Will somebody explain to me WHY FL and MI thought it was SO important to have early primaries

[CTyankee]

in opposition to party rules? Did they not realize the can of worms they were opening up? What wonderful thing did they think they were getting defying the party rules and having their primaries so early?

The blowback on this is just staggering. I'm mad as hell with both of those states for being so arrogant so that now we're stuck with a bad situation.

[Kittycat]

1. Greed. Name in headlights?

Just two reasons come to mind.

[Ian David]

2. They wanted to see just how much suckiness a state could hope to acheive. n/t

[hedgehog]

3. They wanted to get a chance to vote before the nominee was selected

in other states!

[CTyankee]

6. Then why did they agree to the rules in the first place?

A fine mess they got us into. Didn't they learn in kindergarten that not everyone gets to go first?

[ieoeja]

4. Because everyone knew the primary would be decided on Super Tuesday.

Oops!

[flordehinojos]

5. i think jeb bush had something to do with it (though i am not sure if it was him or crist who signed

early primaries into law) whoever of the two did this they stabbed florida democrats in the back.

[madfloridian]

8. NO...they did not stab Democrats....Democrats worked with them.

From instigator to victim. It was a Dem who introduced the early primary bill in Florida.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1829

How it began last August....how Florida Democrats began their propaganda war
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1819

[madfloridian]

7. One word...relevance. Size matters to Florida.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1459

[blm]

9. Concocted mess to drive down Dean's favorables since they didn't succeed at pushing him out Nov2006

as they tried.

Clinton campaign expected to be the nominee by Super Tuesday and they would've pushed Dean out and used the Fl/MI situation as their excuse to do it.

What few in media will report is that Terry McAuliffe set that disputed ruling in place in 2002, and State Party Dems voted to keep that rule in place in 2006.

This was all dog and pony show in the first place, but now that Clinton's losing they're hoping to hang their hat on Fl and Mi now.

Total BS.

[CTyankee]

12. Do you know how the primary schedule for the states was originally worked out?

Was it something that just evolved over the years. How come this wasn't an issue in 2004? What changed?

[blm]

15. What changed was Dean in the driver's seat when Hillary2008 wanted one of their loyalists

in place using the party to their benefit.

This is also the obvious explanation for WHY Clinton campaign was so unprepared for so many states on their own - they were expecting to be working with their own crew tapped into Dem party infrastructure that Dean has spent 3 years strengthening.

[samdogmom]

10. Conventional wisdom--You have to be first or you don't count!

2008 wisdom--You have to watch all the fallout and crazy campaigning or you don't count!

Bottom line--the later the primary--the BETTER!

Therefore, the joke is on you--Michigan and Florida. You could have made a difference! But, you tried to beat the system and bypass the rules. Well, guess what? Now it's going to cost big bucks to fix your hubris!

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. Me first! Me first! Me first! Just like everything else these days.

*sigh*

[earthlover]

13. They broke the rules....if they get away with it, more states will break more rules in 2012

Rules are meant to be enforced. If not enforced, choas.

[Orsino]

14. Those responsible may have counted on the "count every vote" mantra...

...to cover their maneuver.

[nomorewhopper]

16. the people who moved the election dates should be SENT TO JAIL

we have laws to govern elections so that boneheads seeking personal gain do not cast the entire election results into doubt

these boneheads have absolutely ensured us that half of the democrats will be able to cry "no fair" and make accusations of "cheating" and "stolen elections".