When the hubbub over Florida’s new presidential primary date began, the Florida Democratic Party was quick to blame the Republican-led state legislature for a change that violated national Dem Party rules and introduced the state party to a world of hurt. It turns out, however, that it was actually a Democratic state senator who introduced the original legislation that moved the primary date to Jan. 29. Hmmm.
But when newly spineful state party chair Karen Thurman gathered the Democratic faithful around her last weekend to announce that the state party would defiantly promote the Jan. 29 vote as a “real” election that “counts,” the man responsible for the original legislation was conspicuously absent.
— Fla. Sen. Jeremy Ring
When Karen Thurman surrounded herself with Broward County Democrats last Sunday to tout the Jan. 29 primary: state Sen. Jeremy Ring. No one invited the Broward state Senator who sponsored the original bill moving Florida’s primary from March to January and undercut the Democrats’ argument that the early primary was all the Republicans’ fault.
So, the party needed an alternate explanation, and they found one — in an alternate universe: Ring was somehow fooled by Republicans into proposing the primary move, fully aware that Howard Dean and his Democratic National Committee would beat on Florida Democrats like Ringo Starr on a snare drum. Right.
“If you turn on the left wing liberal radio down in Broward, I am public enemy number one,†said Ring, who actually campaigned in 2006 on the need for an early primary and makes no apologies for his leading the effort. “I hear that a lot, that I was duped by the Republicans. No one duped me.”
Now that the Florida Democratic Party is resigned to the fact that the state will be off-limits to the leading Democratic candidates (except for blue-plate fundraisers — so much for the Dems who can’t afford that) and the party’s convention next month will be just another diversion at Disney World and the state will be stripped of its convention delegates, Thurman et. al. seem bent on ignoring the fact that a fellow party member actually started the whole thing.
It would be inconvenient to acknowledge Ring’s role in a process where the Florida Democratic Party has morphed into the Defiant Victim — victimized by the Republican-dominated legislature, victimized by its own national party and victimized by the prez candidates, yet standing up on its hind legs and saying “Go to hell” to its victimizers. The reminder that Ring ran on the notion of moving up the primary date, was elected on it and followed through on his campaign promise is an inconvenient truth that the FlaDems simply must ignore.
It was a Democrat, not Republicans, Who Moved Florida’s Primary Date…
We’ve been quick to blame the GOP for the conflict between the DNC and Florida Dems over moving the state’s primary up to January, but it turns out the original bill to move the date was sponsored by a Democratic state senator….
I’ll bet Ring voted for Ralph Nader in 2000.And that his real name is Ringer.
“Who started it” is a winless argument. The questions now are:
1) Can Dems win in 2008 without Florida?
2) Can a Democratic nominee who boycotts Florida in the primary carry the state in November?
3) What will party leaders – and presidential candidates – do NOW to stop the madness aimed at Florida voters?
Florida Democrats will be well served to switch parties in Florida to vote for Ron Paul in the Primary. Ron Paul has a principled, consistent voting record that is not dictated by special interest in Washington, DC. He stood resolute against our government’s interference overseas, in the economy, and in our personal lives. He is the champion of the Constitution. Ron Paul will bring the troops home now.Many promise in the election season: Ron Paul has always delivered. stop the looting of Social Security, stop the $1 trillion overseas spending, reducing our debt, helping veterans, children, and seniors, and cutting taxes, end forced health screening and vaccinations, he opposes WTO, NAFTA, CAFTA and the NAU, and fights for freedom to choose health care. He will protect our privacy and civil liberties, stop the national ID Card and oppose taxes on the internet.
Florida Democrats should be treated with respect and accorded full participation in the electoral process regardless of any simpleminded state legislator’s (Mr. Ring) advancing the silly notion of moving the state’s primary date to January 29th ahead of the 21 state Super Tuesday primary all in the hopes of winning TV, radio, and print media business. The Republicon’ legislature (Emphasis on ‘con’) is equally as shortsighted and their ineptness should not turn Floridian democrats into second rate citizens. Hasn’t Florida suffered enough the world over as nincompoops in previous elections to now be held up to repeated ridicule and condemnation. Who will intercede on our behalf to seat the elected delegates at the national convention? Is litigation even an option or will it take an all out pitch fork hue and cry…”Power to the people”.
Facts can be stubborn things
http://www.fladems.com/content/w/crists_concern_for_dems_disingenuous