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Democrats Fear Florida Backlash A Failure to Seat Delegation Is Seen Hurting in November
WSJ ^ | April 3, 2008 | JUNE KRONHOLZ

Posted on 04/03/2008 5:19:25 AM PDT by Brilliant

Florida's congressional Democrats and the national Democratic Party are concerned about their November election prospects if the Florida delegation isn't seated at this summer's national convention...Howard Dean said...

Whether the state's 210 delegates are seated "makes a difference" in the congressional races in Florida, where the party hopes to pick up one or two seats, and in the presidential race, Mr. Dean said. "I don't think we can have a vote in Denver about whether or not Florida is to be seated" without prompting a divisive floor fight that could damage the party in the November polls...

Florida was stripped of its Democratic convention delegates after defying national party rules and leapfrogging other states to hold its primary in January. Supporters of Hillary Clinton, who won the primary, have insisted that the delegates should be seated anyway.

Mr. Dean and Florida's state elected leaders said Wednesday that the state leaders had agreed to work together on a plan to seat the delegates. But it is still unclear how the votes would be divided or which candidate would benefit.

Supporters of Barack Obama...have done little to promote a seating plan because it probably would narrow his delegate lead over Sen. Clinton...

Mr. Dean said supporters of the two candidates in the Florida congressional delegation "understand that both campaigns have to give something" to seat the state's delegates and avoid voter wrath...

Democratic leaders fear that if Florida's delegation isn't seated, voters may feel robbed of their primary votes and take out their frustrations on the Democrats in the fall.

Mr. Dean has called on party officials and others who can vote at the convention as "superdelegates" to decide on a candidate by July 1...

"If we approach [a solution] at the convention, it's pretty hard to fix in eight weeks"...

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: dean; delagates; dnc; primaries
To me, it looks like Dean is trying to put his thumb on the scales in favor of Hillary. On the other hand, I don't think that Florida delegates are going to be seated at all, unless Obama is the winner in any event. The only other way I can see it happening is if they seat them, but require that the delegates be allocated or permitted to vote in such a way that they don't affect the outcome, which would be somewhat of a fraud.

The last paragraph is interesting. Dean wants to "fix" the problem. But the truth is that it's a problem that can't be fixed. It's an irreversible mistake. You can't set rules, and then disregard them without POing those who followed them. And this is a mistake very much like the ones that the Dems commonly make while running the country. If they ultimately socialize our health care industry, and it turns out to be as big a disaster as their primaries, then like the primaries, it's a problem that can't be fixed. We'll be stuck with a second-rate health care system reminiscent of the failed Cuban system, just like the ones that Britain and Canada have.

1 posted on 04/03/2008 5:19:26 AM PDT by Brilliant
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To: Brilliant

“You can’t set rules, and then disregard them without POing those who followed them.”

Sure you can - if you’re a RAT. When did rules ever mean anything to them? Get ready to rumble.


2 posted on 04/03/2008 5:25:20 AM PDT by Eurale
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To: Brilliant
If the Florida and Michigan delegates are seated, the next democratic primary will be a sight to behold!
States will be leap frogging for the earliest primary!
Could be fiasco!
3 posted on 04/03/2008 5:32:54 AM PDT by MaryFromMichigan
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To: Brilliant

dear Democrats:

whenever you make up a rule, be sure to examins carefully what it means under different circumstances.

else you look like a bunch of pre-teen girls trying to play dodge ball.


4 posted on 04/03/2008 5:33:04 AM PDT by camle (keep an open mind and someone will fill it full of something for you)
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To: Brilliant
florida, like algore, howarddean, the clintons, and canned chili, just will not go away.
5 posted on 04/03/2008 5:33:20 AM PDT by the invisib1e hand (can u feel the unity?)
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To: Brilliant

A Pure Clintanoid story.

BTW way do we never hear that Hillary is in trouble with the PARTY for not getting her name off the MI ballot like all other major RAT candiddtae were instructed to do and accomplished.

The only reason Hillary wants them seated is because she broke PARTY rules and gained an ballot/campaigning advatange.


6 posted on 04/03/2008 5:38:54 AM PDT by rod1 (uestion)
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To: Brilliant

It would be a very fat thumb, at that...


7 posted on 04/03/2008 5:56:02 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: Brilliant
The remarkable thing is that no democrat at the time seemed to foresee this and “fix” it before the primary. Democrats can't remember the past, don't think the future exists, live only in the moment, just like a dog.
8 posted on 04/03/2008 6:00:45 AM PDT by DManA
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To: Brilliant
Democrats make and break rules absolutely without regard to consequences.

When it does not work out, they simply make new rules...

To be broken when it suits them.

9 posted on 04/03/2008 6:12:25 AM PDT by drc43 (US won despite us... NOW what?... Nancy Pelosi)
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To: Brilliant

Rules...SCHMULES......Democrats have NO rules except CHEATING!


10 posted on 04/03/2008 6:14:38 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion.....The Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: rod1
“BTW way do we never hear that Hillary is in trouble with the PARTY for not getting her name off the MI ballot like all other major RAT candiddtae were instructed to do and accomplished.”

NOBODY was instructed to remove their name from ANY primary ballot! Osama Obama Yo-Mama withdrew from the MI primary of his own choice. The DNC had nothing to do with that.

Howling Howard caused this mess by taking away ALL the MI and FL delegates rather than just half like the Republicans did. Now Dean wants the race decided before the convention because he knows there is no way to undo his mess.

Tough *hit Dean! The polls show McCain will win both states now.

The RATS will all have to eat a bowl of the *hit stew they stirred up when they get to Denver!

11 posted on 04/03/2008 6:17:16 AM PDT by Beagle8U (FreeRepublic -- One stop shopping ....... Its the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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To: Brilliant

Oh rats! I wanted this to be a “secret” for a while until the general election so that McCain can use it against the Dem candidate. One of the first advertisements in Michigan and Florida: “The Democrats refused to even seat your representatives, why should you vote for them now?”


12 posted on 04/03/2008 6:22:30 AM PDT by Mere
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To: DManA

Indeed. That the Democrats would not have foreseen this obvious and unavoidable consequence is very telling. Now, telling of what is the tricky part. It’s not that they are completely stupid - after all, election manipulation is something they do best. It has to be that the leadership was so convinced of her thighness’ ascendancy they did not look beyond the next 5 minutes.

In any event, the entire primary situation on both sides is a fiasco that has to be addressed. First get Iowa and their corn the hell out of national politics. Second, quit allowing NE rinos to be the major factor in the early GOP results - it has lethal consequences. Just take 5 randomly chosen geographically dispersed states at a time and hold 10 primaries. Very simple.


13 posted on 04/03/2008 6:31:07 AM PDT by return to sender
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To: camle
dear Democrats:
whenever you make up a rule, be sure to examins carefully what it means under different circumstances.
else you look like a bunch of pre-teen girls trying to play dodge ball.

Whaddya mean?? That is WHAT THEY ARE!

14 posted on 04/03/2008 6:33:07 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
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To: Brilliant; seenenuf; flaglady47; oswegodeee; Bizzy Bugz; Seeking the truth; JulieRNR21; gonzo; ...
"Backlash in Florida" ?????

Here in Florida, while the Democrat party operatives around the state are avidly interested in this delegate brouhaha, the layman voters are barely aware of it.

Swimming, boating, and fishing season is coming up, the new crop of Valencias is ready, bingo and the Indian Reservation casinos are calling, the livin' is easy, and the internal squabbles in the Marxocrat Party couldn't be farther from the minds of the geezer FDR and NYC voters here in the Sunshine State.

There's a vague awareness of an election coming up in November but the Democrats' delegate infighting is hardly a hot topic among the newly-retired and the nearly-expired Dems in Florida.....even if they cared.

The usual hot topics prevail......one's last operation, one's grandchildren up north, and where to get the best 99-cent breakfast.

The to-do over delegates is having little-to-no effect on the rank-and-file Democrat voter. Whether the Democrat nominee is Barack, Hillary or Tony Soprano, the NY/NJ transplants and the AARPers will turn out in massive droves to vote straight Donkey.

Then they'll board the buses for their condo associations' monthly outings to the dog tracks.

:-)

Leni

15 posted on 04/03/2008 6:36:03 AM PDT by MinuteGal (I Love My Country More Than I Dislike McCain,.....Sincerely, A FRedhead)
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To: SoFloFreeper

“... you look like a bunch of pre-teen girls trying to play dodge ball.
Whaddya mean?? That is WHAT THEY ARE! “

that’s their maturity level anyway. wonder what we can make of that...


16 posted on 04/03/2008 6:50:48 AM PDT by camle (keep an open mind and someone will fill it full of something for you)
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To: Brilliant
You'll see them seated because the RATS lie, cheat and steal...that's the only thing they know how to do! I say by May or June Floriduh and Michigone will be allowed to count. DON'T know how, but knowing the rat criminal's mind, they'll find a way!
17 posted on 04/03/2008 6:59:25 AM PDT by RoseofTexas
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To: return to sender

I agree. The “we get to go first FOREVER” entitlement mentality of the early primary states sickens me.


18 posted on 04/03/2008 7:18:20 AM PDT by allmendream
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To: return to sender

I think you’re right.


19 posted on 04/03/2008 9:35:40 AM PDT by DManA
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To: return to sender
And how about this - just brain storming here.

The first election cycle in your party's primary you vote in you get 1/2 a vote. Second consecutive one 3/4. All subsequent primaries you get 1 vote. If you miss a primary you go back to 1/2. This would discourage cross voting shenanigans and gives you a vested interest in your party.

20 posted on 04/03/2008 11:53:26 AM PDT by DManA
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