FIASCO Leave it to Florida Democrats to foul up another election

[madfloridian]

It is good to finally see an article seeing the true picture. Florida newspapers are going after the DNC and Dean viciously tonight. It feels like a new cycle of news being manipulated here.

Fouling up another election



Courtesy Orlando Weekly

It wouldn’t be a presidential election if Florida didn’t figure out a way to screw it up. This time, hanging and pregnant chads and poorly constructed ballots aren’t to blame, and neither is a partisan U.S. Supreme Court. In 2008, the fault belongs squarely to Florida Democrats.

..."In May 2007, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist signed a law that moved up Florida’s primary date. It’s true that he’s a Republican, and that the state Legislature that crafted the law is GOP-controlled. But the bill had Democratic support; it passed the state House unanimously, and had only two nay votes in the Senate. The bill also required that future elections include a verifiable paper trial, which gave Democrats a reason to vote for it.

..."The DNC tried to negotiate. According to an e-mail circulated to prominent Democrats in September and forwarded to Orlando Weekly by a lawyer who does work for the party, the national party offered the state party money to pay for an alternate delegate selection program – most likely a caucus or a state convention that would have occurred sometime after Feb. 5. The state party, however, insisted on holding its primary Jan. 29, and all but dared the DNC not to count it. According to media reports, state party leaders wanted to keep the Jan. 29 primary “meaningful” to bring Democrats to the polls to vote down the proposed amendment to lower property taxes. That gambit failed.

Even though state Democratic Party officials like to point fingers at the DNC and its chairman, Howard Dean, for the state’s predicament, the reality is that state leaders knew the consequences of their actions and plunged ahead anyway.

And finally again, a word of truth.

But as of March 17, the state party announced it would no longer seek a second election, and instead hoped the DNC could find a solution. State Democrats played a game of chicken and lost. Now the party is scrambling to find a way to salvage the wreckage, but with each passing day that looks increasingly unlikely.

It is like the media here has avoided the truth at all costs. It has hurt me to see how well their propaganda worked.

[John Q. Citizen]

1. Thanks for taking on this issue. I look to your posts to see what's up in FL electionville.

[hayu_lol]

2. I look to your posts as well...

Can't get the truth from the papers or the other media...they just keep things stirred up.

Mad, you certainly have my sympathy for the chaos in your state. Have several life long friends who live there and they are almost speechless about the situation.

[rpannier]

3. Thanks for staying on top of this

As I posted awhile back...
the irony is if they had waited, their votes would have been very meaningful.

Out of curiosity, did the amendment pass or fail???
Just curious if they lost twice on that day

[MojoMojoMojo]

4. Maybe its worth it just to have a paper trail.Floridas elections are a mess.

[madfloridian]

12. Worth it? No.

The Florida Dems are held bent on vengeance toward the national party now.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

18. The Dems Wanted the Early Primary, laughed and joked while asking for "amendment" - video/audio

Gelber - Don't blame FL Dems for delegate loss

February 21, 2008

UPDATE: Gelber may have audio, but Republicans have video -- of Sen. Steve Geller offering an "amendment" to move the primary back. It was fun and games back then.
No longer. See it here

The House Democratic leader, continuing his push for a new, vote-by-mail primary,
on his new blog repeats the Democratic argument (scoffed at by the DNC)
that they were helpless to stop Republicans from moving the primary to Jan. 29.
He even includes audio of David Rivera laughing at the Democrats' amendment to shift the date to Feb. 5.

What we wonder, though, is what would have happened if Florida Democrats
opposed the early primary from the start, rather than waiting until the last minute.
Instead of cheerleading the idea of an early primary violating the national party rules
and brushing off Howard Dean, who knows if the new governor stressing bi-partisanship
would have been keen on rolling Democrats.
....

[madfloridian]

20. That is what I have been looking for. Geller acting like jackass.

That is what the DNC had when Florida went before them and pretended how hard they tried.

Voting 115 to 1 is not trying.

Here is that lovely man again.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1910

The FDP has the audio at their blog of Dan Gelber...but for some reason they forgot this little beauty.

Thanks for that.

[madfloridian]

21. That is what I have been looking for. Geller acting like jackass.

That is what the DNC had when Florida went before them and pretended how hard they tried.

Voting 115 to 1 is not trying.

Here is that lovely man again.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1910

The FDP has the audio at their blog of Dan Gelber...but for some reason they forgot this little beauty.

Thanks for that.

[SwampG8r]

27. i hate that bastard

what a toady gellar is
and he needs to see a damn tailor

[dkf]

5. You would think with their history Florida would be extra careful

to do things properly.

Think again.

[madfloridian]

15. One would think that.

But Dems here just keep barreling on into the next fiasco.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

19. "And they say they are willing to call the bluffs of the national parties"

Florida's presidential primary could be as early as January

Associated Press Thursday, March 22, 2007

...House Republicans and Democrats passed the earlier primary bill (HB 537) by a 115-1 vote -
a challenge to the national parties that are wielding threats in an attempt to prevent a nationwide
race for earlier and earlier primaries.
...
By its own state law, New Hampshire must have the nation's earliest primary.
Its secretary of state has said he will choose a date in the fall to ensure the Granite State's primacy.

National Democrats have recommended a Jan. 22 vote in New Hampshire. If that date is chosen,
Florida's vote would occur Jan. 29, with early voting starting two weeks earlier.
California, with the largest state population, signed a Feb. 5 primary into law last week.

Florida lawmakers believe the state's demographic and political diversity merit a greater say
in the selection of nominees.
They're tired of candidates treating the fourth-largest state as a fundraising ATM,
only to take the money to campaign in small states like Iowa and New Hampshire.

And they say they are willing to call the bluffs of the national parties,
which have threatened to take away delegates the state parties send to the nominating conventions

.

[reflection]

6. thanks, madfloridian

You can't get this stuff from the MSM. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed.

[JeffR]

7. K & R

and thanks for keeping the truth of this here for all to see. The propaganda really has been disgusting.

[madfloridian]

11. Here the propaganda is getting worse.

I counted 6 nasty op eds last night in effect calling for Dean's head.

Meanwhile the national media is continuing to try to hurt Obama with playing clips over and over. Just like in 04.

There is nothing anyone can do with such a powerful media.

Hillary will remain standing over the crushed bodies of Obama and Dean and anyone else who thought they could the party away from 18 state strategy of the DLC.

[Life Long Dem]

8. Democrats? I thought it was the republicans?

Have you ever been in line and someone cuts in front of you? You or someone tells them to get back in line. Well Florida and Michigan didn't and just stood there next to you in line until everyone passed them. But before the end of the line they were told to get in line anywhere from this point back to the end. But they still did not get in line. What now you say? Kick them out? Show them the rules? Make them an example? Or do what Dean said. Come up with something anything they want any *ucking thing and they are still standing there. Oh well.

[davidpdx]

9. MF thanks for keeping everyone posted

I'd kick or recommend your posts, but I don't have enough of a post history to do so.

Edit: Ah, I can recommend now. Done!

[madfloridian]

16. Thanks, I did not realize there was a post minimum to recommend

Glad you got the chance. :hi:

[Melinda]

10. Holy Moly, mad; never thought I'd see the day.. the concept of accepting personal responsibility...

at work, yeah!! Thanks for the update. :hug:

[Debi]

13. Thanks mad for trying to educate DUers on what the state party and Dem leaders did to the voters

of Florida. x(

[madfloridian]

14. It is like last night the columnists all over FL did an onslaught..

held a contest to see who could attack the DNC the most and ridicule Dean the most. I believe Daniel Ruth won, but I refuse to post his column when he is that hateful.

Florida Democrats have hurt the party irreparably here because they will never admit to being wrong.

[madfloridian]

17. Another onslaught tonight in national media.

They are putting the blame on Dean and now Obama...how they MUST fix it.

This is a tactic that will hurt us.

[better tomorrow]

22. and to top it off....

they held the primary with a homestead exemption increase on the ballot that day (this is where they will now take 50,000 off the price of your home that you don't have to pay taxes on). Everyone, the mayors, the school boards, the big whigs all came out and said that increasing the homestead would save homeowners money but would cost them in the long run as they would have to pay higher taxes to keep services. But, Crist came out in FAVOR of it and encouraged voters to "get out and vote". So, the Dems cam out, even though they knew "their vote for the President wouldn't count" to vote for the homestead exemption. Poor, black people, who don't own homes, stayed home because they didn't have any stake in it....

Bottom line....vote was skewed in favor of rich Republicans who stood to gain money and moderate white Democrats who owned homes and would likely vote for Hillary. But, the black vote was pretty much disenfranchised because they had no stake in it.

Sad, sad state of affairs....no pun intended.

[madfloridian]

23. Can't resist.

From the Seattle Post Examiner:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/horsey/viewbydate.asp?id=1733

[madfloridian]

24. US News really blasts Florida Dem leaders..... good article and true.

We see no really fair news locally in Florida, but sometimes on the national media a little something will show up.

Florida and Michigan Have No Case for a Revote

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA.—Florida may deserve the title of the nation's banana republic. Florida's problems with elections dating back to the chaotic presidential race in 2000 are well known. To the north, Michigan is making a name for itself in Democratic turmoil.

It is beyond time for Florida's Democratic officials to stop moaning about their loss of delegates to the party's convention in Denver. They knew exactly what they were doing when they violated party rules and pushed their primary ahead of the national party schedule.

The St. Petersburg Times conducted a survey of Sunshine State Democrats in which a strong majority expressed anger at the national party for dismissing the primary results here. That anger is directed at the wrong target. The state officials deserve the blame.Florida Chair Karen Thurman and senior Sen. Bill Nelson are appearing regularly on newscasts to complain about the "injustice" done to voters. That may cheer the party faithful, but they have no legitimate case.

..."On the subject of problems, what are Govs. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania and Jon Corzine of New Jersey, both Clinton backers, doing by raising money for revotes? They should keep their politics at home without creating mischief elsewhere.

Amen to that. Corzine and Rendall need to tend to their states.

[madfloridian]

25. Corrine Brown calls for Dean to resign.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=105123

"JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown places the blame for the delegate flap squarely on DNC Chairman Howard Dean.

"I think Howard Dean should fix the problem or resign," Brown exclaims during an interview at First Coast News studios.

Brown insists that Florida's delegates be seated at the convention according to the results of the January primary.

"And after what happened in 2000 in Florida, elections is a raw nerve for people in Florida. And you should not mess with us! And you should not mistreat us in Florida," she says.

However, after nearly two months of bickering, bargaining and begging the Florida Democrats and the national party are still at an impasse."

Brown is a Clinton superdelegate.

I think I will send her this video:

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/files/geller_amendment_fullh.264%20300Kbps.mov

[SwampG8r]

26. good one

as a floridian myself i watched it happen and knew the outcome when it started
i however feel the DLC element of our party here was playing strategy games with the DNC
we need to oust the DLC influence here