In 'Major Step' Toward Making Democratic Party More Democratic, DNC Votes to Roll Back Power of

[Uncle Joe]

Last edited Thu Jun 28, 2018, 11:08 PM - Edit history (1)

Superdelegates

In an important and long-overdue step toward making the Democratic Party more accountable to voters and less captive to the interests of establishment insiders, the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) Rules and Bylaws arm voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to drastically curtail the influence of superdelegates by barring them from voting on the first ballot of the presidential nomination.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has long criticized the party's superdelegate system as undemocratic, congratulated DNC chair Tom Perez and the Rules and Bylaws Committee for the move in a statement following the 27-1 vote, saying the "decision will ensure that delegates elected by voters in primaries and caucuses will have the primary role in selecting the Democratic Party's nominee at the 2020 convention."

(snip)

Nomiki Konst, a Sanders appointee to the DNC's Unity Reform Commission, similarly praised the DNC's move to limit superdelegates' power in a series of tweets late Wednesday, attributing the nearly unanimous vote to a wave of grassroots activism that began during the 2016 Democratic presidential primary, when progressives recognized the way in which the system tilted the scales in favor of Hillary Clinton over Sanders' insurgent campaign.

(snip)

"No candidate should have an accumulated lead, whether real or perceived, before a first ballot is cast," DNC chair Tom Perez said during a conference call about the new rule on Wednesday. "We have to make sure that we rebuild the trust among many who feel alienated from our party."

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/06/28/major-step-toward-making-democratic-party-more-democratic-dnc-votes-roll-back-power

Kudos to the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) Rules and Bylaws arm.

[populistdriven]

1. this thread should be at the top of the greatest! nt

[olegramps]

13. This is an important change, if not the most in recent history.

I understand the concept of protecting the party from being taken over by those opposed to its foundations, but it was in fact very counterproductive and totally undemocratic. It has the potential to make a sham out of the entire process. A very welcome and great change that was clearly exposed by the last election and Sander's candidacy.

[Jim Lane]

2. Let's just note that the DNC has NOT voted on this.

The vote was by the Rules and Bylaws Committee. IIRC, this is merely a recommendation unless and until adopted by the full DNC, which will be meeting in August.

I hope the DNC will approve, but it's not a done deal.

[Uncle Joe]

3. I agree on all counts Jim

Having said that I do believe this recommendation a near unanimous 27 to 1 vote combined with Perez's statement will carry great weight

[Judi Lynn]

4. Sounding so much better. Thanks for the welcome information, Uncle Joe.

[Uncle Joe]

5. I agree Judi Lynn, it feels more democratic

I'm heading to bed, have a good night.

[msongs]

6. next get rid of caucuses and open primaries nt

[MarcA]

7. Definitely Those as Well n/t

[olegramps]

14. Yes, I attended several cauuses and they can be easily rigged.

In one case we had to step in and demand the removal of a chairman when he attempted to change the location without public notification to the entire district.

[SunSeeker]

9. I'd say first, but next is better than never. nt

[StevieM]

21. Bernie was never in danger of losing the nomination had he gotten more PDs than HRC.

But the caucuses continue to be unfair to many candidates and voters.

[murielm99]

8. This is a stupid move

and I hope it goes down in defeat.

[Tiggeroshii]

11. It was almost unanimously approved. Defeat does not look likely at this point.

[murielm99]

12. Then we are weakening our party.

We will encounter a series of defeats. If the repiggies had super delegates, they would not have had 45 as their nominee.

Strong candidates develop relationships with other party leaders and members over the course of their political careers. They ask for support from their peers, and get it. It is as simple as that.

Bernie and his supporters can whine all they want. Bernie is not a Democrat and has no right to a say over our party rules. This has not been voted on and I repeat that I hope it does not happen.

If Bernie wanted to help, he would work with Democrats to get a plan to abolish the electoral college. That would be a lengthy process, and might not be achieved in his lifetime. At least he would have a legacy worthy of praise. Failing that, he can start doing more to criticize republicans instead of criticizing Democrats.

[olegramps]

15. You objections are respected.

Is it in keeping with democratic principles that a person has enough superdelegates to win the nomination before they even announce their candidacy? Before they even debate and express their positions on a number of issues. Really doesn't it make the entire process appear to be a sham and without a shred of democratic principles? As a loyal party member of over fifty years I abject to coronations and what to hear just what are the candidate's position is on a number of complex issues. If a person is chosen and ordained as the candidate why have a convention, just have an announcement and save the money for the real democratic process?

[AZ8theist]

16. I agree..

This may end up backfiring on the party should it become party doctrine. I can see a situation where another insurgent campaign like Bernie's happens again in 2020. What if a Putin boot licker like Jill Stein ran as a Democrat? What if, or perhaps WHEN Russian bots invaded the Democratic party process?

Hopefully this works out, but if not the potential to throw the party nominating process into chaos is real. Splitting the party up and doing the UNTHINKABLE. Yup, re-electing the Nazi Traitor currently in the WH.

[MicaelS]

18. Disagree.

Get rid of the Superdelegates and the Caucauses. I think the person who gets the most votes from ordinary voters should win the nomination. Arguing otherwise is arguing that the ordinary person does not or should not matter and takes us back to the days of Machines Politics.

One of the reason so many were mad at HRC is that her supporters had already chose her as the "heir apparent" candidate. That she, and by extension women, were "owed" her the nomination. There was, IMO, much outrage that Sanders, or anyone had the temerity to run against her. That is not how the system should work.

As far as getting rid of the EC, that we can agree on.

[StevieM]

22. If you don't feel the system should work that way then you can be happy to know that it didn't.

Neither Hillary, nor her supporters, ever felt that she was owed the nomination. And it is disgraceful that she was smeared in that manner.

Hillary was not the "heir apparent." She was heavily favored because of the early polling, and for no other reason. And nobody was angry with Bernie, or anyone else, for running against her. We never heard that from HRC or her supporters--just her opponents when they were smearing her.

[murielm99]

24. When Hillary and Obama were running against each

other in the primary, she had a great many delegates and super delegates. The race was much closer than our last primary. Neither Hillary nor anyone else suggested that the super delegates were a problem, or that they jump ship and go over to either Hillary or Obama after one or another of them had lost a state. Hillary conceded gracefully when the time came.

The only one who ever tried to get the super delegates to behave faithlessly was a non-party member and his supporters.

I was not angry about anything until I heard the smears against Hillary. And that has never stopped.

[Tiggeroshii]

20. Democracy is not weak.

In the long run, it only makes us stronger.

[qazplm135]

27. not sure that's true

it might be, but he won pretty convincingly...it wasn't a nailbiter.

[murielm99]

31. He won the general convincingly.

Not the primary!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

10. Awesome news!! I join Bernie in congratulating Tom Perez...

Tom is right on the money that no candidate should be handed the lead before the first ballot has been cast. It's a good first step in rebuilding trust, as Tom indicated... good for him!

[appalachiablue]

17. Good move, thanks for the news of changes to the superdelegates

Last edited Fri Jun 29, 2018, 02:06 PM - Edit history (1)

system. Said by the grandchild of a Democratic politician and delegate to the infamous 1924 Dem. National Convention in NYC at Madison Square Garden. The contentious event lasted 16 days, from late June into July in sweltering heat (and tempers) like we're experiencing this July 4th weekend almost 100 years later.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/03/1924-the-craziest-convention-in-us-history-213708

[The Polack MSgt]

19. The deck chairs are so sloppy

Before we start rescue operations let's get those cleaned up....

[yallerdawg]

23. Next - have to BE a Democrat to be on ballots of the Democratic Party!

THAT would help to reestablish MY trust in the DNC.

[StevieM]

25. This article is disgusting. It says, as if fact, that the system tilted the scales in favor of HRC.

It did no such thing. Bernie lost by will of the voters, and had they chosen him he certainly would have gotten the nomination.

[Me.]

26. Consider The Source

[sheshe2]

28. Yep.

Common Dreams.

Meh.

[Me.]

29. ...

[Eko]

30. Great!!

Now a populist candidate can win our primary, way to go!!