Yes, The Real The New Awesome Primary Thread

Except it was never intended to be a "democratic" process in the extreme sense you are trying to make it. The process is intended to offer up the nominee of the Democratic Party not the nominee of the American people writ large. And the Democratic Party is the leadership of the party put in their positions by the party base not the American people writ large.The sooner people understand what a political party really is the sooner this conspiracy tripe can end. Edited by AZPaul3, : tighpoe

First, Bernie, and I really like Bernie, is too far to the left of the Democratic Party to garner the support needed to win the nomination of the party. Second, Hillary has that support and will skate into Philadelphia to accept the nomination based on pledged delegates alone. Conspiracy nut.15% are super delegates. They are all the Democratic Party members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, all serving Democratic Party Governors of states, the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Democratic Party in each state and the members of the Democratic Leadership Council and the Democratic Party National Committee.They were chosen because of their position. They are not chosen because they like Hillary. That is not "rigged".They are free to support anyone they so chose. That is not "rigged".This is the leadership of the party exercising some modicum of control over who best represents the philosophy and agenda of the Democratic Party. That is not "rigged"'Because of her philosophy, her history, her work and her strength, a majority of those supers are supporting Hillary.That's not "rigged". That is the party voice.Edited by AZPaul3, : No reason given.Edited by AZPaul3, : No reason given.

What is it with the hard questions? Haven't you got any easy questions that don't take a massive tome to answer? Good lord, where to start.Start with the last one. The quick and woefully understated easy answer to that has to do with the conservative realignment in the party in the 70-80's. From there the evangelicals grew into the leadership positions in the party with no thought to keeping a moderate base energized. The Republican liberal wing had all but disappeared by 1990 and the moderate center has been on the ropes since 2000. At this point the party is flirting with the extremes of the American right. Romney may be the last of the moderate conservatives we see from the Republicans unless the center can reassert itself after this 2016 disaster. Don't count on it. The Republican's may be in for an unpleasant surprise come June 7. Looking at the poll numbers for Indiana (primary May 3), Trumps lead is not large but may be solid. If he can keep up this lead and win Indiana then, come California and New Jersey, June 7, he may have the 1237 delegates needed going into Cleveland. This scenario is looking more likely than it did just a week ago.This leads, then, to a battle royal in the convention where we will see the leadership try to exert its influence (a bit late there, guys) with major rules changes coming off the rules committee to be fought (maybe literally) on the convention floor.At that point, yes, I think the Republican leadership would rather hold their collective noses and embarrassingly, grudgingly, accept Cruz.If the leadership can hang the convention after the blood dries and the walkouts occur there is always the slim chance of a compromise candidate. Paul Ryan has said not just no, but hell no, leaving Rich Perry licking his lips and Jeb Bush kinda bouncing on the balls of his feet.The thing is the Republican leadership does not have the level of control it once did just a few years ago with so many staunch partisans on the convention floor. Because of this I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the leadership, stripped down by those abandoning the party altogether, Trump or Cruz doesn't matter, just accepted the fact that Hillary will be our next president.Fuck me, I don't know. Edited by AZPaul3, : No reason given.Edited by AZPaul3, : No reason given.

I haven't done the most excellent job of explaining the US Presidential Primary system. I found this on the net and think this does a much better job than I could possibly do.

No, no, no, not at all. It's just that there are some people in this world that do not play well with the rest of humanity and are more prone to chaff then soothe. That's you. Like Big_TO. Terrell Owens was a great receiver, but was poison to every locker room he ever walked into, destroying team morale and cohesion wherever he went. There are just some people you never want anywhere near your team because they destroy the spirit, undercut your efforts, and lose you the game. That's you.Now, I really think it would be best if you got off the computer and attended to those three kids. And, for god's sake, clean up your house!

Softball, huh?Why not.Carly can better appeal to the women's vote, though not by much, than Ted can though that would be balanced by losing some of the hardcore fundamentalists and the misogynistic knuckle-draggers that make up a good portion of his constituency. She is a fierce debater, an attack dog really, and can stir the passions of hatred in Cruz's supporters. She performed well in the initial candidates' debates against her male counterparts. She is a strong, though disagreeable, woman. Kinda like Hillary in that regard. That could help in the fight against Trump whom she has, in the past, gotten the verbal best on. And then there is the California connection, though she lost her ass in those campaigns.Hell, NoNukes, I have a difficult enough time understanding the nuances of logical decisions let alone irrational ones.

I can see that. Seems to me the importance and the fanfare of a VP selection wouldn't be wasted just for a momentary buzz, but this is Ted and, I suppose, he really has nothing more to lose. Looks like El Hairball may actually wrap this thing up by California.

When Ted first announced his candidacy there were moans and groans throughout the party. They wished it wasn't so.Well, you gotta be careful what you wish for.

After Hillary's first term it will be interesting to see if the Republicans have learned anything from this disaster.Edited by AZPaul3, : No reason given.

As of May 4, 5:45 AM ET With Ted out and Bernie so far behind these races are done. Donald and Hillary will be the two main candidates for president in November.Poor Carly. She lost two major races at the same time. And Kasich is coming in 4th in a two-man race.While the Democrats will hold a boring unifying coronation in Philly the real excitement in July will be in Cleveland at the Republican convention when we find out how many and who doesn't show up. Then there is always the Trump VP selection. That might be good for a laugh.Stay tuned.Edited by AZPaul3, : No reason given.

I don’t know how that would work. The two major parties are pretty much institutionalized in this country based on state election laws. They have the advantage in everything from voter registration to financing to primary election support that third parties do not have (a third party has to show they received some X% of the popular vote in that state in the last election to qualify for these state-level election benefits). The state power and congressional power are in the two major parties and I don’t think the Tea Party would easily give up that cover.It would be good if the Tea Party struck out on its own because then they could flitter away into ineffectiveness just like all the other third parties. Too bad, really. As long as it wasn’t something as radical-right as the Tea Party the American body politic could use a strong third party in the system.

I was thinking more along the lines of Gracie Slick's "White Rabbit". It goes better with Trump trying to talk about policy. Scatter-brained and doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Remember what the Dormouse said.

Shouldn't do that. It leaves marks. People might think your're self-injurious. Its only been (almost) 5 years but that's OK. I miss-spoke too. The peoples concerns and wishes are all over the political map and no party can even come close to satisfying everyone no matter what they try to do. Again, it isn't the people's concerns and wishes that are being measured and determined but the Party's plan if chosen to rule by the people in November. The parties determine what their platforms and policies will be and the people then determine if one is more to their liking than the others and votes accordingly. And I support that. I voted for him in the Arizona primary. He lost, but not by much. Not enough people, despite my personal best, believe. Yet.You don't like Hillary. You don't like the process. Enough people do that it makes no difference what either of us think. We each have a decision to make. Go vote for Lyndon LaRouche if it makes you happy.

No, no! Make the meteor go away!This is the most fun we've had in politics since Ross Perot.And there promises to be soooo much more!

I agree, but, please, not until after the election, say, Thanksgiving. We can have all the fun of the election and the reaction to it before we expire.