"Dems want to abolish primaries"

[roguevalley]

Go this from an activist.

From Roxanne Jekot:

I was at a private house party on August 2nd in Georgia with Senators
Reid, Schumer and Pryor.

And the grand DLC plan is simple for 2006 - no DEM primaries. They
plan to choose the DLC candidate and force all others out of the
race. Just like they did in PA with Casey.

The exact Schumer (DSCC Chair) quote is:

"We are no longer letting Democrats get in a circle and shoot each
other. We are going to intervene if any one Democrat attacks another.
We are doing that in states where there are primaries. ......this
always happens in the primaries, people throw up the cards and see
where they land. No more. We're finding the best candidates in every
one of the seats where republicans are vunerable. "

So, bye bye primaries, folks. The good DLC will be choosing our
candidates from here on out.

The quote in this email begins at 12:57 of the audio file.

I've included a link to a MP3 audio tape of his speech at the house
party, but please don't post a link to the audio. My bandwidth can't
afford all your visitors.

http://www.countthevote.org/personal/schumer0802.mp3

Roxanne

[LittleClarkie]

1. Schumer isn't DLC

What ARE you talking about?

[tech3149]

2. F'ing Idiots

Like I trust them to make the best choice!

[Fovea]

3. time for the plan to go bye bye.

We are either the Democratic party, or we are not.

The strategy is for us to become Repug-lite. That much is obvious. But they are not representing the Democratic Party when they talk like NeoCon wannabees.

If you want to see how bad this works, watch what Iraq, Stem cells, Scary Roberts, and the uncritical lock step acceptance of the Delay-Rove-Hastert corruption does to the puggies by 06.

I'd rather see a melee than a melt-down, any day. The Puggies are de laminating like a sheet of cardboard in the rain.

[BlakeB]

4. The guy I'm cofounding...

the McNeese State University College Dems with is a DLCer. Needless to say we're having a clash of interests. Either way, I'm going to follow the agenda I wish to follow-his objection be damned.

[iconoclastNYC]

14. We are in the early stages of taking back the party from the DLC

As hard as it will be to take back the party from the fringe DLC wing that now controls it, it would be much harder to start another party.

The netroots and the blogs are making it easier for us to take back the party from the DLC.

Don't give up yet.

[LittleClarkie]

15. But Reid isn't DLC and Schumer isn't DLC

how is this thread about the DLC?!

[iconoclastNYC]

16. I'm not saying it is

I was responding the the gloom and doomer who was spreading saying we should abbandon the party b/c the DLC controls it.

[LittleClarkie]

17. I'm still trying to deal with why this thread is supposed to be about DLC

when it wasn't in the article mentioned. Sorry I caught you in the middle. Only Pryor in the story is DLC. Schumer and Reid aren't. So I don't why this is supposed to be about a DLC takeover.

If one is going to rail against the DLC, shouldn't one make sure that the story one is quoting is actually ABOUT the DLC? Ya know?

[LittleClarkie]

5. Reid isn't DLC either

The only one is Prior.

And wouldn't Dean have to be in on a plan like that?

I think you're reaching here in blaming this on the DLC.

[emulatorloo]

6. I don't believe everything I read on the internets - nor should you

EOM

[wyldwolf]

7. I find two flaws in the premise of this post

First - Reid and Shumer aren't DLC as has already been pointed out.

Second, the quote in no way says primaries will be "abolished."

What it says is the party will intercede and mediate during any instances of our notorious circular firing squads - which I'm all for.

Sorry - one more "let's twist the facts to support an existing anti-DLC bias" post bites the dust.

However, it will be interesting to see how many on DU take the bait.

PS - I know Roxanne and respect her work and research on voting machines.

Can you give a link to this quote by her?

[MaineDem]

9. "...how many on DU take the bait."

Sadly, many.

[FightinNewDem]

10. Hell, the DLC isn't "DLC"

People seem to equate any dumb scheme ever hatched by a Democrat with the DLC, even when it is something contrary to the DLC's actual position. It's ludicrous.

The DLC has no problem with the primary process. It does have a problem with closed primaries and with caucuses.

[eallen]

8. Primaries are a side effect of the two-party system.

If you want to do something about this, urge your state legislators to adopt instant run-off, or one of the other voting mechanisms that allows better expression of electoral preference.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Exactly. How aboout the DNC splits $$ equally between all primary

candidates, lets them campaign for a while, then holds a same day primary with some sort of ranked voting ballot?

http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm

[jburton]

12. This post is very misleading

For one thing, nobody says "abolish primaries" but the "activist".

Schumer et al are not saying it.

Also, Primaries and their election dates are determined state-by-state by state law, not nationally.

As far as finding the "best candidates" goes, there has ALWAYS been a perceived "establishment" candidate in primaries, usually the best funded. However, the average voter who turns out during a primary is more "liberal" than the average Democrat, so it's hardly a given that the "DLC" candidate will win.

[theboss]

13. Isn't this what already happens?

When Hillary! looked around the country and decided that it would be neat to be a Senator from NY, all the Democrats cleared the deck for her.

With Ford announcing in TN, I can't imagine any support or big money going elsewhere.

Primary fights are a rarity at this point anyway.

[Moderator]

18. Locking

Misleading subject line.