A political primary is a preliminary election in which the registered voters of a political party nominate candidates for office. The key word here is preliminary. The current system allows small states such as Iowa and New Hampshire {assisted by the media} to award front-runner status to the victorious candidate. From there the candidates travel a path determined by which states wants to "leap frog" the other by moving up their primary dates. Candidates are whisked across the country without any real ability to distinguish regional issues from national issues. Consequently, party platforms are determined by a make-it-up-as-you-go approach. If the primary process were organized on a regional basis, candidates would be able to study the regional issues, campaign to confirm those issues and then receive votes based on the solutions they propose. A regional approach would also prevent a premature selection of a front runner because success in one region certainly would not guarantee success in the next region. This would also further validate the process because each state would still have a say all the way down to the end. Finally, the number of delegates awarded in each state should be determined by the percentage of votes won by each candidate.

Accordingly, the political primaries should occur between January and June of each presidential election year. Each of the six regions would be assigned a particular month. A lottery held in June of the previous year would determine which month each region holds its primaries. An example illustrates the format:

January
Middle West (9):
Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin

February
Southern (8):
Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia

March
Atlantic (8):
Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina,

April
New England (8):
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont,

May
Northwestern (9):
Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming

June
Southwestern (9):
Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah

I think that the campaign should be national and all the votes cast on the same day. It's a national office they're aiming for, after all, so should be contested on national issues. That would ensure that each candidate develops a national policy, and would prevent any kind of 'front runner' distortions. Is there any particular reason why it's all staggered, except that it has always been done that way?

Why does there need to be?

I think we can all read what he's talking about. Most people don't ask questions when they start a thread, they just give their opinions for people to comment on.

The truth about unemloyment
Kerry ran from the enemy, claims former Vietnam crewman of Democrat candidate
Kerry ready for war with Iraq in 1997
John Kerry has an Al Gore problem
Kerry fails to back up foreign 'endorsements' (invents "imaginary friends"
Photo of Kerry with Fonda enrages Vietnam veterans

Except, of course, the last one doesn't even contain the poster's opinion at all.

Looks like an opinion to me.

None of your threads had a question in though, which was what you were ddemanding. Even if it is a cut-and-paste job, which it may be, you have done the same in the past, as I just posted:

Photo of Kerry with Fonda enrages Vietnam veterans

Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

You know, I've just looked right over that post you put up on the Jane Fonda picture, and I still can't see your commentry. How odd.

I've already put it up twice. Do I really need to do it again?????

No. You wouldn't look so stupid so often if you did.

It wasn't a personal attack. It was an observation. We can have a vote on its veracity if you like.

I never said that you were stupid, only that you looked stupid. I'm sure you're a very clever man.

You're too kind. Kiss me.

Well, because of the amount of posts you've been putting up on gay issues lately, I thought you must have a 'special interest.'

Of course everyone knows that I must be gay, because I'm a communist.

Well I guess I'm not gay then either.

No, but your dad is