Does anyone know why we have open primaries?

[Clinton Crusader]

I believe this is the reason why Hillary is in the position she's in. Based on what I've read and some web sites out there, Repukes are voting in droves in our stupidly open primaries for Obummer, to keep the Clintons out of the WH. He is by far the weaker candidate, and that's they want, besides the fact, that their hatred for the Clintons drives them. WHY do we have open primaries??? We are once again letting the RW dicate our election.

I am so sick, I don't know what to do with myself and I will not be voting. The numbers I am seeing are astounding, she has gone from secure double digits to single digits or falling behind and I am firm in my belief it's because Repukes are voting in ridiculous numbers for Obummer.

Now John Lewis has defected to the other side. WTF?

Sick, Im just sick. We let the RW do this to us.

Dean is a total asshat.

[rodeodance]

1. i just hope no more superdels defect before the big states. it sure does

send a bad message to hillary and to the voters-which i assume is there message.

i was disappointed in dodd, not necessarily before he made made a press conference out of it-- (that is another issue)--but because of this Unity message. what the hell are primaries for for gods sake!

[libbygurl]

2. Completely agree. Why do the Dems do things to destroy themselves? Idiots. (And I...

...don't use that word lightly). So Repubs and Indies can screw up the nomination for the Dems in the open primaries. What is the reason for this? Don't know. The Repubs don't have open primaries, do they? And I don't like H Dean, too.

[DURHAM D]

3. Battered spouse syndrome.

It is the notion that the victim (Democratic Party) stupidly decided to take responsibility for the behavior of the abuser (Repubs). In other words, if the victim acts really nice and doesn't "do anything" to anger the abuser, the abuser will stop hitting the victim. I think a lot of Dems for many years have felt that if they are nice to the enemy and let them join the "party" they will eventually stop trying to kill us.

I have not researched it but I think these open primaries started because Repubs either had the edge in registration numbers or simply won too many election cycles.

Comment: Many of the Obama supporters are not Democrats. They are former Nader supporters, political neophytes and independents. They self-define as progressives and hate the word liberal. They have no definition for progressive except to say that liberals are losers. If pushed, they usually respond that they are not Democrats and don't like Democrats because it is associated with failure. They are our abusers. They are not Democrats but they seem to have taken over my party.

[liberalnurse]

4. It's the Caucus system that really hurts.

Terry Mc Auliffe talked to us about that last week. Think about all the voters disenfranchised who:

Can't get off work, walk, see, talk, hear...the elderly, infirmed, low income women with transportation to a given location at a specific time, no child care.....see, lots of Hillary voters, millions could not vote in a caucus.

[susankh4]

5. I can't tell you how much this angers me!

I am just so discouraged with our party right now.

[rodeodance]

6. repugs crossing over is a factor. But this SWOON factor is really throwing

everything into unknowns. Because I can't wrap it around my brain--i remain stunned, absolutely stunned.