Primary Fixing in Order?

An amendment is needed to fix the primary mess

By Larry J. Sabato


The presidential selection process is badly broken and must be fixed. Several good plans have been proposed, but they haven't gone far enough or offered the kind of discipline necessary to prevent future chaos. We need a constitutional amendment that establishes a rational schedule of primaries.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2007/09/an-amendment-is.html

Cavalier829 wrote: 173d ago
Larry Sabato often has very interesting things to say and I look forward to reading his new book, however, in this case I can not agree with him.

First of all, I consider it a rule of thumb, you never need a constitutional amendment when provision already exists for a solution under the Constitution as it is. The Congress and President could make a change any time they'd like to. No changes to the Constitution are needed.

The Regional primaries Plan certainly has received alot of attention lately. First it was the Carter Commission which proposed it, then Sens. Alexander (R-TN), Klobuchar (D-MN), and Lieberman (L-CT), and now Mr. Sabato...

I suspect the Regional Plan is being pushed now because many expect the Republican Party to advance the Deleware Plan at their Convention next year.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2007/09/an-amendment-is.html

Fix The Primaries Barnstorms the Media
The Fix The Primaries project is sparking widespread media attention to our calls for parties to institute more democratic processes to pick their presidential nominees. FairVote's Rob Richie has appeared on dozens of radio and television programs, including national programs Bloomberg Television, Democracy Now and FAIR's Counterspin...

http://www.fixtheprimaries.com/

For Immediate Release
September 6, 2007

Rep. Levin Welcomes Senate Introduction of Presidential Primary Reform Bill
Senator Nelson (D-FL) introduces companion bill, “Fair and Representative Presidential Primaries Act of 2007”


(Washington D.C.)- Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI) and Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) have joined together to reform the presidential primary nominating system. Senator Nelson today introduced companion legislation to Rep. Levin’s interregional primary reform bill introduced earlier this year.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/mi12_levin/PR090607.shtml