Primary Process Proposals

[tmthforu94]

What would your proposal be to change the primary process in America?

Here's mine (copying from what I posted on FB):

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[Citizen Hats]

Is Rudolph "Freedom is Authority" Giuliani really to be missed?

[CatoMinor]

Is Rudolph "Freedom is Authority" Giuliani really to be missed?

Nothing says freedom like indefinite detention without charge or trial.

[barfbag]

I like how the states are staggered out now. It gives each state its own significance. I wouldn't mind seeing the order rotate each election cycle though.

[Del Tachi]

Get rid of the primary process...allow party bosses to select the nominees

On a more serious note, a national jungle primary doesn't sound like a bad idea.  Have a nonpartisan election between all legally registered candidates sometime in the late spring/early summer.  If no candidate receives a majority, the top two candidates advance to a "run-off" election in November.

Under this type of system, Obama and Clinton would have emerged victorious from the jungle primary (as they received the two highest number of votes).  Thus, Clinton and Obama would have had to compete head-to-head for the presidency in November. 

[CatoMinor]

Get rid of the primary process...allow party bosses to select the nominees

And insure we get stuck with candidates who have no souls and do whatever the machines tell them to?

I honestly prefer the system as is. Tradition dictates that certain states are the first in their regions. After them the others come in new and exciting random orders each cycle. I can think of no reason for Iowa not to be first every time

[tmthforu94]

Under this type of system, Obama and Clinton would have emerged victorious from the jungle primary (as they received the two highest number of votes).  Thus, Clinton and Obama would have had to compete head-to-head for the presidency in November. 

Once McCain clinched the nomination, turnout drastically dropped in the GOP primary, with many voting in the Democratic primary to try and prevent Obama from winning. Therefore, it's hard saying how it would have gone. However, I don't agree with this because I don't like the idea of one side even having the remote possibility of being shut out of an election.

I wouldn't mind seeing the order rotate each election cycle though.

It would.

[Mr. Morden]

Get rid of the primary process...allow party bosses to select the nominees

And insure we get stuck with candidates who have no souls and do whatever the machines tell them to?

That would be better in the current (awful) system, in which we have these two year long campaigns that involve candidates first trying to appease the base, then turning around and appealing to swing voters.  We're actually driving away some potentially talented candidates because of how awful the campaign process is.  And of course, the party primary system for Congressional races has led to perverse incentives for members, which artificially enhances polarization, and has led (in part) to the current dysfunction there.

So yeah, I'd prefer we go back to smoke filled rooms and do away with primaries over the current system (for all races, not just president).  But perhaps better would be something like California's Top Two system, or better than that would be to do it all in one step: Instant runoff voting with no party nominees.  Granted, that's easier for statewide races.  The cost of presidential campaigns probably makes instant runoff with no party nominees at that level unworkable.

[barfbag]

Does anyone like the Ohio plan where there would be 5 primary dates? Small states, medium states, then 3 sets of large states that rotate every primary cycle.