Democrats Should Accept DNC Offer
To Pay for Michigan Primary Re-Vote
Flawed Process Would Cause Voter Disaffection, Keep Inequitable Results
February 17, 2008
By: Dave Rogers
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) reportedly has offered to pay for a caucus -- essentially a re-vote -- to straighten out the Michigan primary mess.
The same offer reportedly was made in the case of Florida, also "punished" for holding its primary at an unauthorized time.
So far Michigan Democratic party bosses like Chair Mark Brewer have refused.
Brewer said the state party is negotiating with the Democratic National Committee to seat its delegates at the national convention.
But seating the delegates selected in a flawed process in which only one of the major candidates was on the ballot would only make matters much worse.
The DNC suggests a nominating caucus, which would have to be completed before June. Brewer doesn't buy it, commenting:
"A caucus at this point is not really a feasible option. It takes months to plan a caucus, it's very expensive, and the two campaigns would have to agree they want to have a campaign."
Brewer said a caucus could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to conduct.
Well, Mr. Brewer, since this is still February it would seem that you have three months, March, April and May, to put your ship on the right course. And you have the financing from the party, according to reports. And the primary already held was put together in just a short time, less than three months. So there really is no reason not to have the re-vote, is there?
"Democrat must win Michigan to win the White House," said the Michigan party chief who is one of 796 superdelegates. The superdelegates are elected and unelected party officials who supposedly are not pledged to any candidate but who in fact have already lined up behind either Mrs. Clinton or Mr. Obama.
A fierce behind-the-scenes struggle is continuing for the backing of the superdelegates, especially two high-powered celebrities, John Edwards and Al Gore. We already know where former President Bill Clinton's loyalties lie.
Mr. Brewer claims he is uncommitted and won't make up his mind who to vote for as a superdelegate until the convention. But in essence he will be casting his vote for Mrs. Clinton if he fails to act on the re-vote. No decision is as good as a vote in this case.
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are in a virtual dead heat with a good possibility no candidate will have the delegates to win by the time the conventio is held in August.
Failure to hold a revote as the DNC recommends would let stand a situation in which hundreds of thousands of voters would be disenfranchised, cloud the national primary results and further tarnish Michigan's reputation.
Seating the Michigan delegates supposedly "chosen" Jan. 15 would favor Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, who was the only major candidate on the ballot here.
Sen. Barack Obama, D-IL, not only removed his name from the Michigan ballot but also refrained from campaigning here according to DNC dictates.
Obama should have remembered the old saw: Nice guys often finish last.
Obama already is facing an obvious fraud sitation in New York City where in 80 polling places not one vote was recorded for him. Election officials are looking into that mess, which has potentially volatile consequences for both the Democratic Party and the city.
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And why did it take New Mexico two weeks to count its primary votes?
Watch out for Ohio!
Mrs. Clinton, on the other hand, left her name on the ballot and now stands to gain Michigan and Florida delegates that could put her in a much better position to challenge for the lead in the national primary delegate race.
Democrats must ensure that the situation created in Michigan and Florida doesn't taint the entire primary process. Dems are ebullient this year with their chances to regain the White House, party leaders noting that nearly five million, or 44 percent, more Democrats than Republicans so far have voted in the primaries across the nation.
The DNC lists the following statement on its website regarding elections: "A fundamental tenet of our democracy is the right to vote and have that vote counted. We must be vigilant in protecting this right and ensuring that our voting system is fair for every American.
"Democrats are determined to reform the voting system in this country so that it includes verification, accountability, and accuracy. It is imperative that we modernize election equipment, and guarantee access to polls with common sense reforms such as Election Day registration, shorter lines, and early voting. The Democratic Party is committed to election reform and will fight for federal standards that restore confidence in our voting process."
All we can say is that election reform begins at home and Michigan Democratic leaders need to pay attention or risk losing great credibility if this mess is allowed to stand.
Not only that, we could end up with a candidate as the nominee of a national political party who didn't actually win the process fairly.
And a candidate consigned to defeat whose name wasn't even on the ballot.
And fairness is the American creed. Isn't it?###