Should the Democrats hold a Mid-term Convention?

[retromike22]

They did it in 1974, 1978, and 1982. They stopped because it was too costly, but I think it could be a good idea. They should wrap it around increasing the minimum wage as well.

[badgate]

Only if Nancy Pelosi is stepping down, so a new Democratic Leader can be chosen at the convention.

[Zioneer]

Conventions seem to be good for pumping up turnout and excitement, so yeah, they should.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

No, and neither should Republicans.

[Niemeyerite]

No, and neither should Republicans.

Agreed. If one side does, the other will, and in 2-3 election cycles Convention will be a useless waste of money to "promote" politicians like  Hoyer or Cantor. But now that I think about it, it may be hilarious, democrats holding a convention just to give Steny Hoyer more power than he has now.

[IceSpear]

No, and neither should Republicans.

[DrScholl]

Of course Republicans would vote no, they don't want Democrats doing anything that would boost turnout. It's actually a good idea, to get base voters to pay attention.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Campaigns are going to be national anyway.  THe main problem is holding it so that it doesn't disrupt individual campaigns given the wide disparity in primary dates.

[badgate]

Campaigns are going to be national anyway.  THe main problem is holding it so that it doesn't disrupt individual campaigns given the wide disparity in primary dates.

There's a way to do that. This could be focused on the national races, giving Democrats running state-wide races an opportunity to snub the national party. The only Dems invited and/or featured would be the ones running for the US Congress or US Senate.



And JulioMadrid you must be high as balls to think Hoyer will be the next anything in the Democratic Congressional Caucus.

[henster]

Waste of money conventions cost tens of millions of dollars if the Ds didn't do it in 2010 they aren't gonna do it now.

[badgate]

Waste of money conventions cost tens of millions of dollars if the Ds didn't do it in 2010 they aren't gonna do it now.

2010 would have been an awful year for it. I don't think they should do it every year. This year is a good year to do it, and if a Republican is elected in 2016 then the 2018 midterms would be a brilliant year for a convention.

[Orser67]

Not the worst idea I've ever heard. Democrats should be thinking about unorthodox methods of boosting turnout in mid-term elections.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Yes, they should. Obama held one in Chicago a yr before the election in Chicago as well as having the natl convention and he got a jump on findraising. It will help with donations that tend to drop off with party in power in off years.

[Niemeyerite]

Campaigns are going to be national anyway.  THe main problem is holding it so that it doesn't disrupt individual campaigns given the wide disparity in primary dates.

There's a way to do that. This could be focused on the national races, giving Democrats running state-wide races an opportunity to snub the national party. The only Dems invited and/or featured would be the ones running for the US Congress or US Senate.



And JulioMadrid you must be high as balls to think Hoyer will be the next anything in the Democratic Congressional Caucus.

Hoyer, Pelosi, Israel, Reid... People a majority of Americans dislike (I actually like half of them, but I'm not American =S ).

[badgate]

Campaigns are going to be national anyway.  THe main problem is holding it so that it doesn't disrupt individual campaigns given the wide disparity in primary dates.

There's a way to do that. This could be focused on the national races, giving Democrats running state-wide races an opportunity to snub the national party. The only Dems invited and/or featured would be the ones running for the US Congress or US Senate.



And JulioMadrid you must be high as balls to think Hoyer will be the next anything in the Democratic Congressional Caucus.

Hoyer, Pelosi, Israel, Reid... People a majority of Americans dislike (I actually like half of them, but I'm not American =S ).

That's exactly my point. The next Dem leader will be someone largely unassociated/untainted by the politics of the Obama era.

[morgieb]

It's worth a trial, at least. Can see it pumping up excitement within the base for the party, particularly given mid-terms have a lot to do with turnout IMO.

[Vosem]

Conventions generally a terrible, terrible waste of money that in a sane world would go the way of the dodo in all circumstances except a primary deadlock having occurred. We definitely don't want this tradition to expand; not that it'll happen.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Can't both parties barely afford to host one every four years?

And I like the conventions and all, but let's face it... they're not much more than televised circlejerks.