The Problem of Identity Politics

One of the biggest problems with the big tent of the Democratic party is that everyone wants what's best for their group. This year, they have battling groups, women and minorities.

This lady wasn't too happy with the fact that the party big wigs decided that Michigan and Florida will only get 1/2 of their delegations seated. She was unhappier that the rules committee tossed her (and many others) out of the room.




When you play identity politics, as the Democrats have for decades, you can't help but run into problems when the identities clash. Truthfully, this should have been banner year for the Democrats, hoisting the identity of the first black nominee with a chance onto their mantle. The problem is that eight months ago the party thought it would be a banner year when they did that with the first serious female nominee.

Now the women are pissed off at the black guy, the black guys are pissed off at the woman, and the party of unity is a fractured group of individuals, pissed that their identity isn't the one being recognized.

Here's an idea for their party to try in 2012, run on ideas, not identities, and see if it works out better.

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Michigan and Florida Matter?

The Wall Street Journal is kind of slow to catch on to certain things. After both Michigan and Florida's Democratic primaries; both of no consequence yet since their delegations were decertificed; I said that someone would be trying to seat those delegates.

Low and Behold, the Journal has caught on to that idea and started asking questions about how that would be handled. New primaries or caucus's in both states, using combined voting totals have been suggested (and rejected by Florida). A convention fight on the credentials committee is probably going to be the most likely scenario, but one that Clinton wouldn't be happy with. The committee would be based on vote totals, so like the primaries, it would be split pretty evenly, and could get ugly.

The other option, that no one likes, is just telling the two states that they don't get any delegates, as the rules stated when they moved their primaries. With the number of general election electoral votes at stake no one likes that idea. Telling that many people their primary votes don't count could put both states at risk come November.

The whole situation begs for the two parties to get together, and come up with a new primary system. Possibly leaving the four original early states, Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina as the first primaries, then coming up with say 5 or 6 regional dates the rest of the states vote on.

By mixing large and small states into each of the 6 groups, the likelihood of eliminating a candidate before someone votes gets reduced. It would also give the candidates more time to focus on states, instead of having 22 of the vote on Super Tuesday it might only be 7 or 8.

Here's how I'd envision the map, each region would have at least one big state, and no more than 8 states in any of them. (no, the two green areas wouldn't be voting together, I goofed with the colors).

I would think either the north east, with New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania or the midwest with Ohio, Michigan and Illinois would be the choice for the last primaries, making it even more likely that there are relevant candidates available for the voters in those states.

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Sometimes It Takes Years...

Sometimes it takes years for a point to get across. You may have the greatest arguements in the world to pose to your adversaries, and they just don't (or refuse) to get it.

A few things 17 years in the making are starting to become clear to people who ignored them that whole time. Harken back with me, to the last century, circa 1991, and the beginning of the Bill Clinton Era. Conservatives and liberals remeber that time frame differently. Democrats saw the dawning of the "New Camelot", Republicans saw the opening stanzas of "Liars Club".

When the right (rightfully) said that Bill Clinton would say or do anything to get into office, and provided numerous examples we were brushed off by the media and the left as "bitter" over Clinton's plurality election win(s).

Bill was chastized for making his wife 'too powerful' by making her chairman of the committee to figure how to nationalize health care. We on the right said that's a job for a professional, not the first lady, and she proved she couldn't handle the job.

When we complained of the backhanded inuendo slung about towards political enemies we were told "get a thicker skin, that's how the game is played".

But now, the right is feeling some vindication, especially after the South Carolina Primary. The media is having a hard time figuring out how to cover the Democratic primaries, Obama v. Billary Clinton, but they figuring out that Bill will say or do anything to get the wife elected to his old office, and even liberal commentators are taking notice.

Joe Klein, in Time's "Swampland Blog" called the South Carolina vote "moral reprimand delivered to Bill and Hillary Clinton by a united Democratic Party". He went on to say that "Clinton was quoted reminding people that Jesse Jackson had won the primary in 1984 and 1988--which was, of course, a history lesson not a race jab. Of course."

But, hey, Bubba has always "given lessons" and not taken jabs, at least that's what the media tried to lead everyone to believe for about 9 years. Seeing the MSM and especiallty liberal activists coming to the realization that "Clinton Politics" is synonomous with dirty politics is particularly thrilling for those of us who called it years ago. The question now becomes, can the Comeback Kids figure out another one, even after the folks who helped them to their other comebacks have figured them out?

Hillary is now focusing on Florida; stripped of it's delegates like Michigan for moving before Super Tuesday; in hopes of regaining some momentum. Funny thing, like Edwards and Obama she vowed to not campaign there, but her name is on the ballot and she's decided to make a showing. I'll still venture to say that if the delegates of those two states make the difference between a Clinton or Obama ticket we'll see a fight to get them seated. If it's Clinton that's behind you can bet we'll see some more interesting politics from the family.

So, for the folks on the right, enjoy basking in the afterglow of the Clinton meltdown, and for those on the left, sorry about that empty feeling that comes when you realize you've been hoodwinked for years by someone you thought you knew.

*Another quick link for you from Wall Street Journal on the South Carolina primary.

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