Sen. Bill Nelson paints Florida ‘train wreck’ scenario

Team Infidel

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor
This is so true. They need to figure this out quick.

By Manu Raju Posted: 03/06/08 12:43 PM [ET] Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) warned the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Thursday that it is facing the “biggest train wreck you’ve ever seen” if a standoff is not resolved over his state’s pledged delegates to the party’s presidential nominating convention.

Nelson sent a letter to DNC Chairman Howard Dean Thursday asking the committee to either accept the Jan. 29 results of the primary election or pay for a redo of the elections, which could cost in the range of $20 million. He sent the letter after Dean did not return his telephone call Wednesday.
“If they go to the Democratic Convention and stiff-arm the Florida delegations, how in the world do you think Floridians are going to support the Democratic nominee on Nov. 4?” Nelson told reporters Thursday. “It’s in everybody’s interest to find a solution to this problem.”
However, earlier in the day, Dean said the party would not pay for any do-over.
“We can’t afford to do that,” Dean stated on CBS’s “Early Show.” “That’s not our problem. We need our money to win the presidential race.”
The DNC stripped Florida and Michigan of their delegates after both states moved up their primary dates. How to resolve the impasse is even more critical now that Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.) are locked in a neck-and-neck battle for the presidential nomination, and neither has a clear path toward winning enough delegates to clinch the nomination. Clinton won both states, but both candidates agreed not to campaign there and Obama was not on the ballot in Michigan.
Lawmakers from both states met with DNC officials late Wednesday, but no progress was made on resolving the dispute. It’s unclear whether further meetings will occur.
Nelson warned that if the DNC does not pay for a new primary and if the delegations are not seated, Democrats could very easily lose Florida, which has long played a key role in deciding the winner of the general election.
“If they are not going to accept Florida’s election, then we can do a redo, full-blown election again, but someone is going to have to pay for it other than the taxpayers of Florida,” Nelson said.
Florida’s Republican governor, Charlie Crist, and GOP legislature have refused to pay for a redo of the primaries, but Crist is open to holding another election paid for by the DNC, which has struggled in fundraising.
Nelson said not resolving the impasse would disenfranchise 1.75 million Florida Democrats who voted in the Jan. 29 primaries, as well as independents.
Click to expand...
 
My feeling is this

1. They knew the rules a year and a half before. Everybody obeyed the rules.

2. They knew their would be severe consequences if they broke the rules.

3. They broke the rules anyway.

4. They have no right to complain about the punishment.
 
My view is this, these states did what was best for their states. The DNC knew what was happening and had ample time to cope with it. The powerful few who control the national Democratic party chose to remain stubborn and overrule the wishes of the individual states. Now they must reap the fruit what they have sown in the form of the potential messes looming in Florida and in Michigan.
 
Both of you mmarsh & Dtop are right to a point. But someone once said "politics is the art of compromise." Both parties need to reach a compromise. Compromise can be looked at as "co-promise", meaning both promise to each other.
 
Tom, that's exactly what I'm saying. The power brokers in Washington have a choice to make. They can either accept the results of the two states' primaries, schedule and pay for a do over (it could be done by mail to cut costs), or choose not to allow the Democratic voters in Michigan and Florida to be heard.
Considering that this all came about because the DNC wanted, this year, to bestow the "star" state status of Iowa and New Hampshire on one Western state (Nevada), and one Southern state (South Carolina).
There is a great deal for the DNC to lose by ignoring FL and MI. They are very big states both in size and delegate count.
The other huge risk may be one of public image during the November election. There is a strong possibility of voter backlash. For that reason alone, I think the DNC will have to somehow recognize the delegates from these states before it's all said and done.
 
tomtom22 said:
Both of you mmarsh & Dtop are right to a point. But someone once said "politics is the art of compromise." Both parties need to reach a compromise. Compromise can be looked at as "co-promise", meaning both promise to each other.
Click to expand...

"Your request for Compromise as been DENIED. -sorry". -The Florida DNC.

The Florida DNC just announced its against any type of redo. It simply wants its votes to go to Hillary, despite THEY broke the rules and the fact Obama kept his promise not to campaign there.

Its pretty obvious whats going on. It has nothing to do with fairness, both Michigan's Granhold (a Hillary supporter) and Crist (a McCain support) want Hillary to win for their own selfish reasons. Already with a 12 point lead over McCain that last thing the GOP wants is Obama a the Democratic nominee, they would much prefer face a much weaker Hillary.

Screw them both, the DNC should spend a DIME on either state. Next time they should follow the rules, like the other 48 states did. Can you imagine the chaos if every state simply did what it wanted? We would have the primaries tommorow for the election of 2050!
 
That would be a totally moronic thing to do. To tell the MI and FL voters that their votes aren't worth a thing would be foolish. This thing has the potential to bite the Democrats square in the butt during the November election.
I'm sure the Barak backers would love a redo now that he seems to have the upper hand (slight as it is). But, truth be told, these states have already held their primaries. If they didn't work out for one candidate, too bad!
Here are the options:
1)Accept the primary results and Hillary wins.
2)Have a redo and perhaps Barak wins.
3)Refuse the acknowledge the voice of the people and everyone (Dems) looses.
It looks like the snake is poised to strike. Quite the conundrum and totally created by the fat cats like Howard Dean. Next time the DNC should try something new and listen to the desires of the people. I say it's their mess and they need to deal with it!
 
DTop said:
That would be a totally moronic thing to do. To tell the MI and FL voters that their votes aren't worth a thing would be foolish. This thing has the potential to bite the Democrats square in the butt during the November election.
I'm sure the Barak backers would love a redo now that he seems to have the upper hand (slight as it is). But, truth be told, these states have already held their primaries. If they didn't work out for one candidate, too bad!
Here are the options:
1)Accept the primary results and Hillary wins.
2)Have a redo and perhaps Barak wins.
3)Refuse the acknowledge the voice of the people and everyone (Dems) looses.
It looks like the snake is poised to strike. Quite the conundrum and totally created by the fat cats like Howard Dean. Next time the DNC should try something new and listen to the desires of the people. I say it's their mess and they need to deal with it!
Click to expand...

DTOP

Except that in the end it really doesn't make much difference. MI and FL might get mad that their votes didn't get counted but Michigan will not vote Republican candidate because they know that the GOP pro-mangement/anti-labor. That type of sentiments doesn't make you very popular in a manufacturing blue collar state like Michigan. They might be miffed at the DNC, but the last thing they want is "4 more years". The Bush Administration hit Michigan very, very, hard the past 8 years.

And you can be sure that whoever wins the DNC nomination is going to kiss major butt in Michigan.

And as for Florida, FL will most likely vote McCain in the General Election. If the Democrats flip a state in the 2008 General Election it won't be Florida. FL is pretty solidly GOP for the time being, and the Dems know it. They have a much better chance in Missouri or Ohio. The Dems just need 1 of those states to win.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top