No DNC do over for Florida and Michigan

Byron A. Ellis

March 10, 2008

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) should not reward rule breakers; it would send a wrong signal. Florida and Michigan were well aware of the consequences of breaking the rules.

Politicians preach continuously that if rules are broken, they are consequences. Moreover, all the candidates agreed to the consequences in advance, including Hillary Clinton when she was the presumptuous favorite. Now that she is trailing in the race for delegates she wants to change the rules.

This type of flip flap goes to the core of her character. It tells the voters and the rest of the world that Clintonian agreements are subject to change. Hence, all of Hillary’s promises are subject to change, particularly if they turn out not to be in her favor.

They are millions of young voters that became enfranchised with the Democratic Party and are actively participating in the electoral process. Their enfranchisement, if carefully nourished, can lead to many future DNC victories. Conversely, disenfranchisement can leave the DNC in the pre-Obama era.