The Obama Phenomenon and the 2008 Presidential Campaign
- Túrin Turambar
- Posts: 6157
- Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2005 9:37 am
- Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Starting the primary in small states also gives lesser-known candidates a chance to get some attention. It also lets voters in later states get some idea of a candidate's vaibility, as well as letting candidates see what sort of chances they have before they go and spend a gazillion dollars in all fifty states.
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- This is Rome
- Posts: 5963
- Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:48 pm
- Location: Concrete Jungle by the Lagoon
My issue with starting the primary in smaller states is that those smaller states then have an effect disproportionate to their population on the ultimate outcome, which seems unfair to me (see also the Electoral College and the Senate.) I think that the commentary after Iowa is a prime example of this - Hillary's campaign was briefly presumed in great peril because, why? A small bunch of midwestern Dems/Independents (total population of the state is 2.9 million) had their say, so that's that? I find it infuriating that a high percentage of the candidate pool drops out, under our primary system, before a majority of Americans have had a chance to weigh in.
Put differently, I think that the voices of the registered voters in California (total population 36.5 million) should collectively count - how can I put this - 36 times as much as New Hampshire's 1.2 million total population (assuming that voter registration tracks the total population.) Unfortunately, because New Hampshire gets to "talk" first, Californian voters (among many others) never get to have any opinion that matters on a majority of the playing field.
And I, so far, do not buy the argument that the current system enables less well-funded candidates. After all, it's not quite February 5, and the viable candidates with fewer resources are still no longer on the ballot.
Put differently, I think that the voices of the registered voters in California (total population 36.5 million) should collectively count - how can I put this - 36 times as much as New Hampshire's 1.2 million total population (assuming that voter registration tracks the total population.) Unfortunately, because New Hampshire gets to "talk" first, Californian voters (among many others) never get to have any opinion that matters on a majority of the playing field.
And I, so far, do not buy the argument that the current system enables less well-funded candidates. After all, it's not quite February 5, and the viable candidates with fewer resources are still no longer on the ballot.
I won't just survive
Oh, you will see me thrive
Can't write my story
I'm beyond the archetype
I won't just conform
No matter how you shake my core
'Cause my roots, they run deep, oh
When, when the fire's at my feet again
And the vultures all start circling
They're whispering, "You're out of time,"
But still I rise
This is no mistake, no accident
When you think the final nail is in, think again
Don't be surprised, I will still rise
Oh, you will see me thrive
Can't write my story
I'm beyond the archetype
I won't just conform
No matter how you shake my core
'Cause my roots, they run deep, oh
When, when the fire's at my feet again
And the vultures all start circling
They're whispering, "You're out of time,"
But still I rise
This is no mistake, no accident
When you think the final nail is in, think again
Don't be surprised, I will still rise
- Túrin Turambar
- Posts: 6157
- Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2005 9:37 am
- Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Nel, I've replied to you in the primary delegate math thread. That way we can return to our regularly-scheduled Hillary-bashing here.
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- Posts: 1579
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2005 3:34 pm
So it's down to Barak or Hillary. The question I asked a long while ago before any candidates had declared themselves is still the same. Which candidate is more likely to get an erstwhile Republican voter to switch to voting Democrat? This is the crucial question in my mind. One could refine it by adding who would get people out who would not otherwise vote. And also by asking who the Republican hierarchy fears the most.
I respect both candidates but I think I know the answer.
I respect both candidates but I think I know the answer.
- Primula Baggins
- Living in hope
- Posts: 40005
- Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:43 am
- Location: Sailing the luminiferous aether
- Contact:
Sweeeeeeeet.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
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- This is Rome
- Posts: 5963
- Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:48 pm
- Location: Concrete Jungle by the Lagoon
Clearly even Ann Coulter belongs to the powerful Sisterhood of Women.Faramond wrote:So Ann Coulter has endorsed Hillary Clinton over John McCain.
I won't just survive
Oh, you will see me thrive
Can't write my story
I'm beyond the archetype
I won't just conform
No matter how you shake my core
'Cause my roots, they run deep, oh
When, when the fire's at my feet again
And the vultures all start circling
They're whispering, "You're out of time,"
But still I rise
This is no mistake, no accident
When you think the final nail is in, think again
Don't be surprised, I will still rise
Oh, you will see me thrive
Can't write my story
I'm beyond the archetype
I won't just conform
No matter how you shake my core
'Cause my roots, they run deep, oh
When, when the fire's at my feet again
And the vultures all start circling
They're whispering, "You're out of time,"
But still I rise
This is no mistake, no accident
When you think the final nail is in, think again
Don't be surprised, I will still rise
- Primula Baggins
- Living in hope
- Posts: 40005
- Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:43 am
- Location: Sailing the luminiferous aether
- Contact:
<raises dainty fist>
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
- Primula Baggins
- Living in hope
- Posts: 40005
- Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:43 am
- Location: Sailing the luminiferous aether
- Contact:
That's significant, but not surprising.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
- Primula Baggins
- Living in hope
- Posts: 40005
- Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:43 am
- Location: Sailing the luminiferous aether
- Contact:
Shirriff note from Prim: The discussion of the Iraq War has been moved to the following topic:
http://www.thehalloffire.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1444
http://www.thehalloffire.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1444
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
- Túrin Turambar
- Posts: 6157
- Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2005 9:37 am
- Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Mitt Romney seems to have won Maine, and by a decent margin too. Not a major contest, but it's the last before Super Tuesday.
- Túrin Turambar
- Posts: 6157
- Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2005 9:37 am
- Location: Melbourne, Victoria
- Túrin Turambar
- Posts: 6157
- Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2005 9:37 am
- Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Our first Super Tuesday result – Huckabee wins the WV Caucus 52-47 vs. Mitt Romney.
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- This is Rome
- Posts: 5963
- Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:48 pm
- Location: Concrete Jungle by the Lagoon
Just wanted to solicit any thoughts on Barack vs. Hillary on universal health care. I found this opinion piece (also published by the Times, which has declared its bias, of course) interesting.
I won't just survive
Oh, you will see me thrive
Can't write my story
I'm beyond the archetype
I won't just conform
No matter how you shake my core
'Cause my roots, they run deep, oh
When, when the fire's at my feet again
And the vultures all start circling
They're whispering, "You're out of time,"
But still I rise
This is no mistake, no accident
When you think the final nail is in, think again
Don't be surprised, I will still rise
Oh, you will see me thrive
Can't write my story
I'm beyond the archetype
I won't just conform
No matter how you shake my core
'Cause my roots, they run deep, oh
When, when the fire's at my feet again
And the vultures all start circling
They're whispering, "You're out of time,"
But still I rise
This is no mistake, no accident
When you think the final nail is in, think again
Don't be surprised, I will still rise
- axordil
- Pleasantly Twisted
- Posts: 8999
- Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:35 pm
- Location: Black Creek Bottoms
- Contact:
Krugman has made little secret of his support for Clinton pretty much across the board. I respect him on many matters, but I think his arguments here are based on a lot of supposition and uncited sources. Phrases like "new estimates say" are not up to his usual standards. Whose estimates? Done how?
I'm not saying his argument is without merit. I'm saying it's slipshod and thus impossible to judge on merit.
I'm not saying his argument is without merit. I'm saying it's slipshod and thus impossible to judge on merit.
It was rather thrilling voting in Paris today! Lots of people turned out for the vote, and the place was really abuzz.
I felt a tiny bit of
(dare I say it)
hope.
I felt a tiny bit of
(dare I say it)
hope.
Last edited by Teremia on Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.