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Michigan's Bipartisan Primary Effort May Result in Nationwide Reform

January 3, 2008
By: Dave Rogers

"I don't belong to an organized political party, I'm a Democrat," Will Rogers was famously said to say.

In Michigan he could add "Republican" to that crack.

Strangely, Michigan Republicans and Democrats are together on the idea of holding a Presidential Primary early in the process.

And, not unexpectedly, both parties have been penalized at least half their delegates to national conventions next summer.

The national parties are so wedded to Iowa and New Hampshire being first that they are slapping Michigan around for its temerity to schedule a rogue primary on Tuesday, Jan. 15.

If you go to the polls on Tuesday, Jan. 15, or if you vote absentee, be prepared to observe the bizarre rules:



DON'T WRITE-IN A CANDIDATE NOT LISTED ON THE BALLOT


DON'T WRITE-IN A CANDIDATE NOT LISTED ON THE BALLOT


If you want to support an unlisted candidate, vote "Uncommitted."

That way at least extra delegates will be allocated to the "uncommitted" group at the convention.

Republican candidates on the ballot are: Sam Brownback, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo, Fred Thompson.

Democrats on the ballot are: Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich.

Unfortunately, the following Democrats have caved in to the national party and asked that their names not be listed on the Michigan ballot: Barack Obama, John Edwards, Joe Biden and Bill Richardson.

Failure to follow the rules will result in you being penalized: your vote won't count.

Heck, Iowa and New Hampshire will be ancient history by that time since the caucuses in the corn state are being held Thursday, Jan. 4 and in the Granite State next Tuesday, Jan. 8.

So penalizing Michigan for holding a meaningless primary also is meaningless.

Michigan deserves the exposure an early primary would bring, say the key players in the plan, Democrat Debbie Dingell and the GOP State Chair Saul Anuzis (AH-NOO-ZEES).

The bipartisan duo have pushed the idea that a big industrial state like Michigan should have input early in the Presidential Primary process.

No dice, say party bosses on both sides.

However, the Michigan move did apparently ignite talks that may lead to a regional primary system with states from each region holding primaries on the same day. A lottery would set the pattern and no state would be allowed to be first twice in a row.

U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, Royal Oak Democrat, introduced a bill in Congress last year to set up the regional primaries.

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