Wednesday, 02.06.08
Primary Suspect
by Tang Chhin Sothy / Getty Images
We all know that John McCain crushed Mitt Romney in Tuesday's string of primaries. But what if the rules were just slightly different? Some states award their delegates on a proportional basis. Others are winner-take-all. Had you flipped around the states that were proportional and the states that were winner-take-all, Romney might have been in a much stronger position. Then there is the order of nominating contests. Would Fred Thompson still be in the race if South Carolina had gone first? Would Bill Richardson be the Democratic nominee if Texas came before Iowa?
A Dollar and a DreamAs part of his kooky constitutional overhaul, Larry Sabato calls for randomizing the order of nominating contests. |
Vote EarlyJonathan Soros calls for a national primary, with early voting encouraged, counted, and reported. The most motivated voters will form their own virtual New Hampshire. |
The Last Shall Be FirstJohn Nichols of The Nation blasts the present system for undermining grassroots activism. Instead he wants states to go in order of their population. |
SwingersIf the parties want to nominate winners, why not weigh swing state primaries more heavily? So suggests Andrew Samwick. |
