skippy the bush kangaroo

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

didn't they learn anything from 2000?

via c&l, mark ambinder tells us in the atlantic that florida sez no to any recount:

moments ago, democrats representing florida in congress released this joint statement, effectively putting the kibosh on a mail-in re-do primary:

"we are committed to working with the dnc, the florida state democratic party, our democratic leaders in florida, and our two candidates to reach an expedited solution that ensures our 210 delegates are seated. our house delegation is opposed to a mail-in campaign or any redo of any kind.”
even if the candidates agree, there will be no expedited solution unless the courts somehow intervene, which, given a series of federal court rulings last year, is unlikely.
c&l also agrees w/us that the simplest way to resolve this would be to count half the delegates chosen in the fla. and mich. votes.

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posted by skippy at 10:20 AM |

4 Comments:

Though I hate to do it, I have to disagree with you: simply splitting the votes 50/50 between Clinton and Obama is a cop out. Sure, it will seat the Florida and Michigan delegations at the convention, looking good for the cameras while seeming superficially "fair," but it gives no true representation to any Florida or Michigan Democrat.

African Americans in Florida were disenfranchised by the thousands in 2000, just as they were in Ohio in 2004. If there is anything less than a full and transparent accounting - and full opportunity for participation by all Democratic voters in all states - then we will be well and truly fucked if Clinton is the nominee when November rolls around.

I lived in Florida for 20+ years, and if there is anything African American Floridians recognize, it is full and transparent racism in all its many forms, and the many ways one can be betrayed by Democratic politicians.

Why should minority voters trust a system that picks and chooses whose votes will be counted, particularly when-and-if their best chance ever for being represented in the White House gets out-maneuvered for the nomination? Why should they participate at all?

Democrats will not win in November without the African American vote. This could be a third-time's-the charm situation, where we get it right in all 50 states and win big, or it could be 3 strikes and we're out, not just in 2008 but for national races in the foreseeable future.

Both Florida and Michigan must have fair and open chances to vote for either Clinton or Obama, DNC rules or no. Yes, they fucked up, but this year of all years we can't punish the rank and file for the stupidity of state party operatives.
commented by Blogger slim, 11:49 AM PDT  
that's not what i meant. i wasn't clear in my post, sorry.

i don't agree w/kos, i think that what the dnc should do is only count half of the delegates for both fla. and mich.
commented by Blogger skippy, 12:34 PM PDT  
I think that only counting 1/2 the delegates would still leave a bad taste, but it's better than no re-vote at all.

Rock on, Skippy.
commented by Blogger slim, 1:15 PM PDT  
Giving Michigan's delegates as they were voted for seems wrong simply because only Clinton's name was on the ballot, even halving the number just doesn't sit well with me. They should have a revote or lose their delegates.

Florida is different. Florida should lose it's super delegates and allow their popular vote delegates stand. All names were on the ballot and it can be argued all around that people on both sides stayed home because they thought their votes wouldn't count. They still had record turn-outs.

But the DNC should be REAL careful in disenfranchising voters, especially in a swing state that trended HRC and would likely be the prime state to find Clinton supporters who would vote McCain based on "experience" should she not have the DNC nom. Offending even more voters just doesn't help the cause.
commented by Anonymous sean on li, 4:40 PM PDT  

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