Count Every Vote?
March 6th, 2008 at 09:55pm Leo Pusateri
From the party that nearly coined the mantra, “COUNT EVERY VOTE!” back in the 2000 elections, comes a message to Democrat voters in Michigan and Florida:
On Wednesday, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, a Republican, released a joint statement, urging the national parties to “seat our delegates.”“The right to vote is at the very foundation of our democracy,” the governors said. Given the record turnout in this primary season, “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,” Granholm and Crist said.
No
The Democratic National Committee sent a pointed message to Florida and Michigan on Wednesday:
“We’re glad to hear that the Governors of Michigan and Florida are willing to lend their weight to help resolve this issue,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said in a news release.
“As we’ve said all along, we strongly encourage the Michigan and Florida state parties to follow the rules, so today’s public overtures are good news.”But the answer is no, Dean continued: “The Democratic Nominee will be determined in accordance with party rules, and out of respect for the presidential campaigns and the states that did not violate party rules, we are not going to change the rules in the middle of the game.”
So the Democrats have in effect disenfranchised the vote of laid-off auto workers in Detroit, not to mention senior citizens and Latinos in Florida.
How magnanimous of the DNC.
But one must remember, disenfranchisement of the voters is nothing new in the liberal Democrat playbook. Remember,
Disenfranchising the MilitaryGore talks of “unity.” But now we learn the Clinton-Gore administration didn’t want any soldiers to vote on base.
Basking in his Florida Supreme Court victory last night, Al Gore waxed high-minded. “Both Gov. Bush and I should urge all our supporters to refrain from any comments . . . that could make it harder for us to come together as one nation when the process is completed,” he declared in a speech at his residence, delivered just in time for the 11 o’clock news on the East Coast.
But what about the actions of Mr. Gore’s supporters? Down in Florida, in a concerted effort to trim George W. Bush’s margin of victory, they challenged a great many overseas absentee ballots, many of which come from military members. County canvassers disqualified a total of 1,527 ballots from overseas, according to an Associated Press report–more than 40% of the total. What could be more divisive than disfranchising Americans who are risking their lives to defend their country?
For decades now, the DNC and the ilk of their leadership have loved to masquerade as a voice for “the common man;” but the dirty little secret remains– there is a clear pattern of and a marked willingness to throw the common man under the bus when it suits their agenda. From the many Democrats who refused to vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (a much-higher percentage of Republicans than Democrats voted for the measure), to the “bimbo eruption patrols” during the Clinton administration that denied civil rights and due process to Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey and Juanita Broderick; to their willingness to trample on personal property rights and parental rights to push an agenda or further a special interest, the Democrats have proven time and time again that they care for the common man to much the same degree that Ted Bundy cared about his dates.
Count. Every. Vote.
Oh Really?
In reality, the DNC’s decision to disenfranchise rank-and-file voters in Michigan and Florida, just to smite the leadership of their respective state parties, was a tactical error from day one. As a result, the DNC and their respective endorsed candidates have left themselves wide open for a beating by Republicans just as sure as if Howard Dean stepped in the ring, handcuffed and blindfolded, against Mike Tyson.
Fish in a barrel, my friends. Fish in a barrel.
Entry Filed under: Campaign 2008, Democrats, Kook Left
23 Comments
1. Christian Wright | March 6th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
If you have not heard, MI is having a redo and I bet FL will go the same way.
2. Leo Pusateri | March 6th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
I would say without thanks to Howard Dean. Even if they go ahead with the re-do’s, this blunder will still come back to bite the Democratic party in the backside.
3. congressive | March 6th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Nice softballs. I’ll have a swing at ‘em.
The Republicans proved the old adage that it doesn’t matter who votes, it’s who counts (or doesn’t count) the votes that elect politicians. The precedent is set. The Dems will now follow precedent.
The Republicans shoved the Dems off the House floor for a decade, now the Dems are acting on that precedent.
The Republicans have been spying on all Americans in the name of “security.” Will a Democratic president do the right thing and just give the right to privacy back to the American people, even if it doesn’t work to his/her advantage? Not on your life.
The Republicans have pushed a unitary executive with signing statements and secrecy. Will a Democratic president simply stop such shenanigans? Not on your life.
Hypocritical? Sure is. Political? Sure is. Politicians from both sides of the aisle will do anything they can get away with to win. Every time you gave the Republicans a moral/ethical “pass” you also gave it to the Dems.
The Democrats, which you have clearly described as being capable of horrible corruption, will leverage all the precedents set by Alberto Gonzales, Dick Cheney, George Bush, et al, and there won’t be a darn thing you can do about it. You should have closed the door before the horse got out of the barn.
Oh, and - Tyson’s a wuss.
4. Kahn | March 6th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
congressive - I don’t think attacking us is going to make this taste better in Florida. But hey, keep defending the Party and attacking us and see how it works out.
Maybe you guys can up with the millions it will take to pay for the “redo’s”. But don’t expect us to help. These people already voted once.
Attacking us is a passive/agressive tactic to defend the disenfranchisement and to divert attention. It doesn’t help.
But hey, what do I know? I’m just a dumb old Republican. Do what you think is best.
5. Dennis | March 7th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Khan, I don’t see how congressive is attacking anyone.
He is just making an observation - and a rather astute one at that.
Now if you claim to be somehow attacked or aggrieved when the pot calls the kettle black - that’s kind of passive/aggressive too, don’t you think?
6. Kahn | March 7th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Sure Dennis.
He does seem to “observe” Republicans. Yep. Doesn’t talk much about Democrats disenfranchising military, and Michigan, and Florida. Yep. Just makes “observations” about Republicans. He makes very interesting “observations” abou Republicans in a string about Democrats and disenfranchisement.
Whatever. See how it works out for you.
7. js | March 7th, 2008 at 12:20 am
This is a nice hot potatoe for the next 9 months. The DNC only want the vote of those who they can force to follow “thier” rules.
Smacks of Tyrany, doesnt it?
8. js | March 7th, 2008 at 12:22 am
Funny thing Congressive;
“No, we shouldnt let anyone have secrets, not in time of war!!”
Absolutly.
funny
9. Freedom1 | March 7th, 2008 at 12:35 am
The Democrats were perfectly willing to disenfranchise millions of voters in two states. Now, Democrats are trying to change the rules because the rules have become inconvient for them. LoL! What irony! “Count every vote”…oh, please!
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10. phnx | March 7th, 2008 at 12:39 am
No matter how it comes out the Democrat process for the primaries was anything but democratic. Proportional voting ensured that the final result would be determined by the super delgates who are party elites. ANd if it wasn’t complicated enough, who dreamed up the Texas Two step voting process? This guaruntees that party activists get to vote twice while Mr. & Mrs Joe six pack vote once and go home to tend the kids and get ready for work. The whole process reflects the party elite’s distrust of the will of the people, evenif the people are registered dems.
11. Almiranta | March 7th, 2008 at 12:42 am
congressive “astute”? Not on this planet, he ain’t.
He whines about Republicans “… spying on all Americans in the name of “security.” ” Bull. It’s a beloved Lefty mantra, which of course doesn’t mean it has the slightest relationship to reality. But they do love it.
And so on.
The issue here, though, is the “count every vote” issue.
Two points. First, the Dems were very successful in confusing a lot of people—most of them Dems—by conflating “vote” with “ballot”. A ballot is not a vote until and unless it is clearly and unambiguously executed, BY THE VOTER, in such a way as to make clear without interpretation or guesswork the intent of the voter. In Florida in 2000, the Dems were so successful in their campaign that we had the spectacle of people straining to search out indentations in ballots, peering at ballots held up to the light to see if possibly a corner was detached, and so on.
Count votes, yes. Count ballots whether or not they have been successfully turned into votes, no.
Second, it was not just those absentee ballots in Florida that were discarded. In every state, absentee ballots were not counted if it was determined that they were statistically unable to change the Electoral College commitment for that state.
Of course, most absentee ballots are military, which tend to lean strongly to the conservative side and vote Republican.
Yet the Lemming Left is still claiming to have won the popular vote in 2000, in spite of knowing that hundreds of thousands of absentee ballots were not counted, for a variety of reasons.
The Democrat Party’s refusal to count the delegates from two states which held Democrat primaries is unexplicable, given their pious incantations of “count every vote”. And it is really really funny to see how quickly, and how viciously, former Clintonistas are turning on their own, now that there is a new hero of the day. Given the blatant eagerness of fanatical Libs to do whatever it takes to further their newest idol, there is no doubt in my mind that if Hillary were leading and it were Barack needing those delegates, the selfsame Libs would be demanding that the votes be counted.
Ends justifying the means and all……..
12. gaijin | March 7th, 2008 at 12:46 am
JS,
Any relation to Dan Quale? It’s POTATO
Mark,
“In reality, the DNC’s decision to disenfranchise rank-and-file voters in Michigan and Florida, just to smite the leadership of their respective state parties, was a tactical error from day one.”
Interestingly ‘in reality’ in Florida, the Republican Governor and the Republican State Government decided to move up the vote, not the Democrats.
Disenfranchising voters, would that be like in 2000 when Bush’s campaigned paid that company to strike 1000s upon 1000s of black people’s names from the list of eligible voters and deny them the right to vote by falsely accusing them of being felons in Florida? Would it be similar to that? I wonder how all those black people would have voted???
13. Freedom1 | March 7th, 2008 at 1:22 am
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Does anyone else have independent confirmation of this?
14. plainjane | March 7th, 2008 at 7:53 am
What would Rhenquest do?
Messy, but if it goes to the convention so be it.
15. js | March 7th, 2008 at 9:17 am
12. gaijin | March 7th, 2008 at 12:46 am
JS,
“Any relation to Dan Quale? It’s POTATO”
many of the things in your mind dont count, but the many things without your mind lead us to profound knowledge and inspiration
in the end of it all, i guess the things that your mind posted here are of little value in light of the topic, which you have totally evaded addressing
yup, the topic goes on without your mind, at least there is some sanity in the world, even if you dont like dan quayle
16. js | March 7th, 2008 at 9:26 am
12. gaijin “Interestingly ‘in reality’ in Florida, the Republican Governor and the Republican State Government decided to move up the vote, not the Democrats”
What are you, another half wit liberal? The DNC doesnt have preeminance over the State Government. Its taxpayers $$, not private contributions that pay for primaries. The DNC has NO POWER over the individual states and the way they run thier elections.
IF you had half a brain, you would understand that, but from the rest of your post (Bush’s campaigned paid that company to strike 1000s upon 1000s of black people’s names from the list of eligible voters and deny them the right to vote by falsely accusing them of being felons in Florida), I dont think ONE PERSON can take you seriously!!
just more halfwitted liberal banter, you are excused.
17. js | March 7th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Imagination is more important than your knowledge.
Your knowledge is limited, my imagination is infinite.
18. Retired Spook | March 7th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Interestingly ‘in reality’ in Florida, the Republican Governor and the Republican State Government decided to move up the vote, not the Democrats.
Gajin, but VIRTUALLY ALL THE DEMOCRATS voted in favor of moving up the date of the primary.
19. Michael | March 7th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
I was (and still am) that Obama does not want do-overs in two states he would likely not win, MI and FL. And today I heard that Hillary wants no do-over in Florida. Wonder why? Is she afraid of Obama? All-in-all, they got themselves into this mess and it is going to be a lot of fun watching them try to get out of it. Conducting nastier campaigns by the minute does not lend itself to agreements on handling MI and FL votes. If the right thing were done, the DNC would enforce the rules that the two states violated and no one would do that again. More blood to come all on prime time. Watch the Clintons go after the DNC chairman Howard Dean who wants do-overs. Watch Obama throw the whole matter into the courts asking a judge to order the DNC to enforce the rules. Just one of many train wrecks ahead for the hapless donkeys. Should be fun.
20. Mortimer | March 8th, 2008 at 12:17 am
Wow, more right wing trash talking from an intellectually and morally inferior person who is so vain and self righteous, he doesn’t realize he is basically jsut a stupid hack who just parrots the RW PC party line. The DNC warned the states ahead of time of what would happen. As far as your smear against the Democrats, it reminds me of the kind of garbage that stupid hacks blap, without a shred of proof, that while they are not racist or sexists and hate PC, it’;s the Democrats who are the racists. Little history lesson my shallow, stupd little hack. But the states where the Democrats voted against the Civil Rights Act are now all GOP. What a hypocritical, stupid PC phony you are, since race had nothing to do with this.
21. phnx | March 8th, 2008 at 10:39 am
“But the states where the Democrats voted against the Civil Rights Act are now all GOP.”
Brilliant piece of logic. Deflect all you want, but the only problem is that the states and their congressmen who voted against the Civil Rights acts were all DEMOCRATS when they voted you moron.
22. Almiranta | March 8th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
On Planet Morty, evidently referring to someone as “intellectually and morally inferior ……. vain and self righteous……..(and) basically jsut a stupid hack …” does not count as “trash talk”
Actually, he is correct, if Planet Morty is part of the Radical Rabid Left Galaxy, where these kinds of insults are routinely accepted as their own twisted version of intellectual political discourse.
But, just in case he was worried that we didn’t have his number (zero, for those of you keeping score…) Morty goes on, spittle flying, to include such witty gems as “garbage”, “stupid hacks blap”, “shallow stupid little hack”, “hypocritical stupid PC phony”….what an impressive list of hate-driven rhetoric. The crime? Disagreeing with the Dem approach to throwing out votes from states which did not follow Dem Party rules.
In other words, for daring to voice an opinion.
But remember, the voicing of opinions is always treated harshly in radical Socialist regimes—sounds like Moritimer is just itching to get one of those established here, so those who dare can be appropriately dealt with and not just castigated online.
Remember Morty, folks, when the poor babies on the far far Left start whining about those meanies on the Right.
23. Bad | March 10th, 2008 at 1:24 am
Hmmm, so I guess your post demonstrates that if you flat out lie about several examples, you can support your overall point.
Wait, I already knew that.
-Waving a rah rah rah about the military isn’t good enough to cover up the fact that the basis for the challenges were allegations that the votes were sent after the election was already over. The fact that many of thee suspect ballots were from the military doesn’t excuse that tiny little problem, nor does it say anything about trying to disenfranchise military voters. In 2004, I got a letter from a vet serving in Iraq at the time who was livid because… well guess who tried to strike him from the voter rolls in Ohio ahead of the election based on his failure to respond at his home address…. the RNC
-No one is dumb enough to fall for the Civil Rights trope. It was the fallout of the Civil Rights vote that MADE the modern Republican party: when the bulk of those angry Democrats who voted against it defected to the Republicans… where they were welcomed with open arms and came to form the very voting bloc the party counts on today.
And so on.
Trying to spin MI and FL as “disenfranchisement” is just as lame. There’s a huge difference between counting discernible votes legally cast and debates over what the rules for what a valid vote is in the first place.