2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumPelosi pans superdelegate system
"House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday amplified her criticism of the Democrats' presidential primary system, saying the states' pledged delegates and not the superdelegates should decide the winner.
"I'm not a believer in the sway of superdelegates deciding who is going to be the nominee," Pelosi told reporters in the Capitol. "I think we have a democratic process where people vote on both sides of the aisle
and that that should determine who the nominee is.
Pelosi made waves by making similar comments amid the 2008 primary contest between then-Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.). The move prompted sharp criticism from Clinton supporters because Obama, at the time, enjoyed a lead among pledged delegates and her remarks were viewed as a tacit endorsement of him. "
I commend Pelosi for her consistency as no one should get to vote twice.
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/271651-pelosi-pans-superdelegate-system
Betty Karlson
(7,231 posts)Count on Debbie to make a move against Nancy any time... The coronation will not be impeded.
roguevalley
(40,656 posts)overstuffed and establishment few isn't a dem. Or an American for that matter.
Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)NWCorona
(8,541 posts)stillwaiting
(3,795 posts)They are manufacturing consent through a corrupt process, and this is enabled by a corrupted corporate Media.
The very existence of the superdelegates has made our Primary much, much more undemocratic than it should be.
Shame on everyone involved with it.
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)... I wonder if it's possible to change them for future primaries.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)To be less sarcastic, they can be changed any time the party wants to organize a vote to change them.
Since superdelegate rules help the people who would have to organize that vote, don't hold your breath.
Bubzer
(4,211 posts)Like when they opened up the limit on financing to the candidates from corporations and PACs
NewJeffCT
(56,828 posts)The nominee was picked by all insiders 1968 and prior (i.e., the equivalent of superdelegates) - following the controversial 68 convention, the elected delegates were given a big say in the matter. However, that gave Democrats George McGovern in 72, Jimmy Carter in 1976 (who barely beat Gerald Ford coming off of Watergate) and then Carter's big loss to Reagan in 1980.
Following that loss, the system was modified to increase the sway of super delegates (I think from around 10% of the vote to 15%, but I could be wrong). That system gave us Walter Mondale and Mike Dukakis - two more big losses.
Following those losses, the system was tweaked again and super delegate influence increased from around 15% to the current number of , which is weighted around 20%. The current system gave us Bill Clinton twice, Al Gore once, John Kerry and then two more for Barack Obama. So, in the eyes of TPTB in the Democratic Party, that was 5 wins (counting Gore as a win) and 1 close loss with Kerry under the current system. The previous two systems were one close win against a flawed candidate and four big losses.
Plucketeer
(12,882 posts)No one asked me - pr anyone that I know. It's a frikin' RUSE. A DNC-contrived "in your face" to we peons. Democracy - right!
Kittycat
(10,493 posts)Agreed. And thank you Pelosi for showing courage and consistency to speak up on this issue.
mrdmk
(2,943 posts)Did some simple math here: Voters/Delegates = Number of Voters for One Delegate
source for the numbers: http://www.nytimes.com/elections/results http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/03/01/upshot/super-tuesday-live-democrat-delegate-estimates.html
yourout
(7,528 posts)Period.
-none
(1,884 posts)No electronic voting machines. There is absolutely no reason for having the final tally, 3 hours after the polls close, to be announced on the opening of the 10 O'clock news. If it takes a few days, so be it. I want accuracy over speed.
This goes for both the primary and the general elections.
SheenaR
(2,052 posts)So caucuses could remain if a state wanted to, why can't we go to a very simple. Most states won wins? Why is one state's vote more important? One of the great electoral college flaws and flaws of our system
yourout
(7,528 posts)Popular vote....period.
karynnj
(59,503 posts)but in no way does it deserve as much weight as California!
Personally, I think the first several waves of states should be the purple states. These are the states that really determine who wins. In all but a landslide election, we win the blue states and lose the red states.
As to the way the GE should be done, I like John Anderson's and Birch Bayh's proposal that would result in the popular vote nationwide being used. To avoid needing a constitutional amendment, they propose that states pass legislation that says they will cast their votes for the winner of the popular vote, and that would kick in only after enough states pass it to give them the 50% plus 1 electors. This prevents the state's full representation going to someone who might have won the state by 50.001 %.
Doing that would change the entire game - big cities would matter - even if they are in safely red or blue states.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)Or something to that effect?
NWCorona
(8,541 posts)I'm not sure what Bernie's take is on this issue. I still agree with Pelosi on this.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)I guess maybe in event of a tie they may be useful but a tie would be insanely rare.
Meanwhile, Hillary won the popular vote in 08 so
I'm just glad we can agree on something
EndElectoral
(4,213 posts)Even the GOP uses it against us. How can you call the party democratic when the whole idea of super delegates, creates a privileged group? Got to go. Well stated Nancy.
Justice
(7,188 posts)I am not saying I agree with all of them, but they are there. Hard to change mid-stream.
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)Wilms
(26,795 posts)avaistheone1
(14,626 posts)The super delegates should be chucked for good.
I agree with Pelosi on this one.
jalan48
(13,869 posts)No messy surprises allowed.
Skinner
(63,645 posts)LOL
morningfog
(18,115 posts)There is a special rule committed of 112 member (or thereabouts) which will be selected soon. They will fight and change the rules of the convention fight just weeks prior to it.
mrdmk
(2,943 posts)The country as a whole will be in for colonoscopy.
BernieforPres2016
(3,017 posts)Mufaddal
(1,021 posts)morningfog
(18,115 posts)win the majority of pledged delegates anyway.
NWCorona
(8,541 posts)I was looking for something good to read before I crash out.