Michigan Loses its Democratic Delegates?

This has got to be one of the strangest Presidential races we've ever been through. First of all, we don't have an incumbent in the race, which hasn't happened since, well I was going to say 1968, but Hubert Humphrey ran that time. I truly don't know when the last time was.

Second, we had a race that started very early. The "front runners" have been in place for months now already, and we still have nearly a year until the Presidential election. My theory, of course, is that the people are so sick of the current administration, they are desperate to focus on the next one.

Third, we have this bizarre jockeying for position among the states for primary and caucus dates. I'll be honest, I have no idea why Iowa and New Hampshire get the plum spots each time, or why that needs to remain in place. I do understand why a state might want to have a little more voice in selection of candidates. But it has gotten absurd.

Michigan and Florida have dropped their primaries into the calendar at a time that breaks their party's rules. This has led the Democratic Party to punish those two states by disallowing their delegates. Which is justified, but may be cutting off your nose to spite your face. And where is the Republican Party on this issue? Are they allowing their rule-breakers to get away with it? Perish the thought. . .

[Excerpt]

Democrats punish Michigan for early primary

Leaders vote to strip state of all delegates for violating party rules

Democratic leaders voted Saturday to strip Michigan of all its delegates to the national convention next year as punishment for scheduling an early presidential primary in violation of party rules.

Michigan, with 156 delegates, has scheduled a Jan. 15 primary. Democratic Party rules prohibit states other than Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina from holding nominating contests before Feb. 5. . .

Read more at: MSNBC