and I think it's a pretty good idea.

It would lessen their influence in determining the eventual winner and thusly provide some penalty to the states.

Best of all, the penalty would not affect the voter but rather the state democratic apparatus that allowed the move to go early.  Yes yes, florida's republicans did it to them.  Well, then penalize them for not coming together with a solution for a primary that abides by the rules conducted by the state dems in a timely fashion and only when they realized they might actually have a crucial say in the contest.