We can't let 537 - or the Republicans - determine our future again.

Does '537' ring a bell? It should. It's the number of votes that separated Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore in Florida in 2000.


A party-run primary or caucus has been ruled out, and it's simply not possible for the state to hold another election, even if the Party were to pay for it. Republican Speaker of the Florida House Marco Rubio refuses to even consider that option. Florida is finally moving to paper ballots, which is a good thing, but it means that at least 15 counties do not have the capacity to handle a major election before the June 10th DNC primary deadline.

When the committee of the DNC stripped us of 100% of our delegates last year, some members summed up their reasoning by saying, "The rules are the rules." Unfortunately, the rules did not apply to Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina when they, too, violated the DNC calendar by moving from their assigned dates.


As the late great Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, "We must adjust our ideas to the facts of today... Rules are not necessarily sacred, principles are."


The Florida Democratic Party has stuck to its principles throughout this debate. We've remained open-minded while never wavering from our commitment to an open and fair election that would allow all Florida Democrats to participate, whether serving in Iraq, retiring in Boca, studying abroad or entertaining at a theme park.

Congresswoman Karen L. ThurmanChair, Florida Democratic Party

DNC or Obama?

The election for the White House cannot be won without Florida and Michigan going Democratic.



So my question is:

Is it Obama or the DNC who is bound and determined to lose the race to the White House?



Florida voters will not stand for their votes not being counted. Some will vote for McCain, "he ain't all that bad", they say. Others will vote for Ralph Nader.



I am urging all voters who want the Democratic nominee to win the White House in November to call, write, and email the DNC and Senator Obama. Let them know you want to win in November but Florida is a swing state and we need to count the Florida votes.



If however, you prefer to continue with the same policies as the last 7 years, we can continue the same policy in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, the same economic policy with the middle class losing ground each day. Do nothing.

Disenfranchised Florida Voters

This blog is dedicated to the Florida Democratic voters who spent their precious time to go to the polls and cast their vote for the candidate of their choice on January 29, 2008.

I am urging you to contact the DNC either by email, snail mail or phone, to state your views on why the votes should count in Florida.

We must convince the DNC that if the voters in Florida are disenfranchised in the primary election, the Democratic Party will suffer a defeat in November. Many voters I have spoken with are saying they will either vote for McCain or Nader in November.

We must work hard to make sure our votes count.