Every vote counts.
This is a familiar mantra, uttered time and again with each election
cycle, as various veterans of voting try to encourage civic engagement
in those less inclined to submit a ballot. It is a phrase prescribed by
political practitioners everywhere, meant to promote participation and
inspire optimism in the face of impossible odds.
While it certainly warms the cockles to hear it said, this notion
will cease to carry any clout if those choreographing the election
processes can justify casually changing the game at a moment’s notice.
What happened to Ron Paul’s Maine delegates in Tampa, Fla. at the recent
Republican National Convention illustrates the potential for a serious
decline in morale when the “equal votes” concept isn’t upheld.
After the Maine GOP convention in May, Paul had earned the
representation of 20 of Maine’s 24 delegate nominations. The apparently
huge increase in support since the results of the February caucuses
indicated that Paul’s campaign had some serious boots on the ground, and
that those boots were made for walking.
However, the RNC rules committee seemed determined that the other
shoe would certainly drop. Eventually they indicated in their
credentials report that the delegate selection process had been fraught
with improper procedure. The committee officially reassigned 10 of the
positions to Romney supporters in the interests of “fairness” the day
before the RNC began, leaving Paul with 10 and Romney with 10.
As this obviously further stacked the deck in Romney’s favor, Paul
supporters endeavored to overturn the ruling. Efforts to register their
grievances, however, were essentially snuffed out. And since they
weren’t allowed to speak, they made no efforts to hold their peace as
the convention commenced with only half of Maine’s support for Ron Paul
represented.
It is rarely the case that the race for political office leaves all
involved with a one hundred percent satisfaction rate. But this utter
dismissal of delegates, absent a legitimate opportunity for them to
dispute the decision, shows a lack of respect for the election process.
What sort of confidence in the system is this coup supposed to inspire?
As Maine goes, so goes the nation — and Maine Paul backers certainly
balked at the sting of betrayal when their delegate count was
commandeered by their own party convention’s Credentials Committee.
Every delegate’s vote is tallied to determine to party nominee in the
presidential race. Needless to say, if those votes are vetoed by the
very organization overseeing their submission, the final count
misrepresents the will of the people.
Such a manipulation of the method by which everyone’s voice is meant
to be heard will quickly leave an impression that some votes aren’t
worth a damn after all.
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