Details on how Florida worked with the GOP to set the early primary date.

[madfloridian]

A couple of folks here have told me I am showing an obsession about this issue. Yes, I probably am. But today when I found out the court accepted Nelson v Dean, it hit me very hard. Instead of taking a case to court on its true basis...delegates, Nelson and Hastings turned it into a way to make it sound as though the DNC was taking away the votes of African Americans.

They made their case into a racial thing to get the court to accept it.

If you speak out here in Florida very much, if you lay out the truth...you are called a "troublemaker". Heck, some might even call you crazy.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz called this guy one of the "usual lead dissenters" in the party.

Wasserman Schultz refers to one of the "usual lead dissenters."

Question:How much internal dissent was there over the decision?

Wasserman-Schultz: "It really wasn’t difficult. There were a few dissenters in the party leadership--quite honestly, the normal lead dissenter in the Democratic Party leadership in Florida (Jon Ausman, a DNC member from Tallahassee, who frequently disagrees with the party leadership). But there was actually significant unity both in the elected and the party leadership. Three-quarters of executive committee members indicated their support and took two different votes. This is the most significant swing state in this election. It’s incredibly important that we have our say and make sure that our votes are counted."

That statement was made about Florida's decision to defy the DNC. See how easily she tossed off the idea that most agreed with the state decision? And the Florida bloggers stuck with them, and the media spread their message.

Here is something from an email now online written by Jon Ausman. I have had a copy of it for a while, but now it is online. He was at the DNC to present Florida's case to them after the vote was taken: 115 yes to 1 no. He in this email presented all the things known by the DNC as Florida leaders sat there and said they fought the Republicans here. They did not fight at all. I have posted some of them before. The Rules Committee passed this out at the meeting to show Florida that the DNC had not been fooled...that they knew Florida Democrats had been on board from the start.

1Florida Democratic Legislators sponsored the bill to move the primary to January 29th;

Jeremy Ring introduces primary bill

2.Florida House Democratic Legislators voted in committee three times for the bill to move the primary to January 29;

3.All but one Florida House Democratic Legislator vote on the floor to move the primary to January 29; and,

The one conscientious NO vote

4.Florida House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber stated, after receiving a call from DNC Chair asking for help in opposing setting the primary date before February 5, “I don’t represent Howard Dean.”

5.Florida House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber stated, after offering an amendment to move the primary to February 5th, that the only reason he offer it was “to show that there was an attempt to state within the Democratic Party rules.” The amendment failed on a voice vote with no debate being offered.

6.Florida Senate Democratic Legislators voted in committee to move the primary to January;

7.Florida Senate Democratic Leader Steve Geller stated on the Senate floor that he was offering an amendment to move the primary to February 5 only because he was threatened by DNC Chair Howard Dean. Sen. Geller than mocked his own amendment which failed on a voice vote without any debate.
Email from a DNC member

The rest of his letter is well worth a read. He advocates for a caucus which would have allowed Florida to keep its delegates. He ends with this statement:

When elected officials blatantly blame the DNC for enforcing its rules and ignore the complicity of Florida Democratic elected officials in creating this situation they are not serving the Democrats of Florida well. They may get headlines, they may get support, but they are being demagogues rather than leaders.

It is time for leadership. We represent the Democrats of Florida and since our legislative Democratic elected officials have failed us, we need to make sure that their votes, in caucuses, count.

Well said, Jon. They did get those headlines. They did get the adoration of the Florida blogging network which has failed to do its job in presenting truth.

[madfloridian]

1. The one conscientious NO vote. Good for Jack Seiler.

Jack Seiler's NO vote against moving the primary date

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.

.."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. National Democratic Party rules could even punish candidates who campaign in states that move their primaries earlier than Feb. 5 by essentially not recognizing the state's delegates.

"The state can move its primary date but there are automatic sanctions," said Luis Miranda, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee. "The rules have been adopted and we will enforce the rules."

But some, like state Rep. Jack Seiler, a Wilton Manors Democrat who was the only House member to vote against the bill, believe Florida's earlier primary will hurt underdog candidates who don't have enough money to compete in large media markets at an early stage. He's been impressed with former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, but hasn't yet endorsed anyone.

"You're essentially going to make this into a straight money race," Seiler said, benefiting "whomever comes out of 2007 with the most money to prepare for these large states."

[peacetalksforall]

2. I'm not on DU that much lately - I don't know any details about FL, but Hastings

really disappoints me. I don't have any expectations for Nelson. Who are the good guys/gals?

[madfloridian]

3. There are some, but they are not speaking out.

They are letting the DNC take the battering. There are not many speaking truth about this issue. They are letting Bill Nelson and Alcee Hastings control things, and Corrine Brown and Wasserman-Schultz are going along. Brown surprises me, she is one of the loudest voices against the DNC.

[flaminbats]

5. I was a huge Dean supporter 4 years ago..

but Dean has done far more harm than good as DNC chairman. this shouldn't even be newsworthy, not used to deny any state delegates for the national convention!

Dean needs to be cooling things down, and convincing Florida Democrats they have an essential role to play at the 2008 Convention. He should be convincing the press that under no circumstances will Florida be denied delegates, because primary voters did not cause this..and their votes can only be the core of the solution.

Dean needs to be fired as DNC chairman..we need someone who protects the rights of Democratic voters to be represented, regardless of which state they live in!

[madfloridian]

7. He has tried to cool things down.

He came to Florida twice to talk things over.

We totally disagree on that topic.

The party leaders want the smoke-filled rooms to continue to make decisions.

I don't intend to argue with someone who sounds like James Carville.
His candidate for chair, Harold Ford, will be very protective of the power brokers.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1614

[flaminbats]

8. I sound like Carville?

thanks, I think..meant as an insult or compliment? I met him once and actually liked him!

I agree that Dean is trying to cool down the situation now, but I believe he handled this situation badly when it began. I still like Howard Dean, but these are the type of problems the DNC chair must handle regularly. I might even vote for Dean if he runs for office again, but I don't think he should continue to chair the DNC.

[madfloridian]

9. I agree, I would rather he step down and speak out loudly

maybe work with DFA or something like that. I think his voice has been muted to the point where he can't say anything about anything.

He enforced the rules made by the committee, and is trying hard not to say that Florida is acting like big bully.

But I can say it:

Primary bully

There is not much else he could have done except let Florida take over.

Yep, I agree. Do what Carville wants, and put Harold Ford in as chair. Let Dean step down and open his mouth again.

And for the record, Carville's days are over. He lost his credibility a few days after the election when he called for Dean to be fired.

[JDPriestly]

11. Iowa and New Hampshire have gone first forever and ever

So what's new. Why are Floridians suddenly upset about this now that a Democrat really has a chance to win big? What kind of spoilers are they? Frankly, I hope that the Florida delegation is barred from the Democratic Party leadership altogether. They do not seem to be concerned about the interests of all Democrats.

[madfloridian]

12. The Florida Democratic leaders are not for the people.

What they have done is sinful.

I am readying a post about another of their idiocies.

[Capn Sunshine]

13. The Florida Democratic leaders are not even Democrats

If they could get elected in their districts running as Republicans, they would do so.

[madfloridian]

21. Actually you are more right than you know.

It is true...they have all changed parties so much they don't know what to say to whom or what they are at a given time.

[flaminbats]

15. why even have a primary?

if New Hampshire has a problem with Florida's primary date, can't they push up their primary? If they did..I wouldn't object!

if we start barring states from sending delegates to our convention, why even have a party? I don't care which primary comes first, just as long as my primary isn't last! but every state should hold the primary elections of both parties on the same day. in other words Florida shouldn't be the first primary for Democratic Presidential candidates to win, and the last for Republicans to win.

if it was my choice, every state would select delegates the same way Iowa does. people wouldn't vote for candidates without delegates. Democrats from each Congressional district would meet in the same place, at the same time, and for the same purpose..to personally select delegates for our national convention to nominate the best Democrat for the job.

sorry but Bill Nelson is just the kind of nominee Democrats need to whip the Republicans in 2008. primaries shouldn't continue to be staged media shows just to pick the popular candidate of the month, voters should elect each convention delegate based on what that person is willing to say.

[madfloridian]

16. Florida is not the only state that is important. You sound like anarchy is better.

I am sick of the Florida a big tough state that is so important.

Sick of it.

If they want primary change, then work toward it in 2012. Don't screw it up for everyone in the middle of the primary season.

They are losing a lot of people here in Florida who were enthusastic workers. You just won't hear that on the media.

Florida has screwed things up big time.

[flaminbats]

18. the state legislature screwed things up..

Florida's primary voters had little to do with this. Florida isn't the problem, and neither is New Hampshire. its only a reflection of how disconnected our "primary system" has become, and how both parties desperately need to update this Victorian style process for nominating Presidential candidates.

[madfloridian]

19. No, not just the legislature. Karen Thurman and Bill Nelson also

Wasserman Schultz and Hastings and Wexler....all of them went along and knew exactly what was going on.

[madfloridian]

4. Comments from a conference call...Dean trying to work with the state party.

http://www.martincountydemocrats.org/2007/070828primary_vote.html

"On Thursday, 30 August 2008, DNC Howard Dean hosted a conference phone call with the Florida DNC Members former FDP Chair Terrie Brady; State Representative Joyce Cusack; FDP Vice-Chair Diane Glasser; FDP Secretary Janee Murphy; FDP Chair Karen Thurman; Jon Ausman; former FDP Chair Mitch Ceasar; Tallahassee City Commissioner Allan Katz; and, FDP Affirmative Action Chair Chuck Mohlke. Absent were: former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez and FDP Treasurer Rudy Parker. Also on the line were two DNC staffers including DNC RBC General Counsel Joseph Sandler and DNC Delegate Selection Director Phil McNamara.

The conversation was cordial, conciliatory and constructive. Governor Dean thought we should move forward and consider constructive options to provide for a party-run delegation selection process. To that end, Governor Dean offered $880,000 to help support a process of our choosing. Governor Dean, in response to a question by Jon Ausman, also noted that the DNC has contributed $350,000 annually to fund staff working for the FDP.

Governor Dean expressed concerned about the need to tone down the rhetoric and to seek solutions which respect the DNC rules regarding delegate selection. He was particularly concerned that rhetoric had moved into actions which were specifically designed to hurt the Democratic Party"

[madfloridian]

6. More about the subject from the beginning

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1607

[JDPriestly]

10. This lawsuit will cost the real Democratic Party a lot of money

in legal fees and other costs. The Florida Party is out of its mind. They are trying to deplete the coffers of the Democratic Party. Hey! We in California don't like the fact that our votes don't count. We pay a huge percentage of this nation's taxes, and we do not get to vote first. But we are team players. And we respect the fact that every state believes it should go first. Somebody has to get that privilege. Florida's Democratic Party leadership needs to get a life. They need to travel a little and find out how other people feel about what they are doing. We Democrats have better things to do with the money our Party collects than to pay for litigation against the self-centered folks in Florida.

[madfloridian]

17. It is MEANT to be harmful to the DNC

It was intended to be. Florida had worked with the GOP on this forever.

[Dr.Phool]

14. The FDP and Florida legislature feel all shat upon,

But, I've done a lot of traveling lately, especially in South Carolina, and the editorials and conversations with people are very supportive of Dean and the DNC. They are also very critical of Florida for breaking the rules, and their "me first" attitude.

Just take a look at these idiots running the show down here. And we wonder why we can't win any elections? Even as corrupt and incompetent as the repukes are in Florida, Democrats can't find their ass's with both hands and a coon hound.

I, for one, am about to give up. I might even start calling them the "Democrat Party". Because there ain't nothing democratic about it down here any more.

[truedelphi]

20. You deserve a rest. I wish your local politics would let you have one.

I still can't believe the inanities of our modern electoral system.

I think I am M-e-l-t-i-n-g

[madfloridian]

22. Yes, tired. Will take a rest when bloggers start speaking out .

I have asked some of the Florida bloggers to speak out on the real truth here.

[PassingFair]

23. Keep on 'em, Mad.

Your journal is one of the most read around here for good reason.

We NEED you for your input!

:yourock: