What good is a primary?

[RageAgainstDC]

Just a thought... but why do we even have primaries? What logical reason, aside from a desire to nominate only who the parties choose, is there for having a presidential primary? Why can't there be 11 republicans and however many democrats on the ballot in november? Do they even offer a reason other than power and control?

[FreeTraveler]

The short answer is ballot access, the same reason a third-party run is such an uphill battle. Study up on the history of parties, the ballot access laws, and general civics and you'll better understand why some of us point out over and over that a third-party run is not "a piece of cake".

[pacelli]

Just a thought... but why do we even have primaries? What logical reason, aside from a desire to nominate only who the parties choose, is there for having a presidential primary? Why can't there be 11 republicans and however many democrats on the ballot in november? Do they even offer a reason other than power and control?

I agree. It is all about silencing and excluding any candidate that actually puts the welfare of the people over the welfare of Der Stat.

[Eponym_mi]

Part of the reason is to narrow the field of candidates to a few that could actually get elected. For example, none of the current candidates would likely get elected because they wouldn't have enough support in the electoral college....the vote in the college would be very fractured.

[Kregener]

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s167/Kregener/Government/puppetmaster_large.gif

[No1ButPaul08]

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s167/Kregener/Government/puppetmaster_large.gif

A picture says a thousand words.

[RonRules]

I'd like to see the entire primary in ONE day, preferably a weekend day. I think Ron Paul would have done much better that way.

The only problem is the Jews would oppose of vote on Saturday and the Mormons and some fundamentalists would oppose a vote on Sunday.

Maybe an evening vote starting Friday night continuing on throughout the day on Saturday. Then everybody could vote.

[RonRules]

People working night shifts sleep during the day. A 24 hour voting period would make sense for them as well.

[slamhead]

I would rather see caucuses than primaries. I am starting to see the superiority of caucuses as they nullify the media to a degree. Uninformed people can be swayed to vote for the best candidate. Ron Paul does better in caucuses as does Obama. Hillary and the other media propped up candidates to better in primary type states.

[RonRules]

I would rather see caucuses than primaries. I am starting to see the superiority of caucuses as they nullify the media to a degree. Uninformed people can be swayed to vote for the best candidate. Ron Paul does better in caucuses as does Obama. Hillary and the other media propped up candidates to better in primary type states.

OK, I can see that too. Caucuses nationwide in ONE day.