DNC chilly to Jan. 29 Florida primary

[madfloridian]

Most of us here know this was a blatant attempt by the Florida Republicans to get more say in the GOP candidate pick.....but that was the least of it. They are gloating because they have put the Democrats on the spot. Trouble is, many Florida Democrats are doing just what the GOP wanted....worrying and fretting. The GOP controls the voting machinery here and everything else.

I may not hold the popular view, but I agree with the DNC on this. The rules were made by the DNC members and a primary committee. Stand by them.

Miami Herald politics blog

The Democratic National Committee issued a terse statement today in response to the decision by Florida Democratic leaders to accept the Jan. 29 presidential primary even though it violates the DNC's primary calendar.

The statement reads: "The DNC will enforce the rules as passed by its 447 members in August 2006. Until the Florida State Democratic Party formally submits its plan and we've had the opportunity to review that submission, we will not speculate further."

The DNC's rules committee will meet Aug. 25 to review Florida's decision. DNC rules allow only four small states to vote before Feb. 5. Penalties include taking away half of the state's delegates to the national convention and forbiding presidential candidates who stump in Florida from earning any of those delegates.

The state party could avoid the penalities by staging its own election after Feb. 5, called a caucus, but party leaders didn't want to "disenfranchise" voters by casting aside the Jan. 29 results, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Florida Democratic Party Chairman Karen Thurman said in a conference call with reporters today.

Nelson said he spoke to DNC Chairman Howard Dean last week about the Jan. 29 date, which was set by the Republican-led Legislature. "He was pretty hard over about not liking this whateover,'' Nelson said. "This thing could be a total mess.''

Many of the Florida Democrats in their statements have shown utter comtempt for Dean, the DNC, and any rules. They have made antagonizing statements in public. I try to remember that many of our Democratic leaders here are basically Republican in many ways.

But the flippant, challenging comments they have made toward the DNC and especially toward the chairman publicly are very divisive.

Florida's history of voting integrity has been shown to be very poor, and there has been no real correction yet. There is no oversight here.

I think the Democrats here should respect the national party more than they respect the Republicans who got them in this spot.

[rinsd]

1. The FL GOP totally fucked over the voters and Democrats.

I hope there is some compromise to this flaming bag of dog doo they have laid at the steps of the DNC.

[madfloridian]

2. Two Dems here were sort of laughing...saying Dean would "blink"

I don't think he will blink.

Other states are at stake. The hopscotching.

[rinsd]

3. I'm not sure what he will do.

I think he recognizes the impossbile situation the state party is in but this could get ugly in a hurry.

[Freddie Stubbs]

9. Actually, every single Democrat in the legislature voted for this

[madfloridian]

11. I said that in one post in this thread.

And Karen and others strongly strongly approved the tough rules at the DNC.

So they got a little quandary, don't they?

[draft_mario_cuomo]

4. How long will we be held hostage to Iowa and NH?

==DNC rules allow only four small states to vote before Feb. 5.==

One man, one vote. There is no magic fountain of wisdom in Des Moines and Manchester that doesn't exist in Jacksonville, Chicago, or Seattle.

The primary justification for the royal status of Iowa and NH is that voters there are exceptionally engaged in the process--but the same would be the case with voters in other states if they had a candidates constantly campaigning in their area. I know I am from an "unworthy" state, but if a prez candidate bothered to campaign here I would attend the event to hear him or her out in person.

[madfloridian]

5. Well, let's see how to say this...

Florida Democrats are thumbing their noses at the DNC. That is the bottom line. They are daring Dean and the DNC to stand their ground, being ugly about it.

If they are allowed to break the rules, other states will be moving up quickly. One after the other.

It is not the size of the state that matters in this issue. It is the potential of having primaries move up into 2007.

If people want a different kind of primary they should become DNC members, try to get on committees that make the changes.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

7. It is the DNC not the DIANHC

Both parties need to, for the good of the nation, stop allowing us to be held hostage by Iowa and NH. Let every state that wishes to have a seat at the table do so. Surely the pressure the DNC is applying to bring Florida into compliance could be used against Iowa and NH to prevent them from throwing a temper tantrum and moving their elections into to 2007 or 2011...

[madfloridian]

10. I don't get your reference, but it would take 447 to change the rules.

Sorry about that.

Let Florida have its tantrum. They have screwed up elections long enough.

[Tarc]

15. that s both a ridiculous and dangerous thintg to call for

Having small states fill the early primary season allows smaller, less well-known candidates actually have a chance at the nomination. Candidates can blanket these small TV markets like NH and Iowa and actually have a chance to have their message heard in the early going.

If you bump large states like New York or Florida up to the front, then everyone has to buy air time in large markets like NYC and Miami, which will lop off the potentials to the top 2-3 front-runners, the ones with piles of cash. If that's the was people want it, then fuck all the primaries and just anoint Hillary the winner now.

Large states early in the primary season effectively kills the democratic process. Period.

[madfloridian]

6. More from the St. Pete Times....

Frankly, I find the arrogance and anger of the Florida Democrats most annoying...since many of them have been all for these rules and supported the rules previously. Remember twas Terry himself who appointed them in 04.

I wanted to have a voice last primary, and the same Democrats attacking the DNC told us late primaries were better.

We wanted a straw poll, but the same Democrats pushing for one now said we could have one.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2007/06/dnc_responds_to.html

Here's the statement: "The DNC will enforce the rules as passed by its 447 members in August 2006. Until the Florida State Democratic Party formally submits its plan and we've had the opportunity to review that submission, we will not speculate further."

So FL Dems will submit their delegate selection plan to DNC late this week, and then give 30 days for public comment. The DNC rules committee will consider the plan on Aug. 25 and is almost certain to find Florida in violation. Presumably that means a presidential candidate setting foot in FL after Aug. 25 forfeits the chance to win any FL delegates. (Btw, among the Democrats unanimously approving those stiff penalties in '06 were Karen Thurman and other FL Dems in '06.

The ultimate out for Florida comes when a nominee emerges and controls who gets credentials for the convention.

Hypocrites.

I am beginning to have bad vibes about how this all got started. It was 100% yes vote in the House to move up the primary.....so I suspect a campaign is behind it. Prove it? I can't.

Others are beginning to wonder.

MyDD covers this today.
http://mydd.com/story/2007/6/11/85451/2011

The DNC has no leverage over Florida:

"Nearly 100 party activists unanimously voted to hold the primary on Jan. 29, setting the stage for sticky negotiations with the national party. DNC chairman Howard Dean appears to have little leeway to waive the rules, and even Florida Democrats doubt party activists in other states will want to make a special exception for Florida to violate a primary schedule carefully crafted in 2006."

Let the hopscotching begin.

Did I say they are being hypocritical? Wanting to defy the rules they once cherished?

[w4rma]

8. Good. Rules are rules and shouldn't be broken. No exceptions. (nt)

[madfloridian]

12. Especially when other states are involved.

:hi:

I agree that sometimes rules can be broken, but this will take a lot of people to change the rules.

[MaineDem]

13. Mad, I totally agree with you on this one.

If the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee allows this to fly it will be a slap in the face to all the states that are abiding by the rules.

If the Florida Dems had fought this tooth and nail and the GOP legislature still passed it I could see giving the Florida Party a break. But they didn't and, in fact, the Dems in the Leg went along with the vote. The Party knew the Rules and they know the consequences.

The Party should have agreed to hold caucuses later. I still think that may happen.

[jmp]

14. What?

You want to piss off Florida voters? Why not just hand the Republicans the '08 election?

[madfloridian]

16. No, I want Florida to follow the rules for a change.

The same Democratic leaders who are pushing the national party to give in, give in, break the rules, are very strict on other rules when it comes to other people.