Dan Gelber, D-FL: "We're going to spend $10 million to put 10 more delegates in somebody's tally?"

[flpoljunkie]

March 13, 2008
Gelber's re-vote pros and cons



Put down Rep. Dan Gelber, the House minority leader, as skeptical about the wisdom of a Democratic Party-sponsored re-vote. "It just doesn't make sense right now," Gelber said in an interview in his office. "We're going to spend $10-million to put 10 more delegates in somebody's tally."

Gelber He also is concerned that the primaries in April and May could settle the race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, only to have Florida's "do-over" election unnecessarily prolong matters until June 3. (Gelber is not committed to either candidate). He said there are some arguments in favor of it, chiefly the one that gives Florida a voice: "It's an insurance policy against Florida being unrepresented at a contested convention. That's the only real reason to do it."

Gelber outlines three arguments in favor of a re-vote and three against on his blog. Details

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2008/03/gelbers-re-vote.html

[BumRushDaShow]

1. Hmmm.... $1,000,000 per delegate.

Sadly, Florida needs alot of work to revamp the party in that state. There is little or no chance that the state will go Dem in the GE. This means alot of ground work needs to happen starting now and through to the next election to reorganize the state party and register new Democrats.

[flpoljunkie]

2. That's about the gist of it. Makes no sense except for Hillary's supporters.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[flpoljunkie]

5. St. Pete's Times Adam Smith has an interesting take on Florida and the November election...

Democrats might not need Florida to win the White House

By Adam C. Smith, Times Political Editor

Published Saturday, March 15, 2008 3:14 PM

A day hasn't gone by lately without some prominent Democrat wringing his or her hands over Florida's Democratic primary conundrum and darkly warning that Democrats are on the verge of kissing off Florida's 27 electoral votes.

Well, it's time to broach an unspeakable, heretical suggestion in this state: Maybe, just maybe, Democrats can continue snubbing America's biggest swing state and still march into the White House.

Sorry to say it, folks, but Florida may not be center of the political universe this year.

"We've been the target for so many years it's very tough for people to think we might not be,'' said Robin Rorapaugh, a veteran Democratic consultant based in Broward County. "But it is still very much up in the air as to Florida being a targeted state. Part of it is who becomes the nominee, and part of it is balancing the cost of starting a campaign from scratch here."

And part of it is the national electoral map that looks a whole lot more hospitable for Democrats than it did in 2004 or 2000.

"With all these states it's clearly a resource decision, and if you can win the White House without spending millions of dollars in Florida, why would you?'' asked Miami-based Democratic consultant Derek Newton.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/article418790.ece

[hueyshort]

10. Yeah. Let's just disenfrancise the democrats,

appoint Obama emporer like the elitists want, and avoid silly, expensive elections.

[dsc]

4. and how much did Missouri (1 delegate) Nevada (1 delegate)

and New Hampshire (1 delegate) cost. Not to mention Texas (4 or 5 delegates), Vermont (5 delegates), RI (5 delegates) etc.

[flpoljunkie]

6. Important difference--these states have not asked for "do-over" elections. They followed the rules.

[dsc]

7. they still cost money

they still ran races. If the state parties are paying why should it matter?

[Hepburn]

8. Because it depletes party funds that IMO could better be spent elsewhere.

If what is at stake are 10 delegates, then IMO this is totally stupid to have a re-do. This money can better be spent by the Dems on other things...like the GE and candidates in their own state.

JMHO

[flpoljunkie]

11. The state parties will be paying with soft money from Hillary Clinton's big donor/supporters

[dsc]

13. so

If they are willing to step up then good for them.

[flpoljunkie]

14. A "do-over" Florida primary sponsored by Hillary supporters. Now there's the ticket!

:sarcasm:

[dsc]

16. if the counting is done by the state

who cares? Or Obama could pony up some cash too. Or we could count the election which already took place. But for many Hillary supporters a nomination that didn't include Florida or Michigan would be very unfair.

[democrattotheend]

18. I'd rather the state parties use the money in November

to help elect more Democrats. But I do agree that something needs to be done about Florida and Michigan. Personally, I think the best approach is to seat half the delegates from Florida and do a revote in Michigan.

[SoCalDem]

9. 50-50..no soooooper delegates.. that's the solution

the soooopers were largely to blame for the fiasco, so they can go..but no votes..no popular vote count

It's very disingenuous of them to play the victim, when I SAW the cutesy buttons they made, disparaging Dean, and the gloating about how they were moving their primary up to gain influence.. They were all in favor of it...THEN..because they thought they could bully their way back in later..

Many states separate their primaries..dem from republican.. maybe they need to start doing this, to prevent being snookered again by the republicans...

It's moot anyway, since Mccain will carry FL.. I think Crist will be his running mate..and even if he's not, we all pretty much know how screwed up FL elections can be...and jebbie's still there..

[flpoljunkie]

12. Remember that Hillary's camp thought she'd have nomination all wrapped up by Feb 5th, but a funny

thing happened on her way to the nomination--Super Tuesday was not so super for Hillary Clinton, and she failed to lock down the nomination. Florida Democratic establishment types, and Hillary Clinton supporters like Bill Nelson, thought by having the January 29th primary--although only a "beauty contest" would give Hillary a big burst of momentum going into Super Tuesday.

Didn't happen. And so the flip-flop by Hillary Clinton on Florida and Michigan and the push by her supporters for a "do-over" primary for these states--unless, of course, they are willing to accept the original primaries the DNC warned them would not count.

[krawhitham]

15. 1 million a delegate, hell that is more than Romney paid per delegate

[Cha]

17. Oh the Irony! Florida could have had a Big

Voice if not for the power grabbing officials who wanted to screw with the DNC's rules and have their "big deal" primary a week earlier than SuperTues. How stupid was that?