Each state Central committee makes that call isn’t that right? They might be able to do it in some but not others. When some of the Candidates she has backed win governorships and Senate seats, she is going to be able to prevent them from jiggering the rules. I think it is pretty hard for a National Party to do this when they don’t have a President. Palin has not taken any cheap shots at Steele and he has shown himself pretty deferential to the Tea Party.
The GOP Establishment knows that is it cheats and the cheating deprives her of the nomination, it will adversely affect turnout and might even generate a third Party which probably means 4 more years of O. Like you , I don’t see them getting away with it. Heck. Mitt Romney couldn’t even save Bennett’s bacon in Utah at the state convention! Such a massive rule change would require a lot more organization and support than they have. And it could bite them in states where Palin does not win, but would get delegates under proportional representation rules.
The stuff I read didn't address that, but I'll look into it. I know the RNC plans to push back the first primaries (IA, NH, SC, NV) to the March timeframe.
The GOP Establishment knows that is it cheats and the cheating deprives her of the nomination, it will adversely affect turnout and might even generate a third Party which probably means 4 more years of O.<
The establishment also clearly remembers when the Reaganites took over the party. The key question is whether they will risk party suicide to keep it from happening again. My own personal opinion is that I think they will. We'll see.
If she runs it will be amazing to watch because it will be a political death struggle between the establishment and the grassroots.