First, the Republican-controlled Florida legislature rejected the rules of both the GOP and DNC, holding elections earlier than permitted.
The GOP slapped their wrists, allowing only half the delegates. The DNC held firm and denied the delegates.
And lets not forget that Florida Republican Governor Crist let it happen. He could have vetoed the legislation.
Now, these same self-righteous rightwing yoyos are threatening to pass legislation that will not allow any party that does not accept primary delegates to put its candidate on the ballot in November. Who the hell do these redneck, senile fools think they are?
And Crist is going right along with this lark, playing games, trying to interfere in Democratic politics.
I hope Howard Dean will let Crist and his right wing legislature know, in no uncertain terms, that they will not have any effect upon Democratic policy, unless they choose to pay for an re-run the democratic primary election. They knew they were breaking the DNC rules and arrogantly or maliciously did it anyway.
A few years ago, in my youth, I might have told these right wing Florida rectal cavities what they could do to themselves. But I think you get the idea. Their transparent attempt to interfere with and manipulate the Democratic primary is so offensive, so stupidly obvious, it makes us realize how Floridians could have actually elected pathetic characters like Katherine Harris.
I'm glad to see Howard Dean has told them that he expects them to play by the rules. Maybe that's Dean's way of telling Crist and the Florida right wingnuts what to do with themselves.
Rob Kall is executive editor and publisher of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, inventor . He is a frequent Speaker on Politics, Impeachment, The art, science and power of story, heroes and the hero's journey, Positive Psychology, Stress, Biofeedback and a wide range of subjects. He is a campaign consultant specializing in tapping the power of stories for issue positioning, stump speeches and debates. He recently retired as organizer of several conferences, including StoryCon, the Summit Meeting on the Art, Science and Application of Story and The Winter Brain Meeting on neurofeedback, biofeedback, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology. See more of his articles here and, older ones, here.
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I must say that this state is an embarassment for the legendary corruption of the dictatorial abuses of the Jeb Bush era as well as the theft of 2000 by Bush's whore Katherine Harris, the Terri Schiavo circus and the fact that our state legislature is a wholly owned subsidiary of the insurance industry. This was once a place where old people came to retire after having paid their dues where they could enjoy nice weather and a relatively cheap cost of living. Then came the Republicans and their looter capitalist cronies who first stole their pensions then basically stole their land by buying up the mobile home parks that they lived in and threw them out in order to sell it to speculators and greedhead developers who built condos and shopping centers. I must say that I find a lot of humor in hearing them all crying like babies now that they are stuck with hundreds of thousands of units that they can't sell and they have to pay taxes on.
Florida is the diseased penis of America, a rank shithole of greed, chicken fried religion and good old boy Republican politics. Our state government wallows in a sinkhole of cess and presides over an overpriced, overdeveloped land of moral depravity that is a microcosm of America itself during the Bush crime family's reign of terror.
Just my two cents
EE
by
Ed Encho (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 52 diaries, 333 comments)
on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 11:36:56 AM
...although probably not as low as some of the poor retirees who were thrown out of their homes for the sake of the greed of condo developers with high rolling GOP connections not to name any names of course.
The Republicans have RUINED this place and the true destruction wrought by the Jeb Bush era is only now begining to be seen.
EE
by
Ed Encho (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 52 diaries, 333 comments)
on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 1:20:56 PM
but I couldnt find the tab. We were all working to maintain civility, remember? Take a deep breath, relax, and remember, whatever happens we are all going to be OK. Change takes time. We must work from within the system. If McCain can wreck three jets and leave a carrier a burned out hulk what could he possibly do to hurt the US ? Over-reacting with wild conspiracy theories is not going to help. We must now suffer the consequences of many years of apathy and our own lack of involvment in the system.
I had been giving Hirshhorn a hard time for telling people not to vote,well it turned out he was right. Now I will have to eat my hat and apologize to Joel. I dont know if FOAVC will work but it appears as our last resort.
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john riggs (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 331 comments)
on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 11:53:00 AM
John, just because it has been "OK" throughout your lifetime, don't be so sure that things could not turn very bad very quickly. America has no living memory of any misery greater than the depression, and the last of those children of the 30s are dying off fast. Our complacency, in fact, has brought us to the brink of economic ruin and perhaps political tyranny.
There are plenty of signs to make us uneasy, from the prison turnstiles at Beech Grove to the fact that a third of our military is now foriegn born. There are thousands of mercenaries based here. Gitmo has been a training ground for years.
Don't be so sure it will be "OK". Stolen elections, decimated treasuries, power diving dollars, huge and growing gaps between the haves and the have nots,
It could be something as simple as a sunken aircraft carrier in the Straights of Hormuz, and this country could crash ten times harder than 1929. Think of it, no gas at the pumps, no food at the grocery store.
by
GitarChris (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 105 comments)
on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 6:08:55 PM
I still stand by the write in vote as a louder message that the natives aren't happy. It does seem futile.
My fear is that the impending depression of the Middle Class will present a power grab opportunity that will make 9-1-1 and the patriot act look like a mere inconvenience.
Franklin Roosevelt ordered that all citizens surrender their gold to the government during the great depression and made payment in gold illegal. Todays fiat currency was the replacement product. 25,830,000 unemployed and beaten people did so.
This is minor as to what our current citizens would agree to for the promise of government care in a servere downturn. Consider that the only platform that McCain has run on is protection. We have become a nation of whimps.
by
Mike Folkerth (99 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 477 comments)
on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 12:14:05 PM
In our one party county (the repug chairman died) I asked to write in a demo, I was told I could not. It seemed strange to me ALL the demo globe candidates were on the ballot,all the kosher candidates were absent from the ballot. Now for congressman I had one choice, Ciro Rodriguez. One fed judge,one state rep. One party, one candidate, welcome to Russia on the Rio Grande. Now I hope in the general election there will be a space to write in a candidate (I will not hold my breath on that) If I were not overcome with sadness I would probably be angry. The demo caucus location was not posted at the poll, the head guy said it would be posted when the poll closed. ????? A convenient way to keep outsiders out of the works. We are toast to the point of ashes and smoke.
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john riggs (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 331 comments)
on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 1:54:34 PM
The State Party has much egg on its face. From a precinct chairwoman running out with ballots in hand, saying she was going to "correct" them at home to running out of ballots altogether.
Then no one remembered that just because the Poll closes at 7pm doesn't mean that the last vote is cast at 7, resulting in long waits and confusion.
Not to mention all the Republican's who crossed over to vote for Hillary to avoid McCain losing to Barak.
And lets not forget our "Governor" who won with 36% of the vote. We have run offs for every office, except the Governor. Otherwise, lil Ricky could have started campaigning for Rudy much sooner.
by
txfarmer (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 9 comments)
on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 7:19:37 PM
has never made any secret of its feelings for the people of the state. When the new Capitol was commissioned, and the residents of Tallahassee saw the first architectural rendering of the new building, protests almost spontaneously arose against the profane design. But the objections went unheeded. And now, as you drive from anywhere south of Tallahassee into the capital city, you will be greeted by a towering high rise with two domes sitting on either side, one for the Senate and one for the House. Yes, metaphorically, the state government gives the rest of the state "the finger" every day of the year.
by
W.M.L. (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 257 comments)
on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 1:33:22 PM
Crist Veto and Keeping the Democrat off the Ballot
From St. Petersburg, FL:
Our Florida legislature is dominated by a collection of effete Republican buffoons.
Prior to the vote on moving the primary up to February fifth, a Democratic legislator asked the Republican body to consider Dean's threat of delegate disenfranchisement. The Republican response was, verbatim: "Why should we help the Democrats?" Insane laughter erupted from the Republican side of the aisle. The members of the majority (I'm not kidding, the moment was recorded for posterity) laughed like the drunken hyenas they are.
You may ask why all but two of the Democrats voted for the bill, and the answer is paper ballots. No more DREs for Nov. '08.
Now we hear the Republicans want a second primary, which would be the last statewide election run on the DREs programmed by the Republicans. It is the last chance for them to choose which Democrat McCain will run against.
Also, the Rs threaten to keep the Democratic nominee's name off the ballot, if the delegates aren't seated. There might be a great deal of damage to that building in Tallahassee should anything so stupid occur, but I wouldn't put it past these cheap thugs.
by
GitarChris (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 105 comments)
on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 6:40:47 PM
Florida and Michigan were left out and now they should stay out.
Subtract the two state total from the required number needed for nomination and proceed.
Oh what's the difference. Who doesn't believe that the next President's name and agenda isn't already written down in ink and in someones pocket as we speak?
Florida's a good place just like America is. Don't confuse the locals of an area with its politicians.
by
"Hoss" David P. (51 articles, 5 quicklinks, 14 diaries, 339 comments)
on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 9:37:20 PM
Now why hasn't anyone else said that? That would make so much sense.
And why aren't the mainstream media playing the images of the Republican Floridians laughing at the idea of violating Democratic rules? Do you know where to find the video?
by
Rob Kall (722 articles, 3752 quicklinks, 305 diaries, 1492 comments)
on Friday, March 7, 2008 at 5:01:25 AM
I remember and I have just finished searching it, it seems that the Florida legislature passed House Bill 537 118-0 to move the Primary against the will and rules of the DNC. Florida Senate ratified the move 37-2. It seems the measure was virtually bipartisan and practically unamimous.
I have been unable to find any video of the Republicans mocking the Democrats. The Republican delegation suffered penalties as well.
In Michigan, I have been unable to find the legislature stats. I did find that the Michigan Supreme Court said the Early Primary could proceed as directed by the Michigan Legislature after I assume a challenge which I can't find much more on than the verdict.
Perhaps someone else may pick up the thread for Michigan?
by
"Hoss" David P. (51 articles, 5 quicklinks, 14 diaries, 339 comments)
on Friday, March 7, 2008 at 7:41:50 PM
On one crucial issue, I have no clue after reading this article AND the slew of comments: does a re-run of the Dem primary require a bill through the legislature and the signature of the governor?
If so, then they have the control of potentially the outcome of the '08 presidential election. This is more outrageous than the US Supreme Court taking the 2000 election into its own hands where Florida's attempted voters were concerned.
What was taken then is irretrievable, but to reprise that in '08 is beyond unspeakable. It's a call to overthrow this corrupt regime, as T. Jefferson foresaw need of every twenty years give or take. It's now been more than 200!
by
Carl Weis (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 22 comments)
on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 9:58:42 PM
I heard Crist on NPR yesterday offering that the previous votes should stand - but because he wasn't publicizing this opinion before, it smells as if he just wants this NOW, to see the Dems weaken themselves by continuing to fight (plus the fact that they'd prefer McCain vs. Hillary then Obama).
The previous vote is useless because the electorate was told their votes didn't matter and the delegates would not be seated because the date was moved up.
Pressed by the NPR host, Crist agreed new primaries could be held as long as the DNC paid (again, weakening Dem coffers for the fight against McCain). I suggest the FL primaries should only be redone in the case of an excruciatingly close tie.
Unfortunately, given FL's shabby history of administering elections, there might be concern - my mother-in-law is an election official in the Tampa/St. Pete area and told me shocking tales of election day shenanigans.
The poll workers had to work 18 hour shifts the day after a 12 hour shift. The 'cartridges' (as she called them) holding the final vote tallies were given to her from 6 different precincts to drive over to the final processing locale, one by one. She was surprised it was just her, a little old lady, all alone shuttling the votes there late at night in her car trunk. "Isn't there supposed to be an armed guard with me?" she asked.
Furthermore, the paper back-ups left in the machines were left unattended overnight in gymnasiums or lunchrooms because (elderly) poll workers were so tired after the 18-hour day.
Also of concern was the mistake discovered in her district, hours into the voting: anyone who claimed to be a Democrat but was not in the pre-printed register was given the opportunity to register and vote, but workers were not checking to see if they were already on the GOP or Independent registers. She said 3000 votes were cast in this way which could have been erroneous or duplicates....
by
Gustav Wynn (45 articles, 32 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 217 comments)
on Friday, March 7, 2008 at 9:27:57 AM
Florida will remain a great source of entertainment!
First the absurd notion that they were all too stupid to use the "butterfly ballot" and that was somebody's fault, even though the rest of the nation, where it was used, had any issues.... Never mind the fact that the Florida Democrat Party OK'ed the ballot, (right before the fiasco..)
Now here we are.... This happened because a bunch of whiny school children wanted to be important in the primary. It doesn't matter which petulant child, in whichever state, came up with the idea of moving the primary forward, FLORIDA DEMOCRATS wanted this to happen! AS did Florida Republicans.
Adam Smith, who covers politics for The St. Petersburg Times, told NPR's Robert Siegel that the move is a way for Florida to assert itself in the general election.
"They see themselves as the biggest swing state in the country... a diverse state," Smith said, "and they want to have a lot of say in who the nominee of the respective parties is."
The DNC decided it would slap down the petulant children... The DNC said that FL was behaving badly, so no pudding with dinner!
This was not an issue at the time, nobody cared.. Hillary was going to win, no doubt no question.. Then Barrack was doing well, and there was much rejoicing.. It was thought that Barrack would finish the job, and all would be well in the world... HOWEVER, this was not to be the case.. NOW we have a knock down drag out fight, and it is the REPUBLICANS who are at fault for.... Well for being republicans...
Anyone who actually pays attention to anything understands that the reality is quite simple. Both major "PARTIES" wanted to demonstrate that they had the bigger bucket in the sandbox. Both major "PARTIES" parents, DNC and RNC stated quite plainly.. "If you can't play nice in the sandbox, we will take your bucket away." The RNC decided to give the screaming kid a mid sized bucket, but the DNC walked away with the big bucket and said that it was for the kid's own good.
Now it is the Republicans fault... Just like it was the republicans' fault that the Florida Democrats approved the butterfly ballot without realizing that their people were too stupid to figure it out... (well that was what CNN reported..)
This is a simple thing. The Dems have done this to themselves with a variety of mitigating factors, not the least of which is the fact that Hillary will do and say anything to win, and will do/say anything to CHEAT... If she can cheat while blaming republicans, AND get away with it, then it is quite obvious to this LIBERTARIAN observer that quite a few people are not just ignorant of her tactics, those people truly don't WANT to see her using her typical tactics....
Either way, those who are complaining about Florida Republicans are looking in the wrong dark smoke filled room....
Ciao, CZ
by
steve scheetz (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 409 comments)
on Friday, March 7, 2008 at 9:44:38 AM
