Speaker Pelosi, Super-Genius

It seems inevitable that this speaker of the House of Representatives goes down in flames, with verbal gaffes like this:

But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it...

It reminds me of another famous super-genius beloved by Hollywood: Mr. Wile E. Coyote.

Florida Democrat party clueless; a solution

Not unusual: the Florida Democrat party bigshots are shooting themselves in their electoral foot, whilst Michigan gets its act together to organize an emergency primary election for presidential candidates.

June 3 Is Target for Mich Do-Over KEN THOMAS, Associated Press March 14

WASHINGTON (AP) - Michigan Democrats agreed Friday to push a do-over primary in early June to give them a say in the close presidential race between Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama. Amid talks with the two campaigns, the four Michigan Democrats said in a statement they were "focusing on the possibility of a state-run primary in early June which would not use any state funding." ...Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey has expressed concern they may not have the time or manpower to pull it off. She said they are trying to work through those issues.

Winfrey and associates are attempting to solve the problem. Good. It looks like the Michigan politicians have an IQ edge over the klutzes here in Florida, e.g., the leader of the gang, Karen Thurman:

Mail-in Dem vote for president not likely Tamara Lytle and John Kennedy Orlando Sentinel March 14, 2008

Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman outlined plans Thursday for a do-over presidential primary by mail, but she acknowledged it's likely to be rejected by party leaders as well as the Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama campaigns. In Washington, Florida's nine congressional Democrats quickly dismissed the idea. An alternative would seek to persuade the national party and candidates to count half of Florida's delegates, apportioned by a negotiated formula or results of the state's Jan. 29 primary...

---

Sen. Nelson floats plan for counting half of Democratic delegates John Kennedy Orlando Sentinel, Tallahassee Bureau Chief March 15, 2008

Friday, Leon County Democratic activist Jon Ausman formally appealed the DNC's penalty against Florida, in an attempt to get at least half the delegation seated as well as all 23 of the state's superdelegates...

Well, at least Ausman is trying to do something.

Here is a simple solution, a new deal that might cut through the proverbial knot:

1. In response to Ausman's appeal, DNC makes all of Florida's delegates super-delegates
   1. 23 original recipe super-delegates and
   2. 188 new-style super-delegates,
   each open for persuasion up until the convention. Advantage: side-steps Hillary Clinton sleight-of-hand in initial election, cheating claims become null.
2. Schedule a dozen "listening sessions" around the state for voter input, prior to convention, and each super-delegate must attend at least one session. Advantage: Florida not totally disenfranchised.
3. DNC commutes penalty: Ban the 188 new super-delegates from first nominating ballot only, activate for second and later ballots. This has the advantage that
   1. it will allow significant decision-making for Florida delegation being as how the current delegate count is neck and neck which means the first ballot might not get a majority;
   2. if first ballot does have a victor, the second ballot can be unanimous, Florida delegation can vote with all, thereby converting the entire scheme into an elaborate fig-leaf, but still worth doing;
   3. significant decision-making will also keep Florida in the headlines.
   
   

Disadvantage: this would have to be implemented

1. by DNC, i.e., Howard Dean, so prospect of a smart decision is mighty bleak,
2. and by Florida geniuses, who fall into Theresa LePore mode at the drop of the proverbial hat.

Democrat circular firing squad, Florida style

Nelson: vote again.
Dean: we won't pay for it.
Obama: ban Florida delegates, ignore vote.
Hillary: An individual may contribute a maximum of $2,300 per election (the primary and general are separate elections). Thank you and have a nice day, Florida.

This is the party which brayed the loudest about Theresa LePore and the butterfly ballots, but here they are setting up Florida once again.

Sen. Bill Nelson: Florida ought to have primary do-over By TAMARA LYTLE Orlando Sentinel March 7, 2008

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, Florida's top elected Democrat, threw his weight Thursday behind a new presidential-primary vote in hopes that the state's votes will be counted toward the Democratic presidential nomination... But Dean stuck to his hard line, appearing on numerous television shows to say Florida has only two options: a do-over contest before the party's deadline of June 10, or asking the convention credentials committee to seat the delegates. Asked whether the DNC would pay for a do-over — a new primary, mail-in ballot or caucus — Dean said no. "Of course not," he said on CBS' The Early Show. "We can't afford to do that. That's not our problem. You know, we need our money to win the presidential race." ...But the Obama camp made it clear it would not support seating Florida's delegates based on the Jan. 29 vote.

Hold onto your wallets, Florida. Prepare for the worst.

Republicans avoid LePore-style footshooting.

At least the Republicans have kept their honor in avoiding the "punish Florida now" movement that currently owns the Democrat party's national bigshots.

GOP candidates talk tough John Kennedy and Jim Stratton Sentinel Staff Writers October 22, 2007 Orlando Sentinel

Republican presidential contenders battled in a nationally televised debate Sunday night... "We're not going to keep Hillary Clinton out of the White House by acting like Hillary Clinton," said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Romney, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson and Arizona Sen. John McCain took the toughest shots -- at Clinton and one another -- as they sought to surge ahead in a crowded Republican field... Also taking part in the debate were former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Reps. Duncan Hunter of California, Ron Paul of Texas and Tom Tancredo of Colorado... The 90 minutes of verbal fencing did little to help Chris Hart make up his mind. Hart, a former Hillsborough County commissioner, said he went into the debate favoring Giuliani and Romney. Both, he said, performed well, but neither did enough to push him off the fence... ...the primary path for Florida Democrats has proved rocky. Leading Democratic presidential candidates are boycotting next weekend's party convention because the Jan. 29 primary date violates a party rule allowing only the four early states to hold contests before Feb. 5. With Republicans facing no such prohibition, McCain, Romney, Giuliani, and Thompson all spent the weekend courting Florida Republican activists at the Orlando convention. Thompson also will launch a two-day bus trip across Central and South Florida today -- his second barnstorming tour in a month.

It's good to see that not every politician is as arrogant as Howard Dean and his footshootists.

Florida is bad and must be punished, but while we are here...

Now the national bigshots like Howard Dean, who want to punish Florida for disobedience to the national committee's primary election dictum, decide that campaigning in the Sunshine State is verboten but fund raising from Florida is OK.

Florida Democrats open wallets for '08 field Tamara Lytle, Washington Bureau Chief Orlando Sentinel October 21, 2007

Ironically, the Democrats' edge has been achieved even though the candidates are coming to the state only to pick up checks. Because Florida's Jan. 29 primary is earlier than the national party allows, the major candidates have pledged not to campaign in Florida -- except to raise money. That has angered some state Democrats. But even earlier in the year, virtually every visit by the candidates was to collect cash, not to meet voters.... Morgan said public financing would have to be total -- and compulsory. "Make my day by making it all illegal and publicly financed," he said. "Till then I'm not going to let the prescription-drug companies and HMOs have their way. I'm going to elbow my way in to speak for people who don't usually have people who speak for them, like consumers."

Now we see the intentions of the noble politicians in Washington.

USE FLORIDA.

Florida Democrat and Republican politicians decided locally to hold a primary election on a certain day, and this must be punished. (Cf. "Status of Democratic votes undecided...again") So their delegates in the national convention are banned for life, but while we have your attention would you mind donating some cash money to Hillary, Barack or John Edwards?

USE FLORIDA.

And speaking of the handsome and talented poverty expert John Edwards, in keeping with the Theresa LePore tradition, there are plenty of Florida types willing to help out-of-staters have their way with the citizens of the Sunshine State. Exhibit A: John Morgan, wealthy trial attorney, probably AG if Edwards gets elected, or at least he ought to be if you ask Morgan's #1 supporter. This is the same John Morgan, the trial lawyer, who went on the radio in 2004 to advocate for handsome and talented John Edwards, and said that Edwards would even be a great president because he had won a big lawsuit concerning flameproof pajamas for children. Big credentials there. In this election cycle, he wants to "speak for people who don't usually have people who speak for them, like consumers."

Yeah, okay.

Abe Lincoln had a saying for situations like this: Whenever a politician tells you he is an honest man, check quickly that your wallet is still in your back pocket. Mutatis mutandis, whenever John Morgan speaks up for people, check quickly that your wallet is still in your back pocket.