Democrats to begin primary reform effort

babylonsister

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Sat Jun-27-09 04:22 PM
Original message

Democrats to begin primary reform effort

Yay!

Democrats to begin primary reform effort
By Reid Wilson
Posted: 06/26/09 03:30 PM

A special commission within the Democratic National Committee will meet Saturday to begin a six-month process aimed at revamping the party's nominating process, aiming to avoid the long, contentious slog between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton that threatened to rend the party in twain in 2008.

The so-called "Change Commission," established by an act of the Democratic National Convention, is tasked with establishing a later primary calendar, with nominating events beginning in March of an election year.

"Pre-window" states, like Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada, would be allowed to hold their events in February. In 2008, all four states held their nominating contests in January, a scenario both parties are hoping to avoid in the future.

"It is critical to move the primary window back to March," said New Hampshire state Sen. Martha Fuller Clark, a member of the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee and an active participant in last year's debates over the primary calendar.

Most other RBC members contacted by The Hill declined to comment on the record for this article, instead preferring to wait and see what the commission does before making their feelings known.

Democrats meeting in Washington on Saturday will also begin the process of finding a way to reduce the influence of unelected "superdelegates," who played such a controversial role in the 2008 election. The party leaders and elected officials — PLEOs, to insiders — make up about one-fifth of the delegates to a convention, a fraction that will likely shrink once a deal is reached.

more...

http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/democrats-to-begin-primary-reform-effort-2009-06-26.html

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bluestateguy

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Sat Jun-27-09 04:26 PM
Response to Original message

1. The process was fine last time, until 2 states chose to break the rules

I really wish we could have un-seated Michigan and Florida at the convention. If we had the clairvoyance to know that Obama was on track to win 365 electoral votes, we could have written those states off.

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madfloridian

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Sat Jun-27-09 04:29 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. You are right.

They broke ranks, broke the rules, and then proceeded to blame the party chairman who stood by the rules.

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NV Whino

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Sat Jun-27-09 04:48 PM
Response to Original message

3. 'Bout damned time!

Gawd, I was primaried to death.

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babylonsister

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Sat Jun-27-09 04:53 PM
Response to Reply #3

4. Me, too! It was wrenching, but I still couldn't look away.

Last year got to be a bit of a blur. And it was exhausting!

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