The 1/2 Compromise

I caught the opening statements of Howard Dean on CSpan yesterday at the Democrats Rules Committee Meeting to determine the fate of the Florida and Michigan delegates. Now I must admit Howard has always reminded me of Barney Rubble. Don't get me wrong I think Barney is a hell of an actor but Dean has the same grin, mannerisms, and they both talk out of the side of their mouths.

As his Iowa WOOHOO moment proved Dean can also be just plain annoying. He used the term "extraordinary"15 times in the course of the speech. I know because it became so glaring I had to go back and count. Someone please get the man a thesaurus.

However, beyond my petty nitpicking Dean also had the audacity to state that 5 supreme court justices were 'Intellectually Bankrupt" for their decision in the 2000 election. Can Dean really believe that or is pandering pablum to the putzes so ingrained in his psyche that he can make such an idiotic pronouncement in a public forum without a second thought. I believe it is just a case of the the pot calling the kettle black. This is after all the the party that just yesterday decided to count the voters of Florida and Michigan at 1/2 of a person.

This decision hearkens back to 1787 when a similar compromise was reached. "Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons."

This time the compromise reads: Representatives shall be apportioned among 55 of the States which may be included in the Union according to the their respective numbers. Florida and Michigan shall be determined by adding the whole number of free super-delegates, bound to service for a term of years, and 1/2 half of all other persons.

Intellectual Bankruptcy for sure, and this New York Democrat would agree, as she was being escorted out of the proceedings.