Florida and the future of the Party Convention

The national Democratic Party is up in arms about Florida's proposal to push up its primary to January 29. The tradition is for Iowa to have the first caucus and New Hampshire the first primary, but many have long held that neither state reflects the diversity of the nation and other states feel that they are given short shrift on influencing elections. The party may refuse to recognize delegates selected in the earlier primary, but some Floridians seem not to care. At least one commentator has suggested that if party leaders misplay their hand, they may spell the end of the party convention. Not that anyone would miss them.