2012 Primary - Is is a Primary, Convention, or Caucus?

There's two big issues coming up with State Committee in the next couple of months. It effects all of us. The first issue is when will our presidential primary, caucus, or convention will be? The other, bigger issue, is what will we have.

In 1972, the winner for the democrats in Michigan.....George Wallace. Yeah, that George Wallace. That was during the whole bussing issue.

In 1988, there was a caucus, at least on the Republican side. It was a major battle. I don't know what the democrats have had, but Jesse Jackson won.

In 1992, there was a closed primary. It got tossed out of court after the fact.

In 2000, there was a caucus for the democrats and republican open primary. A lot of the democrats voted for McCain over GW Bush, who won.

In 2004, the democrats had a caucus and there was no primary for the GOP.

In 2008, there was a modified open primary with both parties going on the same day.

With 2012, the democrats are having a caucus. What the republicans are having has not been decided yet. For the same reason the democrats have a caucus in 2004, I don't want an open primary. If I had the chance, I would have voted for Dennis Kucinich in the democrat primary. I don't want a bunch of democrats entering our primary and voting for some Rick Snyder type. Some power brokers WANT democrats voting in our primary because they want a Snyder type to win again. It's good for the consulting fees.

What can we do activists? Not a lot, but there's a little we can do.

1. Lobby the state committee members in your area. They will often be at your district party events. Sometimes they are at your county party events too.

2. Help choose your state committee members. This is long term. It won't effect right now, but could affect things four years from now. Precinct delegates choose delegates for state convention. Those delegates represent the district. The delegates choose the district party committee and its state committee members at the state convention.

3. Precinct delegates are voted in the August primary.

Right now is the time to be active on procedures. We can't let democrats choose our party's nominee. No more Snyders.