This is on CNN this morning. This is proof that Bernie Sanders was right about the DNC all along. The DNC decided a year ago it was going to be Clinton, because they are, after all, establishment right up and down the line. They pretend to be progressive, but they’re owned by the same people that owned Jeb!
Yeah, caucuses bother me a lot more than superdelegates do. Admittedly, I’d like to get rid of both. But here in Nebraska, a small number of caucus-goers chose a different presidential nominee than the larger number of people who actually voted in the primary.
Potentially even worse, since there was no presidential contest being decided in the primary (not on the Democratic side, but only on the Republican), Republicans were encouraged to turn out to vote, while Democrats were not. And there are a lot more political offices in America than just the presidency! (There were issues on our ballet which could have used Democratic support, too.)
3 Likes
This is not something to be minimized.
Primaries aren’t just a pre-vote for the president, and frankly, caucuses were one of the more direct-democracy institutions I’ve been involved with.
There really is no solution that is going to be perfect for everyone. Personally, the Texas two-step (25% of delegates allocated at a close-of-polls caucus) worked pretty well mostly until the 2008 clusterfk, and was in fact a great exercise in direct democracy. Training and organization were key (cough Trump cough) and it was way too complicated but the general idea wasn’t malicious, it was meant to address previous problems. Whatever happens though, I want party regulars, elected officials in particular, to carry a lot of weight in the process. It’s not a bad thing for democracy to have meteoric rises slowed down.
If Hillary had the Superdelegates wrapped up early (and didn’t she in 2000 too, guys?) it was because she had been working that room for a long long time. I don’t think that is a weakness. But maybe that’s just me.
Edit: “Caucuses” in kendyzdad’s quote instead of “superdelegates” which doesn’t make any sense. Not sure how I did that, but anyway, sorry.
1 Like
Big shocker. The DNC preferred the candidate that had been a Democrat for over 30 years and had probably raised 100’s of millions of dollars for the party over the candidate that joined the party the month before.
My guess is that at the start of 2008 the DNC preferred Clinton over Obama. How did that turn out?
For that matter, I’m sure the RNC preferred anyone but Trump. He still won.
Sanders ran. He lost. Time to move on.
12 Likes
It doesn’t matter. The DNC can refuse to accept their results so in fact they CAN control how people vote…
CNN is on an anti-Clinton rant this morning - Jake Tapper is really obsessing on this email story (not just covering it), but also on presenting clips and commentators who are criticizing Tim Kaine. They are either worried about Republican chances after that convention or they think, with the Ailes departure, that they can replace FOX news.
I suggest you fight to save yourself, Kemosabe. No one will be safe under Trump.
Excellent post trippin but a wasted effort as most here don’t have the slightest idea what you’re talking about. They think it’s just politics.
1 Like
The Democratic National Committee doesn’t seem to believe in Democracy.
1 Like
I’m in WA, about 230k Dems turned out for the Caucus and over 800k Dems for the Primary… guess which one picked all of our national convention delegates? I think Bernie got about 75% of the delegates although he lost the primary 54% to 46%. I know the same thing happened in Nebraska although the voter disparity wasn’t as high probably because we have mail-in voting.
2 Likes
And make voting on Saturday to maximize potential turnout.
2 Likes
Ohio doesn’t permit voters to register as members of a political party. We have open primaries as a consequence of that policy. Are you going to limit primary voting to those who belong to the Xyz County Democratic Club?
Uh what do you think fighting for the lives and safety of 11 million people means? Fighting for myself and fighting for others aren’t mutually exclusive.
2 Likes
Then use caucuses for platforms, issue statements and policy. But use one person one vote for picking a nominee. With the amount of time we have to vett and read about and consider and learn from the candidates and to hear from their opponents and talk to friends and read articles, etc. there’s no need for arguing in caucus to decide how to vote for a candidate.
2 Likes
Sanders was also a independent all along.
The caucus system has two advantages over primaries. 1. It gives activists a place to be active and to get to know other active democrats. That is a big deal in the age of television, social media and everybody staying at at home. 2. Caucuses are much cheaper than primaries.
1 Like
including how to improve access to caucuses
Sorry, caucuses need to be eliminated.
4 Likes
Point one is really important. I think that Texas now has precinct caucuses at the county convention. (Or is is district? Obviously I haven’t been able to attend for awhile.) Not really the same thing, unless you are already a delegate, and how would you know to get on the list unless you are already involved?
There are incentives and drawbacks to any system. What benefits one candidate or platform or voter isn’t necessarily going to benefit another. The party needs to look at what cultivates activism and participation, what grows a new generation of voters and participants, not just referee a popularity contest. Voting for a presidential nominee is important but it is a very, very tiny part of what a political party is all about.
If a person has to spend years building bridges before they are considered a good presidential candidate, I’m fine with that. The alternative is the GOP nomination process, and that ought to speak for itself.
ETA: I’m not a fan of the caucus system, but ron makes good points.
Actually that’s a pretty good argument for caucuses in a day when we can chose what we hear otherwise.
Then there is the Republican Party which doesn’t have super-delegates. Look what they ended up with and no recourse to get rid of the red-faced dictator.
4 Likes