Net News 54

“I don’t belong to any organized party. I’m a Democrat,” - Will Rogers

Yesterday was Super-Duper-Drunken Stupor Tuesday, the day when 8-Gazillion states held their primaries.   One of those states was New Mexico, at least for the Democrats. 

The New Mexico Democratic Party held its primary caucus whatever the hell they are calling this and vote/non-Caucus Caucus/hold hands and sing Kumbaya. In true New Mexico form, they were ready for the big groundswell of love for the two candidate, and they were prepped for the number of people who were going to show up and declare their love for John Edwards their candidate of choice.

OK, you can stop laughing now.  Really.

It’s over 24-hours after the “blessed event” and we’re still waiting on the provisional ballots to be counted, and somehow 4 boxes of votes are AWOL.  After all, four boxes of votes is nothing in a primary that is 120 votes close.  Who knows, maybe tomorrow some more magic ballots will show up in a janitor’s closet - not like that’s never happened around here.

Let me start off by stating that from what I’ve heard, the volunteers went above and beyond to make this primary happen in smooth fashion. They had no impact on the shoddy planning and did they best they could in a no-win situation.  These people deserve medals, Nambe platters and vacations to Disneyland.

(And this is from what I’ve heard.  I didn’t vote yesterday because I left the party a few years back, and this is one reason)

The New Mexico Democratic Party, never one to let a comparison with a banana republic to slip by, screwed the pooch on this one.  Lines in Rio Rancho were 3 hours long, people were fighting because of the delay, the 30-40K that the brain trust in the NM Democratic party quickly turned into over 130,000 votes, and as mentioned above, votes are still missing.  Voters in this state have been disenfranchised by crappy planning and serious ineptitude.

This is New Mexico, part of the U.S., this isn’t Kenya, or Bosnia, or Iraq.  We’re supposed to be able to run elections here, and somehow they blew it. In front of the entire nation.  Every other state has been counted, but here comes New Mexico looking like the no-way-in-hell-read-for-prime-time players.  Can you please riddle me this, exactly when did we outsource our primary planning to FORREST GUMP??  No, I take that back.  If Forrest Gump had planned this it would have somehow magically worked out.

I’m sorry Brian Colon.  Until further notice, you and the rest of the N.M. Democratic party leadership need to turn in your election planning materials and voting booths until you turn in a 2,500 word essay on the importance of elections in a democracy and getting it right.

As for the Republicans, they will hold their primary in June, long after John McCain’s coronation the nominee has been selected.  It’s better for the Republicans this way, then they can line up behind another fearless leader and march off of the cliff.  Less for them to think about.