Saturday, March 08, 2008

MI-FL Super Delegates Should Not Vote at Convention

Dear Howard Dean,
I have a suggestion for you regarding the Super delegate question. You would not have to pay for a revote CQ Politics if you simply split the elected delegates 50-50 between Obama and Clinton and do not allow the Michigan - Florida Super delegates to vote at the convention.
This way the Michigan - Florida voters right to vote will not be disenfranchised. Even the Super delegates who should have already voted in their home state will be counted among the 50-50 elected delegates. Nobody will lose their Constitutional right to vote.

You can still "punish" the states for moving their election dates by taking away the Super delegates convention vote.

I think this idea is a win-win all the way around. MI-FL voters will be happy because their vote counted. Charlie Crist and Jennifer Granholm will be happy. The Democratic candidates will be happy they don't have to campaign in Michigan and Florida. And the voters from the rest of America will be happy to see this matter settled.

Also, have you thought about how it will look if the "do over" primary is funded by private individuals? I have read that James Carville is soliciting wealthy Democrats to pledge millions of dollars to help pay for these do-over primaries. That isn't right. Its one thing for an individual to contribute to a candidate and quite another matter for an individual to pay for the election. How much influence will those individuals garner for their contribution? If the candidates owe anybody something it should be us, the average American.

If you do this 50-50 remedy right away the candidates delegate total will get a nudge up but not the win.

The longer you wait the more likely even this solution will put one or the other candidate over the top.
So you better get moving....

Michigan and Florida Have Democrats in a State

Geography and the 2008 Vote So Far

Michigan 'firehouse primary' nixed by Obama camp

Downside of Obama Strategy

Obama aide quits over Clinton "monster" comment