JUST SHARING
COMMENTARY BY LUCY WARNER
AUGUST 25, 2018

I DON’T WANT TO BE SUSPICIOUS OR UNGRATEFUL TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, BECAUSE THEY HAVE DONE MANY GOOD THINGS UP TO THE EMERGENCE OF THE “NEW DEMOCRATS” UNDER MY MAN BILL CLINTON, THAT IS. I HAVE BEEN HOPING THE PARTY WOULD GO BACK TO ITS’ PROGRESSIVE ROOTS, BUT IT JUST HASN’T.

MY COMPLAINT TODAY IS THE USE OF THE TERM IN THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE FROM “THE HILL” – “THEY’D BE ALLOWED TO VOTE ON A SECOND BALLOT SHOULD THE NEED ARISE.” “SHOULD THE NEED ARISE?” TRULY “CHOOSING” THE CANDIDATE WHO IS TO RUN IS PROBABLY ALMOST AS IMPORTANT AS COUNTING VOTES ON THE NATIONAL ELECTION DAY. WHO RUNS IS A BIG, BIG DEAL. EVEN UNDER THIS NEWLY AMENDED SYSTEM, THE PUBLIC IS STILL NOT “CHOOSING THE CANDIDATE.” THEY ARE MERELY EXPRESSING THEIR UNOFFICIAL AND INEFFECTIVE PREFERENCES, LIKE IN ANY OTHER POLL. IT REMINDS ME OF A PRESS PHOTO SHOOT, OR AN ELABORATE AND EXPENSIVE STAGE SHOW.

IF THE DNC WANTS TO ENSURE AN OPTIMAL CHOICE OF QUALITY CANDIDATES, WHY DON’T THEY PUBLISH A LISTING OF ALL WHO HAVE “THROWN THEIR HATS INTO THE RING,” ALONG WITH A TWO OR THREE PARAGRAPH BIO OF EACH ONE, INCLUDING COLLEGE DEGREES, SPECIAL WORK PERFORMED, HONORS, CHARITY WORK, WRITTEN WORKS ON ISSUES, AND THEN IN A SECTION CALLED “CONTROVERSIES,” WHATEVER NEGATIVE OR QUESTIONABLE MATTERS MAY APPLY. THAT’S WHAT WIKIPEDIA DOES. THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. IT WOULD PREVENT MY HAVING TO LOOK EACH ONE UP ON GOOGLE.

AT THE MOMENT, EVEN AFTER THIS WELCOME CHANGE, OUR WAY IS STILL NOT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM THE SETUP IN TAIWAN THAT I READ ABOUT IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO, IN WHICH TAIWAN CITIZENS ARE ALLOWED BY THEIR CHINESE OVERLORDS TO VOTE FOR A RESTRICTED GROUP OF CANDIDATES; WHO WERE CHOSEN STRICTLY BY PARTY BOSSES FOR PARTY REASONS, AND ARE PRESENTED WITH A LIST FROM WHICH THEY MAY CHOOSE A CANDIDATE – AGAIN, WITH LITTLE OR NO INPUT AT ALL FROM THE POPULACE. I’M SURE LOYALTY TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS ONE OF THE NECESSARY CHARACTERISTICS, AS LOYALTY TO THE US GOVERNMENT SHOULD ALSO BE. BY THAT I DO NOT MEAN ONE PARTY OVER THE OTHERS, BUT OUR NATIONAL CITIZENSHIP. I AM SAYING THAT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THE HORRIBLE INTERFERENCE IN OUR ELECTION BY A FOREIGN POWER OF 2016 SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO OCCUR, OR SHOULD BE PUNISHED HARSHLY IF IT DOES.

OUR DEMS SHOULD AT LEAST ALLOW “THE SECOND BALLOT” TO BE MADE ABSOLUTELY BY THE DELEGATES ALSO, OR THE THIRD, IN ORDER TO BE TRULY UNFORCED BY SUPERDELEGATE INPUT. WHY DON’T WE JUST ELIMINATE “SUPERDELEGATES” ALTOGETHER? THAT WOULD BE DEMOCRATIC AND MORE INTELLIGENT, IT SEEMS TO ME. IT WOULD ALSO BE GOOD IF THE NAMES OF EVERY “SUPERDELEGATE” WERE LISTED AND PUBLISHED ON THE INTERNET IF WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO USE THEM. THEN THE LOCALLY CHOSEN NATIONAL CONVENTION DELEGATES WOULD VOTE AND ELECT THE PARTY CANDIDATES ON THEIR OWN, AS THEY WERE MEANT TO DO.

THAT’S THEORETICALLY WHY THOSE THOUSANDS OF ENTHUSIASTIC LOCAL REPS PACK THEIR BEST CLOTHES UP AND GATHER HALFWAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO STAND IN FRONT OF NEWS CAMERAS, WAVE THEIR SIGNS, CHANT AND CHEER. IS IT A DELIBERATIVE BODY, OR THE WORLD’S LARGEST PEP RALLY? OH, YES. AND THEN THERE ARE THE BALLOONS THAT FALL FROM THE RAFTERS. NOW THAT IS WORTH LOOKING AT! WE DEMS SHOULD REMEMBER THAT AFTER ALL OF US “JOHN DOES” GO OUT INTO THE RAIN, OR IN A TAXI WITH OUR WHEEL CHAIRS, OUR VOTE SHOULD DETERMINE THE CHOICE, NOT MERELY BEING A TOKEN ACTION TO MAKE IT ALL LOOK “MORE DEMOCRATIC.” WHILE WE’RE DOING THIS, WE SHOULD ALSO TOTALLY GET RID OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE – A CHARADE IF I’VE EVER SEEN ONE, AND POTENTIALLY A NEGATION OF OUR VOTE AS CITIZENS.

ON THE DELEGATES AND SUPERDELEGATES, SEE WIKIPEDIA:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delegate --“Currently there are 4,051 pledged delegates. Of the 4,765 total Democratic delegates, 714 are superdelegates, which are usually Democratic members of Congress, Governors, former Presidents, and other party leaders and elected officials.”



http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/403601-sanders-praises-decision-to-limit-role-of-superdelegates-after-2016-primary
Sanders praises Dem move to limit role of superdelegates in picking nominee
BY TAL AXELROD - 08/25/18 02:36 PM EDT

PHOTOGRAPH – [SANDERS, WARREN AND OTHERS] © Greg Nash

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) praised a move by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Saturday to limit the role of superdelegates in choosing the party's presidential nominee.

“Today's decision by the DNC is an important step forward in making the Democratic Party more open, democratic and responsive to the input of ordinary Americans," Sanders said in a statement.

"This has been a long and arduous process, and I want to thank Tom Perez and all of those who made it happen," the 2016 Democratic presidential candidate added, referring to DNC Chairman Tom Perez.

The DNC reform, adopted by voice vote on Saturday at the party's summer meeting in Chicago, would prevent superdelegates from voting during the first ballot of the nominating process. However, they’d be allowed to vote on a second ballot should the need arise.

“Today is a historic day for our party," Perez said in a statement after the vote. "We passed major reforms that will not only put our next presidential nominee in the strongest position possible, but will help us elect Democrats up and down the ballot, across the country."

Superdelegates are unpledged delegates to the DNC who are seated automatically and can choose to vote for whatever candidate they prefer. They are often party elders such as former lawmakers, presidents and other party dignitaries.

The superdelegates broke overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential primary, deepening the divide within the Democratic Party and fueling claims from Sanders supporters that the process was rigged against their candidate.

TAGS HILLARY CLINTON BERNIE SANDERS TOM PEREZ DNC

THE HILL 1625 K STREET, NW SUITE 900 WASHINGTON DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 TEL | 202-628-8503 FAX
THE CONTENTS OF THIS SITE ARE ©2018 CAPITOL HILL PUBLISHING CORP., A SUBSIDIARY OF NEWS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.