Politico's Mike Allen: Florida Primary Found Non-Compliant

[flpoljunkie]

Florida primary found non-compliant



The DNC has taken a swipe at the nation's fourth biggest state, and the one that determined the 2000 election.


Under a vote taken moments ago by a powerful committee of the Democratic National Committee, if things don’t change, Florida’s primary on Jan. 29 will be a beauty context – the delegates won’t count toward the party’s presidential nomination.

Florida officials complained they were being "disenfranchised," but the DNC strongly pushes back against that contention, since it has rules that Florida decided not to follow.

This is the party’s way of trying to stop the crazy domino effect of states moving their nominating contests earlier and earlier, which causes OTHER states to go earlier and earlier.

The DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee voted nearly unanimously that Florida’s plan is non-compliant with party rules, and gave the state 30 days to fix it. Otherwise, the state will lose 100 percent of its delegates.

“The ayes clearly have it,” RBC co-chair James Roosevelt Jr. said, when only one clear voice on the 30-member committee said “no.”

As the meeting broke up and all the cameras and reporters (and there are a bunch of both) lunged for the Florida folks, I walked up to the dais and asked Mr. Roosevelt and his co-chair, Alexis M. Herman, the practical consequences for Florida if the sanctions remain in place.

Roosevelt: “The event on Jan. 29 would be purely a beauty contest -- equivalent, as somebody said, to the Iowa straw poll.”

Herman: “But voters WOULD get to register their preference. I think that’s important to point out.”

Roosevelt: “There would be a state-run poll or beauty contest, as has happened before. But there would NOT be a selection of delegates for the national convention in that process.”

What will happen at the national convention? Will Florida have a section with a "Sunshine State" sign and the funny hats?

Herman: “This would then come under the purview of the credentials committee of the convention. And the convention credentials committee would then have to make a determination as to how they would interpret whatever activities would have occurred in Florida – be it the 29th process, or any subsequent activities, if it were not party approved.”

What are the consequences for the campaigns--Clinton, Obama and the others? Would there be penalties for campaigning in Florida?

Roosevelt:“This resolution that was voted here, because it takes away 100 percent of the delegates if the rules are violated, means that there are no particular sanctions on the campaigns if they were to campaign in Florida.”

Herman: “Because there’s no apportionment of delegates in that process.”

Roosevelt: “If we were only taking away 50 percent, those campaigns that participated would be penalized.”

Do you think the candidates will campaign in Florida?

Roosevelt: “My impression is that, just as a political judgment, some intend to and some don’t.”

I’m typing this in the lounge of the Capital Hilton, which is closed but people are using the comfy chairs anyway. There’s a big Scottish Rite event here – a two day joint session of several of the group’s “Supreme Councils.” Everyone has their bureaucracies.

I’ll pop up some quotes from the lively debate.

The Politico's Roger Simon will have the full skinny in a bit.

By Mike Allen 01:09 PM

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0807/Florida_primary_found_noncompliant.html

[Colobo]

1. As a Floridian, I'm angry. My vote won't count.

[madfloridian]

3. Oh, BS

.

[Colobo]

4. BS what?

[madfloridian]

5. That "my vote won't count" stuff is silly spin.

Florida's delegates all would of counted if they had stayed in Feb.

[Colobo]

7. I'm just complaining, not taking sides of an issue I really don't understand.

I just want my vote to be counted.

[jmp]

22. All of Florida's '00 votes would've been counted ...

We had had all voted for Bush.

[napi21]

6. I understand how you feel, but this "be first" mentality is out of control!

I honestly don't even remembr who started it, and I guess it's because they're all jealous of Iowa and NH for ALWAYS being 1st. I well understand why a State would want to move their primary up closer to Feb, Mar. I lived in several states who didn't have theirs until late June or even August, and I always felt MY vote didn't matter either! But if this insanity continues, they'll be holding the damn primaries over a YEAR before the General Election!

I'd prefer to see the primary & general election campaigns SHORTENED! Say, limit them to ONE YEAR combined! Not only do these L O N G campaigns cost a lot more, but people get SICK of them, thus making it even HARDER to excite voters to go to the polls!

[rzemanfl]

18. Register as a Republican and write in Tommy Thompson or

something. At least it will make the Supervisor of Elections office do some extra work.

[Colobo]

2. Let me add that Obama was not going to win here, so if anything this is kinda positive.

[jefferson_dem]

8. Good for the DNC.

This is best for the party...to put a stop to Florida's Hillary-enabling power-play. Florida's Dems will be "disenfranchised" (if you want to put it that way) only because their own "leaders" tried to put their self-interests above that of the party as a whole.

Way to go DNC! :applause:

[Colobo]

9. I feel cheated as a voter.

[madfloridian]

11. Stop using the spin Nelson and Thurman put on it.

.

[Colobo]

13. Check your inbox

[madfloridian]

16. I responded as best I could to you PM.

It is hard to write about it because so much of it is spin just made up by Florida.

I hate to say it but our Democrats here have an identity crisis. They are often a Democrat/Republican hybrid and not sure how to act and what to say.

Honesty suffers.

[jefferson_dem]

12. I understand, Katzenkavalier.

And i don't blame you for feeling cheated. That being said, it's important that you lay blame where it rightly belongs --- at the feet of the Florida delegation. Things would have / could have remained fine if they didn't seek to inch up the calendar one week.

[madfloridian]

10. Here's more:

http://www.examiner.com/a-899674~Democrats_strip_Fla__of_convention_delegates_for_too_early_vote.html

"WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Democrats decided Saturday to strip Florida of all its presidential convention delegates unless the state holds its primary later in the 2008 election calendar. The punishment would leave the fourth largest state without a vote for the nominee.

The state party has 30 days to comply by moving its contest back at least seven days from the current Jan. 29 plan or lose its 210 delegates to the nominating convention in Denver next summer.

The state party chairwoman, Karen Thurman, said she would confer with officials about the ultimatum. Elected officials in Florida have said they would consider legal action and a protest at the convention if the national party barred the state's delegates.

Florida party officials said they originally opposed the early primary date, which covers both the Democratic and Republican primaries. The Republican-controlled Legislature passed the change and the GOP governor signed it into law in an effort to give the state a more prominent voice in national politics."

They did not oppose it...the vote for the early primary was 100%

[DURHAM D]

14. Howard Dean has spoken - good for the Rules Comm.

I think this madness needed to stop somewhere. Although I am a Hillary supporter and this earlier primary probably would have benefited her - I am glad that the party is now functioning properly. Its been a long time comin'.

[madfloridian]

15. I think Dean was in Nevada. This was the Rules committee.

I highly commend that committee today. They did good.

My state is a bully.

[DURHAM D]

17. I know it was the Rules Committee -

My point was that the DNC has never been as strong in structure and substance as it needed to be. I am sure you know the old saw - "We are Democrats. We don't organize."

That lack of party organization and structure is why Dems have always had to re-invent the national election process every four years - and why we have lost the WH and the congress repeatedly. The lack of a strong party system means our candidates have to find their own way and take more time to get their organizations together (and spend more money) because the national party has not been able to help them hit the ground running. Meanwhile their Repub opponents are helped all along the way by the national party.

A strong Rule Committee is a reflection of a stronger party. Its a great thing.

[madfloridian]

19. Yes, I agree.

They really stuck together on this, only one dissenting vote and that was the FL guy, Katz, I think.

[John Kerry VonErich]

20. Two wrongs don't make a right.

Remember 2000. This is no different, wheather it is primary, or general. IMO, it basically is giving republicans an edge. Florida is a state we cannot lose. If Florida wants to move the primary up, it's the state's business.

[madfloridian]

21. That is Florida's decision now.

If they choose to be a bully...they will lose many Democratic votes in Florida.

[jmp]

23. The State is interested in the rights of its citizens ...

The state is not partisan and shouldn't give a rip about how any individual citizen chooses to vote.

The state has a responsibility to act and call in the feds if necessary whether Florida Democrats back the move or not. This is a voting rights issue.