Here's the situation in Florida. The state party shouldn't have gone along with the plan to move their primary date up. The DNC shouldn't have completely disenfranchised the voters by discounting all of the delegates. Republicans had the right idea: cut the delegates in half.

The practical effect is that by not campaigning in Florida during the primary season, Democrats put themselves at a huge disadvantage for the national election. Primaries and caucuses increase voter registration rolls and give many people their first serious exposure to the candidates. Most Floridians don't read TPM obsessively. They watch the local news.

And let's not forget that FL's Democratic voters were disenfranchised in a history-making election. After 2000, this is disgraceful.

Howard Dean and the DNC should offer to pay 50% of the costs of a new primary. It still penalizes the state party but also shows that Democrats everywhere want to hear Florida's voters and are willing to give a little to do so.

Obviously, the same offer should be made to Michigan as well. If the state's governor and party leaders don't want to pay 50% of the costs, that's their business, but at least we will have offered them a reasonable compromise.

Whether you support Clinton or Obama, running primaries or caucuses again in these states is good for both of them. They are going to have to campaign there anyway, and will get much more attention if they do it now.

If Ohio and Texas is a guide, the delegate count won't even change much unless there's a blowout. Obama supporters shouldn't worry. And keep in mind that Obama is still unknown to the lot of low-information voters. They should welcome the chance to convince these voters to support him.