"Florida's primary is a 'beauty contest' with no delegates awarded" -- help me understand.

[nashville_brook]

Why is this not getting more attention? Are the consequences of this not important? One of the largest electoral states will have NO MEANINGFUL say in the primary, and this is basically non-news as far as anyone can tell.

Seems like, if the campaigns are *news,* shouldn't it be news if an entire "super state" isn't going to count?

What does this mean for Democratic Floridians? We basically being shoved aside. All this excitement over which candidate we want -- get INVOLVED -- as if it's SO FUCKING IMPORTANT that we pick either Hillary, Obama, Edwards or Kucinich (or Biden, Dodd, Richardson). It doesn't matter. I hope there aren't any Floridians getting all hot and bothered about Hillary vs Obama because it's pissing in the wind. Why should Floridians give a rats ass about debates or campaigns or ANYTHING?

How can the primaries have any MEANING AT ALL if certain states "just don't count"?

Shouldn't the whole country be going ape-shit that a whole state will be disenfranchised? Forget individual vote caging. Every Democrat in the state of Florida has been "caged."

And, how is this going to affect the general election? With no Dems campaigning in Florida, we have Ghouliani taking a solid lead. This doesn't make any sense. Why isn't there more outrage? Any outrage? Republicans are still campaigning here -- there's still money flowing into their machines. Only the Democrats are hurt.

When November 2 rolls around and Florida goes RED, who is going to be to blame? The Dems are going to stay home with the notion THAT WE DON'T COUNT. Doesn't this bother anyone?

[madfloridian]

1. Please don't start the lies about that today.

Too many lies have been told. Florida broke the rules, voted for it 115 to 1 and then blamed the national party.

Just don't go there today, or I will repost all my journals about the truth.

Florida lied.

[nashville_brook]

3. i dont' give a flying flip about HOW it happened -- what are the consequences to the whole party

and, i know you have a lot to say about this -- so what up? what are the consequences? what happens when florida goes RED on election day. it's not going to matter then WHOSE FAULT IT WAS.

what are the consequences and what are we doing to fix it?

[madfloridian]

10. Florida did it to themselves. They did NOT CARE if it hurt the party.

In fact they wanted to damage the chairman...they liked their big state status and do not like the 50 state plan.

[nashville_brook]

14. tell me how this is going to AFFECT THE ELECTION.

we get it that you have a thing about the state vs the national party. try to put that aside for just one post. think about consequences.

[tsuki]

30. We will have a primary, but thanks to the Florida Democratic Party,

our delegates will not be seated at the convention. Those are the rules. The entire thing stinks as far as I am concerned.

Our vote during the general election will be counted.

[nashville_brook]

5. oh -- and show me where i lied.

[madfloridian]

7. You didn't, they did.

I did not say you lied...I just asked you not go there today.

Florida voted for it 115 to 1 and then sent emails saying Dean was disenfranchising them.

[nashville_brook]

9. you don't have to LOOK, then. i care about this today and it's way uncool for you to

tell me to shut up about it. you don't have to read this thread. put me on ignore.

[madfloridian]

12. Go ahead and spread propaganda....make yourself look bad.

We will all pay the price for what Florida did to make sure Hillary won.

I am sorry but that is the size of it.

[nashville_brook]

16. can you tell me what propaganda i'm spreading?

[nashville_brook]

17. i don't think rank and file people know or care about this, b/c it's not being covered...

my question and comment is that this IS HUGE -- people are going to be floored come election day that their vote doesn't count. there's going to be infographics and talking heads and people are going to say, "How come this wasn't talked about until now?"

[nashville_brook]

6. nobody cares about HOW it happened anymore -- we care about OUR VOTE

[Orangepeel]

2. eh, it's their own fault

they knew the party rules and the consequences of moving the primary before Feb. 5 and the Florida Democratic Party didn't even try to stop to move.

So, whatever. They moved the primary because they thought that it was too late to matter. Now it doesn't. Same difference, really.

[nashville_brook]

4. i'm a florida DEM -- is it MY fault? is this the way it is? you don't care? you're gonna care in Nov

i betcha.

[madfloridian]

8. No, I don't care at all.

That is propaganda you are spinning.

[nashville_brook]

11. how is it propaganda that i'm PISSED OFF THAT MY VOTE WON'T COUNT?

how is it propaganda that i wonder why there isn't any NEWS COVERAGE?

how is it propaganda that i wonder what the consequences are going to be?

please explain.

[madfloridian]

13. Are you holding your breath and stomping your feet yet?

.

[nashville_brook]

15. do you not care? guess you are more "mad" than "floridian."

[glowing]

21. I am too.. and it sucks. And I don't like it. And you know what... the

DLC is well and alive in this state. They worked hard to get this date changed and knew what it meant. I don't like it all. I had no say. But then its easier to steal elections when you are less counted.

[Orangepeel]

24. 1. Florida delegates never mattered, that's why they moved the primary

2. The republican party took away 1/2 Florida's delegates, which ought to mitigate the sting
3. There wouldn't be any sting if the Florida Democratic Party, whose fault the mess is, would stop crying about it. Regular Florida voters don't care. It's all inside baseball.

[1corona4u]

18. Of course it does...

but this state is run by republicans. What can we possibly do?

[ElizabethDC]

19. Yeah, it bothers me.

Mostly because the Republicans can already campaign here, so it's essentially a head start for them in the general. I don't care who's to blame (though most Floridians I know blame the DNC . . . I'm just agnostic), I just wish they could fix it. This is the first primary I'll be voting in, so it would be really nice if my vote counted. Fortunately, I live most of the year in DC, so I'm able to volunteer for my candidate up there.

[madfloridian]

20. Of course they blame the DNC...Florida used the state bloggers and media

and only the Florida side has been presented.

The truth has not been told by any blogger. I know they have read the stuff I have posted here....but they just don't care about the truth.

One blogger from Miami has come close to telling it, but that's about it.

That's what propaganda does....tells just one side.

[ElizabethDC]

25. I wouldn't blame the blogs on it (at least not entirely)

most of the people I know don't read the blogs. They're much more likely to get their political info from our local politicians (congresspeople, etc.) and newspapers. But the vast majority of the people I know in FL don't read any of the blogs, so that wouldn't be where they're getting their info on this issue.

[madfloridian]

26. So you agree that the main media itself only told Florida's side.

Bill Nelson's side, Karen Thurman's side. I think that was the only side ever presented.

The bloggers could have made a huge difference, as several major papers quote some of them now.

It was well-planned, well-executed, and it was all propaganda.

It's a shame.

[ElizabethDC]

28. I have no idea. I'm not that involved in the story.

I only live in FL for a few weeks of the year, so I don't pay much attention to the media here. I only know what my local friends and family tell me. I know that it's something you feel very strongly about but, like I said, I'm not taking sides.

[madfloridian]

29. I feel strongly about the truth.

There has been no truth told by the bloggers in Florida or the media.

[LSdemocrat]

22. The party still could have had a caucus and have its delegates count

It's not perfect, but it's something.

[MaineDem]

23. It will count as much as the vote will be reported and the media will discuss it

It will have bearing on the national level because people will look at it as a win for whomever comes out on top.

BUT, Florida Democrats, unless something major happens, will not have any delegates at the National Convention in Denver. That may or may not have a bearing on the nomination. Time will tell.

[XemaSab]

27. John Edwards has a purty mouth

:9