So why not a rule that you have to be a Dem for 5 yrs before getting the Dem nomination?

[Jersey Devil]

That would mean no Bloomberg and no Bernie, unless he had previously declared himself as a Democrat.

This would keep out people who declare as Dems at the last minute just to run in Dem primaries and those who come in to take over the "establishment".

And no "open" primaries please. WTF do we allow non-Democrats to vote in our primaries?

[highplainsdem]

1. I'd like to see that.

[Kaleva]

2. Bloomberg has been a Democrat for most of his adult life.

[Autumn]

10. Bloomberg re registered as a Democrat in 2018. So that's what 2 years.

[mgcgulfcoast]

54. NO George Bush supporter can be the dem nominee

I like that rule

[Jamastiene]

13. He was a Republican from 2001 until 2007, then an independent until 2018.

Why did he switch to the Republican Party in 2001?

[wyldwolf]

19. out of convenience. Same reason Sanders is a Democrat every four years.

[LakeArenal]

23. Convenience or calculation? Both?

Both are working the system. I don’t believe in very good faith.

The DNC seems to be happy with it.

[wyldwolf]

24. Both. Totally both.

[Kaleva]

26. There's threads here that discuss why he switched to Rep to run.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

53. Are there any threads on why he endorsed George Bush over John Kerry?

[Kaleva]

59. I don't know. just as I don't know why Sanders praised Castro

Even though there's several threads discussing that

[Jersey Devil]

17. He changes party when it is personally convenient to him

He ran for Mayor as a Repub to avoid a messy Dem primary. Then he maintained that registration and in several cases supported Republicans running for office. When did he come back to the fold as a Dem? I really don't know, but I am willing to bet he was still a registered Repub until maybe a year ago.

[Kaleva]

28. Doesn't ake away from the fact Bloomberg was a Dem for most of his adult like

Which qualifies him to run as meeting the standard the OP is suggesting.

[Midnightwalk]

35. It was written as you say

But maybe they meant for the past 5 years. That could be the rule instead.

Interesting side conversation that doesn’t matter now. Get rid of open primaries for sure.

I don’t know whether a time rule is a good idea or not. There will be time after the general election to think about changes.

[Bradshaw3]

31. If he is such a Democrat why does he fund repubs so generously

And get them elected to the senate, where his candidates like Toomey do damage to our country that Bernie has never done. Labels aren't anywhere near as importnat as actions. And Bloomberg's actions fail the test of a true Democrat. No one else would get awya running in the primary with his record of electing horrible reubs.

[Kaleva]

49. He's donated many millions to Democrats in 2018 to help flip the House.

He's arguable done more to help us win back the House then any of the other candidates combined. Bloombergs donated millions to Dems in Virginia to help that state turn blue.

[Jersey Devil]

43. So was Trump a Dem most of his life - should he be allowed to run as a Dem? (nt)

nt

[BusyBeingBest]

44. Bloomberg supported some progressive

Causes all while he was a repub and Indy. Rigid Party ID is a hard fit for him, it seems. Trump stands for nothing but trump—he has zero core beliefs except in his own “greatness”.

[madville]

3. We don't determine if the primaries are open or closed

That is up to the individual state governments to set the rules for their primary elections and then both major parties follow those rules if they want a state sanctioned primary race to appear on the ballot.

[Jersey Devil]

6. Then change the law

In the states where Dems hold power they can change the law. Alternatively, the Dems in those states could hold caucuses open only to registered Democrats instead of primaries if they refuse to change the law.

There is no reason why non-Democrats should vote in a Democratic primary. All it does is invite hijinx

[LakeArenal]

25. Hijinx implies possible good fun.

Highjack is more the term I think of.

[AJT]

32. I agree, it's how Sheriff Clark kept getting elected in Milwaukee county.

Republicans would vote in the open Democratic primary to get him in.

[Fresh_Start]

11. it is not the state governments who decide, it is the state political parties

which is why california GOP primary is closed, and california democratic is somewhat open.

[madville]

16. Depends on the state law

California state law allows more flexibility, they are an exception.

[RandiFan1290]

4. We must demand COMPLETE PURITY!!!

[Jersey Devil]

8. It is not about "purity" at all

I welcome anyone to run, whether he/she is conservative, moderate, liberal or socialist. But if they do not even belong to the Democratic Party I don't want them. Yeah, it is MY party and I am one of the "establishment" Democrats who resents outsiders coming in and trying to take over. I have been a Democrat since 1968 when I registered voters door to door in Teaneck, NJ, subsequently managed Dem campaigns and ran (and won) for office as a Dem. I have no need for those who would flit into the party for their own personal benefit whenever they desire.

[jimfields33]

29. We do not want bernie running in another party!

That would have been a disaster. Perot did that and we had the advantage. I don’t think it would be our advantage this time of even 2016.

[JudyM]

57. One issue is that so many voters/potential voters don't feel that bond with the party and are only

looking at whether we’re speaking to issues they care most about. Andrew Yang is on CNN now and pointed out that many folks that he wanted to connect with as he walked neighborhoods didn’t want to talk with him because he was wearing a “D”...

The discussion was about the fact that many, many voters want to be inspired by the message, and don’t otherwise feel any desire to vote.

[Rorey]

5. WTF, indeed!

My daughter-in-law, whom I love dearly, complained to me a few years ago that her friend was trying to promote open primaries and was getting a lot of blow back. I put to her the question, "Why should non-Democrats get to participate in choosing who Democrats nominate?" I mean, get off the fence and join (and support) a party if you want to be part of choosing the candidate.

My daughter-in-law was a Sanders supporter in 2016. Now she says he's too old, so I'm not sure where her head is at as far who she favors as a candidate.

[Prue]

7. An Interesting Proposal

That's an interesting recommendation and worthy of consideration.

I definitely agree that we should not have any open primaries. Sometimes democrats do the oddest things in an effort to be inclusive while simultaneously putting themselves at risk to be compromised. I just don't get it.

[left-of-center2012]

9. And their parents should have been life long Democrats !!

(Just kidding)

[Jersey Devil]

12. 5 years sounds reasonable to me

I have been a registered Dem for over 50 years. Why should the nominee of my party be given to someone who was either a Republican until last year or is still currently registered as an Independent?

[Jamastiene]

14. I despise open primaries too.

It is just an invitation for Republicans to cheat in our nomination process. We know if given the chance, Republicans will always cheat.

[dbolski]

15. If Bernie wasn't able to run as a democrat he would have run as an independent.

That's why. And there would have been no way for democrats to keep him from being a choice on the ballot in the general election.

[Fresh_Start]

18. that would have been a better choice...because it wouldn't have tainted

the entire democratic party

[Jersey Devil]

20. He can do whatever he wants - but I don't want him doing it as a Democrat

Sure, if he wanted to re-elect Trump he could run as an indy. I think a Democrat deserves the Democratic nomination, not some guy who decides to temporarily call a truce with Dems and call himself a Dem once every 4 years.

[Moderateguy]

34. What's to keep him running as an independent now if..

He’s not the democratic nominee

[stopbush]

21. I assume you mean five consecutive years leading up to the year one decides to run

for POTUS.

Bloomberg has spent 80%+ of his life as a registered D.

[Jersey Devil]

22. yes, 5 yrs before seeking nomination

5 was just a number I am suggesting that would assure that someone is truly a Dem. It seems Bernie jumps in the Dem party only when he wants its nomination. Bloomberg is a different story, ran as a Repub for his convenience, but why did he not switch back to Dem until many years (2018) after he left office?

[Bradshaw3]

33. And decades funding repubs

And getting them elected where they do enormous damage. That's more importnat than his ever-changing registration.

[Bradshaw3]

37. Lame excuse and a terrible Bloomberg type dig at those on welfare

Wow not only did you just give a phony excuse for him giving money to repubs, you slammed peope wo are on welfare (many of whom are working people). Disgusting reply.

Many wealthy people have NOT donated to repubs in the past 20 years, much less given them a campaign-saving $11M like he did to Toomey (who voted to acquit, along wiht approving numerous horrible judges). Bloomberg donated to these many repubs because he agrees wiht them politically.

And while you are at it, you take a swipe at the less fortunate. No wonder you are making excuses for him (birds of a feather).

[Turin_C3PO]

42. Wow.

That’s a terrible response. I’d take a person on welfare any day over Bloomberg.

[Bradshaw3]

45. Thank you

Glad to see it got removed. I had to leave but was going to flag it once I got back. Funny that this is a new poster and Bloomberg supporter who takes shots at low income people.

[LAS14]

27. Sounds good to me. nt

[Kurt V.]

30. the risk of missing talent.

[MH1]

38. Don't know if it's possible, but I like it. nt

[Dustlawyer]

39. What other "purity" test do you want to come up with?

[Jersey Devil]

40. None - but if you aren't a Democrat you should not be able to run as a Democrat

No "purity". Every ideology is entitled to run, but it should not be those who pop into the party every 4 years at their personal convenience and then spend the rest of the time acting like the label "Democrat" is not good enough for them.

[Dustlawyer]

61. So the DNC should refuse him and let him run a third party candidacy?

That would be ok if you wanted the Republicans to win.

[Jersey Devil]

62. No, that would be ok if Bernie

Wanted refund to win.

[rusty fender]

41. That is a good rule

to implement going forward 👍🏽

[ibegurpard]

46. OK but how do you determine that?

Because in a number of states, like Montana, you don't register on a partisan basis. You register to vote and then you pick which ballot you vote on at the poll or when you get your vote by mail ballots. Public self-determination would be the only way in these cases. Would this be sufficient for you?

[Jersey Devil]

47. Then at least apply it to the candidates

A person should not be able to run for the Dem nomination unless that person is a Dem. Bernie lives in a state where you can register by party but he isn't a Dem and should not be on a Democratic primary ballot.

[ibegurpard]

60. No he isn't

Vermont is one of the states that doesn't have partisan registration. Please inform yourself of the variations in the electoral landscape before you start making these kinds of demand.
https://sos.vermont.gov/elections/voters/voter-faqs/voter-registration-faqs/#q9

[Codeine]

48. I'm good with both of these requirements.

Make it ten years, even.

[HarlanPepper]

50. That sounds great to me. Can we adopt it today? No need to wait really.

[rzemanfl]

51. How about adding a "but not more than?"

[redstatebluegirl]

52. If wishing made it so.

[wryter2000]

55. I'm with you on the primaries

Consider, though, if Bernie weren't allowed to run as a Dem and chose to run as an independent what harm he would cause. We'd never win another presidential election.

[myohmy2]

56. a rose...

...by any other name...

...Bernie looks like a Democrat, thinks like a Democrat, walks like a Democrat, talks like a Democrat, votes like a Democrat, caucuses like a Democrats and is loved like a Democrat...

...that's close enough...

"...you have to be a Dem for 5 yrs..."

...not going to happen with Bernie...some may not want Bernie, but they sure do want his supporters...

...which incidentally, are just about all Democrats...

[polichick]

58. Est. Dems couldn't sneak in their billionaire saviors...

with a rule like that.