Florida, Michigan Don't Deserve a Do-Over

For the last two weeks we have watched nearly every political hack from Michigan and Florida hit the airwaves to tell us that voters in those states deserve to have their votes counted, and new elections should be called for — and paid — by the Democratic National Committee.

One word they all keep tossing around is disenfranchisement. Because of this nation's sordid history on the issue of denying African Americans the right to vote, those calling for a re-vote know the true power of the word, and just uttering it sort of backs the opposition up.

But folks, I'm sorry. Knowing full well how the two political hacks — also called governors — of Michigan and Florida deliberately chose to ignore the Democratic Party rules and try to leapfrog the other states, I just don't have any compassion for the both of them.

Just listening to Jennifer Granholm of Michigan and Charlie Crist of Florida whine, complain and throw hissy fits on national TV is just too much.

They keep blaming Howard Dean, chairman of the DNC, for this debacle. But he's not to blame. They could have vetoed the bill, or told their state legislatures to stop the grandstanding and get on with the people's business. But they chose otherwise.

Yes, I do feel sorry for the voters in those two states because their votes should have mattered. It would have been great had they counted. But it was the elected officials in both states that chose to go down this terrible path. Had they just remained where they were, their delegates may have made the difference in this close presidential race between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

But they didn't. They flat out ignored the rules voted on unanimously by the Democratic Party. Officials from both states knew before voting — and signing the bill into law — that the DNC was going to sanction them. Yet their arrogance overrode their common sense.

Now it's March, and less than a dozen states remain, and Michigan and Florida are demanding that the DNC, superdelegates, even the campaigns, do something to allow them to vote again.

If it were my call, I would tell them, "See ya in four years."

Sure, that's pretty harsh, but 48 other states followed the rules. There is no doubt some of those states thought this would be over by Super Tuesday on Feb. 5 and wanted their state to have a say in who the nominee would be, but they chose to be patient and wait their turn.

Michigan and Florida didn't.

Senators and members of Congress from multiple states were clamoring to get in on the action. But with the DNC's threat looming large, they got with the program.

Michigan and Florida didn't.

So we are all supposed to feel sorry for Sens. Carl Levin of Michigan and Bill Nelson of Florida because they want this issue addressed by the DNC, but were they pleading with their governors to not sign the law changing the dates? Nope!

The compassion just isn't there for the arrogant folks from Michigan and Florida.

If this is all about seating delegates, fine. Split their numbers down the middle and give half to Clinton and the other half to Obama. There. We just saved $30 million.

But the DNC should protect the integrity of their rules process. If they acquiesce, how many states will pull the same trick in four years? The precedent would have been set and anyone else could make the same argument: please, please, give us another chance, even though we brought this on ourselves.

No. Enough. Let's end this madness and tell Florida and Michigan that they had their shot. They blew it. It's time to move on and let the people who know how to play by the rules get on with this process. They made their bed. Now sleep in it.

And the people in Michigan and Florida should throw out the bums who stiffed them. Somebody must pay for the sins of these two states, and they should look to the politicians who keep running their mouths on TV demanding a re-vote.

Roland S. Martin is an award-winning CNN contributor and the author of "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith." Please visit his Web site at www.RolandSMartin.com. To find out more about Roland S. Martin and read his past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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