2008 Woodie Awards
No new primary
Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: Editorial
If politicians are to be held responsible for their decisions, they need to start with the state and the party level. The party leaders who pushed the early vote weren't ignorant of the rules, in fact they wrote them.
Now they aren't willing to pay the consequences. Voters had their say, they did their part. It is the Democratic party that is disenfranchised, not the voters.
If Michigan wants a redo on its primary election, there has to be a reason. So far, no one has one.
People from all across America have been telling Michigan their votes didn't count. Those who wanted Barack Obama or John Edwards to be the Democratic nominee didn't get to pick either name, but were told to vote "uncommitted" by their top supporters.
Obama and Edwards chose to remove their name from the ballot. Hillary Clinton chose to be on the ballot.
Yes, Clinton broke the rules in Michigan, but Obama and Edwards had the same decision to make in Florida and decided to keep their names on the ballot there, just like Clinton.
Florida was too important a state to abide by party principles, but Michigan was not.
Obama and Edwards supporters had a way to vote for their candidates and many did - an unprecedented 40 percent voted uncommitted in Michigan. Certainly, the numbers show that many voters stayed home instead of going out to vote in what they considered an illegitimate vote.
Such behavior was hardly unique to that election and while significant lack of interest amongst voters should be cause for a revote, it isn't in this case. Any threshold set in the middle of an election is extremely suspect.
Even the suggested alternatives aren't acceptable; mail-in ballots frequently don't reach poor and minority voters. Caucuses are an even worse solution that only work for those without night jobs or school and with child care and enough interest (and free time) to spend a few hours getting badgered by know-it-alls. Neither is as valid as the current primary.
The last solution, another primary, has an estimated $10 million cost. The other hurdles are easier; getting both camps to sign off on any plans and generating enough public interest.
Taxpayers should not pay for a political party gamble,
State and national parties won't pay for it, neither Obama nor Hillary can pay for it without the other.
Because of the time it takes to prepare and the legislature's upcoming spring break, any changes will happen in the next week.
One solution is to use the January results and count them as half the weight, which would dilute the vote and hold the Michigan Democratic Party responsible for their thoughtful decision.
Now they aren't willing to pay the consequences. Voters had their say, they did their part. It is the Democratic party that is disenfranchised, not the voters.
If Michigan wants a redo on its primary election, there has to be a reason. So far, no one has one.
People from all across America have been telling Michigan their votes didn't count. Those who wanted Barack Obama or John Edwards to be the Democratic nominee didn't get to pick either name, but were told to vote "uncommitted" by their top supporters.
Obama and Edwards chose to remove their name from the ballot. Hillary Clinton chose to be on the ballot.
Yes, Clinton broke the rules in Michigan, but Obama and Edwards had the same decision to make in Florida and decided to keep their names on the ballot there, just like Clinton.
Florida was too important a state to abide by party principles, but Michigan was not.
Obama and Edwards supporters had a way to vote for their candidates and many did - an unprecedented 40 percent voted uncommitted in Michigan. Certainly, the numbers show that many voters stayed home instead of going out to vote in what they considered an illegitimate vote.
Such behavior was hardly unique to that election and while significant lack of interest amongst voters should be cause for a revote, it isn't in this case. Any threshold set in the middle of an election is extremely suspect.
Even the suggested alternatives aren't acceptable; mail-in ballots frequently don't reach poor and minority voters. Caucuses are an even worse solution that only work for those without night jobs or school and with child care and enough interest (and free time) to spend a few hours getting badgered by know-it-alls. Neither is as valid as the current primary.
The last solution, another primary, has an estimated $10 million cost. The other hurdles are easier; getting both camps to sign off on any plans and generating enough public interest.
Taxpayers should not pay for a political party gamble,
State and national parties won't pay for it, neither Obama nor Hillary can pay for it without the other.
Because of the time it takes to prepare and the legislature's upcoming spring break, any changes will happen in the next week.
One solution is to use the January results and count them as half the weight, which would dilute the vote and hold the Michigan Democratic Party responsible for their thoughtful decision.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Eric
posted 3/17/08 @ 7:47 PM EST
This is a very well thought out and written editorial that crystalizes the issue nicely. The Dem legislators knew what they were doing when they moved the primary, and they were warned by the DNC what the consequences would be -- they did it anyway. (Continued…)
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