When I got up this morning I vowed I would leave the topic alone. But a brief look at local news channels changed my mind. I saw once again statements quoted by
Steve Geller blaming Howard Dean for the Florida mess.
I saw once again quotes from the interview by Corinne Brown saying that
Howard Dean should resign.It is like there is no truth in this situation, that everyone gets to make their own. Even if we overlook that fact that rules were broken deliberately..they went along from the start..you can not get past the fact that they made no "good faith" effort to fix it.
Transcript from Rules and Bylaws CommissionIn the event a state shall become subject to subsections (1), (2) or (3) of section C. of this rule as a result of state law but the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee, after an investigation, including hearings if necessary, determines the state party and the other relevant Democratic party leaders and elected officials took all provable, positive steps and acted in good faith to achieve legislative changes to bring the state law into compliance with the pertinent provisions of these rules and determines that the state party and the other relevant Democratic party leaders and elected officials took all provable, positive steps and acted in good faith in attempting to prevent legislative changes which resulted in state law that fails to comply with the pertinent provisions of these rules, the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee may determine that all or a portion of the state’s delegation shall not be reduced. The state party shall have the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that it and the other relevant Democratic party leaders and elected officials took all provable, positive steps and acted in good faith to achieve legislative changes...."
Florida did not act in good faith according to the committee. This video was one of the most glaring things.
Senate Democratic minority leader presents his amendment..sort ofA senator who introduced the bill said being relevant was more important than
partying in DenverAnd Jeremy Ring, a Democratic state senator from Broward County and co-sponsor of the legislation, defended it.
"If the choice is Florida is relevant and has no delegates versus being irrelevant and having delegates, I'd choose being relevant with no delegates," Ring said. "We did this so 18 million Floridians could take part in the presidential primaries, not so a few hundred people can go to a party in Denver."
TBO.com had an article called Primary Predicaments. They pointed out a lot of things, long article. The Florida Democrats need to own up if for no other reason than the fact that the GOP has the facts down cold. I think a list is included at the link.
At its summer 2006 convention, the Democratic National Committee specified a tough penalty - the loss of half the delegation, plus a boycott preventing candidates from campaigning in the state. The 11 Florida DNC members voted for that penalty. With Florida's primary then still set in mid-March, "I don't think anyone envisioned any impact on Florida," said Mitch Ceasar, DNC member and Broward County party chairman.
Initially, Florida Democrats, who had wanted an earlier date for years, favored the idea of January. They assumed that because Florida was a key presidential battleground, the DNC rule would not be enforced. State party Chairman Karen Thurman told the Tribune in November 2006, "I don't see any downside to it."
A Democratic senator, Jeremy Ring, D-Parkland, even sponsored an initial version of the bill.
"There was a miscalculation that because we're Florida, that's going to trump everything," Katz said.
But as the legislative session began in March 2007, DNC officials issued warnings of strict enforcement of their rule. "They needed to make an example, or they'd have had a rush of other states doing the same thing," Katz said.
DNC Chairman Howard Dean called and wrote to Florida legislators, urging them to vote no, as did Thurman. Democrats could not defeat the measure - Republicans held nearly a 2-to-1 majority in the Legislature - but if they opposed it, the DNC might be mollified, Thurman said."
Primary PredicamentsI have been critical of Florida bloggers for not speaking up on this issue. Yesterday I read the words of a major Florida blogger:
Florida did break the rules. So did the DNC. DNC rules specify that people who break this rule lose half their delegates, not all of them. Additionally, South Carolina moved their election ahead of DNC-stated guidelines in response to Florida and received no penalty, which violates the rules as well."
Florida Progressive Coalition Blog I guess he did not read this DNC document. No, Ken, the DNC did not break the rules.
Under the DNC delegate selection rules, if a state party’s plan violates the rule with respect to timing, the number of its pledged delegates—those delegates awarded proportionally to candidates based on the primary or caucus results—is automatically reduced 50%(without any action by the RBC or DNC); no member of the DNC can attend the Convention as a delegate; no Member of Congress can attend the Convention as a delegate; and if applicable, the state’s Democratic governor can not attend the Convention as a delegate.
In addition, any presidential candidate who campaigns in the state for the event in violation of the rules cannot receive any pledged delegates from that state. In addition to these automatic sanctions, the DNC
RBC has authority under the rules to impose additional sanctions, including further reductions in the state’s delegation.Testimony to DNC Rules CommitteeI will stop pointing out how Florida Democratic leaders are acting when they stop acting like that. They need to stay off the TV, they need to own up to their role in this.
