Burnt Orange Report

On primary voting: Does Texas require you to be a registered Democrat or Republican? How easy/hard is that to change?

Texas has no party registration. When you go to vote in the primary anyone may request either a Democratic or a Republican primary ballot (most times they're at the same location, but some counties do them at seperate locations). They'll stamp your voter registration card with the party whose primary you voted in. Texas doesn't require any oath of loyalty to the party, so Democrats, Independents and Republicans can vote in any primary. The only restrictions on this are run-offs. You can't vote in one party's primary, then vote in the other party's run-off in the same year, although people who don't vote in either primary are eligible to vote in either run-off. Basically, if you vote in the Democratic Primary, you are only eligible to vote in the Democratic run-off election and if you vote in the Republican primary, you are only eligible to vote in the run-off election. For those of you unfamiliar with Texas primaries, we hold our run-off elections in April, about a month after the primary elections. If no candidate receives 50% + 1 in any race (except for President), then the top two vote getters advance to a run-off. The winner in the run-off then wins the nomination.

That's what I recalled, which means my wife is okay to vote in the Dem primary.

I'll probably mosey on down and early vote this week.

Howard Dean is still on the ballot, and according to his statement to his supporters upon suspending his candidacy, he still wants delegates to the national convention in Boston.

My vote is my voice
I will not be silent
Delegates for Dean!
The Democratic wing of the Democratic Party...

Byron, I'll probably post my thoughts on Dean/Edwards later today. I've been waiting to hear a couple of things that I have now heard and will get my thoughts together sometime tonight.

This is what Dr. Dean posted today on the DFA blog at 12:36 pm re: Nader (kinda covers his thoughts about 3rd parties, anyway)

Governor Dean's statement on Ralph Nader
When I announced last week that I am no longer actively pursuing the presidency, I urged my supporters not to be tempted by any independent or third party candidate. I said I would support the nominee of the Democratic Party, because the bottom line is that we must defeat George W. Bush in November, whatever it takes.

This year, our campaign has made the case that, in order to defeat George W. Bush, the Democratic Party must stand up strong for its principles, not paper over its differences with the most radical Administration in our lifetime. In order to win, the Democratic Party must aggressively expose the ways in which George W. Bush's policies benefit the privileged and the most extreme ideologues.

I will do everything I can to ensure that the 2004 Democratic nominee runs as a true progressive, as a champion of working Americans and their hopes for a better future. I urge my supporters, and all other Americans committed to progressive values and honest government, to stick with us, and stick with the Democratic Party, so our cause can prevail in 2004.

Ralph Nader has made many great contributions to America over 40 years. But if George W. Bush is re-elected, the health, safety, consumer, environmental, and open government provisions Ralph Nader has fought for will be undermined. George Bush's right-wing appointees will still be serving as judges fifty years from now, and our Constitution will be shredded. It will be government by, of, and for, the corporations - exactly what Ralph Nader has struggled against.

Those who truly want America's leaders to stand up to the corporate special interests and build a better country for working people should recognize that, in 2004, a vote for Ralph Nader is, plain and simple, a vote to re-elect George W. Bush. I hope that Ralph Nader will withdraw his candidacy in the best interests of the country we hope to become.

Many of my supporters urged me to run as an independent, but I judged it the wrong thing to do. There is still time for Ralph Nader to stand with those in the Democratic Party who are building a progressive coalition to defeat George W. Bush. But time is running out. We can win only if we are united.

end

If Dr. Dean asked me to support Edwards in the Texas primary, I would. But he specifically asked for delegates for himself. Hmmmmm. Speculation runs rampant in the Dean-Trippi blogosphere....

I hope Dean endorses Edwards, cause I don't like Kerry the Creep. I'd rather have Nader

At this point, Dean is still endorsing HIMSELF.

!!!!!

Thursday, February 19, 2004
--------------------------------------------------
A Message from Governor Dean
Governor Dean sent the following message to supporters tonight.

You folks are the best! I hope you will all keep active both in our new enterprise as we develop it, but also in the short term. ***We can still send delegates to the convention, and we should.*** If you are in a state with district, and state conventions, please make sure everyone goes, so that we send all the delegates we are entitled to. If you are in a state that has not yet voted, be sure to vote. We'll have a great time at the convention.

Thank you all for how hard you have worked, how much money you raised. And thanks for getting involved. It feels a hell of a lot better to try and lose, than not to try at all. In any case I have to say that I don't really feel like we have lost. We only lose if we quit. There is an enormous amount of power in numbers, and we can still change this country (and that is exactly what we're going to do!).

Many thanks,
Howard Dean

(FYI)

Deanocrat,

I understand your loyalty to Howard Dean, he would have kicked ass as president. However, remember the contest is still very much alive between Kerry and Edwards and if you have a preference between the two your vote will have much more leverage going towards deciding who gets the nomination. Voting for Dean right now might give him some short-term bargaining power, but nothing more.

Kerry, the establishment favorite, is on top right now, coasting on the idea that he is the most electable. Edwards is gaining ground fast. The more voters see him, the more they like him. But playing catch-up is brutal in this front-loaded primary. Both are good men, but I think it is Edwards who will have the ability to connect with the American people come November.

As for Dean, I see a very active future for him as the conscience of the Democratic party.

Angelica, I gotta vote my conscience in the primary.

But in November, I'm behind the DEMOCRATIC nominee, no matter who that may be.

Bush is going to amend the Constitution. To say that I'm furious is an understatement.

Look at America, world! Land of the....? Land of the people whose President amends the Constitution to limit a segment of the population's civil rights.

Did you ever think it would come to this?

I wish voting in America can be as simple as going with your conscience, every time. However, there are just so many institutional forces at work that threatens to disenfranchise us for doing just that. We have what Ralph Nader rightly calls the 'two party duopoly' that polarizes the the country and puts us in a perpetual political deadlock that stifles progress. We have the idotic, outdated electral college system, so basically if you are not a voter in a swing state your vote is but an exercise in good citizenry in the presidential election. Then there's gerrymandering, which renders the vast majority of general elections for congressmen moot.

You are disenfranchised in so many ways, doesn't that make it extra-important that your vote in the Dem primary, one contest where your vote CAN affect the outcome, doesn't get thrown away as a protest? Assuming, and I'm being unabashedly biased here, that Edwards is a better candidate than Kerry. If your vote is the one that made the difference and gave us Kerry, and he goes on to lose to Bush whereas Edwards could have won, wouldn't you be as responsible for 4 more years of Bush as those poor schmucks who voted Nader in Florida in 2000?

As for giving the Governor more leverage at the convention, do you really think Kerry is going to give Dean any concessions at all if Kerry wins outright? The only way Dean's delegates would be useful to him is if the race is close. The only way the race can be close is if the primary continues beyond Super Tuesday. The only way the primary can continue beyond Super Tuesday is if Edwards keep surging, and fast!

Yes, it does disgust me sometimes how 'politically' I have to think sometimes. I don't think it is meaningful to be an idealist in America anymore. The best I can shoot for is principled pragmatist.

Politics has ALWAYS been the art of the possible. You can be a dreamer, but be grounded in reality as well. Most importantly, as in all things with life, DO NOT GIVE UP WHEN THINGS DO NOT GO 100% YOUR WAY!!!!

Yes, often our "favorite" candidates do not win. Such is life. That is hardly an excuse to quit the process and allow our LEAST favorite candidate to win. If you do not become involved in the political process, someone else will, and that someone else will NOT have your best interests at heart.

Deanocrat-Bush cannot amend the constitution. Only the House or Senate can introduce legislation for proposed constitutional amendments. Also, he cannot get the 2/3 majority required from the Congress or the states. This proposal will FAIL.