General Discussion

Gothmog

(180,069 posts)

55. Caucuses are not democratic and are easy to game

Fri Jul 7, 2017, 03:02 PM

Jul 2017

In 2008, Texas had the Texas two step where two-thirds of the delegates were selected by primary and one-third by caucuses. I worked on the Obama campaign in the voter protection operations in 2008. The Obama team were brilliant on game theory and how to maximize results in caucuses. Hillary Clinton won the Texas primary portion of the Texas two step but President Obama got more delegates in Texas due to the caucuses. Caucuses are not democratic and can be manipulated. For some reason the Clinton campaign never fully understood how to play in caucuses other than in Iowa and Nevada.

The DNC made Texas got to primaries only in 2016 and I hope that the DNC eliminates caucuses for 2020. The games that can be played in caucus states are amazing.

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Is it really "refighting the primaries" just to post the NAMES of last year's Dem candidates? [View all] Ken Burch Jul 2017 OP

No it's not, of course not. elleng Jul 2017 #1

Bookmarking this thread True Dough Jul 2017 #2

"in this party" nt msongs Jul 2017 #3

My interest is in THIS party. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #5

No we don't. We had the platform we had an election. It is over. Time to look to the future. And Demsrule86 Jul 2017 #10

Are you saying it's "refighting" to suggest doing anything differently at all? Ken Burch Jul 2017 #67

Yes, such discussions are used to re-fight the primary...move on and work for 18 and 20. Demsrule86 Jul 2017 #86

We can't win any future elections running exactly the way we ran this one. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #92

Why "blend" bad ideas that were rejected by primary voters? NurseJackie Jul 2017 #20

The voters in Virginia just rejected these concepts in the recent primary Gothmog Jul 2017 #27

Virginia voters are smart voters. NurseJackie Jul 2017 #47

Because those "bad" ideas where supported by 45% of those primary voters Tom Rinaldo Jul 2017 #28

There are always going to be winners and losers in ANY election... NurseJackie Jul 2017 #33

Hillary had the upper hand on the platform committee, as was appropriate under the circumstances Tom Rinaldo Jul 2017 #34

The platform was almost exclusively Clintons. She is a terrific negotiator, hence what made her an pirateshipdude Jul 2017 #36

I hope I dont get in trouble for saying I not only agree with you but Hillary Rodham Clinton Eliot Rosewater Jul 2017 #51

What is the harm in admitting that the platform had both their ideas? Ken Burch Jul 2017 #74

It's easy to read into statistics, numbers. Without factoring in that Sanders won almost exclusively pirateshipdude Jul 2017 #35

Those who are active in the primary process, caucuses included, are typically called "the base" Tom Rinaldo Jul 2017 #38

Your post is not factually correct. Open primary allows anyone to vote. In rural red open areas, pirateshipdude Jul 2017 #39

You are making counter assumptions, such as "exclusively in red rural" Tom Rinaldo Jul 2017 #54

You seem to make the assumption registered Independents are all to the left. emulatorloo Jul 2017 #58

I once again agree with you Tom Rinaldo Jul 2017 #63

Tom, I always enjoy your posts emulatorloo Jul 2017 #75

Post removed Post removed Jul 2017 #40

Wrong. That's not what the "base" is. NurseJackie Jul 2017 #46

"It's insulting for anyone to insinuate that caucus participants are in ANY way better..." Tom Rinaldo Jul 2017 #50

Caucuses are not democratic and are easy to game Gothmog Jul 2017 #55

That's okay. Your meaning was clear. I get exactly what you were saying... NurseJackie Jul 2017 #57

I believe he was called a "socialist" by himself Expecting Rain Jul 2017 #70

That is not a majority, and I do think your number are a bit high. Demsrule86 Jul 2017 #87

Thank you . nt cwydro Jul 2017 #30

Exactly right nurse...for all bitterness still...Hillary Clinton ran as president. Demsrule86 Jul 2017 #41

The candidate was rejected, agreed...most of the ideas remain popular. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #94

Because we don't talk about alternate Bernalities here Corvo Bianco Jul 2017 #4

Clinton, Sanders, O'Malley, Chafee, Webb leftstreet Jul 2017 #6

This message was self-deleted by its author Ken Burch Jul 2017 #7

There are not. Control-Z Jul 2017 #8

They often try to interject them out of the blue. NCTraveler Jul 2017 #15

You really talk disparagingly about the membership here. NCTraveler Jul 2017 #14

You're exactly right about that. NurseJackie Jul 2017 #21

That isn't true. I don't say anything about the membership here at all. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #49

Who are you talking about? You sure didn't address it. NCTraveler Jul 2017 #56

Sometimes people with grudges alert on anything you say Blue_Tires Jul 2017 #48

What is the point of mentioning them. Neither are running for anything and the primary is over...it Demsrule86 Jul 2017 #9

I still like Bernie...nt monmouth4 Jul 2017 #11

And I still like Dean. murielm99 Jul 2017 #12

+1 betsuni Jul 2017 #17

Not only do I still like Dean, I think the loss of Kerry was a huge loss for all of us. pirateshipdude Jul 2017 #43

Me too. I was a Deniac but strongly supported Kerry because ...listen up folks...he Demsrule86 Jul 2017 #88

And I really like you! Very nice expressions you put forth. sprinkleeninow Jul 2017 #78

SO? We can like whom we choose. Demsrule86 Jul 2017 #42

I like Bernie too. emulatorloo Jul 2017 #59

O'Malley/Clinton NCTraveler Jul 2017 #13

Vermin Supreme. (You had your chance, America!) nt Buns_of_Fire Jul 2017 #16

You are incredibly dedicated to the gimmick I suppose mythology Jul 2017 #18

Jesusgod! Amen! Hallelujah! (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) NurseJackie Jul 2017 #22

Great post Gothmog Jul 2017 #29

It feels like a demand that we adopt Sanders positions as superior to Clinton positions, pirateshipdude Jul 2017 #31

The OP has been pushing this concept on a number of threads Gothmog Jul 2017 #53

The people who say that simply don't want me to post here. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #52

LOL! NurseJackie Jul 2017 #60

What is it that you want? Ken Burch Jul 2017 #64

Often, the things you say amuse me. NurseJackie Jul 2017 #65

refutation is fine. If you were just saying"here's where I disagree with you" Ken Burch Jul 2017 #66

Looking around, I can see that my opinion is not unique. NurseJackie Jul 2017 #71

Also, it's not true to claim that I don't accept the result of the primaries. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #76

LOL! NurseJackie Jul 2017 #79

Almost every time I start posting anywhere in GD, you show up and start derailing the thread Ken Burch Jul 2017 #96

"GD belongs to all of is...it's just as much my place to post here as it is yours." Glad to hear it! NurseJackie Jul 2017 #109

Dont let it bug you so much... KTM Jul 2017 #68

Here is the thing. We lost the election, and I accept that. I don't want to rehash the loss...I Demsrule86 Jul 2017 #89

I'm with you on electing Dems at the state level. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #95

That is awesome! Congratulations. We need to consider new ideas that were not even Demsrule86 Jul 2017 #100

I agree. We need post '16 ideas as well. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #103

What the people who accuse me of that want is for nobody here to talk about ideas. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #77

"We will never win as the lesser-evil" betsuni Jul 2017 #80

I know! Right? NurseJackie Jul 2017 #81

There can never be too many OMG LOLs when it comes to these things. betsuni Jul 2017 #82

OMG! It's like you're reading my mind... inside my head! LOL! NurseJackie Jul 2017 #83

It's a small OMG LOL world after all! betsuni Jul 2017 #85

Why is that silly? Ken Burch Jul 2017 #97

The idea that a Democrat over a Repulbican is a lesser-evil choice is silly. betsuni Jul 2017 #104

All that I'm saying is that we need to spend much more time being "for" than "against" Ken Burch Jul 2017 #105

LOL! Nobody is doing that. NurseJackie Jul 2017 #116

She didn't beat Trump by going negative...she did so in spite of that. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #117

Oh great, another Lincoln Chafee post from Ken. Give it a rest, Chafee will never FSogol Jul 2017 #19

no, I've posted plenty of times I wish Sanders & Clinton had teamed up Pres & VP. But election is Sunlei Jul 2017 #23

We need to go after the GOP...but we can't win JUST by going after them. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #98

LOL! If you believe that's the ONLY thing Dems do, then you're not paying attention. NurseJackie Jul 2017 #110

I didn't say it's the only thing ANY Dem does(I'm as much a Dem as you are, btw) Ken Burch Jul 2017 #111

Give it a rest! The "messaging from above" is fine. NurseJackie Jul 2017 #113

You talk about "what Dems do". I know what rank-and-file Dems do. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #114

I have no idea what that's supposed to mean. NurseJackie Jul 2017 #115

I agree that the election is over. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #99

good to agree and I agree with you. I don't think the campaign, including the debates should have Sunlei Jul 2017 #107

We had a great platform and a LOT to offer. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #108

LOL! Don't worry, Ken. Democrats aren't doing that. NurseJackie Jul 2017 #112

It's not just mentioning them, Ken. MineralMan Jul 2017 #24

Of course not. Why? Did that happen to you? Iggo Jul 2017 #25

Good grief, give it a rest NastyRiffraff Jul 2017 #26

The people that "won" the election are extremely thin-skinned about it rock Jul 2017 #32

Interesting. H2O Man Jul 2017 #37

Elsa sez... BannonsLiver Jul 2017 #44

You're creating flamebait by just mentioning "the primaries" in your title SecularMotion Jul 2017 #45

Okay. Sissyk Jul 2017 #61

+1 NurseJackie Jul 2017 #62

Maybe, maybe not KTM Jul 2017 #69

One of our biggest mistakes is refighting this past primary. Iggo Jul 2017 #91

These posts are always like: I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST FALL CAMPAIGN betsuni Jul 2017 #72

Jesusmercy! Daaaaamn! ("Give me what I want...") NurseJackie Jul 2017 #84

All of my posts are about the future and ideas for the future. Nothing else. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #73

You want to discuss ideas from the primary and past election then implore people not to 'ignore or Demsrule86 Jul 2017 #90

i agree that cheating, Comey and the Russians made at least part of the difference. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #93

I am very concerned that Trump has basically given Putin the go ahead to keep it up at the Demsrule86 Jul 2017 #101

I totally agree with you on that. It's scary as hell. Ken Burch Jul 2017 #102

It really is. And now we know that his kid, Jared and Paul Manafort were discussing sanctions, Demsrule86 Jul 2017 #106