Michigan would have to pay about $8-10 million (maybe more) in state funds for the GOP and the Dems to hold primaries next year for the 2008 election cycle.  Both parties are positioning themselves as best they can.  Sept 30th of 07 seems to be a decision deadline as of now.   The date of the primary itself is rather important and up in the air for Michigan - - Super Tuesday, Feb 5th 2008, will have well over 20 states hold primaries basically holding National News attention after Iowa and a few other early states.  Staes holding primaries before Feb 5th - may run into various penalties imposed by the parties themselves.  So the whole "Primaries Effect"  -- MSM attention, money, etc, will basically be over on FEB 5th.

An idea popped up at the Washtenaw Lincoln Day Dinner last night during some conversations . . .  Let's not have primaries in Michigan at all.  Instead go right to conventions and a floor vote on Feb 5th - both Dems and the GOP.  

Benefits:

1.  The $8-10Mil could be earmarked for the public schools, or some police equipment, or perhaps just as a "budget cut". (GOP gets a cut and the Dems get to appear to fund something.)

2. Michigan would be the first state in the country to hold state conventions - gaining a unique position with the MSM plus other attention and money aspects.

3. Both parties have to hold conventions anyways - why burden the state, the parties, and the delegates with an extra event.  God knows no one in Michigan has the money.

4. The State Parties (say GOP in Grand Rapids and Dems in Detroit) could hold an online - "split screen" - debate each from their conventions, for an hour or so before floor votes to get the delegates (myself included) all lathered up and foaming at the mouth. ;~)  Ahh  the boos and hisses from the floor - what a spectacle to bring both party faithful in to the ring.  Would make for great TV.