[streetpreacher]

Not too sure about this idea; NATIONAL anything scares the dickens out of me as opposed to States. I did think this part was well-thought out though, and I like it:

"Another public advantage concerns issues. If the candidates are not buttoned up before the Conventions, then the issues and party platforms are probably not buttoned up either. When was the last time you recall seeing a debate on any platform point at a Convention? And yet, choosing between policy choices on subjects from war and peace to social security are the very essence of modern American politics. "

[Congressman Billybob]

As I described it, the individual states would separately choose to use the same date for their primaries (at least 60% of them). I agree with you that there is a major difference between national (meaning forced by Congress) and national (meaning created by states cooperating).

The first means undercutting the powers of the state legislatures. The second means affirming those powers. Quite a difference and I agree with you in preferring the latter.

Billybob