Make Obama and Clinton Pay for 'Redo'

[NDambi]

CLEARWATER, FLA.—There is a common-sense solution to the potentially ruinous fight over seating of the Florida and Michigan delegations to the Democratic convention. In fact, it is so apparent that it will probably never happen.

To pay for two revotes in the two decisive states, the money should come from the bulging campaign treasuries of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. The two candidates struggling to gain the nomination without more dissension should pay for the contests.

They agreed early to play by the rules. The Democratic National Committee made it clear that Florida and Michigan would be penalized for scheduling their primaries before an agreed-on plan by the DNC.

The cries of protest from politicians of both parties in both states have a hollow ring. They knew what they were doing when they leapfrogged the DNC plan.

<snip>


Obama and Clinton should have the courage to face voters in a real contest in the two states. If there are more grandstanding and dilly-dallying and the question goes to Denver, we might as well inaugurate John McCain right now. It is that serious.

Democrats, the warning sign is glowing.

Edited to add the link:
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/mashek/2008/03/06/make-obama-and-clinton-pay-for-redo.html

[MonkeyFunk]

1. Yeah

let's blow $50 million that could be used to fight McCain on an unnecessary recount, just to assuage Howard Dean's ego.

[C_U_L8R]

2. So essentially you want US to pay for it

Or at least our donations.

Frankly, Florida and Michigan fucked up and didn't abide by the rules.
If residents of those states have a beef with that, then they should be storming their state legislatures.
This is grade A silly season bullshit.

[Apollo11]

3. I think the Obama campaign should pay

The reason is very simple. They have more money (Obama raised $55 million in February - compared to the Clinton campaign's $35 million).

Plus it is the Obama campaign that is objecting to the idea of including the delegates that were elected in the renegade primaries that were already run in these 2 States.

The Clinton campaign is not insisting on the need for a do-over.

[angie_love]

7. yeah thats going to happen

:rofl:

[Rainbowreflect]

29. Of course Clinton is not requesting a do-over.

I would like the results too if the person I was running against was not on the ballet in one of the states.
Michigan and Florida agreed to the rules, Clinton and Obama agreed to the rules. Sorry if you don't like them now.

[robcon]

4. Ridiculous suggestion.

The states' party leaders screwed up (going along with the legislatures), and didn't believe the DNC would actually follow through with what they warned about. The candidates have no role in funding the mistakes of the state parties.

The state Democratic party apparatus, not the candidates, have to pay - or the votes from those states will not count. Maybe they can approach Democrats across the country for donations specifically for the primaries in MI and FL.

[mmonk]

5. Sorry, Obama's campaign shouldn't have to pay

for someone else's sins and thus have less to compete with.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. Florida And Michigan Have Lotteries

How hard would it be to raise the money in a lottery?

Of course the lotter can be held before or after the new primaries...

[Maribelle]

15. The Florida lottery is supposed to go for the education of her children ...

not because a handful of Democratic political egomaniacs could not settle this problem calmly and rationally before the 29th primary. The Republicans egomaniacs had no problem settling it calmly and rationally.


Hard working Floridians already paid $25,000,000 million for the 29th primary. Please don't even think about sucking out more of our money.

[NDambi]

8. Just posting the opinion. It's not mine. I personally feel, they broke the rules...fuck 'em

but that's just me

[dkf]

9. Yup. I have no sympathy for screwups.

And if Obama uses my $ for this crap I will be pissed.

[Apollo11]

12. The date of the Florida primary was chosen by the Republican governor.

The only choice that was offered to Democratic voters was whether or not to show up and vote.

If I remember right - something like 1.7 million people voted in the Florida Democratic primary.

All the candidates names were on the ballot. Obama got around 33% of the vote.

[NDambi]

13. I've posted my opinion..others have their own, as they should..

[Independent-Voter]

23. Wow - you're either willingly obtuse, or just a fucking idiot

The Florida legislature (part of that representative republic thingy you might want to check into. The US has only followed that model for the past 230 years or so) voted to past a bill introduced by Democratic legislator Jeremy Ring http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1829

The bill passed overwhelmingly, with damn near every democrat voting for it.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)_presidential_primaries,_2008#Florida_primary
"The Florida legislature voted via House Bill 537 to move forward the date of their state's primary to January 29th, causing a chain reaction which moved many other states' primaries and caucuses to much earlier dates. The vote passed with bipartisan support 118 to 0 in the House, 37 to 2 in the Senate. In response, the Democratic National Committee has ruled that Florida's 210 delegates will not be seated, or, if seated, will not be able to vote, at the National Convention. Furthermore, the DNC has also stated that it will forbid any candidate from receiving Florida delegates should they campaign in the Florida primary.<27> The DNC Rules Committee met on August 25, 2007 and ruled that Florida would have 30 days to move its primary date at least 7 days later than the current date of January 29, or else lose all of its delegates in the Democratic primary."


Here's a story from MAY 2007 warning of the pitfalls of this decision.
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/05/09/State/Dems__primary_may_not.shtml



If Florida voters are too ignorant to follow what's going on in their legislature, fuck 'em.

[Avalux]

10. There were rules in place. Clinton should pay for any redo, not Obama.

Obama has never come out and declared 'foul' over what's happened; it's only Clinton and the GOP.

I have a better idea - let's make the GOP pay for a redo; let's take it out of Charlie Crist's pocket since he wants it so badly.

[dkf]

11. Why doesn't US News fund the damned redo.

since they want it so much.

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

14. They better make sure Hillary's check clears first.

[ozone_man]

16. If I get a traffic ticket, who pays?

I do of course.

FL and MI chose to break the DNC rules, so they have to pay. Another reason why you can't make the candidate's campaigns pay, is that their funds are comprised of donations not made to benefit FL or MI.

These states will have to think twice before breaking the rules next time, but only if they pay for their mistake.

[NeedleCast]

17. No Thanks

My donations to my candidate of choice were not made so that the people in charge of fucking up in Florida and Michigan could pay for a "redo" with my money.

[Skidmore]

18. Personally, I'm for the politicos in MI and FL who sought to

grandstand to pay for any redo. I don't support a redo. Why the Democratic Party members in those states went along with a scenario that ended up with sanctions, I'll never understand. Florida is a cesspool when it comes to election problems. We've seen this over several election cycles now. The state needs to straighten out its internal process. Period.

[bowens43]

19. this was decided before the primaries started.

no need for a re-do

[RoadRage]

20. Yeah.. if it's a caucus, Obama pays.. if it's a Primary, Clinton' pays..

I mean, if they're paying - why not just let them buy what they want.

To suggest that either candidate should have to fund this because the states decided not to follow the rules, is rediculous.

[Tarc]

21. I'd be fine with that, maybe wit the DNC chipping in a little

[shraby]

22. Hillary is the one complaining, let HER campaign

pay.

[robcon]

25. Nonsense... the people of MI and FL are the ones complaining.

Clinton's not complaining at all. She would be happy to have the previous voting, held under a cloud of vagueness and misinformation, to count for the convention. That's not going to happen.

If the primaries are held, the candidates do not have to pay - the state parties will have to pay. That is, if they want the citizens of MI and FL to have a say in the Democratic National Convention.

[GoldieAZ49]

24. yes they should split it 50/50 and redo both as closed primaries n/t

[JimGinPA]

26. Bill's Middle Eastern Library Donors Should Pay For It

:eyes:

[seabeyond]

27. that is stupid. neither responsible. both hurt by the morans that screwed this up n/t

[auburngrad82]

28. Florida and Michigan broke rules so now we punish the candidates?

I think the state parties should foot the bill. They are the ones who decided to shit on the rules that everyone agreed to in the first place.

[Arkansas Granny]

30. Why do you think that either candidate should be financially

responsible for the mess that was created by the states themselves for not following the rules about setting the dates for their primaries? Clinton and Obama had nothing to do with that and they don't have the authority to set policies for new primaries or caucuses.