Resolving the Democrats' Primary Problem
The national Democratic Party carried out its threat to strip the delegates of any states that moved their primaries ahead of any of the four approved contests for January. Michigan and Florida tested those waters and the national party acted. The Republican Party, for their part, will accept only half of the delegates from those two states, as part of their own policy.
But, with most of the states having already voted and the Democratic nomination still being contested, there would be a major PR problem if the Democrats go to convention and no delegates from those two states take part.
Although the complaining from Democratic bosses in those states is immensely irritating, there will have to be a plan that leads to delegates from Michigan and Florida sitting in the convention.
Simply put, merely letting the results from the January contests stand can not happen. Barack Obama was not on the Michigan ballot for that vote and did not campaign in Florida (Hillary Clinton did her best to come as close to campaigning in Florida as possible). Further, it would validate those results as the voters expressed in January. If those results are validated and the delegates from that vote are seated, then what exactly was the punishment to those two states?
Having the states pay for new elections only punishes the average voters, whom, even if they were Democrats, had no say in where their elections were placed.
Thus, new votes must be done and paid for by the state Democratic parties. However they get the funds is up to them, but they must pay for it. Surely, people would rally to that cause.
The votes must also happen after every other primary and caucus has taken place. Therefore, the chances of the votes in these two states would become turning points for the campaign is limited. There would also be no punishments to the other states (and territories) by being placed behind these two states. Additionally, the chances of one candidate or another taking a lead large enough to prevent a disputed convention is greater. With Obama being ahead by approximately 150 pledged delegates, the chances of Clinton catching up are slim, due to the way delegates are apportioned in the Democratic Party.
These last two contests should also take place between one week and two weeks following the final contests, so that campaign attention does not drift too far away from the last contests nor would there be too large a gap exist such that there would be long, intense campaigning in Michigan and Florida.
It would be ideal if both states would only have half the delegates admitted to the convention, as is still the case with the Republicans. However, it might still be too much of a PR problem if that were the case if (or when) there is no clear-cut Democratic winner as there is for the Republican Party.
This deal should be made immediately. Not only so that the state parties could raise the money for the new votes, but also so that this bickering can finally cease. For two months, there has been nothing but griping from these two states. It is even threatening to rival the griping that comes from Holy Iowa and Holy New Hampshire when anyone even thinks that they shouldn't have their divine rights to vote first. This has to be ended.
But, with most of the states having already voted and the Democratic nomination still being contested, there would be a major PR problem if the Democrats go to convention and no delegates from those two states take part.
Although the complaining from Democratic bosses in those states is immensely irritating, there will have to be a plan that leads to delegates from Michigan and Florida sitting in the convention.
Simply put, merely letting the results from the January contests stand can not happen. Barack Obama was not on the Michigan ballot for that vote and did not campaign in Florida (Hillary Clinton did her best to come as close to campaigning in Florida as possible). Further, it would validate those results as the voters expressed in January. If those results are validated and the delegates from that vote are seated, then what exactly was the punishment to those two states?
Having the states pay for new elections only punishes the average voters, whom, even if they were Democrats, had no say in where their elections were placed.
Thus, new votes must be done and paid for by the state Democratic parties. However they get the funds is up to them, but they must pay for it. Surely, people would rally to that cause.
The votes must also happen after every other primary and caucus has taken place. Therefore, the chances of the votes in these two states would become turning points for the campaign is limited. There would also be no punishments to the other states (and territories) by being placed behind these two states. Additionally, the chances of one candidate or another taking a lead large enough to prevent a disputed convention is greater. With Obama being ahead by approximately 150 pledged delegates, the chances of Clinton catching up are slim, due to the way delegates are apportioned in the Democratic Party.
These last two contests should also take place between one week and two weeks following the final contests, so that campaign attention does not drift too far away from the last contests nor would there be too large a gap exist such that there would be long, intense campaigning in Michigan and Florida.
It would be ideal if both states would only have half the delegates admitted to the convention, as is still the case with the Republicans. However, it might still be too much of a PR problem if that were the case if (or when) there is no clear-cut Democratic winner as there is for the Republican Party.
This deal should be made immediately. Not only so that the state parties could raise the money for the new votes, but also so that this bickering can finally cease. For two months, there has been nothing but griping from these two states. It is even threatening to rival the griping that comes from Holy Iowa and Holy New Hampshire when anyone even thinks that they shouldn't have their divine rights to vote first. This has to be ended.
posted by Will at 11:10 PM
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