Posts
Comments

Count every vote that I need

May 22nd, 2008 by Taylor Armerding

It’s touching - or it would be if there was anything genuine about it - to hear Hillary Clinton drone on about how anti-democratic it would be if the Democratic primary election results in Florida and Michigan are not counted.
Clinton, who has been singing this song since she “won” those primaries, is now ramping up the volume, as part of a last, desperate effort to derail what seems to be Barack Obama’s inevitable nomination. Although, who knows what, or when, her last effort will be. She’ll probably be out there hectoring her followers about the “ultimate glass ceiling” while Obama’s taking the oath of office, if he’s elected.
If you listen to Hillary, it’s all about the voters. “I say that not counting Florida and Michigan is changing a central governing rule of this country, that whenever we can understand the clear intent of the voters, their votes should be counted,” she said.
But, I can’t help but ask, “Where were you and your campaign when your party - the party of the people, the Democratic party - set down a schedule for the primaries and said it would not count the results of any state that violated that schedule? Where were you when the party made a rule, and said exactly what would happen to those who broke the rule?”
The answer is, she was there, and she assented to the rule, just as Obama did. It is only now that the rule is seen as hurting her chances, that she is filled with concern for allegedly disenfranchised voters.
Nobody is being disenfranchised. Voters in Florida and Michigan will be able to cast their votes for president. Primaries are creations of the parties, not the government.
And if the party caves, as appears likely, and agrees to seat the delegates of those states, good luck the next time around. They can make a schedule, but it is doubtful that the party leaders of any state will be stupid enough to abide by it.

Posted in Presidential race, Taylor Armerding | Comments

  • michael cook
    Thank you Taylor.
    You and I don't often agree but, on this issue, we are on the exact same page/
    How unsettling is that?
  • bilge rat
    OT

    Happy Memorial Day, everyone!

    Don't forget the reason why we celebrate this holiday!
    And if you see a veteran, give them a "thanks" for their sacrifice for our country and for us!
  • jacrlsn
    I don't care who made the stupid rule or who broke it but to deprive millions of people of their voting rights shows how bad our current two party system is. Its a problem directly attributable to the democrats and shows how evil they are. They don't care about their country, or their state, they only care about themselves and their god forsaken party.
    Good luck to the United States of America if we don't get rid of them.
  • JasonW
    @Jim Carlson:

    psst.... don't tell anybody, but the non-evil republicans stripped five states of one-half of their delegates for having early primaries as well.
  • jacrlsn
    Jason W.
    I didn't know that and I didn't hear about it. However thats not quite as bad as the evil democrats. the republicans made each voters vote worth less but it didn't wipe out the vote entirely.
    Notice I do not capitalize either party's name. that's because i hold them both in equal disdain. I do not regret calling the democrat party evil because they are. The republicans just haven't caught up with them yet
    No party has a standing in our government and they are deestroying America. The parties have become more important than the country if you are a party member. Kind of like the communist party.
  • michael cook
    Mr. Carlson,
    With all due respect, your equating the two party system of this country, with all its flaws, to a one party state dominated by an ideology like communism, reveals just how ignorant you are about our system of government.
    It is, no doubt, deeply flawed.
    But it is also one of the best systems of government on the planet today.
    If, because it isn't what you think a government ought to be,
    you're free to move somewhere else in the world.
    And, with all due respect, please, start packing now.
  • jacrlsn
    You are once again putting words in my mouth without knowing what you are talking about. If you can read, read my post again. We do not have a two party system, we have a Constitutional Republic with no party standing at all. I will again challenge your knowledge of our government against mine at any time, in any place.
    In addition I have never and will never flee my country for Costa Rica or wherever it is you migrate to.
    What i said was " The parties have become more important than the country if you are a party member. Kind of like the communist party."
  • Kathie VanBeber
    On your "budding business owners put their skills to the test" of May 22, 2008 and the Timberlane Challenge. There was no picture or info about the winner - except his name. What was his business plan? What does he plan to do with the money he won? Does he plan to pursue his particular business plan? Did the judges have comments to make about it? What were they? Like many stories, it just leaves you hanging for more info. Sort of incomp.....
  • Harry Birmingham
    Jim Carlson - you sound like me a while back when I said to Michael Cook to reread my comments . Your words about his retreating to Costa Rica do sound some what familiar also.
  • jacrlsn
    HB
    Well its always been said if you don't learn from history, it's bound to repeat itself.
  • Harry Birmingham
    Jim Carlson---- From what I have observed reading this blog daily HISTORY HAS REPEATED ITSELF !! I knew it would eventually and thats just what I've been waiting by the side lines for . Now I know I'm not alone .
  • bilge rat
    Jason,
    I had never heard of that either, but I think the difference here is the republican candidates aren't complaining about being disenfranchised, at least I haven't read anything that leads me to believe so.

    From what I understand, Mrs. Clinton was a vocal supporter of not counting the Florida and Michigan primary votes, until she realized it was no benefit to her campaign.

    I think that's the difference people are seeing.
  • michael cook
    Thank you Bilge Rat!
  • JasonW
    Do you really doubt that if the Republican primary race was as close as the Clinton-Obama race, they wouldn't be complaining as well?

    Don't you wish the Republicans would complain some more? Or is it okay for Wyoming, New Hampshire, Michigan, South Carolina, and Florida to have half a vote? Shouldn't there be some complaining? Where's the liberal media to point out how horrible this is?

    The candidates aside, both of the major parties have excluded some number of their own voters, due to in-party squabbles, and the state level organizations being out of sync with the wider party. That is the real problem.
  • jacrlsn
    Jason W.
    I don't know who post 14 was intended for.
    As far as I'm concerned the problem is both parties who are absolutely meaningless but seem to be running our elections.
    Off with their heads!!!!
  • michael cook
    Mr. Carlson, I finally got a read on you.
    You are an anarchist, why don't you just admit it?
  • bilge rat
    I think post #14 was intended for me, Jim.
    And, your welcome, Michael, long time no chat!

    Can we get a new topic, please?
    Please?
    Please?
    I can't take this anymore.....
    I'm going to snap......

    We're going to he!! in the proverbial handbasket and all these chuckleheads on both sides of the equation could give a (bilge) rat's behind!

    OK, I feel a little better now...

    So, how 'bout those Celtics?? Beat L.A.!!!
  • bilge rat
    Hey Michael,

    That used to be one of my favorite songs, "Anarchy in the UK" by the one and only Sex Pistols....

    What's a little anarchy between friends?
  • michael cook
    Anarchy among friends, even among friends who don't disagree on every detail, may not be such a bad thing. LOL!!

    You're right Bilge Rat, the country is going to hell in the proverbial handbasket, and matter who in the political class one might think is to blame, the reality is that same bipartisan, political class is doing absolutely nothing about it!!

    It's really pretty disconcerting. I'm just real glad I don't have kids.
  • michael cook
    I meant agree on every detail
  • jacrlsn
    Wow What did you say?
  • bilge rat
    It is tough raising kids today, Michael, that's for d@@@ sure, especially when they become teenagers.

    We decided to send our daughter to parochial school even though it's tough financially. We feel the parochial schools focus more on the basics of education, such as the 3 r's...reading, writing, and 'rithametic. There are also plenty of opportunities for the kids to participate in community service, without the interference of political agendas so often found in the public schools. The small size of the schools seems to help foster a sense of family and community, which we feel is important in teaching kids how a civilized society should behave. At least those have been our impressions over the years.

    Anyhow, that's my rant for the morning...

    On a lighter note....
    The Celts WILL take the series tonight!
    Go Celtics!!!
  • Bill Brenner
    Taylor and company: If you guys don't feel like updating the blog more than once a month, why should I keep reading. Looking at the comments thread on this entry alone, the conversation veered away from the main point long ago. Heck, Clinton isn't even in the race anymore, making this post more and more dated by the second.
blog comments powered by Disqus