Frankly I don't think ANY delegtes from FL and MI should be seated

[CTLawGuy]

1. Both state dem parties WILFULLY flouted the rules, with utter disregard for the interests of their constituents. They did this KNOWING the punishment that would befall them. They also did so hoping to hide behind our desire not to punish voters; hoping this desire would let them get away with their scheme. They used voters as HOSTAGES for their own selfish and immature ends.

2. I doubt the average voter in early November will care what happened in January, or in August, after we have a nominee. I highly doubt they will vote Republican becuase they are so mad that their delegates weren't seated as part of a convention to do what will be a foregone conclusion (i.e. nominate Obama).

3. Even if #2 is wrong, Obama does not need MI or FL to win. He could win all the Kerry states minus MI, plus OH, NM, CO, and IA, and would win with 276.

4. We need to put the Kibosh on this crap. We should work to evict from office any person responsible for violating the rules, through primary challenges. People who have so little regard for the voters and the rules don't deserve to be in positions of power.

5. There is no other way to effectively enforce the rules other than to deny delegates. the DNC is a private organization, and the states (as well as their parties) are independent. You can't sue them, you can't fine them, you can't jail the party leaders. I doubt Steve Geller cares whether Howard Dean likes him or not, I doubt Gov. Granholm gives a shit, she's not going anywhere.

Terry McAuliffe was right in 2004, if you let them break the rules you invite utter chaos in the nominating process.

If you can't enforce the rules, how are you supposed to reform the primary system?

Let's say FL and MI get their wish and in 2012/16 they go first in the contest. NH has a law, and that law says NH must have its primary more than 7 days before any "similar" contest. That means NH jumps ahead of FL and MI.

How do you propose to stop NH from doing that? You can't enjoin enforcement of the law, you can't sue them, you can't jail the legislature. The only thing you can do is say "if you don't change your law, we will deny you delegates and no one will campaign in your state." I seriously think FL and MI would have no problem with that punishment in this particular context. (NH = another story).

If you don't do that NO ONE WILL EVER GO FIRST EXCEPT FOR NH . Yeah it sucks for the voters, but we are stuck in a bind. We need order in our process. That's why I think unless FL or MI have another primary or caucus between now and the convention, their delegates should be denied.