Floridians: Redirect your anger...it's not the DNC's fault

[margotb822]

Interesting thing about the FL situation, which I know we've talked about before, is the voting in the legislature. Everyone was talking about how the "Republican controlled legislature" forced the vote, but no one mentioned that the FL Democrats in the state legislature voted in favor as well. And not in insignificant numbers. "Mar. 21--TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida House of Representatives voted overwhemingly Wednesday to make the state's presidential primary one of the earliest in the nation.

The House voted 115-1 to permanently move up the date of the presidential primary to the first Tuesday in February or a week after the New Hampshire primary, whichever comes first. State Rep. Jack Seiler, a Wilton Manors Democrat, cast the lone dissenting vote."

Ok, so FL has a problem with its elected representatives. Maybe the FL voters need to contact THEIR elected representative and ask why that person voted in a way they knew would cost them 50% of their delegates at a minimum.

The DNC needs to put the focus on the FL legislators because they are the ones who started this in the first place. Now, if the Dems had voted against moving the primary, I can see the DNC being more lenient. But, obviously the FL people need to be directing their anger at their legislators, not the DNC.

A few more things, FL Dems knew this was going to happen and they could have contacted their representatives to protest. And, FL had the opportunity to change the date back, and FL voters could have contacted their legislators then. So, what happened? Why do you not speak up until now? Until it is at a national level? And why do you blame the DNC for enforcing its rules? You should be angry at your legislators for putting FL in the negative spotlight again.

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-160825721.html

[MercutioATC]

1. Thanks

This needed to be said.

Nobody should be disenfranchised, but if they are they should place blame where it's due...in this case with their own elected representatives.

[margotb822]

5. I agree that the voters shouldn't be disenfranchised

But, they should blame their state, not the DNC

[MercutioATC]

12. Exactly

That's what I was saying. Their own elected Democratic representatives in FL voted in favor of moving the date despite the fact that the DNC had warned them not to.

[stop the bleeding]

2. but no one mentioned that the FL Democrats in the state legislature voted in favor as well. - WTF?

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian

someone better tell madfloridian she is a no one, cause the article clearly states no one has mentioned this before.

[madfloridian]

13. Thanks, hell I been mentioning it for months.

115 to 1....I can say it in my sleep.

[TexanDem]

3. Well said -- K&R

[margotb822]

7. Thanks!

[nomorewhopper]

4. the boneheads should be SENT TO JAIL

[margotb822]

6. Or at least to the Republican Party

where they obviously belong...

[Malikshah]

10. Don't worry-- they're already there. Been there since at least 2000 if

not before.

Wasserman-Schultz, Nelson, and Thurman can go pound sand.

[jab105]

8. I already have,..and, I've just changed my registration from Independent to Democrat

so that I can vote in the new primary - for Obama...

I was kinda bummed that he wasn't down here campaigning (I saw him at Take Back America in June and it was awesome), and can't wait to see him down here:)

[spag68]

9. Fla. vote

Try to remember that it was important for dems. to vote because there was an important real estate tax being decided. I live there part time and my daughter is a realtor.in St. Pete. The rethugs there did some hoky-poky IMO just to mess things up.

[madfloridian]

11. Recommended. Thanks.

:hi:

[1776Forever]

14. Some of the Dem Leaders went before Dean - There was talk of a Caucus - Then lots of people gave up

I followed this pretty closely and I know there was some discussion about changing the date back or doing a caucus that would have counted but it fell through. Most of us were under the impression the votes wouldn't count but I still voted for Obama because I was afraid someone would try to "steal" the election for themselves. I was very disappointed after living here for almost 20 years and going through this same BS that we went through in 2000. It hurt and still does!

:hug:

[margotb822]

15. Can you explain the voting?

Why did so many Democrats vote in favor of moving the primary when they knew the outcome was going to be bad? I just don't get it...

[1776Forever]

16. From the Florida Democrats website -

The DNC says that Florida could have applied to hold an early primary when it was developing the calendar, but didn’t. Why not?

http://www.fladems.com/page/content/makeitcount-faqs/#q5

In Florida, the Legislature is controlled by Republicans. Democrats must prioritize what they work on to achieve the best they can for Floridians. An early primary was never a priority for Democrats, who remain far more concerned with issues such as insurance reform, increased healthcare for children, and improving our schools.

The Rules say you had to try to stop the primary move, but Democrats voted for the law. What gives?
Initially, before a specific date had been decided upon by the Republicans, some Democrats did actively support the idea of moving earlier in the calendar year. That changed when Speaker Rubio announced he wanted to break the Rules of the Democratic and Republican National Committees. Following this announcement, DNC and Florida Democratic Party staff talked about the possibility that our primary date would move up in violation of Rule 11.A.

Party leaders, Chairwoman Thurman and members of Congress then lobbied Democratic members of the Legislature through a variety of means to prevent the primary from moving earlier than February 5th. Party leadership and staff spent countless hours discussing our opposition to and the ramifications of a pre-February 5th primary with legislators, former and current Congressional members, DNC members, DNC staff, donors, activists, county leaders, media, legislative staff, Congressional staff, municipal elected officials, constituency leaders, labor leaders and counterparts in other state parties. In response to the Party’s efforts, Senate Democratic Leaders Geller and Wilson and House Democratic Leaders Gelber and Cusack introduced amendments to CS/HB 537 to hold the Presidential Preference Primary on the first Tuesday in February, instead of January 29th. These were both defeated by the overwhelming Republican majority in each house.

The primary bill, which at this point had been rolled into a larger legislation train, went to a vote in both houses. It passed almost unanimously. The final bill contained a whole host of elections legislation, much of which Democrats did not support. However, in legislative bodies, the majority party can shove bad omnibus legislation down the minority’s throats by attaching a couple of things that made the whole bill very difficult, if not impossible, to vote against. This is what the Republicans did in Florida, including a vital provision to require a paper trail for Florida elections. There was no way that any Florida Democratic Party official or Democratic legislative leader could ask our Democratic members, especially those in the Florida Legislative Black Caucus, to vote against a paper trail for our elections. It would have been embarrassing, futile, and, moreover, against Democratic principles.

..............

There are other answers to question on that link page. Hope this will clear up some of the fog for you.

:hi:

[margotb822]

18. Dirty GOP politics

Move the primary or have a paper trail? After 2000, how can one vote no on the paper trail? Well, I am not an expert in FL politics, but I do believe that the state legislators have not been doing their jobs or else it wouldn't have gotten to this point. I'm sorry for all people who are subject to their "leadership" and I hope you can get a better group in the future.

[fadedrose]

17. Same thing in MI - elected officials screwed us up - all Dems

[MelissaB]

19. .

:kick:

[MonkeyFunk]

20. Yes, the DNC didn't make Florida change their primary

but the DNC DID implement the draconian penalty, and for what? Iowa and New Hampshire went first anyway.

Once they had their primaries/caucuses, the DNC should've rescinded the penalty.

[seabeyond]

21. that is obvious, logical and pragmatic, .... hilary crowd still want the delegates. fair inst an

issue for them

[GeorgeGist]

22. Inquiring minds need to know.

Who gave the DNC the authority to dictate the rules of elections. No smoke and mirrors please.

[margotb822]

23. As far as I know

The state representatives voted on and accepted the rules at a meeting a in 2006.