Monday, October 10, 2011
what are primaries and caucuses?
Presidential election primaries and caucuses are two very different methods of accomplishing the same basic thing. Simply put, they are both a means for each political party to let voters nationwide select their party's presidential nominee. More specifically, primaries and caucuses are means of selecting delegates (representatives of party members in each state) to send to the party's national convention.
At each party's national convention (held the summer before the presidential election), the party selects a presidential nominee based on how party delegates at the convention vote. The Republican and Democratic parties in each state select delegates based on either caucuses or a primary vote in that state -- the delegates are sent to represent voters in the state.
At the Democratic convention, the number of state delegates is proportional to the number of votes received in the state primary or caucus. The Republican Party uses a winner-take-all system in which the delegate or candidate with the most votes in a state's primary or caucus wins the right to be represented by all of the party's delegates at the national convention. The total number of delegates each party can send to the national convention is again dictated by party rules. Usually the party determines the number of delegates through a formula factoring in state population, the number of elected officials in office, and that state's past support of party candidates.
Federal law doesn't dictate how states choose their delegates, so individual states decide what system to use. Most states use the primary system -- where voters statewide simply cast a vote for the candidate they support -- but some use the older caucus system.
The term caucus apparently comes from an Algonquin word meaning "gathering of tribal chiefs," and the main crux of the caucus system today is indeed a series of meetings. To see how this works, let's look at the Iowa caucuses -- the first "voting event" of the presidential election year.
At each party's national convention (held the summer before the presidential election), the party selects a presidential nominee based on how party delegates at the convention vote. The Republican and Democratic parties in each state select delegates based on either caucuses or a primary vote in that state -- the delegates are sent to represent voters in the state.
At the Democratic convention, the number of state delegates is proportional to the number of votes received in the state primary or caucus. The Republican Party uses a winner-take-all system in which the delegate or candidate with the most votes in a state's primary or caucus wins the right to be represented by all of the party's delegates at the national convention. The total number of delegates each party can send to the national convention is again dictated by party rules. Usually the party determines the number of delegates through a formula factoring in state population, the number of elected officials in office, and that state's past support of party candidates.
Federal law doesn't dictate how states choose their delegates, so individual states decide what system to use. Most states use the primary system -- where voters statewide simply cast a vote for the candidate they support -- but some use the older caucus system.
The term caucus apparently comes from an Algonquin word meaning "gathering of tribal chiefs," and the main crux of the caucus system today is indeed a series of meetings. To see how this works, let's look at the Iowa caucuses -- the first "voting event" of the presidential election year.
Monday, October 3, 2011
won, by only 1 electoral vote... won, by only 1 electoral vote...The Disputed Presidential Election of 1876
Republican candidate Rutherford B. Hayes won the 1876 presidential election over Governor Samuel J. Tilden of New York by a single electoral vote in one of the most disputed American presidential elections ever. Their contest produced the highest voter turnout in U.S. history.
Michael Holt talked about why this election was so close and what were the areas of dispute and compares the elections of 1876 and 2000
Program not embeddable :(
but this is the frame I would have liked to post 10:50 - 16:30
Florida (with 4 electoral votes), Louisiana (with 8), and South Carolina (with 7), reported returns favored Tilden, but election results in each state were marked by fraud and threats of violence against Republican voters.
One of the points of contention revolved around the design of ballots. At the time, parties would print ballots or "tickets" to enable voters to support them in the open ballots. To aid illiterate voters the parties would print symbols on the tickets. In this election, however, many Democratic ballots were printed with the Republican symbol, Abraham Lincoln, on them. The Republican-dominated state electoral commissions subsequently disallowed a sufficient number of Democratic votes to award their electoral votes to Hayes.
http://youtu.be/f6eBOsnoRJ4
Michael Holt talked about why this election was so close and what were the areas of dispute and compares the elections of 1876 and 2000
Program not embeddable :(
but this is the frame I would have liked to post 10:50 - 16:30
Florida (with 4 electoral votes), Louisiana (with 8), and South Carolina (with 7), reported returns favored Tilden, but election results in each state were marked by fraud and threats of violence against Republican voters.
One of the points of contention revolved around the design of ballots. At the time, parties would print ballots or "tickets" to enable voters to support them in the open ballots. To aid illiterate voters the parties would print symbols on the tickets. In this election, however, many Democratic ballots were printed with the Republican symbol, Abraham Lincoln, on them. The Republican-dominated state electoral commissions subsequently disallowed a sufficient number of Democratic votes to award their electoral votes to Hayes.
http://youtu.be/f6eBOsnoRJ4
the hispanic vote in campaign 2010
Herman Cain made headlines when he said on CNN that black voters have been "brainwashed" into voting for Democrats. That was condescending, to say the least. But he went on to say that 30 to 50 percent of African American voters are "open minded" and could be persuaded to vote Republican. Despite his unfortunate wording, Cain makes a good point: the Democratic Party shouldn't take the black vote for granted in 2012.
Nor should it take the Hispanic vote for granted, either. The new Univision bipartisan poll of 1,500 likely Latino voters shows a "substantial" Hispanic swing vote is coming into play, according to Politico. A whopping 43 percent of Latino likely voters call themselves conservatives; even 32 percent of Hispanic Democrats polled identified themselves as conservative. Among "swing" Latino voters, their top concern was this statement: "The federal government in D.C. is wasting too much of our tax money." Not immigration, not jobs, not other so-called Hispanic issues. Like the rest of us, Hispanic voters are deeply concerned about the size and scope of government. That says to me that Hispanic voters might be very open to voting for a fiscal conservative in 2012.
Hispanic Voters and Campaign 2010
Oct 26, 2010
C-SPAN | Washington Journal
Brent Wilkes talked about the role of Hispanic voters in 2010 midterm elections and civic group efforts to increase Hispanic voter participation, and he responded to telephone calls and electronic communications. Other topics .. Read More
Brent Wilkes talked about the role of Hispanic voters in 2010 midterm elections and civic group efforts to increase Hispanic voter participation, and he responded to telephone calls and electronic communications. Other topics issues of importance to the Hispanic community and allegations that some groups are trying to discourage Hispanic turnout in 2010.
Nor should it take the Hispanic vote for granted, either. The new Univision bipartisan poll of 1,500 likely Latino voters shows a "substantial" Hispanic swing vote is coming into play, according to Politico. A whopping 43 percent of Latino likely voters call themselves conservatives; even 32 percent of Hispanic Democrats polled identified themselves as conservative. Among "swing" Latino voters, their top concern was this statement: "The federal government in D.C. is wasting too much of our tax money." Not immigration, not jobs, not other so-called Hispanic issues. Like the rest of us, Hispanic voters are deeply concerned about the size and scope of government. That says to me that Hispanic voters might be very open to voting for a fiscal conservative in 2012.
Hispanic Voters and Campaign 2010
Oct 26, 2010
C-SPAN | Washington Journal
Brent Wilkes talked about the role of Hispanic voters in 2010 midterm elections and civic group efforts to increase Hispanic voter participation, and he responded to telephone calls and electronic communications. Other topics .. Read More
Brent Wilkes talked about the role of Hispanic voters in 2010 midterm elections and civic group efforts to increase Hispanic voter participation, and he responded to telephone calls and electronic communications. Other topics issues of importance to the Hispanic community and allegations that some groups are trying to discourage Hispanic turnout in 2010.
Cain's 9-9-9 Plan gains traction!
Republican GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain is now being taken seriously. No, not because he won the Florida GOP Straw Poll, but because the elite of the Elite Media has decided his 9-9-9 tax reform plan is worthy of gracing its pages.
I think he is a compelling and refreshing alternative to the Establishment GOP which gave us John McCain. And we believe his tax reform plan should be vigorously debated and if nobody can come up a better idea we think his 9-9-9 might just be better than what we have now.
Not only is the current tax code excessively complicated, but it is inequitable. It is riddled with special interest loopholes designed to insure the re-election of incumbents. The simple fact of the matter is exactly what Barack Obama complains about: "everybody should (but does not now) pay their fair share." When 40% of the taxpayers pay NO Federal income tax something is dreadfully wrong. The fundamental problem with the mess we now have is that we have reached the point where those who pay nothing in Federal income tax elect politicians—of both parties—who are hell-bound to continue to give those tax breaks in order to get re-elected.
I think he is a compelling and refreshing alternative to the Establishment GOP which gave us John McCain. And we believe his tax reform plan should be vigorously debated and if nobody can come up a better idea we think his 9-9-9 might just be better than what we have now.
Not only is the current tax code excessively complicated, but it is inequitable. It is riddled with special interest loopholes designed to insure the re-election of incumbents. The simple fact of the matter is exactly what Barack Obama complains about: "everybody should (but does not now) pay their fair share." When 40% of the taxpayers pay NO Federal income tax something is dreadfully wrong. The fundamental problem with the mess we now have is that we have reached the point where those who pay nothing in Federal income tax elect politicians—of both parties—who are hell-bound to continue to give those tax breaks in order to get re-elected.
Cain scolds Obama, calls Perry "very insensitive"
Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain scolded President Barack Obama on Sunday for making "insulting" remarks to the Congressional Black Caucus and called fellow Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry's handling of a race matter "very insensitive."
Cain - who has risen in opinion polls in the last week after a surprise win over leaders Perry and Mitt Romney in a Florida straw poll -- has challenged rivals over their attitudes toward black voters.
He accused Democrats last week of taking the black vote for granted and offended some black leaders by saying many black supporters of Obama were "brainwashed."
The center will never vote for Paul he’s too fiscally crazy, but what does he have to do with Rick Perry’s thoughtless and insensitive hunting lease in the middle of nowhere?
Glenn Beck asked Herman Cain why President Obama continually throws Texas "under the bus" when the state created 38% of all jobs in America last year. Cain said, "The president, unfortunately, has no clue, with all due respect, of what creates jobs. Right to work states, lower taxes, lower regulations, no government mandates..."
Cain - who has risen in opinion polls in the last week after a surprise win over leaders Perry and Mitt Romney in a Florida straw poll -- has challenged rivals over their attitudes toward black voters.
He accused Democrats last week of taking the black vote for granted and offended some black leaders by saying many black supporters of Obama were "brainwashed."
The center will never vote for Paul he’s too fiscally crazy, but what does he have to do with Rick Perry’s thoughtless and insensitive hunting lease in the middle of nowhere?
Glenn Beck asked Herman Cain why President Obama continually throws Texas "under the bus" when the state created 38% of all jobs in America last year. Cain said, "The president, unfortunately, has no clue, with all due respect, of what creates jobs. Right to work states, lower taxes, lower regulations, no government mandates..."
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