Full-Circle: DNC Restores Votes Stolen From Michigan and Florida

The primary voting drama that happened between Florida, Michigan and the Democratic National Committee has come full-circle. As had been hoped, the DNC restored full-strength voting rights to Michigan and Florida at the request of Barack Obama.

They had stripped the two states of all their delegates to this week's Democratic National Convention in Denver as both states had primary elections prior to Super Tuesday. After much screaming, both states had half-strength votes restored to them in May, and full-strength votes restored as of today.

Finally, some common sense coming out of the DNC. Those voting rights should never have been taken away in the first place; their own rules say that those states who have pre-Super Tuesday elections will be penalized with a 50% loss of voting delegates, not 100%.

Is candidate "undecided" from Michigan going to be represented at the DNC too? That was one of the more ridiculous things to come out of the election in Michigan. They should have kept all the names on the ballot, like they did in Florida, instead of taking them off and putting "undecided" on there.

Well, we just completed sixteen days of Olympics on TV. Now we'll have eight full days of hot air coming from Denver and St. Paul over the next two weeks. THERE'S a global warming catastrophe! Everyone had better go out and buy carbon credits so that the temperature of the planet doesn't go through the roof during the conventions!

While everyone's out purchasing their carbon credits, I also have a bridge in Brooklyn that I'd like to sell you....

DNC Agrees to Seat Florida and Michigan Delegates at Half-Strength: Obama's Getting Votes He Didn't Earn in Michigan

The rules committee of the Democratic National Committee restored Florida and Michigan's delegates to this summer's Democratic National Convention, but they have half-strength votes. That's fine with me as it's in compliance with their bylaws. And it's more than what I thought was going to happen.

I thought they would seat Florida's delegates at half-strength, but not Michigan's, as Obama removed his name from the ballot.

Instead, the rules committee is giving Obama votes he didn't earn--he wasn't a candidate on Michigan's ballot as he pulled his own name off the ballot months before the election--and Clinton won 55% of the votes. The other 45% should be going to the convention as undeclared delegates who can vote for who they want once they get there.

Obama was not required to pull his name off the ballot, but he did it, regardless of the consequences.

And if Clinton does challenge the awarding of unearned delegates to Obama, in this one instance, I'm going to root for Senator Clinton in her challenge. I almost get the feeling that Obama will fall 3-5 delegates short of clinching the nomination, and the fight over Michigan's delegates will intensify.

This situation is entirely the fault of the DNC. And as many had hoped, including me, Florida and Michigan threw wrenches into the DNC machine and they were forced into headline-making decisions regarding the disposition of the votes of both states.

Perhaps the next time around, they'll follow their own rules when it comes to states violating their guidelines?

Florida Floats Plan That Takes Advantage of DNC Rules: Asks to Have Half Their Delegates Seated in Accordance with Rule Rule 20.C.1.a.

Someone in Florida is finally using their heads and demanding that half their delegates be seated at the Democratic National Convention as called for in Rule 20.C.1.a. of the Delegate Selection Rules.

Smart move.

I think that Florida will manage to get half their delegates seated.

Democratic National Committee Needs to Re-Read Their Rules: They Can Only Take Half of Michigan's and Florida's Delegates Away

Rule 20.C.1.a. of the Delegate Selection Rules for the 2008 Democratic National Convention:

Violation of timing:

In the event the Delegate Selection Plan of a state party provides or permits a meeting, caucus, convention or primary which constitutes the first determining stage in the presidential nominating process to be held prior to or after the dates for the state as provided in Rule 11 of these rules, or in the event a state holds such a meeting, caucus, convention or primary prior to or after such dates, the number of pledged delegates elected in each category allocated to the state pursuant to the Call for the National Convention shall be reduced by fifty (50%) percent, and the number of alternates shall also be reduced by fifty (50%) percent. In addition, none of the members of the Democratic National Committee and no other unpledged delegate allocated pursuant to Rule 8.A. from that state shall be permitted to vote as members of the state’s delegation. In determining the actual number of delegates or alternates by which the state’s delegation is to be reduced, any fraction below .5 shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number, and any fraction of .5 or greater shall be rounded up to the next nearest whole number.

And yet more DNC violations of their own rules:

Rule 11A:

No meetings, caucuses, conventions or primaries which constitute the first determining stage in the presidential nomination process (the date of the primary in primary states, and the date of the first tier caucus in caucus states) may be held prior to the first Tuesday in February or after the second Tuesday in June in the calendar year of the national convention. Provided, however, that the Iowa precinct caucuses may be held no earlier than 22 days before the first Tuesday in February; that the Nevada first-tier caucuses may be held no earlier than 17 days before the first Tuesday in February; that the New Hampshire primary may be held no earlier than 14 days before the first Tuesday in February; and that the South Carolina primary may be held no earlier than 7 days before the first Tuesday in February. In no instance may a state which scheduled delegate selection procedures on or between the first Tuesday in February and the second Tuesday in June 1984 move out of compliance with the provisions of this rule.

So, let's see:

Iowa held their primary/caucus on January 3rd, which was 33 days before the first Tuesday in February. The rule above states that they can hold their primary no earlier than 22 days before the first Tuesday in Febuary. Iowa violated the rules.

New Hampshire held it's primary on January 8th, which was 28 days before the first Tuesday in February. The rule above states that they can hold their primary no earlier than 14 days before the first Tuesday in February. New Hampshire also violated the rules.

Michigan and Florida held their respective primaries on January 15th, which is three weeks earlier than the first Tuesday in February. Michigan and Florida both violated the rules. Both states acknowledge that point.

South Carolina held it's primary on January 26th, which was 10 days before the first Tuesday in February. The above rule states that they can hold their primary 7 days before first Tuesday. South Carolina violated the rules as well.

So, five states violated party rules on timing of their primaries. All five states got stripped of 50% of their delegates and lost all of their superdelegates. Right? WRONG!

Three states escaped punishment entirely. Two states lost ALL of their delegates and superdelegates, which isn't covered in the rules.

The DNC seems to have a problem in applying the rules equally and fairly. It's another sign of how corrupt the DNC leadership is. If they continue on their current course and deny Florida and Michigan their guaranteed votes that are provided for in their own rules, they run the risk of losing major support in both states. Both states have gone Republican in the past before; do they really want a repeat performance?

Start following your own rules, DNC.

Obama Plan for Splitting Michigan Primary Delegates is Ridiculous: He Removed His Name from the Michigan Ballot

Barack Obama's proposal for splitting the Michigan primary delegates equally between himself and Hillary Clinton is ridiculous.

He pulled his name off the Michigan ballot; he wasn't even a candidate in the Michigan election. If they choose to go down a path like this, then they should give 55% of the delegates to Clinton and the rest go in as unpledged delegates, who can vote for whomever they want when the DNC seats them at the Democratic National Convention.

That's the only way that this system would work. But Obama can't pull his name off the ballot and then try to claim half of Michigan's delegates. That's sheer madness!

DNC and Howard Dean Need to Take Responsibility for Their Actions: They're the Ones at Fault, Not Michigan & Florida Voters

Howard Dean and the Democratic National Committee don't want to pay to clean up their mess in Michigan and Florida. And a lot of Democrats are getting angrier and angrier. I don't think I've ever seen this level of discontent in the state Democratic party before.

Just wait until the Democratic National Convention takes place the week of the 24th of August and there's no resolution to Dean & Company's huge mess in Michigan. There will likely be charter buses full of disenfranchised Michigan voters heading out to Denver to protest all of this.

Michigan's government had better not knuckle under on this issue and offer to pay one penny for any kind of "re-do." This is the DNC's mess to clean up. The first Michigan legislator who offers a bill to pay for a "re-do" will be in BIG trouble the next time an election comes around. Unless they're targeted for recall, which seems to be happening a lot these days.

I wrote a series of articles back in the fall against moving the primary to the 15th of January because of what had already happened to Florida. But the Michigan legislature and governor went ahead with their plan, knowing full well that our fate would likely match Florida's. That was the decision that was made, and that's what we have to live with now. And in light of the DNC's mean-spirited actions since then, it was the right decision and right fight to make.

The Republicans docked half of Michigan's delegation to the Republican National Convention as well as every state that had an election before Super Tuesday (February 5th). I wasn't too happy with that decision. If I was to choose to vote in the Republican primary (Michigan's primary is open, meaning that people can choose which primary to vote in), my vote's worth half as much as someone who voted after February 5th? Bull HONKY!

The DNC ripped the guts out of Michigan's primary by stripping Michigan of all it's delegates. In addition, many of the Democrats (including Obama) pulled their names off the ballot and said that they would not be campaigning in Michigan. That's excessive punishment for protesting a corrupt and outdated system that favors four states over all others. They sure as hell didn't have a problem fundraising here, which I strongly disagreed with.

I also believe that this decision violates the equal protection clause which the Supreme Court quoted in 2000, when they stopped the ballot recounts in Florida's mess of a Presidential election between Bush and Gore. All ballots have to be treated (and counted) equally. Anything less amounts to a banana republic, which the Democrats seem hell-bent on making happen.

As far as Michigan Democrats go, I do not count myself among their number. But in this situation, I am on their side; no voter should be disenfranchised. And in this case, ALL Michigan and Florida voters were targeted and their votes were thrown straight into the garbage can. That isn't right; the system needs to change and Dean needs to be FIRED!

And if Obama's the nominee after the Democrats have their National Convention, he needs to come to Michigan and Florida and explain his actions in supporting the disenfranchisement of millions of voters. Party rules my afterburner!!

Hillary Needs Victory in One Big State and Both Smaller Ones Today: Otherwise We're in for a LONG General Campaign

Ohio, Texas, Vermont and Rhode Island are all doing their primary elections today; McCain has an opportunity to sew up the nomination for the Republicans tonight; but it's the Democratic results that will determine if we have a short general campaign or a LONG one, which no one really wants.

Hillary needs to win in one of the delegate-rich states (Texas or Ohio) and both of the smaller states as well in order to stay in the game.

Republicans in Texas are being encouraged to cross the line and vote for Hillary, not only for the reasons I talked about here, but because Hillary looks to be further to the right, even though she's a liberal. Obama is way way left of her and is a losing proposition.

A close Democratic race until their convention guarantees a short general campaign between McCain and his Democratic rival. A two-month campaign is preferable to an 8 1/2 month long one, as we had in 2004 between Bush and Kerry. That's MY main point, and one that I've been ranting about for some time.

I won't endorse Hillary Clinton under any circumstances, but in the interests of keeping the fall general campaign short, I hope that her results tonight and for the remainder of the primary season ensure that the delegate count remains close, and that the final decision is made at the Democratic convention.

NO New Primary Votes in Michigan or Florida: DNC Needs to Reap What It Sows

Well, well, well.

Look at who's crying about the deadlock in the Democratic Party. Waaah!!

Music to my ears. Because the Democratic National Committee screwed with Michigan and Florida, I am opposed to those two states riding in to save the day. By all means, don't seat those two delegations, Mr. Dean and Mrs. Pelosi. Stick to your guns.

They've REALLY earned this. It's poetic justice.

If they do decide to do a revote, the DNC should pay for the elections in their entirety. The disenfranchised voters in those two states should not have to pay a single penny for the DNC screwup. Maybe next time they'll be more flexible in their response to states standing up to the corrupt system currently in place.

Before that happens, they need to get rid of their top leadership. They're USELESS and CLUELESS!

"Super-Duper Tuesday??!" Gag Me With a Spoon!

A lot of interesting nicknames have come up for Tuesday's Super Tuesday primaries, which are taking place in 22 states.

Some "genius" came up with "Super-Duper Tuesday." How teen-ish. If I hear a teenager talking about Super Tuesday as "super-duper", I'd consider that normal. But for an adult to use a term like this in serious political discourse really leads me to doubt their command of the English language.

Yes, it's a big primary day on Tuesday, but "Super-Duper Tuesday?" Ga-ga!

Michigan's Primary May be Over, But the Fight Between Michigan and Both National Committees Sure Isn't

Michigan's primary--such as it was--is said and done, but there's still major trouble between Michigan and both national committees. This primary (and Florida's) will throw some big wrenches into the works if the Presidential Election in November turns out to be close.

I am of the opinion that the Republican and Democratic National Committees (dis-respectfully) needs new leadership. That's aimed more at the DNC more than the RNC. The RNC only docked half of Michigan's delegates and voting power, while the DNC completely stripped Michigan's represenatition at the Democratic National Convention. The Democrats even canceled hotel reservations for the Michigan delegation.

Further, the RNC punished every state that has a primary before Super Tuesday. That was, in my opinion, a more measured response than the Democratic one.

Under the current leadership, the DNC disenfranchised seven million registered voters in Michigan and ten million registered voters in Florida. They whined and bitched about thousands of disenfranchised Florida voters in 2000, and fought for every vote. Yet now, they deliberately did to their own voters what they accused election officials and the Republican Party of doing in 2000. Is this a violation of the same equal protection clause cited by the Supreme Court in 2000 in Gore vs. Bush?

The replacement for Howard Dean should be from Michigan or Florida, and there should be no one on the DNC who favors keeping the current primary system. The system is so rife with favoritism toward particular states that it should be scrapped if it isn't changed.

I also think that the RNC needs a housecleaning too. They need to back off of the current system as well. It's broken and needs to be fixed. They should get with the program, or get out of the way and have more open-minded people take their places.

Shame on both committees, and double shame on the DNC.

Michigan Voters Told Their Vote is Worthless in One Party's Primary and Only Worth Half A Vote in the Other: Tell Me Again Why We Should Vote on 1/15?

The Michigan primary is coming up on January 15th, and the ballot is still a mess.

One party has completely disenfranchised Michigan's voters, while the other has stripped Michigan of half of its delegates to the party's national convention, effectively turning every vote into a half-vote.

The Democratic Party added insult to injury when most of the Democratic candidates decided to withdraw their names from the ballot and announced that they were boycotting Michigan's primary. Not one of them had the guts to come into the state and announce it in person.

As far as I'm concerned, the candidates that withdrew their names shouldn't be able to fundraise here for their primary campaigns either. They should be writing refund checks out to every Michigan voter who has contributed money to their campaigns from the time that they announced their candidacy to today.

They can go to the Federal Election Commission web site to figure out who to write the checks to. In the meantime, they can go play in traffic.

On the GOP side, the Republican National Convention stripped Michigan of half of it's delegates to their convention, along with all the other January primary states. Following that same formula, the GOP candidates should also return 1/2 of the money raised here. They can take my half-vote and stick it where the sun don't shine.

So, since our votes are worthless in the Democratic Party, and worth a half-vote in the GOP, why exactly should Michigan voters show up on January 15th?

I'm not voting on the 15th; and I'm voting 3rd party in the fall. And all because the two National Committees chose to defend the current system and punished states that dared to buck the system to protest the inherent unfairness of the current primary system. There should be one national primary day, with all states being treated equally, not four of the states being elevated at the expense of all others.

It would be poetic justice if there was a tie in the electoral college in November, and it all fell to Michigan to cast the deciding vote. That won't happen, of course, but then, who figured that it would all boil down to Florida in 2000, which both parties have chosen to disenfranchise as well as Michigan? They really ought to think about that.

Current Primary System Should Be Abolished in Favor of One National Primary Day: System is Over-Generous to Four States at the Expense of 46 Others

I'm in favor of abolishing the current primary system and establishing a single national primary day, where all states vote on the same day. No special consideration will be given to Iowa, South Carolina, New Hampshire, or Nevada.

The current system is unfair to the other 46 states that have issues of their own and will vote their own way regardless of what happens in the four favored states. Get rid of this system!

And the parties (the Democrats) ought to quit punishing Michigan and Florida for challenging the status quo. Shame on them for disenfranchising voters after CRYING about having all those disenfranchised voters in Florida in 2000, who they've turned on, by the way.

Hypocrites!