The Sunshine Empire

During this excruciatingly long presidential cycle I have written about the dangers and the problems associated with the mad dash by some states to gain importance in the primary schedule, and Iowa’s and New Hampshire’s stubborn refusal to understand their irrelevance and cede their “first in the nation” chamber of commerce sloganism. I have stated that there should be a Congressional solution to write some kind of logic into the Federal Election code due to the danger that this mad dash by states to have their primary first has on our democracy. Yet the solution from Howard Dean and the Democratic National Committee is typical Democratic political insanity and incompetence.

The DNC has decided to advise it’s candidates to not campaign in the great state of Florida. It is as if the lessons of the state’s importance have been ripped from the party’s long history and replaced by a chapter on what a really keen President George McGovern would have been. It has also stated that it will not seat the state’s delegates at the party’s nominating convention and that is a slap in the face of a swing state that could be critical to the party’s chances at re-taking the White House and reversing the terrible consequences of losing Florida in the 2000 general election. The Democratic Party is also effectively punishing the state’s party mainly for the actions of Republican Governor Charlie Christ and Florida’s Republican legislature who set the primary date in the first place. Yet just because Florida audaciously decided that it was more important in the nominating process than a gaggle of corn farmers playing baccarat in their living rooms, it is having it’s Democratic primary voters disenfranchised.

The Sunshine Empire’s most trusted political advisor has declared that he will not vote for any Democratic candidate in the general election if the party proceeds to disenfranchise it’s primary voters in Florida, but of course will not vote for any Republican either. I have a hard time disagreeing with him. It is generally accepted that any eventual nominee would seat the Florida delegation out of a wish for party unity, but the party hierarchy’s actions are offensive just the same. In the coming days we plan on posting an analysis of each of the declared candidates from each party with their respective views, strengths, and weaknesses. Yet as an editorial statement we have no choice but to stand against any candidate that refuses to campaign in the sunshine state at the whim of Howard Dean and those who choose to remain attached to the absurdity of Iowa and New Hampshire being first in the process. We feel that Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, and sadly even Bill Richardson are undeserved of our votes due to their insistence on ignoring Florida in favor of a state half the size of South Florida. I guess that leaves us with Dennis and Mike Gravel. We know Al Gore would not ignore such a prize. So there but for the grace of God go you, and be warned.