Is our Presidential primary process undemocratic?

[burr]

The delegates at the Democratic convention never reflect all of the primary votes cast nationwide. For example Bill Bradley won 20% of the primary vote, Gore won 76%, LaRouche won 2%, and 2% of the voters nationwide voted for uncommitted delegates or other candidates. At the convention 91% of the delegates backed Gore and only 9% backed Bradley.
<http://www.uselectionatlas.org/USPRESIDENT/frametextj.html>

In each state after the primary is held, a caucus is usually held in each Congressional district to decide who will be selected to represent that candidate at the convention. And all delegates in all Congressional districts usually go to the candidate who won that state's primary. In other words if you want to go to the convention as a delegate, you do as you are told!

Am I the only person who believes we need to scrap this system? After all, the primaries are the most important part of any Presidential race.

You would think we would have a more accurate way of nominating the candidates, especially in our "two-party system"...

[diamondsoul]

1. Yes, it is, and no you aren't-

I hate the primary system. It just doesn't seem to work the way it's supposed to.

[ModerateMiddle]

2. I hate the primaries this time

cuz I'm in Colorado and NOTHING we say is gonna matter.

[renie408]

3. It is drastically outdated

Back in the day, when you voted in your area and then needed somebody to hop on a horse and ride out and tell everybody what happened, we might have needed the electoral middle man. But these days, its ridiculous. I don't see it changing any time soon, though.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

4. Your points are valid

although I'm not sure they neccesarily lead to the conclusion that the primary system should be replaced. Even if that were the conclusion, however, 'scrapping' something that is needed is only a good idea if you have a replacement ready that functions better.

So how do you suggest we nominate candidates?

[burr]

5. What would your solution be?

I have two ideas...

First have direct caucuses in every state. In the more populated regions people can caucus in preset local population centers or courthouses. In the rural areas it will be done in every populated town in the Congressional districts. Most importantly, people will be participating directly in the nomination process rather than being just bystanders or voting chips at the bargaining table.

The other idea would be to have a national direct primary, much more boring but a more accurate measurement of who Democrats want nominated.

In place of the conventions, we need to have some nude mudwresting matches between all the nominees..including those running as third party candidates! :wow: