Brent Nyitray
Fairlington Blade
Let the mutherfuker burn!
jnc4p
Kevin S. Willis
Michigoose
lmsinca
markinaustin
Arcanaut
novahockey
quarterback
ScottC
yellojktThis is a bitcomplicated. On a dare from a Republican friend, I went and read the Rules of the Republican Party, as adopted at the 2008 nominating convention, henceforth known as the Rulebook. (sorry, it’s a pdf)
I’ll start with the RepublicanParty’s Rule 16. In part, it says that if a state selectsits delegates before the Party says it can, “the number of delegates to thenational convention from that state shall be reduced by fifty percent (50%)” (Rulebook, page 25).
The next item relates to the “beforethe Party says it can” part. Rule 15(b)of the above cited document states that only Iowa, New Hampshire, SouthCarolina and Nevada can hold delegate selecting events prior to the firstTuesday in March but not before February 1 (Rulebook, page 18).
But in 2010 the RNC revisedRule 15(b). This was something of abiggie, as the GOP doesn’t normally change these rules in betweenconventions, per page iv of the Rulebook. The revised rule furtherstipulates that if any state other than the excepted four held an earlyprimary/caucus, the state “shall provide for theallocation of delegates on a proportional basis.”
Well, so much for the rules.
As of this writing, Iowa, NewHampshire and South Carolina all moved their events into January, and otherstates—Florida, Michigan, Colorado, Maine and Arizona—are all holdingprimaries/caucuses prior to the first Tuesday in March. So, in theory each should: (a) have thenumber of delegates going to the nominating convention halved; and (b) have toallocate delegates proportionally.
Except that won’t be thecase, either.
It turns out that the delegate-assigningevents in Iowa, Colorado and Maine are non-binding so they get to retain theirfull delegation numbers. And Floridagets to keep its winner-takes-all-delegates status, although its delegate count has been halved.
Is any of this making senseyet?
OK, how about Rule 38? “No delegate or alternate delegate shall be boundby any attempt of any state or Congressional district to impose the unit rule.”(Rulebook, page 37) Translation: Winner-take-allmay not be after all.
Depending on how angry and howdivided the GOP is when the delegates head to the convention in Tampa, theRepublican Party’s rules, and the candidate(s) with supposedly the mostdelegates, could face some potentially fascinating challenges.
Or everyone could unite under the common goal of defeating Barack Obama. And if that’s the case, the GOP shouldn’teven bother with many of these rules for 2016. After all, Rule 42 states “Rules 25 through 42 shall be the temporary rules of the next national convention” (Rulebook, page 40), so they won’t be in force after this summer anyway.
I haven’t read the Democratic Party’s Rulebook, largely because no one’s dared me to. It may well be in the same shape.
I haven’t read the Democratic Party’s Rulebook, largely because no one’s dared me to. It may well be in the same shape.
All Things in Moderation 
Wow MsJS, I guess rules are made to be broken. I'm just sitting back and enjoying the show for now.
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The FL delegation also had further penalties put on it because of the early primary — "reduced priority" for hotel rooms and seating at the convention, whatever that means.Apparently, Paul is skipping FL, but Newt is here now and Romney is up with ads.
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Also, you can click back and forth between "posts" and "comments" from the "design" page, so they both work. Just leave that page open as your first page and it's easy peasy.
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Oops, first screw up today, lol, this goes on another page.
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" , Paul is skipping FL, but Newt is here now and Romney is up with ads."Word on the streets is that Romney has a well organized drive for the early voters. Rememder, FL voters can cast their ballots already! ABR is running out of options…
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