Florida's Democratic Delegates Will Be Seated
This St. Pete Times article essentially confirms what Florida bloggers, specifically those at the Florida Progressive Coalition, have been arguing all along:
... House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a round-table discussion with reporters in Washington that the Democratic National Committee can try to enforce its rules, but the party's authority essentially ends when the convention begins.
"The reality is if you want to know if Florida is going to be seated, ask the Democratic nominee as soon as one emerges," Pelosi said.
Dean agreed.
"At the end of the day, the nominee will make a decision, essentially about who gets seated," Dean agreed.
No nominee for President is going to tell voters in Florida that they're not going to seat their delegates at the convention.
Dean stressed that he doesn't think the spat will cost votes in November, stressing that Florida Democrats will focus on national issues.
I have one small quibble with Chairman Dean on that point. Other than President and a few Congressional seats, there isn't much up-ticket on the November ballot in Florida. If Florida Democrats are smart, they'll be focused building up the party's bench by getting more Democrats elected to the state legislature and at the local level. Need I remind Dean that his 50 State Strategy is about winning elections at every level in every state across the country.
Now, regarding the Primary, the message to Florida Democrats is clear: VOTE ON JANUARY 29 - IT WILL COUNT.
3 comments:
This is clear as mud to me. If there is a nominee and the Florida delegation sits to confirm that person, they are still excluded in the choosing process, right?
Dean is too cavalier that this is an argument between politicians. It is a decision that disenfranchises my vote. I'm so irritated over this attitude I'm seriously considering re-registering as an Independent. Every Democratic nominee should be on every State ballot; otherwise, this smacks of manipulation. Another reason, to change parties.
This is not some little issue.
The nominee will be known well before the convention based on the outcome of the primaries and caucuses. The results of our votes in January will influence the outcome of the states that follow us. In the past, we pretty much knew who the nominee was going to be before we had a chance to vote - this time we have more sway in the outcome.
Also, traditionally it the nominee that runs the convention - not the DNC rules committee. No nominee is going to refuse to seat us or any other state.
The voting by the delegates at the convention for the last 3 decades has largely been perfunctory anyway.
As a past resident of Florida, I don't understand why the party would even begin to cast doubt on the election process in the light of the 2000 election debacle. It defies all known reason and logic. I smell elephant
dung and dependant the outcome in Novemeber because I don't trust the people of the Grand Old Potty.
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