Michigan Dems, Independents Should Vote for Santorum in Michigan Primary

By Joe DiSano/Huffy Post

Democrats love chaos. Few will admit it but nothing gets our blood flowing like an ugly primary blood bath. Thankfully, we are in a period of relative internal calm right now. 2012 is the only the second presidential primary cycle since 1964 where Democrats aren't sinking their teeth in each other's jugulars.

But what's a trouble making Democrat to do in the interim? I think I have a solution. A solution that will cause maximum discomfort for the power brokers of the GOP. May I suggest casting a vote for Rick Santorum in Tuesday's GOP presidential primary? 

Not Ron Paul or Newt Gingrich. Voting for Ron Paul is wasting your vote. We need to focus our fire on the one real challenger to Romney left standing. While it may be amusing to cast a vote for either of those walking punch lines, the real opportunity to embarrass Romney is to cast your vote for Rick Santorum. 

Sure the good government types and party purists will look down their noses at the thought of loyal Democrats casting a vote in the GOP Primary. It's easy to render moral and ethical judgment on those people actually in trenches slugging it out against the GOP if you don't ever get your hands dirty.
 
I am not concerned with the ethical or moral implications of voting in the GOP primary and neither should you be. Heck, even the pro-Obama Super PAC -- Priorities USA -- is up with an ad here in Michigan trashing Mitt's record on the auto bailouts.

The fact is Michigan's Republicans rammed a bill creating this statewide primary through the legislature to the cost of $10,000,000 paid for by us -- Joe and Jane Taxpayer. That gives me, and hopefully you, free reign to make mischief and maybe deliver a mortal wound to the Romney campaign.

Let's be clear though -- chances are good Mitt Romney will be the GOP nominee regardless of what happens in Michigan. But we can assist in making it as costly for Romney and his corporate supporters as possible. It is in every Democrats best interest for this process to continue right up until the GOP convention. 

Imagine a 1968 redux only with supply-siders and Republican Tea Partiers battling it out in the streets instead of hippies and Chicago police. I would wager the American public would render any political party with a brokered convention as unfit to run the government. We can help create that out come this Tuesday.
 
Now some will say that we could actually help deliver the nomination to Santorum and we may regret that outcome. 
 
Don't be distracted by the sideshow. Santorum matters little on Tuesday. He is only a convenient vessel to embarrass Romney on the national stage. The Romney people have set the bar so high in Michigan through their massive spending Romney needs to win a resounding victory in Michigan of at least 10 percent to beat expectations and quell the demands for a stronger nominee. The national press is ready to tell the story that Romney got beat on his home turf.  You can help make that happen.
  
The Michigan Republican Party delegate selection plan provides that of the 30 delegates to the national convention, 28, or two per each of Michigan's 14 congressional districts, will be awarded based on a winner-take-all determination within each congressional district. The remaining two delegates will be awarded based on the proportionate vote of the entire statewide primary vote. So, for example, if Santorum wins in 8 congressional districts he would wind up with 16 delegates plus one more based on the statewide vote, or 17 delegates. Under this scenario, the end result would be Santorum 17, Romney 13.

There are various scenarios being tossed around by pollsters and pundits alike that show either Mitt or Santorum could walk out of Michigan with a majority of delegates. 

And at the heart of it this is all about delegates, but we can help mold the perception of whoever wins on Tuesday night by ignoring the opportunity to vote for Gingrich or Ron Paul. Cast your vote for Santorum for maximum effect and maximum havoc. Don't waste your vote for Ron Paul. He has no chance of walking out of Michigan with even one delegate under the current rules.
 
To vote in the Republican primary a voter simply needs to request to do so. You don't need to say that you are a Republican, and you would still be able to vote in the Michigan Democratic Party May 5 caucuses, and to re-elect President Obama in November.

For now, savor the opportunity to cause problems for the other party. After all you are paying for it.