case Scenario happens. No way in hell will this country survive 4 years of Dump.

Does your assembly person or representative periodically meet with his or her constituents to discuss local issues, and what the community needs.

Where I am they do. Sometimes it is in a local hall, sometimes in a coffee shop, but I would hope most people have that

You can build consensus and talk about the issues by attending regular meetings at the local club and county levels.