Dem Florida Do-Over Unlikely
The sheer logistics of conducting a Dem primary do-over in Florida are daunting. There is a strong case to be made, though, on why the vote should occur regardless of whatever hurdles might have to be overcome.
It’s looking increasingly like the proposed do-over of the Democratic Party presidential primary is DOA. There have been several proposals batted around, the latest of which is a mail in ballot type of affair. The Dem chairperson in Florida appears to be concerned about the sheer logistics of conducting such a vote:
The head of Florida’s Democratic Party said Thursday the proposed vote-by-mail presidential primary is unlikely to go forward because of strong opposition and concerns about conducting the vote…
…[Karen] Thurman will review comments from Democratic leaders and make a decision by Monday on whether to proceed with the re-vote. But she acknowledged that Obama has had concerns and the Democratic National Committee won’t support a proposal unless both candidates also back it. She said there’s a serious question over whether the state could legally verify the signatures of a privately run election.
“If this becomes something that we can’t do, then we can’t do it,” Thurman said…
When I first heard of the proposal, my thoughts were: ripe for fraud and ballot box stuffing. After all, it would be exceedingly difficult to verify and validate every single one of more than a million-plus ballots.
On the other hand, even if it took days (or weeks) to validate and count, this type of a primary might just be the ultimate in voter enfranchisement. Florida Dems would be able to take some time in casting their votes, and it’s probable that doing it this way would result in a huge turnout.
Regardless, there are some excellent reasons why the Florida Democratic Party delegation should be seated (and their votes count) at the upcoming convention in Denver. Let’s not forget that it wasn’t the Dems in the Fla. state legislature who proposed and approved the shifting of the primaries to Feb. 5th, in defiance of DNC rules. The GOP forced the date on Dems. Mary Beth Williams has the details at Wampum, and makes an excellent argument for why a re-vote should happen, no matter how it takes place.
Let’s not forget that it wasn’t the Dems in the Fla. state legislature who proposed and approved the shifting of the primaries to Feb. 5th, in defiance of DNC rules.
The DNC made a bone-headed move in denying all delegates for something that was, basically, a Republican maneuver. The Republicans made the right move by cutting the delegates in half instead of not seating any of them - if the DNC had done the same thing there wouldn’t even be an argument right now.
First really bad move I’ve seen Dean make, but it’s a doozy. And at the time no one thought it would have much impact. Heck, I thought it was a bad move to disenfranchise people on principle, but I never thought it would end up being the source of a mess.
Disenfranchisement is happening everywhere. Anyone heard of the union debacle in Ohio? The California Nurses Association disenfranchised thousands of women by ruining their union vote. Here’s a letter about it that has been going around.
March 12, 2008
Dear Rose Ann DeMoro,
It’s hard for us to imagine how someone who calls herself a labor leader could purposely do what you have done to us and our families. You don’t know any of us. You have never been to our homes or met our children. You have never visited us on our shifts, or walked in our shoes. You don’t know a thing a bout the struggle that brought us to the verge of our dream to have a union. And yet without talking to a single one of us you send your bullying staff to come in and spread terrible lies for no other reason than to destroy what we worked so hard to build.
For three years we have worked with SEIU members, leaders and staff to form our union. We sent letters to hospital officials and mobilized community support for fair organizing rules. SEIU has supported and encouraged us through some very hard times, and helped us stand up for ourselves. We are caregivers—registered nurses and respiratory therapists, dietary and housekeeping staff, lab techs and other employees. SEIU helped us understand how we could do more by speaking with one voice and standing together for our families and our patients. SEIU respected our intelligence and our ability to make our own decisions.
You say you stand for democracy. But then you come in with a goal of destroying our campaign without ever asking us what we think about SEIU and our agreement for fair election ground rules—ground rules we now understand you have made use of many times in California.
You say you stand for justice. But then you deny us our opportunity for a fair vote free of misleading propaganda and scare tactics.
Our efforts to unite for better jobs and health care were not a secret. At any time during those three years you could have come and presented your union, compared yourself to SEIU, and asked us to make a choice. But you didn’t. So it is obvious to us that your sole intention was to destroy what we have built. What kind of organization sets out to destroy the efforts of the very people you claim to stand for, and then tries to pretend it’s a moral cause?
Here in Ohio, union organizers and representatives don’t behave the way yours do. They show respect for hard-working people. We have read all the words about how you try to justify this, but when compared to the needs of our families and the needs of our patients, they show a complete disregard for basic fairness and decency. You have brought harm to thousands of workers and families in Ohio, and you should be ashamed of what you have done.
Signed,
Linda Kirby, RN
Mercy Anderson
Anderson Township, OH
Sue Koch
ER Tech
Mercy Western Hills
Cincinnati, OH
Barbara Matlie, RN
Mercy Western Hills
Cincinnati, OH
Michaela Silver, RCP
Springfield Regional Medical Center
Springfield, OH
Diana Stamler, RN
Mercy Fairfield
Fairfield, OH
Sally Baker, RN
Springfield Regional Medical Center
Springfield, OH
Mary Ann Wolf,
Lead Cook
Mercy Anderson
Anderson Township, OH
Peggy Vaughn, RN
Mercy Western Hills
Cincinnati, OH
Sue Allen, RN
Springfield Regional Medical Center
Springfield, OH
Lorie Compton, RCP
Mercy Memorial Hospital
Urbana, OH
Colleen Gresham, RN
Mercy Mt. Airy
Cincinnati, OH
Betty White, MLT
Mercy Fairfield
Fairfield, OH
Susan Home, RN
Mercy Mt. Airy
Cincinnati, OH
Alecia Davis, RN
Springfield Regional Medical Center
Springfield, OH
Marianne Heider, RN
Mercy Western Hills
Cincinnati, OH