Florida...breaking party rules was merely an act of civil disobedience. Alcee Hastings gets bitter.

[madfloridian]

Good to know that it was merely civil disobedience they were practicing as they disrupted our party for months. I never suspected. That is one way to explain it. I thought this was an interesting write-up. When you throw a whole party into chaos, it is okay if you say you were doing it for a higher cause.

Editorial: Take half a loaf, hit 'em with it

Florida got in trouble for the right reason, to protest the preposterous and discriminatory presidential primary system. Any reform of that will come in the future, but this year's protest should follow through to the final appeal, to drive the point home.

The state held its presidential preference primaries early, on Jan. 29, in defiance of both national parties, despite warnings of penalties and despite the refusal of any candidates to campaign here.

It was an act of civil disobedience, if you will, protesting the practice of letting a few small states, especially Iowa and New Hampshire, go early in the presidential voting every election. That gives these unrepresentative populations a wildly disproportionate influence over elections, at the expense of larger, more diverse states like Florida, with very different interests.

Reinventing history works well also when a state Democratic senator acted foolish. He did get a lot of attention, though. Now the state is claiming it was a good thing after all, and Bill Nelson will get to ram his primary bill through.

Then we have to press the case before Congress for election reform such as that sponsored by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, calling for rotating interregional primaries.Nelson would divide the country into six regions, which will vote on a rotating schedule each four years. It's only fair, and it's the real reason for the brouhaha. Don't let our national leaders forget it.

Michigan figured it out sooner than Florida did. Debbie Dingell said this a while ago...that Michigan performed an act of civil disobedience.

Michigan's civil disobedience.

Debbie Dingell on Ed Schultz: MI performed an act of "civil disobedience."

She endorsed Obama today, and I hear Bill Nelson was on the call to Hillary Clinton about bringing it to an end...so that is a good thing.

A couple of Florida leaders still are concerning me in their efforts and refusal to get on board with the party. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was pushing about a letter to insist that womens' votes be honored and that Hillary be considered for VP. Not a good idea to pressure the nominee.

Alcee Hasting really exhibited some bitterness this week in his response to the DNC ruling. It is really vituperative.

U.S. Rep. Alcee L. Hastings reacts to DNC ruling on the seating of Florida’s delegates

It is a very long statement. Just some portions.

It is with reluctance and disappointment that I accept the DNC’s decision today. I do so not because I agree with the decision but because it is time for us to move on and focus on winning in November.

“I applaud Karen Thurman and the Florida Democratic Party, Robert Wexler, Bill Nelson and others who represented our state and the candidates for doing the best they could with a bad situation.

“Florida Democrats have been serially abused and the DNC is the latest of offenders. How the DNC has the authority to ignore the votes of ‘Jack and Jane Lunch Bucket’ is be-yond my understanding. The insiders who actively sought to disillusion and disenfranchise the more than 1.75 million Florida Democrats who voted on Jan. 29 give new meaning to collective arrogance.

That is so out of line. I never cease to be amazed at the rhetoric of our Florida Democrats.

“I suppose the DNC has the right to block Democrats in Florida from attending the National Convention. They also have the right to be stupid, and stupid they are.

“At the beginning of our great country’s history my ancestors were counted as only two-thirds of a person. Until passage of the 15th Amendment in 1870, they weren’t allowed to vote. During that same time and until 1920, women could not vote. White men who did not own property could not vote at one point in our history as well.

“Now, on May 31, 2008, a group of elitist insiders of the DNC have effectively said that some of my ancestors’ progeny equal only 1/2 and that men and women in Florida who voted on Jan. 29 are 1/2 also. For a Party which will crown its historic nominee on the 45th anniversary of Dr. King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, the DNC’s decision today is tragically ironic.

“As a matter of protest, I do not intend to attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Calling your party "stupid" is pretty doggoned divisive. Comparing their decision to something racist is unforgiveable.

I have not heard from anyone on my local email list of Dems about the amazing candidate we have. Not one single word at all. A neighbor I was talking to today was very pleased, and admitted he was a Democrat. Not a wise thing to do here if you are an office holder. I never knew he was a Democrat. We could talk together on the topic of Obama while former Democratic friends won't go there with me.

They say time heals everything, and in my life I have found that to be mostly true. This is different, a different feel. Just not sure.