Letters to the Editor
marktgarten
Published Letters: 192 Editor's Choice: 24
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Sweet!
[Read the article: New Michigan delegate compromise offered]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Despite all the passionate arguments made by both sides, I feel pretty confident in asserting that if Clinton had lost Florida and Michigan, then Obama's supporters would be pressing to have the delegates seated (presumably, MI delegates not for Clinton would move to Obama since their candidates are out) and Clinton's supporters would be asserting that "rules are rules." All because the Dean and the DNC wanted to flex its muscles. (Halve the delegates like the Republicans? No way! That makes too much sense.)
On the positive side, now I have a ready made example to explain the difference between arguments based in theories of 'law' versus 'equity'.
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@Alkaline
[Read the article: New Michigan delegate compromise offered]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]In the Michigan Democratic primary, Clinton received 328,151 votes (55.3%), while 237,762 voted 'uncommitted' (40%). If Clinton had received fewer votes that 'uncommitted', then I believe you could safely say that she lost. It is pretty easy to imagine most if not all of those 'uncommitted' delegates shifting to Obama at the convention.
As for Florida, you are wrong: Obama was on the ballot and received 569,041 votes (33%). Clinton received 857,208 (49.7%).
(Source for numbers: New York Times)
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@Alkaline
[Read the article: New Michigan delegate compromise offered]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Had 'uncommitted' exceeded 'Clinton' in MI, I think it would be pretty reasonable for Obama to say "MI held a referendem (sp?) on HRC and gave her a thumbs down." Where else would a delegate designated as 'uncommitted' go at this point?
As far as what Obama would do if things had fallen in his favor in MI and FL, if you don't think his position would be different then you have a lot more faith in politicians than me -- and I support Obama. Moreover, those Obama supporters who say "Oh, evil Billary did this on purpose!" are deluding themselves (though not as much as when they think "Obama can be competative against McCain in Idaho!"). Had MI and FL actually counted, or even partially counted, I'm pretty sure that she still would have beaten Obama, and maybe gained some momentum too. Her presidential dreams are pretty much dust now, though, so it really doesn't matter.
All this huffing and puffing seems pretty silly to me, especially since it doesn't seem like Obama would lose that much nor Clinton gain that much if MI and FL were seated at the convention. From my jaded perspective, it seems like people just want something to get all fired up about so they can flame each other in forums like this.
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Bad Analogy
[Read the article: No, Hillary Clinton shouldn't be winning]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"Sean Wilentz is a Yankees fan. I am a Red Sox fan. Perhaps Sean Wilentz could write that the American League championship should go to the team with the most hits instead of the most wins, which would have made the Yankees rather than the Red Sox the real champions last year."
Um, no. The correct way to analogize Wilentz's argument to baseball would be this: If games in the regular season were determined by the team with the most hits, but games in the post-season were determined by the team with the most runs.
I'm an Obama supporter, but any critique that requires a misrepresentation of the opposing argument is unappealing.
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Traction
[Read the article: Cheney's bogus oil argument]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I guess there isn't much traction with Iran-based fearmongering right now, because it seems it would be far more realistic that an Iranian backed faction could take over Iraq after an American pullout. A puppet government in Iraq could then funnel oil money to Iran covertly which would subvert future U.N. attempts to sanction Iran for nuclear weapons production. I'm not saying that is likely, but it seems far more realistic (in a Tom Clancy universe kind of way) than al-frickin'-Qaida takeover.
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W.E.S.
[Read the article: Did the "bitter" flap affect the race?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I know where you are coming from, but I really think that Democrats don't have to worry this time. The GOP is weak. McCain is man whose time has come and gone. Americans are tired of Republican rule. For once, Democrats have more money to throw around than Republicans. Just because a lot of Salonistas have blinded themselves to Obama's weaknesses -- like how hard it will be for him to win Florida -- doesn't mean that McCain isn't far fatally flawed. McCain's old, crotchety and prone to angry outbursts. There's no way he can survive from now until the election without multiple flubs (just wait till he confuses Shi'a with Sunni in a live, prime time debate in October).
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@cestmoi123
[Read the article: McCain releases tax returns -- at least, some of them]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I totally agree. Personally, I use tax tables from 1963, the year before the top tax bracket was lowered from 91% to 70%.
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@Ray Walker
[Read the article: Looking for a few good women]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"If a female is among young males in an infantry unit it is more disruptive than an enemy attack."
I don't know, I hear some of those enemy attacks can be pretty disruptive.
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HTWW: Salon's Best Feature
[Read the article: Nationalize the rating agencies!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I learn more from 15 HTWW's letters than 150 War Room letters. Let's hope that Salon keeps Leonard around for years to come.
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@rustyaustin
[Read the article: King Kaufman's Sports Daily]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'm going to guess that Manning and Aikman would say that the big guy protecting their blind side had something to do with those Super Bowl victories.
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Test Applied to the Law
[Read the article: How much voter fraud is there, really?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I haven't had time to read the opinions, but I'm assuming that the majority applied the rational basis test to the Indiana law. Does anyone know what test the dissenters applied?
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@John762
[Read the article: Carville says Obama is likely nominee]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So true! We all remember how Ted Kennedy was never again accepted in the Democratic Party after his run at Carter.
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@blueamberol
[Read the article: Obama Strikes Back]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Some countries/organizations you can talk to in hopes of resolving differences without resort to arms or to settle open hostilities. Some you can't. Do you really believe we can place Osama bin Laden in the "can talk to" category, after the African embassy bombings, the attack on the Cole, 9/11? I'm skeptical.
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White Pride
[Read the article: High standards at the Washington Post Op-Ed page]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I can trace a significant number of my ancestors to North America prior to the creation of the United States of America. Quakers, Puritans, (probably drunken) Scots-Irish. And Cherokee -- they were here a long time ago!
So I think I can speak for "real Americans" when I say Kathleen Parker can shut the eff up.