Tonight on television, I saw some discussion about the debate over the votes in Florida and Michigan. Florida and Michigan officials--acting in their role as guardian of the taxpayers--are adamant that no state money should be paid for revotes in accordance with Democratic Party rules. Democratic Chair Howard Dean--acting in his role as the guardian of the Democratic Party treasury--is adamant that no DNC money should be paid for votes in Florida and Michigan.
I think it is important to defeating John McCain that Michigan and Florida be given a voice in the selection of a Presidential nominee. I believe that my candidate, Barack Obama, will win the nomination whether or not Michigan or Florida have a valid vote for President, but I feel confident that his nomination will be worth much more if Michigan and Florida have a voice at the Democratic National Convention.
Denial of a vote at the Democratic National Convention to Florida and Michigan--even for the best of reasons--can be easily converted by Republicans into a wedge issue that definitely costs us Florida and possibly costs us Michigan. The stakes are too high for us to get frozen into moralistic positions, recriminations, or finger-pointing.
Last month, Barack Obama raised $55 million--almost $2 million a day. Hillary Clinton raised a mere $35 million--over $1 million a day.
In Pennsylvania, larger in population than Michigan but smaller in population than Florida, the official estimate for the cost of having separate primaries for President and other offices--an option the legislature considered but rejected--was $18 million. I would therefore guess that the costs of new primaries in Florida and Michigan would be in the ballpark of $40 million.
$40 million is about two weeks of recent Democratic Presidential fundraising, limited to $2,300 per person. I would guess that some really big donors might be willing to invest far more than $2300 to support an unregulated Presidential Primary Fund.
Caucuses would cost less than $40 million. Mail voting would also cost less than $40 million.
The point is that whatever the procedure that is agreed on, we have the resources to raise money to pay for it. We should pay for it. The DNC should keep its money and Florida and Michigan taxpayers should keep their money. We are stuck in a ditch and it is time to buy our way out of it.
"I paid for this microphone, " Ronald Reagan famously said in the 1980 New Hampshire primary. We all ought to pay for a microphone for Florida and Michigan so we can get their electoral votes and begin a new era of progressive governance.
(UPDATE: 2:50 PST. The Washington Post of Friday, March 7 has lower cost estimates of holding new primaries than this diary did. The highest estimate produced by Florida officials is $25 million, and the highest estimate produced by Michigan officials is $10 million. So with a $35 million total, we have already "saved" $5 million. The Washington Post credited the Los Angeles Times with coming up with these figures.
(The Washington Post also quoted Obama campaign manager David Plouffle as saying "We can't have this hanging over the nomination for another 60 days," he said. "Whatever the resolution is, we hope it is soon." )