Primaries for the year 2008
I was in awe at the number of times the candidates came to the state of South Dakota. It is the first time that the primaries meant so much to our citizens. Usually every thing is decided by the time for our state gets to go to vote. Personally, I think this whole thing of election could be simplified. The candidates could go around to all the states starting in the east and going west. They could have a rally or two in each state. Televised these rallies. Have a few debates in the bigger cities and they too could be televised. Have each state poll their people so that those who have no hope of being nominated could and would drop out. Each candidate finances his or her campaign by people sending money to the candidates. This money could be used for travel and for TV time. No Lobby money involved. Contributions limited to a given amount. I would think a hundred and fifty days would be enough time. Then vote all on the same day. I would suggest that the voting be done on the last Tuesday of June. The winners of that would begin the campaign all over this time going west to east. Then the last Tuesday in October, vote for the president and vice president. I would allow absentee voting for a period of two weeks ahead of time in each case. Do away with the big Convention because it really does take a lot of money to do this type of things and favors get asked at that time. Each Television station would be expected to cooperate and do this service with a small stipend from the government. All the Television Stations could name their times at the beginning of the week that they are assigned to the campaign. No advertisement during these times. I would suggest that these times be given our randomly. Thus the same station is not on prime time. I would encourage stations to allow more time while the candidates are in the state campaigning. This would eliminate delegates and super delegate. Every man and women has two votes, one to name the nominees of their party in June and one to elect the president and vice president in October.
