RNC member: ‘Political parties choose their nominee, not the general public’

[brooklynite]

Washington Post:

Curly Haugland, a Republican National Committee member, says the nomination process is pretty straightforward: The party, not the voters, chooses the nominee.

In an appearance on CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday morning, Haugland, a North Dakotan and current member of the RNC's Rules Committee, said that any assumption otherwise is misguided.

"That's the problem: The media has created the perception that the voters will decide the nomination," he said. He went on: "Political parties choose their nominee, not the general public, contrary to popular belief."

Technically, and historically, he's right, but I think we can imagine where this will be going...

[Renew Deal]

1. Why have elections at all?

[stevenleser]

4. If you want to see something really ugly along those lines...

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2000-11-30/news/0011300293_1_electoral-college-state-s-electoral-votes-presidential-electors

and

http://lubbockonline.com/stories/120900/nat_120900078.shtml#.VuoZHPkrJD8 which states...

Published: Saturday, December 09, 2000
The Associated Press
Text of a resolution to appoint presidential electors introduced Friday by members of the Florida Legislature.:

By Representatives Cantens, Byrd, Goodlette, Diaz-Balart, Fasano, Rubio and Maygarden:

House Concurrent Resolution No. 1-A

A concurrent resolution providing for the Manner of appointing electors for President and Vice President of the United States; providing for the appointment of such electors; providing for the filling of vacancies.

WHEREAS, an election was held in this state on November 7, 2000, for the purpose of selecting electors from Florida to cast the state's vote for President and Vice President of the United States of America on December 18, 2000, and

WHEREAS, Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States provides, in pertinent part, that "Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in Congress, and

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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Florida Legislature hereby appoints as the 25 electors for President and Vice President of the United States of America, such number being equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State of Florida is entitled in the Congress. The following named persons: Charles W. Kane, Maria De La Milera, Sandra M. Faulkner, H. Gary Morse, Armando Codina, Carole Jean Jordan, Tom Slade, Marsha Nippert, Robert L. Woody, John Thrasher, Mel Martinez, Feliciano M. Foyo, Al Hoffman, Alfred S. Austin, Thomas C. Feeney III, John M. McKay, Cynthia M. Handley, Darryl K. Sharpton, Dr. Adam W. Herbert, Berta J. Moralejo, Jeanne Barber Godwin, Deborah L. Brooks, Dr. Dorsey C. Miller, Glenda E. Hood, and Dawn Guzzetta.

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Note the above named folks in the "Be it further resolved" section were Bush/Cheney electors.

Had the Supreme Court not stopped the recount, the Florida State Legislature was set to use the ugly Constitutional powers we never really think about to directly appoint electors.

[snot]

2. Pacification charade?

[UTUSN]

3. "not the general public" - oh, does that apply to nominating judges too?!1 n/t

[tammywammy]

6. Why would the RNC member be talking about the DNC??