Tag Archives: Michigan Democrats

Just be weighing in on the Democrat Primary "do-over" wishes of the Michigan Democrat Party.

Sorry folks, you all blew it.

Brief history:

MICHIGAN: One could almost write a book on the machinations around Michigan's Jan. 15, 2008 primary date. Michigan Democrats, in particular Sen. Carl Levin, led the effort to challenge New Hampshire's privileged first-in-the-nation status. Levin was the driving force behind creation of the DNC Commission on Presidential Nomination Timing and Scheduling which ran in 2005-06. In April 2006 Michigan Democrats applied to the DNC for Michigan to be one of the new early pre-window states; however the DNC approved Nevada and South Carolina. Fast-forward to 2007. On Aug. 22, 2007, the Republican-controlled State Senate approved by a vote of 21 to 17 S.B. 624, which, as amended, required a statewide presidential primary election on Jan. 15, 2008 (the original bill set a date of January 29). (reactions). On Aug. 30, the Democratic-controlled House passed the legislation by a vote of 67 to 34, and the same day the Senate passed a concurred version of the bill. (letter to candidates). Gov. Granholm signed the measure into law on Sept. 4. (press release). However, on Oct. 24 Mark Grebner, an East Lansing political consultant, filed suit challenging the constitutionality of a provision of the law granting exclusive rights of voter lists to the Democratic and Republican parties. (related) In Nov. 2007 Ingham County Circuit Court Chief Judge William E. Collette issued an order prohibiting the Jan. 15 primary. The Court of Appeals upheld the ruling on Nov. 16. There were efforts to pass a legislative remedy and the parties prepared back-up plans. (press release). Finally on Nov. 21 the Michigan Supreme Court reversed the lower court rulings. (reactions). The Jan. 15 date violates Democratic and Republican national party rules, and both the DNC and the RNC have vowed to enforce penalties.

The run down. The rules say that Michigan (and others) cannot hold their primary before Iowa and New Hampshire. Michigan and Florida - knowing the rules AND the consequences - chose to hold their primary early. As a result, Michigan (according to the DNC) will have its delegates stripped of their votes. The state of Michigan will have no say in regards to the Democrat candidate for president - as a direct result of the choice that Michigan politicians made.

Fast forward to the rather entertaining contest between Clinton and Obama.

NOW. March.

Everyone in the Democratic Party appears to want to resolve how to include Michigan and Florida delegates at the national convention in August, but few can agree on what the solution should be and no one seems to want to pay for it.

Michigan and Florida were stripped of their combined 313 delegates by the DNC when the states moved their primaries ahead of Feb. 5 , Super Tuesday. Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton — as well as the other candidates who had been competing before the Jan. 15 and Jan. 29 primaries respectively — agreed not to campaign in those states. Clinton won both contests, although Obama’s name was not on the ballot in Michigan. (emphasis mine)

Hello? The solution WOULD have been, to follow the rules in the first place! Of course Clinton won - Obama wasn't even on the ballot (having agreed not to campaign in the state - a consequence of Michigan's choice).

Florida and Michigan Governors to DNC and RNC:
Don’t Silence 5,163,271 AmericansTALLAHASSEE- Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm released a joint statement today calling on the Democratic and Republican National Committees with a very clear message: Seat our delegates.

Joint Statement from Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm.

“The right to vote is at the very foundation of our democracy. This primary season, voters have turned out in record numbers to exercise that right, and it is reprehensible that anyone would seek to silence the voices of 5,163,271 Americans. It is intolerable that the national political parties have denied the citizens of Michigan and Florida their votes and voices at their respective national conventions.

According to the DNC and RNC, Florida and Michigan have violated party rules by moving up their primaries. Today, we each will call upon our respective state and national party chairs to resolve this matter and to ensure that the voters of Michigan and Florida are full participants in the formal selection of their parties' nominees. We must restore the rights of the more than 5 million voters whose voices have been silenced.”

With all due respect to the governors involved:  THE PARTIES ARE NOT THE ONES WHO DEPRIVED THE STATES OF THE PRIMARY DELEGATES!!!

You did.  When you signed the bill moving the primaries up KNOWING the consequences.

Clinton wants Florida, Michigan delegates to Democratic convention reinstated.

No me diga.  (ya don't say.)

Clinton could claim most of the Michigan delegates because she won that state's primary after the other major candidates pulled their names from the ballot.

Clinton "won" the Michigan primary AFTER the other major candidates pulled their names off the ballot.

Still, she received only 55 percent of the vote in the Michigan primary, with "uncommitted" garnering about 40 percent.

Okay...being the only person on the ballot, she won the primary by 15%.  I wonder what would have happened if she had been running against an actual person?

She's not factoring in Detroit.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Clinton backer who also supported the primary legislation, said in a statement she was "deeply disappointed" by the failure to enact new primary legislation.

Hmmm...maybe you should have been a little more disappointed in the FIRST one you signed.  You know, the one that got Michigan stripped of its delegate votes to start with?

They knew the rules, knew the consequences, broke the rules, got the consequences and now want a "do-over".

They should suck it up and live with the consequences.

We, the rest of the state of Michigan...have to live with the choices of our politicians every single day.  And our economy is hosed, our unemployment is (fill in the blank), our taxes are...irritating.

Every single day.

DEMOCRAT POLITICIANS WHO MADE THIS BED:  SLEEP IN IT.