DNC asks for your input on the primary process....a chance to speak up.

[madfloridian]

http://www.democrats.org/blog/comment/00011960.html

Apr 28, 2005 ::
Presidential Primary Scheduling Commission
The Democratic Party wants to hear from you! Last summer, the 2004 Democratic National Convention passed a resolution calling for the creation of a Commission, charged with studying the timing of presidential primaries and caucuses and developing recommendations for the 2008 nominating process. All are encouraged to share their thoughts, opinions, and insights, and may do so via the Commission's website:

http://www.democrats.org/commission

We look forward to hearing from you!

Posted by Marc Schloss @ 05:38 PM
Email to a Friend :: Comments (3) :: Trackback (0)

Here are the details about the Commission that has been formed. It is my understanding that Howard Dean, the chairman is not attending the meetings...that it will be presented to him later this year.

http://www.democrats.org/commission/

"Commission on Presidential Nomination Timing and Scheduling
The 2004 Democratic National Convention passed a resolution calling for the creation of the Commission on Presidential Nomination Timing and Scheduling.

The Commission is charged with studying the timing of presidential primaries and caucuses and developing recommendations for the 2008 nominating process. In fulfilling its mission, the Commission will examine all proposals -- incremental and substantive -- and evaluate how those proposals would be implemented. The Commission will carry out its work bearing in mind the Party's commitment to a nominating process that is open and fair to all Democratic voters and presidential candidates and that produces the strongest possible nominee, and will look at all facets of this issue.

The Commission was announced in December 2004. Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman and North Carolina Congressman David Price serve as Co-Chairs of the Commission. To read their bios, Click here.

The Commission held its first meeting on March 12, 2005 in Washington, D.C. Here is the pdf file of the meeting.
http://a9.g.akamai.net/7/9/8082/v001/www.democrats.org/commission/20050325_agenda.pdf

"The meeting included presentations from individuals with expertise in the Democratic Party's nomination process. Topics discussed included: a recap of the history of the Party's rule on the timing of primaries and caucuses; a discussion of the Party's goals and interests in developing a nominating calendar; an overview of what presidential candidates and voters expect from a primary schedule; and a review of the challenges the Party faces in developing a calendar."

Much more at the link. Here is a chance to have input.

[shance]

1. This is terrific!! Thank you Floridian for posting.

A great opportunity to let our voices be heard.

[madfloridian]

2. Thanks for keeping it from dropping.

Things like this usually do.

[shance]

3. Anytime. This is a great development and the issue of primaries

is very important.

It should be an election that promotes and welcomes good Democratic candidates to run for all various offices.

[madfloridian]

4. List of the Primary Commission members appointed in 2004

This is a pdf file. It is apparently a secure one. I tried to select text to just post the names, but I will have to just copy them off. Can anyone do this?

http://a9.g.akamai.net/7/9/8082/v001/www.democrats.org/commission/20050325_roster.pdf

[Crunchy Frog]

5. Thank you.

I have alot to say to them about that. Reccomending this post.

[janx]

6. So do I, Crunchy--and I'm keeping it visible!

This is the reason most Dems wanted Dean in the position of chair. We have to take advantage of the bottom-up communication, of the populism.

Kickeroonie!

[madfloridian]

7. Full List of members.

http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2008/dnc2008cal1204.html

Commission on Presidential Nomination Timing and Scheduling
(Appointments by DNC Chairman Terrance R. McAuliffe)

Co-Chairs

Hon. Alexis Herman
Fmr. U.S. Secretary of Labor
Hon David Price
U.S. Representative, North Carolina

Members

Aida Alvarez
Fmr. Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration

Vida Benavides

Donna Brazile
DNC At-Large Memeber & Fmr. DNC Rules & Bylaws Cmte. Co-Chair

Hon. Michael Coleman
Mayor of Columbus, Ohio

Roxanne Conlin
Fmr. President, American Trial Lawyers Association

Jerry Crawford
Fmr. State Chair, Iowa State Party

Hon. Lois DeBerry
DNC At-Large Member & Tennessee House Speaker Pro Tempore

Debbie Dingell
Michigan Democratic National
Committeewoman

Maria Echaveste
DNC At-Large Member

Cuauhtemo "Temo" Figueroa
Administrator, AFSCME Council 18

Hartina Flournoy
DNC At-Large Member & Fmr. DNC Rules & Bylaws Cmte. Co-Chair

Donald Fowler
DNC At-Large Member &
Fmr. DNC Chair



Jehmu Greene
President, Rock the Vote

Linda Honold
Chair, Wisconsin State Party

Harold Ickes
DNC At-Large Member

Carol Khare
Vice Chair, South Carolina State Party &
Co-Chair, DNC Rules & Bylaws Cmte.

Hon. Carl Levin
U.S. Senator, Michigan

Hon. Blanche Lincoln
U.S. Senator, Arkansas

Bill Lynch
Fmr. DNC Vice Chair

Hon. Kendrick Meek
U.S. Representative, Florida

Steve Murphy

Spencer Overton
Associate Professor of Law, The George Washington University Law School

Jim Pederson
Chair, Arizona State Party

Hon. Ed Rendell
Governor of Pennsylvania

James Roosevelt, Jr.
DNC At-Large Member & Co-Chair, DNCRules and Bylaws Cmte.

Delores Sibonga
Fmr. Seattle City Council

Hon. Jeanne Shaheen
Fmr. Gov. of New Hampshire

Hon. Terry Shumaker
Fmr. Ambassador to Trinidad & Exec. Dir., New Hampshire Education Association

Hon. Kathleen Sebelius
Governor of Kansas

Mike Stratton

Hon. Hilda Solis
U.S. Representative, California

Susan Swecker
Chair, DNC Southern Caucus

John Sweeney
President, AFL-CIO

Hon. Art Torres
Chair, California State Party

Ed Turlington

Hon. Jennifer Veiga
Colorado State Senate

Josh Wachs
DNC Chief Operating Officer

[PATRICK]

8. The one thing we should expect

Not to think playing chicken little and control freaking out is a solution to every problem(from warring idealists with losing candidates to the tactical rules forced by fear of the GOP). The handicap of dulling caution even in a "successful" primary hurts critically. The fear creates the very vulnerabilities that makes the GOP dirty work inevitable, successful and easy- at least enough to blunt the natural advantages of the populist dynamism.

Those who seek to improve the process should not shackle it and expect to get the most and the most democratic process out of it.

There is poison in the methods and presuppositions and lack of competent understanding going into the primary(by the planners)- as if we were afraid our own voters would spoil it!

And no that is not truculently throwing up their hands and letting there be a totally idealistic, innocent free for all of pure democracy- again presupposing with intentional malice that the "left" will fail. In fact get rid of some of these smart people, the ones with the deadly attitudes and losing ways. If there was a democratic way to do that, all the better.

[janx]

29. Good points, especially about the voters. n/t

[janx]

9. This is one great opportunity--

for each one of us. The DNC has been transformed! Keep it visible.

[AP]

10. I think MD should be the first state -- small state, few media markets,

diverse population, a little bit southern, a little bit northern. DC area politicians don't have to fly long distances to lay down the groundwork.

I think there should be two weeks between the first and second primaries. The second one should be another group of small states.

I think swing states should be frontloaded so that Dems spend time and money effectively.

Bottom line, I think politicians should win on retail politics and people with a lot of early money shouldn't have a disproportionate advantage, which they have when you have a lot of states at once with multiple media markets.

[LiberalFighter]

25. How about primaries held on about 6 different dates??

NE
SE
North Central
South Central
NW
SW

(Could rotate the order of the primaries. Each group of primaries would start first every 24 years)

2 weeks between each primary? (71 day period - 2 months 11 days)
Tues Mar 4
Tues Mar 18
Tues Apr 1
Tues Apr 15
Tues Apr 29
Tues May 13

2 weeks and a few days extra between each primary? (87 day period - almost 3 months)
Tues Feb 26
Thur Mar 13
Tues Apr 1
Thur Apr 17
Tues May 6
Thur May 22

[shance]

11. My question would be (and I will request it as well to DNC)

what about the House and Senatorial primaries?

Those are equally important to the overall primary process.

[Beam Me Up]

12. Will my vote be counted as I intended? If that can't be guaranteed

why should I CARE "when" the primaries are?

[NYCGirl]

13. Why don't you write the DNC and ask? NT

[ProudToBeLiberal]

23. Please don't spread the pessimistic notions to other people

We want to win...

[Zhade]

14. Kick

Kick

[Adelante]

15. Very good news

I've been waiting and hoping.

[madfloridian]

16. Kick for more opinions.

Good idea to do this.

[Hippo_Tron]

17. How about the first primary be rotated every election...

All 50 states will get a chance to have the first primary. The process will take 200 years so never in anybody's lifetime will one state have more power than another state.

[bemildred]

18. A single, national vote for Presidential candidate.

On a weekend or holiday.
Most votes wins.

[Roland99]

19. How about not fielding a dozen candidates??

Sheesh. Why show the fractured nature of the left so visibly?

[madfloridian]

20. Good idea you have.

You need to put that in the comments. I am afraid that will happen again.

[Roland99]

21. I did...cleaned up a bit and made it a bit more persuasive.

:)

[Rose Siding]

22. I wrote 'em

:kick:

[JNelson6563]

24. I sent them my suggestions

thanks for posting this MF! :hi:

Julie

[madfloridian]

26. I have seen posts today saying Dean has not asked for input.

I even saw one post saying he has not met with the vice chairs. I don't believe that is true at all. So I am kicking this to show he is asking for input, and I will find the link to the thread that gives you a way to give him your input personally.

I think two and a half months is not very much time to be too dissatisfied with anyone. A real shame that is happening.

So a kick for this. Will go and find the other thread.
:kick:

[welshTerrier2]

30. a good start but ...

when the Democratic Party asks for input like this, do they make an effort to reach out to ALL registered Democrats or just those on some mailing list? if the Party really wants to be more democratic, ALL registered Democrats should be given every possible opportunity to participate ... i suspect most Democrats are not aware input is being solicited ...

secondly, there are two areas where ALL registered Democrats should be given the opportunity to participate ... one is the Party's internal processes (e.g. the primary process) ... but the other area, which i think is also critically important, is national legislation and the direction of the country ... this is a responsibility that should be shared elected Democrats, Dr. Dean and the voting public as well ... Dr. Dean should take a leadership role in encouraging this increased democratization of the Party ... if elected Democrats choose to ignore him, they do so at their own peril ...

if Dr. Dean is to truly give voice to the grassroots, i.e. ALL registered Democrats, i would like to see him do all he can to encourage elected Democrats to regularly return to their districts to hear from their constituents on the great issues of the day ... this is not only the way democracy should function but it's good politics too ...

soliciting input from some Democrats on the "primary process" issue is a good start; much more needs to be done ... i have not heard Dr. Dean speaking out on giving greater voice to the grassroots since he became Chair; I hope he makes this a central theme of his efforts ...

[dorktv]

27. kick

[Adelante]

28. Thanks, submitted comments nt