Here it is over a year and a half before the election and already everyone and his brother have thrown their hats into the ring. I heard on CNN (didn't watch the story-just heard the announcement) that some are saying that it may be too late if anyone else wants to get into the race. And the other day, there was an article in the paper about several states wanting to push their primaries earlier-so candidates would have to campaign in more states than just Iowa & NH. It seems to me that all of this is totally ridiculous. It's bad enough that we have to condend with it during election year but to have the campaign season non-stop-starting right after the last election, is just over the top. I really appreciate how our friends across the Pond and Down Under do it-the campaign season only last a few weeks (correct me if I am wrong).

My thoughts on the primaries is that I think ALL states should have their primaries on the same day-and NOT in Jan. or Feb. As of now, Vermont combines Primary Day with Town Meeting Day (the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March). On that day, we vote for local officals. So for Vermont to change its Primary Day would cost $$$$ to set up another election-and of course with all those big states having their primaries earlier, Vermont doesn't stand a chance. Candidates rarely campaign here as it is (which may be a good thing for us Vermonters).

If anyone is interested in reading the article:

http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070403/NEWS04/704030389


Thoughts? Comments?



Cat

I've been thinking the same thing.  We might have Nomination Day the way we have Election Day.  It might get confusing for voters with candidates conceding as soon as their campaign managers calculated they couldn't win the nomination.  You might see a whole raft of drop-outs in mid-afternoon ET when it became clear to candidates that they couldn't win California, for instance.

I'm much more in favor of campaign finance reform:
1. Voter-owned elections. 
2. Campaign budget parity.
3. Equal time on television.
4. No television advertizing.
5. Shorter campaign season, which reforms would create as candidates wouldn't have to rais tens of millions of dollars.

I would like to see campaigns be more about ideas than about money and celebrity.  You shouldn't have to be rich to win an election.

i heard someone theorizing that the campaign is starting so early that the people who are stumping now are gonna regret it because people are gonna get sick of em and the also-rans are gonna bubble up to the top.

i like biden.

and this is as good a time as any to mention that i've decided to run. vote me.

i heard someone theorizing that the campaign is starting so early that the people who are stumping now are gonna regret it because people are gonna get sick of em and the also-rans are gonna bubble up to the top.

i like biden.

and this is as good a time as any to mention that i've decided to run. vote me.


I'm already sick of 'em.  They can say anything they want on the campaign trail, but as soon as they get elected they must bow to the money god.  We need to change the power structure.  Otherwise, electing new presidents is like plugging different light bulbs into the same socket.  However, I would welcome a president who was actually elected, as opposed to Dubya who stole it both times.

I've been thinking the same thing.  We might have Nomination Day the way we have Election Day.  It might get confusing for voters with candidates conceding as soon as their campaign managers calculated they couldn't win the nomination.  You might see a whole raft of drop-outs in mid-afternoon ET when it became clear to candidates that they couldn't win California, for instance.

I'm much more in favor of campaign finance reform:
1. Voter-owned elections. 
2. Campaign budget parity.
3. Equal time on television.
4. No television advertizing.
5. Shorter campaign season, which reforms would create as candidates wouldn't have to rais tens of millions of dollars.

I would like to see campaigns be more about ideas than about money and celebrity.  You shouldn't have to be rich to win an election.



I agree. But I would add one more item to your list-Instant Run-Off Voting.


But you are right, the longer the season, the more $$$$ has to be raised-which in turn means that more that big donors OWN the candidate.



Cat

I agree. But I would add one more item to your list-Instant Run-Off Voting.


But you are right, the longer the season, the more $$$$ has to be raised-which in turn means that more that big donors OWN the candidate.



Cat

Yes indeed, instant run-off is a great idea.
Those who like the power structure just the way it is will fight tooth-and-nail against these reforms.  They keep telling us money is speech.  Duh, money is not speech.  Money is property.

I don't like the telephone spam.

How about the "push polls," Frank Luntz style---

How do you feel about Bill Richardson?

OK, how do you feel about Bill Richardson if you know he likes to have conjugal relations with goats?

Later on--

We didn't say that about Bill Richardson, we just said "if"!

:D

How about the "push polls," Frank Luntz style---

How do you feel about Bill Richardson?

OK, how do you feel about Bill Richardson if you know he likes to have conjugal relations with goats?

Later on--

We didn't say that about Bill Richardson, we just said "if"!

:D


But I like Bill.
Meh, I was told I was going to hell once for voting for someone. >:(

I got a call the other day from the Obama camp (asking for $$$ of course). I told the guy that it is just too soon for me to support ANYONE!!!



Cat

I'm going to be working for Spector's campaign.  Gosh, I can't wait!!!! :)

arlen specter? really? interesting.

is he running for president? or is this just another senate race?

Arlen specter? really? interesting.

is he running for president? or is this just another senate race?


The Senate.  I think this will be his last term.  Personally, I think he's one of the more functional members of the Senate.

The Senate.  I think this will be his last term.  Personally, I think he's one of the more functional members of the Senate.
i like arlen, i dig how he has the cajones to take on his own party when he thinks they're wrong. i guress i'm a little surprised you'd work for a republican, not that i'm down on it...

i like arlen, i dig how he has the cajones to take on his own party when he thinks they're wrong. i grues i'm a little surprised you'd work for a republican, not that i'm down on it...


I'm not totally party line.  I've liked Arlen ever since he spoke at my high school.  The man has principles and he sticks by them.  Besides, he's just down right cool!!! 8)

Until Arlen Spector gives an account of himself in regards to the Warren Commission and the "single bullet theory" I will not have any regard for the man.

Until Arlen Spector gives an account of himself in regards to the Warren Commission and the "single bullet theory" I will not have any regard for the man.


Considering the social and political climate at the time, I doubt he could have said much different.  Who do you say killed Kennedy?  Was it the mob? CIA?  Also considering what Arlen has done since the Warren Commission I can and will whole heartedly support him.

Considering the social and political climate at the time, I doubt he could have said much different.  Who do you say killed Kennedy?  Was it the mob? CIA?  Also considering what Arlen has done since the Warren Commission I can and will whole heartedly support him.


I don't believe the Mob did it.  I believe the CIA, if not directly involved, had knowledge and didn't do anything to stop it.  I am not sure who actually did it, but I believe it was inter-governmental.  I think that the members of the Warren Commission do know what happened and aren't saying.  I believe that it is past time that the government stop treating the people of this country like children, only telling us what they think we should know.  They are actually just covering their own incompetence(asses).  Why is it that the only person in the United States who claims that he can't remember where he was or what he was doing when Kennedy was assassinated is george bush senior

I don't believe the Mob did it.  I believe the CIA, if not directly involved, had knowledge and didn't do anything to stop it.  I am not sure who actually did it, but I believe it was inter-governmental.  I think that the members of the Warren Commission do know what happened and aren't saying.  I believe that it is past time that the government stop treating the people of this country like children, only telling us what they think we should know.  They are actually just covering their own incompetence(asses).  Why is it that the only person in the United States who claims that he can't remember where he was or what he was doing when Kennedy was assassinated is george bush senior


If Spector had said what had happened, assuming of course that he knew everything.  One would assume the CIA would have quickly gotten rid of him.  Spector was not CIA he was only a DA.  As for George Bush Senior.  Wasn't he father a Nazi sympathizer?

If Spector had said what had happened, assuming of course that he knew everything.  One would assume the CIA would have quickly gotten rid of him.  Spector was not CIA he was only a DA.  As for George Bush Senior.  Wasn't he father a Nazi sympathizer?


Spector was on the Warren Commission and was the one who put forth the "magic bullet" theory.  Bush senior has always been a sneaky character, and yes his old man, Prescott Bush, did do some highly questionable things during the Nazi era.

Spector was on the Warren Commission and was the one who put forth the "magic bullet" theory.  Bush senior has always been a sneaky character, and yes his old man, Prescott Bush, did do some highly questionable things during the Nazi era.


If the CIA was in fact involve, would Spector have had full knowledge?  The Bushes are kind of sneaky period!!!

If the CIA was in fact involve, would Spector have had full knowledge?  The Bushes are kind of sneaky period!!!

Hey now be careful there is bound to be some good-ole boy or girl that u might offend, or some other right winger. Remember in some parts of America they want to make a Saint out of him.  ::) ::) Since I made a promise not be so condenseding or antagonizing, I will keep my own opinion g-rated. :)

Hey now be careful there is bound to be some good-ole boy or girl that u might offend, or some other right winger. Remember in some parts of America they want to make a Saint out of him.  ::) ::) Since I made a promise not be so condenseding or antagonizing, I will keep my own opinion g-rated. :)



But, but . . . for once I didn't even try to cuss.

Spector was on the Warren Commission and was the one who put forth the "magic bullet" theory.  Bush senior has always been a sneaky character, and yes his old man, Prescott Bush, did do some highly questionable things during the Nazi era.


There a few people I respect who swear by the "single bullet"/"lone gunman" theory (Alexander Cockburn, Vincent Bugliosi), but even if Oswald was the only gunman, I still don't believe he was just---as he was portrayed in subsequent decades--a pathetic little half-wit who just happened to be superb marksman.  Too much evidence to the contrary, such as Oswald speaking fluent Russian and living in the USSR by the time he was in his early 20s, which nobody disputes.  I mean come on now....
::)

Prescott Bush's bank backed the Nazis well after Germany declared war on the U.S., and Karl Rove's gramps was the head of the Nazi Party for his region back in the old country.  Nice folks we got here!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1312540,00.html
http://www.counterpunch.org/wasserman10062003.html

It is campaign season and I want to know, is anyone else getting tired of smear campaigns. Just about every Ad
I see on TV or read in the paper, Candidate A says Candidate B is no good for the job because: He voted against
tax cuts, funding for the elderly or education but he voted for pay raises for himself, higher taxes or more spending.
What Candidate A doesn't say is what else was attached to the bill Candidate B voted on. Piggy back bills are common,
but you have to vote the whole bill not part of it. Politicians often attach extras to bills hoping to sneak something
through. They do it for campaign ploys as well, attach a tax cut to a bill with no hope of passing and the guy who
attached it will use the "no" vote in a smear campaign.

I understand smear campaigns have been apart of politics for a long time and underdog candidates won elections using
them. In the 1950 Democratic Senatorial Primary, George Smathers circulated printed material in rural areas of Florida
accusing incumbent Claude Pepper of the following indecencies:

That his brother was a "Practicing Homosapien."

That he had a sister in New York who was a "Thespian."

That Pepper himself had "Matriculated" with young women.

The "smear" worked and Smathers won.

The smear campaigns are getting worse, tell me what your going to do in office; give me a plan for the future;
tell how you're going to fix things and maybe you'll get my vote. Too many politicians focus entirely too much
on smearing the other guy and not enough time on the issues.