I cannot believe that so many Bernie Supporters have latched onto the evil Super Delegate meme ...

[1StrongBlackMan]

looking at the Pledged Delegate numbers for the past month or so, the Supers being super is Bernie's only path to the nomination ... and has been since early April!

[mmonk]

1. What is the purpose of the super delegate invention?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. To stymie the will of the people?

[mmonk]

7. I was thinking to influence an election and if they thought the people

made a bad decision, force their preference. I don't think they thought of themselves capable of error. However, a convention without super delegates can correct any mistake by vote. So I think it is about power.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

14. Isn't that the purpose of the Electoral College ?

If the people get it wrong a lot of "smart" people can get it right. If you follow that logic to its conclusion we shouldn't have popular elections at all.

[mmonk]

15. You could say the electoral college but in a more removed way.

[JimDandy]

37. In the GE, but not in the Primary. n/t

[JaneyVee]

8. Ask Tad Devine, he created it.

[virtualobserver]

30. you mean back when he was Emperor of the Democratic Party?

[GreatGazoo]

2. so now that they can switch from Hillary they are "evil" ?

[Sheepshank]

4. Actually the idea they can switch is Bernie's only hope. I think suddenly they are not so evil.

Without the Supers in the calculation, Dems would have had a much lower required number of delegates to win the nomination (like the Reps). Clinton would have sealed up the pledged delegate requirement some time ago.

[KingFlorez]

9. Months ago they were considered evil

Sanders supporters would post repeatedly about how super delegates were not going to allowed to steal the nomination for Clinton. Now they are saying the reverse when it applies to their candidate.

[scscholar]

32. This. Sad to see them try to subvert...

democracy like this.

[1StrongBlackMan]

19. No they were evil up UNTIL they could, possible ... might, hopefully ... switch

that was Camp Bernie's initial position.

[Beacool]

31. No, what's "evil" is Sanders' strategy that they should ignore the will of the people

and give the nomination to the candidate who lags in pledged delegates and the popular vote. THAT's what's wrong. Trying to subvert democracy by expecting the super delegates to give the nomination to the losing candidate. It will never happen.

[yellerpup]

5. It's not so much that Super Delegates are evil.

It's because they are Lobbyists. I'm okay with former office holders to be Supers as long as they are not also lobbyists. They should lose their Super powers when they become lobbyists. They can still vote as private citizens.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. The Supers are mostly elected officials or formerly elected officials

http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2016-endorsement-primary/#endorsements

[yellerpup]

24. Thanks, I understand.

My personal opinion is that if a formerly elected official becomes a lobbyist they should be disqualified as a super delegate.

[MineralMan]

18. Very few of the superdelegates are lobbyists.

Those who are are also DNC committee members, elected in their own states at Democratic Party conventions. Most are elected, current members of Congress, Senators, or Democratic Governors. Each state also has DNC members, who are also superdelegates.

[yellerpup]

25. Current elected officials cannot be lobbyists

and former elected officials and/or DNC members should lose their super delegate status when they become lobbyists. IMHO

[MineralMan]

27. That's your opinion.

Become a leader in the Democratic Party organization in your state, and maybe you can change the rules. That's my advice.

[Android3.14]

34. How many lobbyists influencing the election process is acceptable to you?

At what point does it become influence peddling?

[MineralMan]

36. Well, it depends what the lobbyists are lobbying for, really.

There are many lobbyists working to promote all sorts of things I think are good things. There are also lobbyists promoting things I don't like. Which ones are you talking about?

Lobbyist is not a dirty word, in itself. It all depends on what organization is paying the lobbyist to do that lobbying. I'm sure you support many organizations who have lobbyists. I certainly do.

[Android3.14]

38. Tell you what, let's assume I've identified the "good" lobbyists

How many "good" lobbyists are acceptable?

[1StrongBlackMan]

22. Will they be less lobbyists, if they switch their support?

[yellerpup]

26. I'm only interested in barring lobbyists

from being super delegates, period. It is not my business for whom they vote.

[1StrongBlackMan]

28. Okay.

[pinebox]

6. Personally

I think it needs a rework.
There is something wrong when SD's are lobbyists. Not kosher.
Would you want a Republican SD who was an NRA lobbyist? No, of course you wouldn't.

[JaneyVee]

10. Thats why open primaries suck...

You want repubs picking Dem candidates?

[Turin_C3PO]

11. Not all of us.

I would actually oppose the SD's putting him over the top unless he won the popular vote and/or a majority of pledged delegates. It would be hypocritical of me considering I didn't like all of them pledging to support Hillary before a single vote had been cast. Frankly, I hope we get rid of Super Delegates after this election. The idea of them leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[Nye Bevan]

12. "Democracy good, superdelegates bad" is no longer operative.

It has evolved to "screw democracy, superdelegates are the only way I can win!"

[1StrongBlackMan]

23. Eliminate the Super part of Super-Delegates and who is STILL ahead?

[BootinUp]

13. They can express their preference, but they have little power to change the results

I don't have a problem with the current system.

[morningfog]

17. The super delegates are undemocratic and should be axed from our nomination process.

I loathe them and that they hold 15 % nominating power.

However, thems the rules as we now have it. They are there to usurp the pledged delegate winner in the event the party disagrees with the voice of the people.

[LexVegas]

20. I can. nt

[Gothmog]

21. I am amused by the attacks on super delegates

[Beacool]

29. They have latched on to two things.

1) The fantasy that super delegates will switch from the candidate with the most pledged delegates, and also far ahead in the popular vote, to the candidate who lags behind on both fronts.

2) An indictment, that I doubt will ever come down, from the DOJ. Some seem to be keeping their fingers and toes crossed in the hope that Hillary would be forced to drop out of the race.

Foolish me, I thought we were the "Democratic" party, emphasis on democratic..........

[Android3.14]

33. I can't believe your still peddling that anti-democracy swill

Only a Hillary supporter wants to have a candidate that can't win the primary unless DWS stacks the deck in her favor, she has the corporate master's influence in media and is silent while others suppress the vote.

[Vinca]

35. If the votes for the candidates were reversed, wouldn't it bug you that

thousands of votes cast for your candidate were negated by 1 superdelegate's vote? I hadn't given much thought to the superdelegates before this election, but it doesn't seem like a very democratic way of electing a candidate if the process results in disenfranchising voters.