Michigan warned: Dems order Fla. to rescind early primary or lose delegates

[BeatleBoot]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070826/POLITICS/708260342&theme=Politics-President


In a warning to Michigan and other states threatening to upend the presidential nomination calendar, the Democratic National Committee on Saturday ruled that Florida must rescind its decision to hold a primary on Jan. 29 or lose all its delegates to next summer's national party convention.

The vote could mean that Florida Democrats have no votes in choosing the party's presidential nominee. Michigan, which is expected to finalize this week a plan to move its primary to Jan. 15, also in violation of party rules, could suffer a similar fate if it forges ahead.

Saturday's vote raises the stakes in what has been a months-long battle for clout in the presidential nomination process. Michigan Democrats, led by Sen. Carl Levin, have complained for more than two decades about the privileged first-in-the-nation status accorded to Iowa and New Hampshire, two largely white, rural states with little of the manufacturing industry that is such a major part of the Michigan economy. Michigan's move to Jan. 15 would be the state's biggest attempt to unseat Iowa and New Hampshire.

While Democratic officials in Washington were punishing Florida, the Michigan Republican State Committee meeting in Lansing unanimously approved a Jan. 15 state-run presidential primary.

[cobalt1999]

1. This is easy for the Michigan dems

Feign a fight over it. Publicly say all the right things, but behind closed doors work with the Republicans to make it happen. That way you work yourself through the rules loophole.

The problem with Florida is the democrats didn't put up the token fight.

[MaineDem]

2. Michigan's Chair is on the DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee

This will be very interesting.