The 2008 presidential field at-a-glance

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by Thetagirl218

I am getting kinda mad that because our state legislature passed law when Florida's primary should be, the parties are punishing us? Why would they cut out the voice of the people??? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, and there are talks that Conventions will change their minds, but who knows! I do know this.....after the whole affair in 2000, I was in high school, and it was all that was ever discussed it seems; You would think more attention would be paid to FL instead of diminishing it. We are still a pretty big swing vote and have 27 electoral college votes....2 more than in 2000.

Yep, because the national party leadership want to punish the party leadership for a state, they basically punish and somewhat disenfranchise any regular party members in that state, and yet, the party members or anyone willing to vote in the primary and not have his or her primary or caucus vote fully count at the convention is still supposed to stay loyal enough to vote for the party's candidate in the general elections. Why does that seem to make sense to the party leadership?

If it had happened in my state, I think I'd very much feel like a complete free agent in the general election. (Actually, if Huckabee is the nominee, I would anyway.)

And why do we privilege Iowa and New Hampshire, anyway? If the parties' position was that we'd have all the primaries on the same day, that'd be one thing, but why are some states just expected to sit back to see if their candidates appeal well enough in the early states to even stay in the race until you can vote for them in your states primary? )

[DGTess]

What the parties will probably realize sometime in the next decade is that punishing members of a party organization does nothing but disenfranchise those who are registered to that party but do not consider themselves members of the party organization.

The rank-and-file, unfortunately, usually takes a long time to figure these things out, .

[SigKapAngel767]

Does anyone know when/where Florida's primaries are gonna be?

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by SigKapAngel767

Does anyone know when/where Florida's primaries are gonna be?

WHERE?
If you mean where the polling locations are, normally they are where they are anytime there is an election.
Call your local election board HQ for details.

[SigKapAngel767]

WHOOPS! No sleep makes for stupid questions ;-)

[Tom Earp]

Iowa and New Hampshire have been historically the first for voting on candidates.

But when a National party disenfranchises total states, that is shear ignorance.

How come some are not invited to the debates?

Wow, talk about a deck stacking gone wrong!

[Thetagirl218]

Originally Posted by SigKapAngel767

Does anyone know when/where Florida's primaries are gonna be?

Florida's primary is going to be held Tuesday, January 29th. Where you vote is determined by your county elections office. I would call them or even use their website to look up your voting place and make sure you are registered and all that. I believe the deadline may have just passed to register for this election. If you have any more county specific questions, please feel free to Pm' me.

As for candidates, I am a Huckabee fan. I like McCain, but it bothers me that on his website, he does not list education as a major issue. I understand that taking care of foreign policy is important, but so is the education of our youth!! Can you tell that my degree is in education? lol!

Is anybody out there a Ron Paul supporter? At this point, I am kinda convinced they are all whack jobs. No offense to anyone, but they said in one blog that Glenn Beck is the devil???

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Thetagirl218

Is anybody out there a Ron Paul supporter? At this point, I am kinda convinced they are all whack jobs. No offense to anyone, but they said in one blog that Glenn Beck is the devil???

Who is "they"?

Do "they" speak for all Ron Paul supporters?

-- I agree with you, I think education is probably the defining civil rights issue of our time.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Who is "they"?

Do "they" speak for all Ron Paul supporters?

-- I agree with you, I think education is probably the defining civil rights issue of our time.

Oh boy do I agree!

Cannot really see any of the so called in crowd and front runners be The It Candidate.

Ron Paul has some off the wall ideas, but also some very good ideas.

Fred Thompson is starting to come on and getting more comforatable with interviews.

But if neither are included in some of the major debates, how are we to know?

[SWTXBelle]

I'm a Ron Paul supporter, and not a "whack job". I guess it is in the other candidates' best interest to portray us as nutty, but I know many reasonable, intelligent people who are supporting Ron Paul.

Glenn Beck the devil? Naw, that's Hillary. KIDDING - I'm KIDDING.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by SECdomination

I've decided that I'm completely on board the Fred Thompson bandwagon now. After the Fox News roundtable, Huckabee just came off as arrogant (He's probably an Arkansas and SEC fan).
I like how Thompson NEVER avoided those questions that are supposed to make you look stupid. All the other candidates tried to dodge the tough questions by promoting themselves.

Fred Thompson '08!

There are so many reasons to love Fred. (Sigh)

I hope a lot of people come to feel like you do.

I think we're have reason to believe that Thompson could finish ahead of Huckabee in New Hampshire, but unfortunately, they will both finish behind McCain and Romney, I'm afraid.

I will vote for Fred in the Georgia primary, but I'm really hoping that Huckabee does something to make the evangelicals mad before Feb. 5th.

(or some skeleton in his closet is exposed. I'm not saying there is one, but I find him insincere and wouldn't be surprised to find some hypocrisy in his past. I mean, to some degree, we've all got them, but not everyone runs hyping Jesus. I want anything that might come out to come out while Fred can still pick up votes in the South.)

[AGDee]

So, I have one week to decide what to do about this primary situation in Michigan. These are my options, as I see them:

1) Vote in the Democratic Primary for "uncommitted" since neither of my preferred candidates are on the ballot.

2) Vote in the Republican Primary for the candidate I could most tolerate as President.

3) Vote in the Republican Primary for the candidate that I think can't beat any of the Democrats to just skew it for them.

4) Don't vote at all.

I wouldn't really do 3 or 4, but the ideas cross my mind. So, it's 1 or 2. One week to decide... hmmm.

[scbelle]

Originally Posted by AGDee

So, I have one week to decide what to do about this primary situation in Michigan. These are my options, as I see them:

1) Vote in the Democratic Primary for "uncommitted" since neither of my preferred candidates are on the ballot.

2) Vote in the Republican Primary for the candidate I could most tolerate as President.

3) Vote in the Republican Primary for the candidate that I think can't beat any of the Democrats to just skew it for them.

4) Don't vote at all.

I wouldn't really do 3 or 4, but the ideas cross my mind. So, it's 1 or 2. One week to decide... hmmm.

Is it right that Hillary is the only candidate on the Michigan ballot for the Democratic primary? I feel sorry for y'all! But at least you get to decide which primary to vote in... in SC, you must be a registered Republican or Democrat and then you are only allowed to vote in your party's primary. Sux.

[AGDee]

It's true. I detailed why earlier in the thread. Bottom line, we don't have a say this year.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I'm a Ron Paul supporter, and not a "whack job". I guess it is in the other candidates' best interest to portray us as nutty, but I know many reasonable, intelligent people who are supporting Ron Paul.

Glenn Beck the devil? Naw, that's Hillary. KIDDING - I'm KIDDING.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1d4_1199722032&p=1

But then there are these guys...