I'm offering (for discussion) a possible solution to the delegate impasse:

[rateyes]

Whenever there was one candy bar, piece of cake, etc. left over and my brother and I both wanted it, my mother would give each of us half. To make it fair, she said that one of us could make the cut, and the other would get to choose which half he wanted. That way, the person making the cut could not complain about not getting the "bigger half" because he had made the cut so as to attain what he believed "equal pieces." The other couldn't complain because he got to choose which piece.

Having said that, here is my POSSIBLE solution to the looming problem of a brokered convention.

Clinton and Obama both agree that one will get the nomination for president, and the other will serve as Vice-president. If they couldn't come to agreement as to which would be which, have Howard Dean flip a coin.

Whichever one is favored with the presidential nomination agrees up front and very publicly that, regardless of circumstances, he/she will serve only ONE TERM. After four years, the Vice-president gets to run as the incumbent for TWO TERMS. After that, if the one-term president wants to run again for a second term, so be it.

I know this isn't perfect. But, perhaps, it's worth thinking about.

What do you think?

[JorgeTheGood]

1. I like your imagination ...

but the voters in FL and MI simply want their votes counted ... not non-counted, not purged, not changed and not a coin flip.

[rateyes]

2. I know quite a few voters in FL and MI who don't think it's fair to

seat those delegates.

[lapfog_1]

3. If FL and MI delegates are seated

and those delegates cause Hillary to have more pledged delegates(I don't think this will happen). The Democratic Party will suffer... big time.

Same goes for the Super Delegates.

[MonkeyFunk]

5. and if by not counting their votes

Obama wins over Hillary, the party will suffer.

[lapfog_1]

14. Why would you assert that?

because the previously agreed to rules were followed?

And somehow that will tear up the party because Hillary couldn't have HER way?

Really?

[MonkeyFunk]

15. No

did you read what I wrote?

If, with the votes of FL and MI, Hillary would have won, but ends up NOT winning, then there will be plenty of discontent, too. Disenfranchising two states to give the nomination to somebody who didn't get the most votes would be just as harmful as any other scenario you can dream up.

[lapfog_1]

16. And how do you count the MI votes

in the race for most votes nationwide.

Would you give 0 votes to Obama or all the uncommitted?

See, once you start down this path, you won't know what to do that will be fair.

The fair thing is to not seat the delegates, AS AGREED TO by both Hillary and Obama.

Yeah, I'm sorry, it sucks for those in FL and MI.

Minus the delegates from MI and FL, should Hillary have more pledged delegates come convention, I'm all in favor of her getting the nomination. And should Obama have them, he should get the nomination.

[MonkeyFunk]

17. Neither agreed not to seat the delegates

they agreed not to campaign in those states.

I know it benefits your guy not to seat them, but that's not a reasonable answer. It may seem like it a lot, but Dems really aren't SO stupid as to piss off two big states we'll need in November.

Sure, give Clinton her votes, and let the uncommitted go as uncommitted.

[lapfog_1]

19. Well, sure, that's really fair of you.

:sarcasm:
"let the uncommitted go as uncommitted"

I thought you were better than the other Hillary supporters. At least fair minded.

The DNC made up the rules, even the rule about what would happen if FL and MI did not adhere to the other rules. The candidates ALL agreed to abide by the DNC rules. So, yeah, Hillary and Obama agreed to not seat the delegates.

Now, because she left her name on the ballot in MI, you want those delegates to count for her.

And how big of you to "let the uncommitted go as uncommitted".

Sorry, that ain't gonna happen that way.

If Hillary somehow forces it (by using the Super delegates to vote in the rules committee to seat the FL and MI delegates), then THAT will be the end of the Democrats in 2008. That would be the one move that will do it for me, and thousands of other democrats like me.

I'll vote for her should she WIN the nomination UNDER THE RULES that were already established... but if she has to change the rules in the middle of the game to win... well, you won't have to kick me out of DU, or the Democratic party, I'll be long gone.

[MonkeyFunk]

20. Because there was no requirement for Obama

to remove his name from the ballot. He chose to do so.

The fact is, this has to be resolved, and long before the convention. Dean knows that. They're all hoping it won't come down to those states, but I'm sure they have plans to avoid a bloodbath at the convention.

[lapfog_1]

21. There isn't any mechanism to resolve it

UNTIL the convention, other that to press upon one or the other candidate to not go forward.

At the convention, the rules committee will be selected, and IT will have the power to seat or not seat the delegates from FL or MI.

I'm sure the powers that be (the gang of 5 or 6) would like to avoid it. But right now, as far as I can tell, Obama shouldn't be in any hurry to resolve this. If he ends up (very likely at this point) with more pledged delegates than Hillary, he will be able to have his people on the rules committee... and block the attempts to seat the delegates from primaries and caucuses that did not adhere to the rules (and which, I believe, Dean will have to back them up on, given that it was him that made the rules and the punishments).

[yourguide]

7. what about those who...

didnt vote thinking their votes wouldnt count, I'm sure they would like their votes counted.

and how about the folks in MI who might have voted for Obama or Edwards but they werent on the ballot because they played by the DNC rules.

not fair to seat the delegates as is period. the rules should either stand or there should be a revote. Only then would it be fair because the rules were known.

[JorgeTheGood]

9. not many of them to talk about

more than 1.7 million dems voted in the Florida primary (tax issues on the ballot) so most of them were accounted for. In fact, more dems voted in FL than all the caucus states combined :D

[yourguide]

11. From what I understand FL turn out increased about 50%

Most other states doubled...sounds like an easy 20-25% might be unaccounted for that might have voted.

[JorgeTheGood]

13. doubt it n/t

[electron_blue]

12. It doesn't matter. When you tell people their votes won't count, and then you count them

we are down a road of deception we really don't want to travel down.

My mother and her friends are among those in Florida who stayed home that day because they were told that the primaries were just for the Republicans.

As for Michigan... Obama's name was not even on the ballot. True, he removed his name, but we can't afford to be this confusing, perceived as deceptive to our voters. This is not right.

[harun]

4. Saw someone else offer something similar, problem is it opens

up the possibility of the Repubs stealing it after the first term. Also if the person is just flat out doing a great job, people may not want them to step down. Others mentioned the problem where a lot of politically touchy things are approached in the 2nd term, since you can't run again. So it is an important part of the process.

I think letting things run out this long has some pro's and con's. More con's than pro's however. A big pro is that the MSM and the right wing noise machine have not targeted the Dem candidate yet, because they don't know it. The con's are of course there is going to be a lot of bad blood on the Dem side. Half of the supporters are going to feel ripped off either way.

[JorgeTheGood]

6. If the delegate problem is not resolved

to the satisfaction of both sides ... the dems have no chance of winning the white house and they could even lose the senate. To think otherwise is denial.

[rateyes]

8. That's why I'm proffering this.

[JorgeTheGood]

10. good proffer

let's hope the party bosses wake up and do something.

[FlyingSquirrel]

18. Whew!

For a second I thought you were gonna suggest cutting them each in half and putting two halves together to form Clintbama!