MarkGrebner.Org

Thank You Chris Dodd!

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Violet
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by: TomChoske

Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 10:07:58 AM EDT

Thank You Chris Dodd! It appears the cacophony of voices is moving for a heavily modified version of Mark Grebner’s plan for a do over primary through mail-in ballots. Levin, Granholm, and even Bill Nelson of Florida are expected to push this plan to the state Democratic Party pretty soon. However, another voice has joined in with a different view.

In reference to my previous post, http://www.michiganliberal.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11614, I spoke about a Professor at Wayne State who had a great idea: send the delegates, but split them 50/50 for Clinton and Obama. This is possible because delegates are in no way compelled to actually vote as they are originally apportioned, meaning that if we send 100 delegates for  “Clinton” and 56 for “Obama”, they may get to Denver, and 100 will vote for Obama while only 56 vote for Clinton.

Today, Chris Dodd endorsed this plan at the International Association of Fire Fighters. He brought up all the key points:  it is wrong to put this all on taxpayers’ bill again, it still would ‘punish’ us without totally disenfranchising us, and he is opposed to having any election be funded solely through, “a bunch of fat cats”.

I like Grebner’s plan for its simplicity of funding and the inclusion of a few physical polling stations. The talk I’ve heard about special fundraisers for the do-over and whatnot makes me concerned, let alone the fact that we would have to get the state House and Senate to pass a new law to make any do-over a possibility.  This plan is simple, cost effective, and would force people to take a closer look at who they send to the convention, rather than take it for granted.

The article on Chris Dodd’s remarks can be found here: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080311/POLITICS01/803110417/1361/rss41

Comments

4 responses to “Thank You Chris Dodd!”

  1. Violet Avatar
    Violet

    a flaw in your logic
    I spoke about a Professor at Wayne State who had a great idea: send the delegates, but split them 50/50 for Clinton and Obama. This is possible because delegates are in no way compelled to actually vote as they are originally apportioned, meaning that if we send 100 delegates for “Clinton” and 56 for “Obama”, they may get to Denver, and 100 will vote for Obama while only 56 vote for Clinton.
    First: Let’s assume for the sake of this exercise that the plan is adopted and approved as a way to apportion delegates.

    If the 50/50 split is adopted the delegate seats will be filled by hard-core Clinton supporters (50%) and hard-core Obama supporters (50%)

    Second: There is, essentially,no chance of the outcome (a wild delegate switch) you describe, if the delegates are apportioned this way–and–THAT is the ONLY way they will be apportioned if such a compromise is reached (and agreed to by both campaigns).

    “Those who attempt to censor free speech by filtering the Internet, are… the… TRUE… “tiny cats” of cyberspace.”

    by: detroit tiger @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 10:39:49 AM CDT

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  2. Violet Avatar
    Violet

    Fifty fifty split
    An even split is no different than not seating the delegates at all. Neither option reflects the choice of Michigan voters. We need to keep in mind that seating the actual delegates isn’t the issue. Whether Congressman X or Jane Doe gets to participate in the convention and gets a room is of little concern to most of us. The real issue is making sure the will of Michigan voters is included at the convention. A 50/50 split doesn’t do this. The best option is to have do-over election. Without that, the DNC will need to make a decision to either seat Michigan’s delegates based on the results of the January 15 election or not seat them at all.
    by: Brady @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 11:23:40 AM CDT

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  3. Violet Avatar
    Violet

    Very True
    The best option is to have do-over election. Without that, the DNC will need to make a decision to either seat Michigan’s delegates based on the results of the January 15 election or not seat them at all.

    Very true. Given the politics of the credentials committee, they will most likely vote NOT to seat the delegates based on the Jan. primaries. Thus, under the “no re-do” scenario, the issue will come to the floor, be decided on by the entire convention, and effectively decide the nomination.

    “Those who attempt to censor free speech by filtering the Internet, are… the… TRUE… “tiny cats” of cyberspace.”
    by: detroit tiger @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 15:07:21 PM CDT

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  4. Violet Avatar
    Violet

    FL Congressional Dems said no do-over. Not going to happen. Game over.
    http://www.politico.com/blogs/…
    Sensible implementation of a plan like the one Chris Dodd supports, the absence of a do-over in FL, the Mississippi results, the lead in committed delegates in TX and nationally for BO, the 900,000 edge in popular votes, and Pelosi’s comments yesterday all tell me we’re now just watching the clock being run out.

    I think it’s time for HRC to gracefully (can she?) put an end to it before more CIC and Ferraro type comments get aired by her frustrated camp and surrogates that could damage the party in the fall.

    I believe MI and FL will be seated in some fashion (after an appeal to the rules committee) but the contest is over as of now. It’s not going to be a brokered convention and supers aren’t going to offset the committed delegate count and risk alienating new and crossover voters (especially in red states now trending blue). Down ticket candidates won’t support it. FL and MI will be able to go to Denver to support the party nominee, Barack Obama.

    Further HUGE shout out to Chris Dodd for introducing a bill in the Senate to create Disability Savings Accounts (DSA’s), which will be a simple, tax advantaged way for families to save money to provide services for their disabled loved ones over their lifespans without running the risk of getting them disqualified from existing government programs for having too many assets. For the autism community, DSA’s, along with mandating insurance coverage for proven therapy like ABA (which is being pushed hard in Lansing), will help prevent the financial disaster families get exposed to and often experience with an autism diagnosis:
    http://www.autismspeaks.org/pr…

    by: CriticalDune @ Wed Mar 12, 2008 at 09:31:30 AM CDT

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