A Christian Liberal is NOT an oxymoron.

Posted by XT on June 1st, 2008 in Campaign News

I think it was Wednesday night when my wife and I watched the movie Recount (I’m not sure as to the actual day - it isn’t really important and ON DEMAND means that the actual scheduled show-time is irrelevant). Actually, I got up and left in the middle of it and took some books back to the library. It just brought up too many old feelings.

No, they weren’t feelings of anger over a “stolen” election. It was anger at the manner in which full-grown adults behaved to make a mockery of our democracy. If you haven’t seen the movie, feel free to watch it (but make sure to have some Pepto nearby). Two things become crystal clear: 1) No one gave a damn about the actual outcome of the election - meaning no one really wanted a fair and accurate count of votes that had been cast; and 2) people are willing to make an ass out of themselves on TV, even if it destroys everything around them.

Dana Milbank’s account of the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee just pushed the point home. It demonstrates why our Founding Fathers sought refuge in the comfort of a republic rather than granting a straightforward democracy. To put it quite simply: Some people are just too stupid - or too intent at winning - to be trusted with something as important as voting. Unfortunately, every other alternative is worse.

At least in the 2000 election, the decision hung in the balance. The forces marshalled by Hillary Clinton’s supporters this weekend couldn’t cling to that lie. Even if both Florida and Michigan were granted their full delegations with full voting rights, Hillary Clinton would still lose. What’s dumber than making an ass of yourself? Making an ass of yourself for no reason.

And, make no mistake, it was for no reason whatsoever. Florida and Michigan got themselves into this jam because they held their primaries too early to be counted. Yeah, there’s some circumstances that can give them some wiggle room. But the point is - they were told that early primaries would be penalized and they dared the DNC to punish them. The only “principle” that can be claimed here is the principle that one has a right to do whatever they damn well please without any consequence - and that is something that should be outgrown around the twenty-fourth month of life or so.

So the two states will get to seat their delegates with a half-vote each. Oddly, Republicans figured this out - oh, somewhere around a year ago. And they didn’t need to act like babies to do it.

Technorati Tags: Recount, Dana Milbank, Hillary Clinton, Florida, Michigan