September 18, 2003
REPUBLICANS FOR ______?
The Deadline To Register To Vote
In California, the deadline to register to vote for an election is 15 days before each local and statewide election day, so please register early!There is not going to be a contested Republican presidential primary next year. Ordinarily, that would mean a low Republican turn out. But now let's assume that the California recall is postponed to March. Suddenly you have a big Republican turnout in the most populous state with no primary to vote in. So, why shouldn't California's Republicans reregister as Democrats and vote in the Democratic primary? No reason I can think of.
Now, where would Republican votes be best spent? Dean is a good candidate, of course, but giving Al Sharpton 162 Democratic delegates (I think that's the number) and thus a prime time spot at the convention is pretty attractive.
Posted by David Cohen at September 18, 2003 10:01 AMMarking the first time that "Al Sharpton" and "attractive" have ever appeared in the same sentence...
Posted by: oj at September 18, 2003 10:37 AMWell, there's been a long series of events demonstrating that Sharpton is the most serious Democrat in the race.
Posted by: James Haney at September 18, 2003 10:51 AMDavid,
Could you consider a weekly repost of this through - oh, say the end of February.
Thanks
Posted by: RDB at September 18, 2003 3:06 PMRDB -- I would consider that, OJ willing. But I'm confident that the recall will take place as originally scheduled.
Posted by: David Cohen at September 18, 2003 3:12 PMI was initially confident as well but as more time goes by (its been 3 days) that the ruling isn't overturned the more likely it is that it won't be overturned
Posted by: AWW at September 18, 2003 3:20 PMDavid,
Your suggestion isn't honorable. Sorry, but it's really not. (I know, it's been done.)
Posted by: old maltese at September 18, 2003 6:43 PMDear Mr. Maltese:
Ours is not an honorable society, which is lucky for one of us as in an honorable society I would have no choice but to challenge you to a duel.
Nonetheless, I don't see any dishonor in my suggestion. First, I am not suggesting any pretense. The rules of both the State of California and the Democratic party allow the registration of any person as a Democrat fifteen days or more before the election. There is no requirement of allegiance, nor are registrees asked to affirm their belief in the party platform.
Second, as you note, there would be nothing new in adopting this tactic. Any number of Democrats crossed over to vote for Senator McCain in the 2000 primaries. Turnabout is fair play. Even when there were rules of honor by which gentlemen (and I, by virtue of my birth, could never be a gentlemen, in that sense) agreed to be bound, there was no rule of honor requiring one side to hew to the rules when his opponent did not.
Posted by: David Cohen at September 18, 2003 10:23 PMThey should all write in Hillary's name.
That should make for a fun convention.