Whining About Disenfranchisement In Nevada
There is something supremely ironic about Hillary Clinton bemoaning the "disenfranchisement" of people in Nevada due to the cumbersome caucus system in public while her surrogates are working desperately to disenfranchise members of a union that endorsed Obama. Yet that is precisely what is going on in Nevada right at this moment. (I posted about this last night.) Today, the Washington Post explains exactly why the effort is being made. The article also, as I predicted, points out that the union membership is largely made up of Hispanic voters. And the union leadership expects every member to follow the leadership's advice on who to choose in the caucuses.
Clinton raised questions about the caucus process when she campaigned here Thursday. Repeating an argument she made after she lost the Iowa caucuses, she said caucuses provide only a "limited period of time" for participation, as opposed to day-long primaries. "People who work during that [caucus] time, they're disenfranchised," she told reporters.
State party officials counter that the sites in the casinos are specifically designed to meet the objections raised by Clinton and to allow more people to participate in the notoriously cumbersome caucus process.
The casino caucuses are open to any shift worker, including cab drivers and employees at nonunion casinos, who is on duty midday Saturday within a 2 1/2 mile radius of the nine sites. They must present identification showing that they work on or near Las Vegas Boulevard, the Strip's official name. However, the logistical reality of Las Vegas — where mega-casinos can be half a mile long and the Strip is clogged with cabs hustling gamblers around town — is that it will be very difficult for workers in nonunion casinos to take the time to walk or drive to the caucus sites.
Culinary officials have been prepping their union's members on caucus rules — the doors close promptly at noon, and no late attendance, for example — at meetings for months. Although their endorsement of Obama came late, they predict a near-united front for him, adhering to the labor movement's notion that division weakens a union's hand, whether in contract bargaining or politics.
"We believe that everyone has the ability to choose on their own, but normally we all try to stick together," said Jennifer Grote, 44, who works in food service at the Paris hotel-casino and will serve as a caucus captain on Election Day.
"You cannot divide union workers," added Leain Vashon, a bell captain at the Paris.
Oh, and the people who are now suing on Clinton's behalf? They made no objection to the process they are now suing over when the rules were put in place. In fact, they were right there at the meeting where the rules were set. But at that point, Hillary was supposed to be the inevitable candidate, of course.
Minutes from the meeting last March when the state Democratic committee approved the caucus process show that several of the parties to the suit were there and approved of the process.
Time to update Benjamin Disraeli's famous saying. There are hypocrites, damned hypocrites and then there are Clintonistas.
By Mockin'bird, Sunday, 13 January , 2008 @ 11:55 am
Mrs. Clinton! Go back to your doublewide in New York, and leave people alone.
Of course, you would never hit another woman, but you’re about to spank yourself.