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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 12, 2008

Voters Disenfranchised

Regarding "Florida Voters 'Could Have a Huge Role' " (Nation/World, Jan. 6):

This article presents meaningful substitutes to having our votes counted. Empty ceremony is promoted as the modern bailiwick of democracy because it might influence "national reporters," monied political investors and perhaps other Americans who haven't been disenfranchised as we have been.

Democracy is where voters determine the personnel and policy of government. When party leaders step between the voters and those decisions, the nation has taken a step away from democracy. Keeping voters from having their votes counted hasn't been done on this scale in America since the civil rights movement killed off Jim Crow. The motives today may be different than those of segregationists, but the effect is the same.

Florida's Legislature, its governor, Congress and the president should enact laws so that no party official is ever again empowered to cancel an American vote. The political process should be built around counting every American vote.

Finally, Florida voters ought to ask the candidates who shunned us, while still skulking into the state to collect checks from big-money political investors, exactly what political value do they hold as more important than counting American votes.

DOUG BEVINS

Dade City

Florida Adds Momentum

Regarding "Will Your Vote Count" (front page, Jan. 6):

Will my vote count? You bet!

Momentum going in the super primary day on Feb 5 is too important. In the next several days the Democratic candidates will defy Howard Dean's ban on campaigning in Florida before the primary and come roaring in. The national party's threat of withholding funds will lose its bite as the nominee will be chosen by the Feb 5 states, not the convention.

DONALD YOUNG

Tampa

DNC Will Get Message

Florida has 18.1 million people, with 3 million Democrats

If the Democratic National Committee wants to castrate 3 million Democratic voters, let them. But remember, when they start calling for votes and money, we will turn a deaf ear - all 3 million of us.

Why should these small states continue to exercise hegemony over the rest of us?

JANIS MARGULIS

Plantation

Republicans At Fault

The odds are the vote in the Democratic primary will eventually count, but let us lay the blame for this occurrence squarely where it belongs: the Republicans.

It was Republican Speaker of the House Marco Rubio who made it a priority to break both party's rules by moving up the primary date, so it was the Republicans who initiated this mess and entered the primary date change into legislation. Anyone who says differently is either ignorant of the facts or lying.

As usual, the Republicans had their priorities wrong. Instead of addressing the problems of the average Floridian, the Republicans opted to waste time and energy on changing the primary date in direct violation of national Republican and Democratic Party rules.

KILAHAL ARTURO

St. Petersburg

Put Parties On Notice

So the major parties think Florida is not particularly important for our votes (only for our money), while they were all over Iowa, which is not nearly as populous. At least we are blessed not having our trash bins overflow with campaign literature, our streets not cluttered with signs, or the endless commercials over the airwaves.

It may not matter to them whom we vote for, but they may sit up and notice if every registered voter in Florida went to the polls the end of the month to show them that we are a force to be reckoned with.

Florida was instrumental in putting Bush into office, and we could do it again with our choice in November.

This just might be the most important election in our history, considering the state of the world, so Floridians, let's show the parties and the country that we do count for something.

EMILY C. HAMILTON

Spring Hill

A State's Right

Clearly Florida can set its own primary date for president. Guess I don't understand the brouhaha! Ha!

Did anyone read the U.S. Constitution? It states:

"The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same term, be elected, as follows:

"Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed an elector."

Clearly a primary date is a state right. Bravo to Florida legislators for standing tall.

RICHARD MILLER

Tampa

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