“Let Every Vote Count”

It’s do-or-die time for the Democratic party.

The party that was robbed in Florida in 2000 now must have a come to Jesus moment as quickly as possible.

The Democrats have to decide who they are and what they stand for. Are they a party of royalists who stand for coronation and party boss bullying, or the party of enfranchisement and letting every vote count? Are they the party of buck passing and circular firing squads, or the party of personal responsibility?

These are not rhetorical questions. These are the most serious issues facing the party at the moment. The answers could very well determine who takes the oath of office in 2009.

It appears that finally, finally, the press and the people are waking up to the grim reality that two states will be shut out of the nominating process. While it’s true that they’re two large, crucial swing states and that one of these states was the site of the battle royal in 2000, the point is that this situation would be just as unacceptable and outrageous if the states in question were Delaware and Rhode Island.

For the Democratic party chairman to say that the delegations will be “seated” is cold comfort. Hell, with my press credentials I too could be “seated” at the convention. That doesn’t mean I get the right to vote, or that I represent a constituency. For the chairman of the Democratic party to tell “supporters”, i.e. Democratic voters, to “shut up” is outrageous. For him to promise a “plan” to fix this embarrassing mess without offering specifics is totally unacceptable.

And for Obama surrogates to fan out and issue more calls for Hillary Clinton to drop out before all the votes are counted is monstrous. There’s no other word for it. And please spare us the handwringing and patronizing lectures about what’s “good” and “bad” for the party, unless you’re willing to explain how stopping a vote count at the halfway mark and disenfranchising voters somehow benefits the Democratic party and the country. If you’re not prepared to do that, well, you can follow Howard Dean’s advice and “shut up”.

Do votes count when determining the party’s nominee? Or only when counted against a Republican opponent?

It is imperative that all voters, regardless of their political affiliation or whether they live in Florida and Michigan, band together to protest this outrage.

There are people the world over who would die, literally die, for the right to vote. Even in countries where election rigging is commonplace voters still turn out to cast their ballots. They did it in Pakistan despite the very real risks of terrorist attacks and death, and look what happened. This weekend they did it in Zimbabwe. In some ways the results of the final count are not as important as the act itself, of giving people the opportunity to be enfranchised, to participate in the running of their own country. These are people who refuse to give in to cynicism and despair. They set an example for us, not the other way around as we would like to think.

The last time I checked, we still have the right to vote in this country (ALL OVER the country, not in just 48 states), and despite messes in elections past we are entitled to believe that our votes will count. Write and call your Democratic representative and local party official. Remind him or her that our nation is supposed to be the envy of the world, not a hypocritical laughing stock.

Write and call the DNC and pull a Howard Beale.

And fight. Fight like hell. We do not live in a tinpot dictatorship. Remind Democratic “leaders” of this fact.