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The Democrats' dilemma

By Henry Lamb
web posted March 31, 2008

The Democratic National Committee displayed inexcusable arrogance when it adopted a rule that deprived the people of Florida and Michigan of their Constitutional right to have their votes counted toward the nomination of a presidential candidate.  Nothing short of sheer audacity caused Howard Dean and the DNC to determine that they – rather than the elected officials of the respective states – know best when the states should hold their primary election.  The DNC rule is morally wrong, and quite likely, unconstitutional.

The action by the Democrat leadership is consistent with their political philosophy.  In their view, their decision – no matter how whimsical or self-serving – is the supreme authority.  The Constitution be damned, if it interferes with the goals of the Democrat Party.   How dare the people of Florida and Michigan expect their votes to count in the nomination of a candidate if their elected officials fail to comply with the DNC mandate?

Whether the DNC decision was poor judgment or just plain stupidity, the consequences are threatening to rip the Party apart.  The two remaining Democrat candidates are locked in a tight race, both needing every delegate they can get.  Despite the fact that millions of people voted in Florida and Michigan, Howard Dean is defending his decision that their delegates cannot be seated at the nominating convention.

The candidates, the DNC, and the two states, are holding discussion about a possible re-vote, or do-over.  What?  Has the DNC changed the rules?  Does the DNC now want to change the rules in the middle of the game?  Will the DNC allow the delegates from the two states to be seated after all, even though Obama's name was not on the Ballot in Michigan?  Or will either of the candidates, or the people from the two states, go to court? 

Should none of these possible outcomes materialize, the Democrat National Convention could be more spectacular than the 1968 convention in Chicago.  The credentials fight, preceding the floor fight for super-delegates, should make the convention the hottest ticket in town.

Once again, the Democrats have made a mess.

 Hillary claims that her credentials to be president are her experience and leadership ability.  Barack claims that his credentials to be president are his judgment and ability to unite the nation.  What a joke!  The current dilemma in the Democrat Party is a precursor of what the nation can expect if this bunch is chosen to lead the country for the next four years.

Hillary's experience includes her failed effort to socialize America's health care system, her public support of Walter Cronkite and the World Federalist Association in their effort to create a world government under the U.N.  And, of course, her warfare experience is based on her heading up the bimbo defense team. 

Barack's judgment includes asking a financial supporter, Tony Rezko, known to be under investigation at the time, to buy a lot adjacent to Barack's new home.  Barack then bought a portion of Rezko's adjacent lot at a price above the appraised value.  Rezko contributed $250,000   to Barack's campaigns.  Rezko is now under indictment. Barack's "good judgment" also led him to embrace his pastor, Jeremiah Wright, whose videoed sermons now spew racial hatred   and anti-American venom across the air waves.  These are actual examples of the judgment Barack says qualifies him for the White House.

The Democrats have no monopoly on political blunders.  The Republicans, too, have displayed gigantic lapses in judgment, and episodes of political expedience.  If, indeed, cream always rises to the top, in the current crop of presidential candidates, the cream has clabbered.

The Republicans, however, regardless of how sour the presidential prospects may be, are in nothing like the dilemma now faced by the Democrats, who have to dig their way out of the primary mess before even naming their candidate.  Once this is done, the Republicans have gathered ammunition in preparation for delivering salvo after salvo upon whichever candidate survives the convention.

Lost in these theatrics, are the people who desperately need, and want, a candidate who is well grounded in the fundamental principles of freedom that once defined America.  The people need, and want a candidate who is guided by these principles in every issue.  While all of the candidates claim to possess these attributes, their claims are not supported by their votes in the Senate. 

A lot can happen in the eight months before the election, but it is not likely that the best candidate for America at this time in history will appear.  Instead, the people will choose from the available list, and the nation will get what it deserves. ESR

Henry Lamb is the executive vice president of the Environmental Conservation Organization (ECO), and chairman of Sovereignty International.


 

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