Amatuers and Respect: Florida and Michigan

A Do-Over for Florida and Michigan - Andres Martinez

I'm going to say a few words on the Florida/Michigan delegate debate and then that will be all. First of all, ignorance is no defense under the law. If you drive past a stop sign you didn't see and get a ticket for it you can't claim that because you didn't see the sign you shouldn't have to pay the ticket. Second, the entire legislature of a state like Florida took a vote to change the date of the primary and I can count the number of votes against on one hand. So blaming the Republicans for Democratic stupidity doesn't actually help revote supporters' case. Third, the state parties were told there would be punitive action taken if they did move their primary before a certain date. The state legislature did so anyway and even the Republican party punished Florida. Again, stupidity is no excuse. Fourth, the candidates (and we must include people like John Edwards in this as well) pledged not to campaign in these two states. While there are some debatable shenanigans all around, the essential fact remains that the Clinton campaign made concentrated efforts to win these states, despite the pledge. National ads that ran in those states count about as much as an ad for Colgate or Ford. Fifth, claims that Florida and Michigan voters were somehow disenfranchised by the DNC is pretty bunk when their elected state officials went along with the plans to move their primary dates forward. If you want to blame anyone for the supposed 'disenfranchisement' then blame the state legislatures, of whom the people voted in to represent their interests. Plainly, these legislatures failed in their jobs. Sixth, the DNC needs to simply say, "sorry guys, but next time vote in better representatives," not give the poor voters of Flordia and Michigan a pat on the head and tell them that everything will be alright. If the states go red then so be it, it's their choice and the DNC can't keep them from voting in the general election. The seventh and final point is directed at Florida itself. If you guys can't run a damn election, even a primary, and show even the smallest degree of fucking common goddamn sense, then you deserve what you get. Get your shit straightened out and come back to us when you are ready to act like you know a thing or two about representative democracy. Michigan, sorry guys, better luck next time. Oh, and pay a little more attention to who you vote for too, since it's pretty obvious that state representatives actually, you know, matter.