by Carrie K. Hutchens
I can't believe that people are still debating whether Michigan and Florida votes should count for the Democratic candidates. That little matter should have been settled long ago. If the citizens of those states wished to have their votes counted -- they should have thrown a fit and gotten the decision to exclude over-turned prior to the primary -- not try to change the rules after the fact!
I can't believe that people are still debating whether Michigan and Florida votes should count for the Democratic candidates. That little matter should have been settled long ago. If the citizens of those states wished to have their votes counted -- they should have thrown a fit and gotten the decision to exclude over-turned prior to the primary -- not try to change the rules after the fact!
Name recognition would give Hillary Clinton an advantage going into the race in any given state, but (maybe) the home states of the other candidates. How would that be fair to the candidates who followed the rules they agreed to? Rules that HIllary Clinton also agreed to, until she got so desperate she wants to break them in front of the entire world. How honorable is that? How honorable is she?
Should these two states, and Hillary Clinton, win in their wish to have the votes from Michigan and Florida counted, then they should likewise have to have a new primary for Democrats only. A primary event that allows the candidates to campaign and let the citizens know their positions on the issues at hand. That's the only way a vote and delegate count would be fair and truly representative.
In the meantime, I think people should take a good long look at Hillary Clinton and her behavior in this matter. Think about how her thought process seems to work. It appears that Hillary thinks she should get her way, no matter how unethical it might be.
Of course, Michigan and Florida voters should have been represented in the process. However, they (the Democrats) knew that if they proceeded with the early primaries that their delegate votes were not going to be counted. They proceeded regardless. They proceeded knowing what the consequences would be. They made their choice. A choice that they now don't want to have to pay for.
Hillary and crowd keep trying to play upon the goodness of others by crying how the voters should be represented. Where was their concern while this exclusion decision was being made? Where were they when it was finalized and confirmed that the delegate votes would NOT be counted?
We know where Hillary Clinton was! Right there agreeing she would abide by the decision. So much for legitimate concern for the voters. She has proven what matters to her -- Not the voters, but the win, even if that win is gained by means lacking integrity!
Carrie Hutchens is a former law enforcement officer and a freelance writer who is active in fighting against the death culture movement and the injustices within the judicial and law enforcement systems.
Carrie Hutchens is a former law enforcement officer and a freelance writer who is active in fighting against the death culture movement and the injustices within the judicial and law enforcement systems.
11 comments:
The delicious irony in this is that it was the Clintons and their lackey Terry McCauliff who saw to it that the early primaries and the consequent forfeiture of delegates in Florida (and probably Michigan)came about so as to relieve her campaign of the cost of campaigning in a state that she rightly thought she had in the can. And who would have thought that Hillary would be scrambling for delegates this late in the process? She was, after all, declared the inevitable canditate pretty much from the start.
The Clintons will play every card and then some all the way to the Dem. convention. This should be fun to watch (and some consolation for the fact that conservatives have little to be excited about on the Repub. side).
I must have missed that little bit of information. Thank you for sharing it, Theo! You are so right! It is delicious irony!
Who needs soaps? We have our own "As the Clinton's Squirm!"
"(The Democrats) knew that if they proceeded with the early primaries that their delegate votes were not going to be counted. They proceeded regardless. ... They made their choice."
An interesting comment, especially in light of the fact that the "they" referenced did not have a choice about the primary date. The FL legislature is controlled by the GOP. Ditto the FL state house. Democratic voters didn't have a say in determining the date of the primary.
My grandfather, rest his soul, used to say "Tell either all of the truth, or none of it." He also said that to be righteous, one first had to be right. I've always felt that was good advice; obviously some folks don't. [chuckle]
"The rules, unanimously passed in 2006 by nearly 450 Democratic party activists across the country - including Florida - are clear and leave little or no leeway for Dean to waive them: Any state that violates the schedule set by the DNC loses half its delegates to the national nominating convention and any candidate who campaigns in that state will forfeit all delegates from that state.
"By moving to Jan. 29, Dean told a New Hampshire student, Florida Democrats 'essentially converted their primary to a straw poll.'
"Translation: National leaders of the 'count every vote' party are refusing to count the votes of Florida, where the term 'disenfranchised voters' became a rallying cry in 2000."
"The DNC's rules committee on Aug. 25 will consider the Florida Democratic Party's plan to hold a Jan. 29 primary. What are the prospects the committee will approve that plan and waive any penalties against the state?
"'None, ' predicted former state Democratic chairwoman Terrie Brady, a DNC member from Jacksonville.
"That means that starting on Aug. 26 any candidate campaigning or raising money in Florida will likely lose a shot at winning any of Florida's 208 delegates."
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/06/13/State/Florida_primary_will_.shtml
Apparently those rascally Republicans have control of the Florida's Democratic machine ans well as the DNC!
According to...
DNC Strips Florida Of 2008 Delegates
No Convention Slots Unless Later Primary Is Set
By Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, August 26, 2007; Page A01
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/25/AR2007082500275.html?hpid=topnews
"The Democratic National Committee sought to seize control of its unraveling nominating process yesterday, rejecting pleas from state party leaders and cracking down on Florida for scheduling a Jan. 29 presidential primary.
The DNC's rules and bylaws committee, which enforces party rules, voted yesterday morning to strip Florida of all its delegates to the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver -- the harshest penalty at its disposal.
The penalty will not take effect for 30 days, and rules committee members urged officials from the nation's fourth-most-populous state to use the time to schedule a later statewide caucus and thus regain its delegates."
The article also says...
"Florida's state party chair, Karen L. Thurman, showed no signs of backing down yesterday. The former congresswoman said she will consult with state Democrats but added that she expects all the presidential candidates to ignore the national party's edict and campaign vigorously in advance of the Sunshine State's primary."
So obviously, not only did "they" have control -- "they" were given 30-days to reschedule. Not only did "they" decide to do what they wanted regardless, it appears that the state party chair suggested they should blow off the decision of national.
I say once again...
This matter should have been taken care of prior to -- rather than attempting to change the rules after the fact!
"So obviously, not only did 'they' have control -- 'they' were given 30-days to reschedule. Not only did 'they' decide to do what they wanted regardless, it."
Nice try, but no cigar from those who actually know their stuff, I'm afraid. }:) I don't personally know jack about SD politics, & would thus never presume to pontificate on same. I *am*, however, highly knowledgeable about Southern politics, in particular KY, AL, GA, & FL, having been involved in it since the mid-'50s.
The only, repeat only, way FL's primary date is established is by passage of state law. Now like I say, I have no idea about how the legislative process works in SD, but in FL state legislation is passed by both houses of the legislature & then signed into law by the governor. The FL House is Republican-controlled. The FL Senate is Republican-controlled. The FL governorship is Republican-controlled. Regardless of who likes it or doesn't, them's the facts, Jack/Jacqueline. [chuckle]
The DNC stripped Florida of its delegates. Hillary Clinton knew and agreed to abide by the decision. Any disagreement should have been dealt with prior to the primary -- not after the fact!
According to "Make It Count Florida -- Florida Primary -- Florida Democrats" http://www.fladems.com/page/content/makeitcount-faqs/#q1
"The DNC says that Florida could have applied to hold an early primary when it was developing the calendar, but didn’t. Why not?
In Florida, the Legislature is controlled by Republicans. Democrats must prioritize what they work on to achieve the best they can for Floridians. An early primary was never a priority for Democrats, who remain far more concerned with issues such as insurance reform, increased healthcare for children, and improving our schools."
The early primary issue was never a priority for Democrats? Their priorities could not afford them a place on the to-do list to make application to the DNC, whose rules they knew?
It also says...
"Why not just do the caucus or a vote-by-mail program?
The Party considered many options to comply with DNC Rules, but none were able to meet the goals of holding an open and fair process, maximizing participation, protecting the right to vote and building the Democratic Party. Additionally, the other solutions would either 1) fail to reach all Democrats; 2) spend money we don’t have or that should be spent on winning elections; and/or 3) confuse voters by taking away from Jan. 29th.
A VBM would cost upwards of $8 million and to conduct caucuses to determine the state’s presidential preference would have been the same. Although we looked at caucus proposals that had a cheaper price tag, those proposals would have disenfranchised core constituencies within our party – seniors and lower income voters – and also limited outreach and education that would have been so desperately needed in every county and every community across the state to minimize confusion.
So the Florida Democratic Party’s State Executive Committee voted twice to go with the January 29th primary date on the grounds that any other option would result in the disenfranchisement of Florida Democratic voters and that Florida had already been through too much of this before. "
Obviously, there were other options, but "they" decided not to pursue them.
My point remains...
Hillary Clinton was fully aware of the DNC's decision prior to the primary. If she disagreed with it, she shouldn't have agreed to abide by it. Likewise, if she disagreed with it -- she should have taken steps to change the decision prior to the primary -- not after the fact.
As a Florida resident, I strongly feel that Florida delegates should be counted. All the candidates names were on the ballot. Please sign the on line petition below if you feel that in a democracy every voter's voice should be heard :
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/seatourdelegates/index.html
Florida resident, where were these voters when Hillary Clinton agreed with DNC's decision?
Right or wrong, rules were made and the candidates agreed to abide by them. To suggest that "all names were on the ballot" so that made it a fair contest, is naive to say the very least. "Name recognition" automatically gives that candidate an advantage against all others. It makes it even more imperative that the other candidates be permitted to present themselves to the voters for consideration. This was denied to Obama and Edwards.
I have to ask...
Hillary didn't seem to feel any loyalty to the voters in Florida when she was winning, so why are you all so desperate to give her your priceless votes when she is losing?
Still...
If Florida wants to have a new contest that is fair to all candidates -- that is one thing! But if Florida feels it is okay to change the playing rules in the middle of the game, punishing those who abided by the rules set forth as the game began -- that is quite another matter and should not be tolerated!
COUNT THE VOTES!!!!!
Obama and the corrupt media and the DNC are trying to bully Hillary and her supporters and steal the election!!
WE'LL NEVER VOTE FOR OBAMA.
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