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brooklynite

(94,598 posts) Wed Mar 30, 2016, 10:43 AM Mar 2016

GOP panelists eager to scrap rule that helps Trump

Source: Politico

All four early appointees of the rules committee for this year’s Republican convention told POLITICO they’re prepared to weaken or scrap a rule that could limit the convention’s alternatives to Donald Trump.

The four took issue with a rule, originally imposed by Mitt Romney forces in 2012 to keep rival Ron Paul off the convention stage, requiring a candidate to win a majority of delegates in eight states to be eligible for the party’s nomination -- a threshold only Trump has exceeded so far. If preserved, the rule could block John Kasich or Ted Cruz from competing with Trump at the convention, set for July in Cleveland.

If the committee scraps the requirement entirely, it could open the door to multiple candidates, possibly even some who never entered the primaries, competing for the party’s nomination at a brokered convention. And even a lower threshold would make it easier for Trump’s rivals to challenge him.

“I’m not a big fan of the eight-state threshold. I think that’s an artificial number,” said David Wheeler, a rules committee member from South Dakota. “It was designed to prevent Ron Paul delegates — their votes from being counted. I don’t think it’s necessary to do that this year.”

Ah, chaos...

19 replies

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GOP panelists eager to scrap rule that helps Trump (Original Post) brooklynite Mar 2016 OP

It wasn't necessary to do that in 2012, but whatever Renew Deal Mar 2016 #1

This way Romney could still jump in Skink Mar 2016 #2

Even with the rule, if trumps doesn't get 1237, he won't secure on the first round morningfog Mar 2016 #3

Incorrect... brooklynite Mar 2016 #13

You are saying that if trump does not win a first round vote and he is the only candidate who morningfog Mar 2016 #14

GOP'sters are flakes. Changing the rules to meet their own selfish goals. Screw the Voters! vkkv Mar 2016 #4

You know - I agree with you Plucketeer Mar 2016 #9

And I agree with you. It all sucks... eom vkkv Mar 2016 #10

Changing the rules depending on who we favor? Sounds fair. GOP fair, anyway. Shrike47 Mar 2016 #5

weeeeeeee!!!!!!! jpak Mar 2016 #6

No wonder the GOP has suddenly found religion on opposing open carry. forest444 Mar 2016 #7

Candidate "will be chosen by the party establishment" keithbvadu2 Mar 2016 #8

Commence the circular firing squad... iandhr Mar 2016 #11

Ron Paul had some loyal people,they got 'bent over' by their fellow republicans at the last second. Sunlei Mar 2016 #12

I will still commit to my theory... Chakaconcarne Mar 2016 #15

Try my theory on for size. sofa king Mar 2016 #19

Clown convention in Cleveland this summer Angry Dragon Mar 2016 #16

Cue the music: lastlib Mar 2016 #17

Didn't they change the rules after the 2012 interminable clown car fiasco? tanyev Mar 2016 #18

Renew Deal

(81,861 posts)

1. It wasn't necessary to do that in 2012, but whatever

Reply to brooklynite (Original post)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 10:45 AM

Mar 2016

Skink

(10,122 posts)

2. This way Romney could still jump in

Reply to brooklynite (Original post)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 10:48 AM

Mar 2016

morningfog

(18,115 posts)

3. Even with the rule, if trumps doesn't get 1237, he won't secure on the first round

Reply to brooklynite (Original post)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 10:55 AM

Mar 2016

and the delegates would be released to vote for whomever regardless of whether they won 8 states or even ran.

brooklynite

(94,598 posts)

13. Incorrect...

Reply to morningfog (Reply #3)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 01:10 PM

Mar 2016

...the delegates are free to vote for whomever they want who has been nominated. The rule in question would still restrict the number of candidates. The delegates, as States, could choose to second a new nominee, but it's still a higher burden.

morningfog

(18,115 posts)

14. You are saying that if trump does not win a first round vote and he is the only candidate who

Reply to brooklynite (Reply #13)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 01:20 PM

Mar 2016

won eight state majorities, the delegates are released on future rounds, but no new candidates would be added?

I don't think that is accurate. It certainly doesn't make any sense. I'll have to read the rules again.

vkkv

(3,384 posts)

4. GOP'sters are flakes. Changing the rules to meet their own selfish goals. Screw the Voters!

Reply to brooklynite (Original post)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 11:04 AM

Mar 2016

Screw the peoples' rights!
Screw the country!
Screw the nation!
Screw other Republicans!

Plucketeer

(12,882 posts)

9. You know - I agree with you

Reply to vkkv (Reply #4)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 11:36 AM

Mar 2016

but what does our side have with the "modeling clay" phenomenon known as >Super Delegates !< ? Super Delegates are like mercury in their conformity and allegiance. If we think ol' sleight-of-hand Debbie can't make those delegates dance at her whim - at the last second, no less - we're only fooling ourselves.

vkkv

(3,384 posts)

10. And I agree with you. It all sucks... eom

Reply to Plucketeer (Reply #9)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 11:41 AM

Mar 2016

Shrike47

(6,913 posts)

5. Changing the rules depending on who we favor? Sounds fair. GOP fair, anyway.

Reply to brooklynite (Original post)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 11:12 AM

Mar 2016

jpak

(41,758 posts)

6. weeeeeeee!!!!!!!

Reply to brooklynite (Original post)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 11:16 AM

Mar 2016

forest444

(5,902 posts)

7. No wonder the GOP has suddenly found religion on opposing open carry.

Reply to brooklynite (Original post)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 11:16 AM

Mar 2016

Which is really too bad; it would have made for great entertainment.

keithbvadu2

(36,829 posts)

8. Candidate "will be chosen by the party establishment"

Reply to brooklynite (Original post)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 11:16 AM

Mar 2016

http://rinf.com/alt-news/newswire/popular-vote-doesnt-count-in-us-gop-official/

"A member of the US Republican National Committee has admitted that the GOP candidate in the 2016 presidential election will be chosen by the party establishment and voters have no say in the matter."

------------------------------

"When asked what is the point of holding primaries if the party can disregard popular vote, Haugland refused to offer any explanation.

“That’s a very good question,” he said."

iandhr

(6,852 posts)

11. Commence the circular firing squad...

Reply to brooklynite (Original post)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 11:56 AM

Mar 2016

... and pass the popcorn.

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)

12. Ron Paul had some loyal people,they got 'bent over' by their fellow republicans at the last second.

Reply to brooklynite (Original post)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 12:09 PM

Mar 2016

One thing about Trump, hes not going to bend-over and fade away for todays Weird Republican Party.

Republicans never remain loyal to each other very long. None of them has ever lasted even four years, the term of a presidency, without doing something crazy-whackie.

Chakaconcarne

(2,454 posts)

15. I will still commit to my theory...

Reply to brooklynite (Original post)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 01:25 PM

Mar 2016

Because I believe everything happens for a reason and that the GOP is as organized as they've always been...

This trump business is all a charade so the real nominee (who will reveal shortly) doesn't have to endure months of media scrutiny...because Republicans never do well with that. They would rather Cruz or Romney spend 5 months in front of the camera rather than 12.

This would be a textbook Rove move.

sofa king

(10,857 posts)

19. Try my theory on for size.

Reply to Chakaconcarne (Reply #15)

Wed Mar 30, 2016, 08:41 PM

Mar 2016

They don't care who the real nominee will be! Instead, they either steal it from Trump to guarantee his third-party run, or float some other bozo to run as a third party if they can't stop Trump.

Then they steal it from the Democratic candidate in the usual-suspect states (Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Maine), give those electoral votes to Trump or the other doofus instead, and nobody wins a majority of electoral votes.

The contested election goes to the House of Representatives, and to save their own skins, and because not doing their jobs is what they do best, the Republicans don't vote for a candidate. Instead, they procedurally prevent the issue from coming to a vote.

So Paul Ryan inherits the office by default in January, 2017, without a single vote for President, and there is nobody to blame.