Petitions: Florida & Michigan

[CGP]

Seat Florida & Michigan Delegates NOW!
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/seatourdelegates/index.html

Hey DNC: Count Every Vote!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/hey-dnc-count-every-vote

[laurenfhammond]

Please join the facebook group...we need LOTS of supporters to help the legal team push this through...it is so incredibly vital to the campaign. Get joining and signing!

I have, as an international, signed the petition - overseas support never hurt anyone!

http://liv.facebook.com/group.php?gid=23370042872

[CGP]

I received this info from a MySpace user:

Passage of Florida legislative bill HB 537 has caused 1. 7 million voters to become disenfranchised. Unless the RNC DNC policies are changed, this could happen to you some day; regardless of your state or party affiliation. The contents of this website will discuss this bill, what happened; and what you can do to try to reverse this situation and prevent it from recurring. Please help us reinstate the voting rights of Florida Democrats. How you can help:

Pass this information on to others:

Visit the website
http://florida-delegates.com

Read the Position Summary Section
http://florida-delegates.com/pages/our-position.php

Visit the What To Do Page and follow our action suggestions
http://florida-delegates.com/pages/your-help/what-to-do.php

If you have already signed a petition that combines the Michigan and Florida reinstatement effort, please sign this petition also. There are different arguments for each state and I believe they need to be argued independently.

Please keep these facts in mind as you read the contents of this website:

* The Florida Democratic primary election ballot had all democratic candidates listed.
* Florida Dems have been disenfranchised, through no fault of their own
* HB537 was written by a Florida Republican to change Florida's primary date.
* A state legislature has interfered with it's constituents National voting rights.
* The Florida Democratic Party did NOT change this date, the legislature did.
* The Florida legislature has an overwhelming Republican majority.
* The House of Representatives in Florida have 41 Democrats; 71 Republicans.
* The Senate in Florida have 14 Democrats; 26 Republicans
* The state of Florida has a Republican Governor.
* The citizens of the state of Florida did NOT vote on this date change.
* HB537 was passed in May 2007 legislatively changed the Florida primary date.
* This date was, and still is, unalterable by the Florida Democrats.

FLORIDA FOR HILLARY!

[joeysky18]

Neither MI nor FL had ever had a caucus because their respective
populations are too large. Look at all the caucus states. At most
they have one large metropolitan center (eg Las Vegas in NV,
Seattle/Tacoma in WA, Minneapolis/ St. Paul in MN) but many don't have any major cities.

FL has four major urban areas (Miami, Jacksonville, Orlando,
and Tampa)while MI has five (Detroit/Ann Arbor, Lansing, Kalamazoo,
Saginaw, Flint, and Grand Rapids). Forcing to conduct caucuses would
be a stretch on their resources and revenues.

The FL contest was fair with all the candidates on the ballots.
Furthermore all of them fundraised in the state, which was permitted
in the pledge, and thus advertised themselves. The delegates should be
awarded as won: Clinton 50%, Obama 33%, Edwards 14%.

In MI the no-campaign pledge didn't require any of them to remove
their names and that was the mistake of the individual candidate themselves
not the election committee. Thus 55% should go to Clinton and the
rest goes to uncommitted. She earned them.

Beyond who won these contests Howard Dean should realize both states
are not guaranteed Democratic strongholds in the general election. A
callous disenfranchisement might cause resentment.

[CGP]

Great argument. I have heard no compelling argument to the contrary as to why the MI and FL votes shouldn't count. They had a level playing field in FL - no candidate was disadvantaged. And in MI it was completely fair for Hillary to keep her name on the ballot.

She'd probably be in front on pledged delegates if these were included.

[joeysky18]

http://www.seatourdelegates.com/

[CGP]

Obama might be regetting he ever said what's in the article below. Back in 2007 he vowed to ensure that the Florida delegation would be seated at the 2008 convention, going against the party ruling. Bet he won't be fighting for the same position now given that Hillary won Florida!!!

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/sep/30/obama-vows-do-whats-right/?news-breaking

[joeysky18]

Murray.

:cool:

Good Find!

[johnny51981]

Sounds like a kid changing the rules as they go along in a street game of some kind.

[CGP]

Sounds like a kid changing the rules as they go along in a street game of some kind.

Obama does a lot of this! His opinions shift like the wind depending on what's popular at any given point in time. People are so naiive to think he's not like other politicians!!?? Yeah right.

[CGP]

Murray.

:cool:

Good Find!

We are like little bees going out and finding good food and bringing it back home to share with everyone! I like to report back on good finds! And I like it even better when other people find something!

[Kammers]

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/hey-dnc-count-every-vote

HILLARY WON FLORIDA & MICHIGAN. THE VOTERS ARE BEING PUNISHED FOR SOMETHING THEY DIDN'T DO!!!

They are being denied their Constitutional right to vote-because their votes are INVALID!!!

PLEASE sign takes about 2 minutes and SEND TO EVERY HILLARY SUPPORTER YOU KNOW..TX

[veggiegyrl365]

The national convention was created by the Anti Masonic Party , and the great Democratic party of Andrew Jackson to ensure all Americans from every state in the union to be heard and to participate in the presidential nominee process. If FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN are not heard there will be serious underrepresentation and a big fight in Denver . Get their booties on a chair in Denver people !Its our democracy !

[CGP]

The national convention was created by the Anti Masonic Party , and the great Democratic party of Andrew Jackson to ensure all Americans from every state in the union to be heard and to participate in the presidential nominee process. If FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN are not heard there will be serious underrepresentation and a big fight in Denver . Get their booties on a chair in Denver people !Its our democracy !

I HEAR YA!

[Brooke]

I signed it and sent it to my friends and family to sign!

[CGP]

I signed it and sent it to my friends and family to sign!

EXCELLENT!

There is no justification for FL and MI not being counted.

[CalmTheStorm]

I'm a registered Democrat, and spent most of the primary season on the fence, but overall pleased with a great field of choices for once. Genuine change was all I hoped for. I live in Illinois, which was never really in play for anyone but Obama. Of course I voted (for my candidate at the time) anyway.

Now I know what I'll get for posting this here. Internet forums are not places where calm heads prevail. I am ready for 'flaming'. But this Michigan and Florida thing seems ugly. Issues like this and 'picking off' pledged delegates in August, and the super delegate thing... They're tearing our party apart. Everyone needs to take a deep breath.

I'm disappointed in the Clinton campaign for this Michigan/Florida issue. I respect and admire them a great deal, I've always been a huge fan, but these are Karl Rove type tactics. This doesn't seem like change. All the candidates agreed these states were out of play, a punishment to the states for breaking clearly defined party rules. It seems very obtuse of the Clinton campaign to now (when they're down and desperate for delegates) suddenly want to change the rules of the game.

Of course the voters in these states deserved to have had their voices heard. But counting these unofficial primaries now does not do that. These were not fair, level-playing-field elections by any standard. Hillary's supporters organized to cast 'protest votes', other candidates supporters, thinking their votes wouldn't count, did not vote... in Michigan Obama wasn't on the ballot... What about those voters voices?

Would the Clinton campaign agree to a re-do primary where it was clear to all the voters that their votes would count? I doubt it. Would they be fighting for the voting rights of these states if she had lost? I doubt it.

Winning ugly is what the Rove/DeLay/Bush Republicans do. The Clinton's I know and love are way better than this.

Now flame away. Just remember, we all used to be on the same side...

[CGP]

Just remember, we all used to be on the same side...

I will comment on your post soon but this quote in particular struck a chord. I was only thinking this today as I read through some extremely polarized comments from supporters of both camps to articles at ABC News. It's not one party at present - it's two parties - Clinton supporters v Obama supporters. And it's not pretty! I can't see a resolution to this battle in the short-term as views are so polarized and so strongly-held on both sides. :confused:

[Kammers]

Body: Info/links included on above referenced page:

First, we ask that you go to this online petition to be counted as a voter who believes every vote should count! --> Florida Delegate Petition

Secondly, we ask that you also contact the Democratic National Committee directly to offer your own comments about this situation and to voice your solidarity with the Florida Democrats. You can do this through mail (use our --> Sample Letter as a guideline):

Democratic National Committee, 430 S. Capitol St. SE, Washington, DC 20003
Or by phoning - 202-863-8000
Or by using this email form: --> DNC Contact Form

Thirdly, we ask that you give all your friends and family a chance to stand up for true democracy. Send them a link to this website and ask them to help.

We Thank You for any help you can give the Florida voters and we commend you for standing up for Our Voting Rights

[CGP]

"Could Florida's Republican Governor Help Clinton?"

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/03/03/blitzer-could-floridas-republican-governor-help-clinton/

[CGP]

Bump!

[Disfranchised]

This is her message in regard to Dan Gelber (D) "the Minority Leader"
who wants a redo by mail in Florida and allow the independent to vote in primary as well.:confused: I guess he forgot to wipe up I am for Obama from his for head!!! I will not vote for him again!

My dear friend Dan Gelber, I am responding as a State Committeewoman and the Chair of the FDP Campaign Committee. A Vote by mail campaign in Florida would cost about $4 -6 million to run, and there is no one on this green earth who would spend those dollars, when we had a valid, legal and record breaking voter turnout in the January 29th primary. We would never disenfranchise those 1.7 million voters who listened to the FDP, and numerous other organizations urging them to go out to vote for their preferred candidate on January 29th.

But even more important, there are no do-overs in elections, and certainly will never be one on the FL primary for the following reasons:

1. The FDP spent months assuring the Democrats in Florida that the January 29th primary was an important election that everyone needed to participate in. There were numerous e-mail efforts to get the word out, major media interviews of Karen Thurman, and discussions at the State Democratic convention in October to encourage all democrats to go vote.

2. There was significant grassroots campaigning going on all over the state on behalf of all the major Presidential candidates. In addition, there was ample opportunity to learn about every candidate by watching televised debates, reading newspapers and participating in online campaign activities. In fact one candidate even violated the pledge by airing national commercials throughout Florida for a week before the primary.

3. We assured the democrats that the delegates would eventually be seated and the process of selecting delegates is now in place.It is up to the DNC Rules committee and Howard Dean to return 1/2 of our delegates to us immediately, at a minimum.

4. The 1.7 million people who voted in record setting turnout for Florida Democrats attests to the understanding that their voices were being heard. We pushed a count every vote campaign and that campaign continues, only now it includes the important message, count every state.

If the DNC really wants to take back the presidency in November, then Howard Dean will figure out a way to reinstate Florida's delegates. His Rules committee violated its own rules by imposing a sanction beyond the allowable sanctions, when they attempted to take away 100 % of our delegates, when their own rules only provide for a sanction of half the delegates, and he has done nothing to rectify the violation of their own rules. The Point is Every vote counts, and Every State counts, Florida must count

[Disfranchised]

Please sign Senator Nelson Petition to count our votes and seat our delegates.

http://www.nelsonforsenate.com/takeaction/primary/

[Patsy]

Florida and Michigan are important in this election for a plethora of reasons. Every vote should count and BOTH campaigns have stated that. It was Sen. Obama's choice to remove his name from the ballot in Michigan and let's not forget that he did in fact violate Party rules and ran ads that were aired in Florida where all names were on the ballot. Those arguments aside, the Democratic Party must view these States very carefully for they are imperative to a Democratic win in November. To leave that many millions of voters disenfranchised is unconscionable and we as dems can not afford to have an angry or apathetic electorate in those states. These two states are not just important to the November election, but they are two of the hardest hit states in our country economically; Michigan on an industrial note and Florida has residents who can no longer keep their homes because of insurance and the potential for Natural Disaster. Look at FEMA now and what it has done. These are big concerns for all Americans and some resolution must be found to hear the people of these states. The math would indicate a marginal difference in the delegate count, significant for Clinton nonetheless, but that is really not the issue. We can not be the Party that says we will work for the people and address their issues if we will not let their votes be heard.

Howard Dean needs to do something and fast or no matter who is on the ticket in November, the dems could lose just by the mere fat of alienating so many people.

[skc1976]

First off, thanks to Disfranchised for posting that letter. It's a great letter and I commend Cindy Lerner for writing it.

In regards to Michigan and Florida, both of these states are very crucial states, but also very different states. My argument in relation to Florida is that all names were on the ballot and people have access to many forms of information regarding the candidates to make a clear and informed decision. That could be the internet, mail, TV, newspapers, etc. They can see where the candidates stand on issues without having to go listen to a speech or attend a rally. I feel that the voters in Florida did their homework and made that choice as they came out in record numbers for all the candidates. Their votes should count.

In relation to Michigan, this is an entirely different story. With Obama and Edwards pulling their names off of the ballot, it gave Hillary a free ride. What is nice, though, is that she did it with over 50% of the vote and at the urging of the Obama campaign to get voters to vote "Uncommitted." She still won over half the votes. The problem is that "Uncommitted." You can't give them to Obama because he pulled his name off the ballot. You can't give them to Clinton because that's not part of her vote. What do you do with them? Allow them to make up their own mind on how they want to vote?

It's definitely a tough case and it's going to be a tough solution. But something needs to be done. Everyone that says Michigan and Florida are swing states is true. Honestly, I think if Obama's the nominee, given how he's spoken out against these two states, I think they wouldn't back him in the general election. At least Hillary has championed for them and they will remember that. It's key that we have them in November as Democrats and I think Hillary is the only one that can pull them.