Can I Get A Super Delegate Please?
What a difference a day (or two) makes. This Democratic Primary race is
getting more and more tense as the days go on. We?re all beginning to hear
about Super Delegates, Michigan and Florida re-dos, Smoke-filled back
rooms at a fractured Democratic Convention, etc. Let?s lay out a few realities
for the DNC about us (their constituency):
A) The Democratic Party can NOT have the super delegates decide this. If
Obama comes out slightly ahead in state delegates (voted on 'by the people')
and these 'super delegates' swing it back in Hillary's favor, thousands of
people will be affected. Many young people and those who have never been
involved in politics will never believe in the system again (or at least a LONG
time). If you haven?t heard, even big names in the party like Donna Brazile?
who IS a Super Delegate?has stated that she will leave the Democratic Party
if the Super Delegates end up deciding the nominee. This could get ugly!
B) If the Michigan and Florida delegates are not seated and left out of the
Convention, those voters in the two states will refuse to vote for Democrats
in the General Election in November. Dems could lose the election as a
result.
C) Allowing Michigan and Florida to be seated according to the pseudo-
voting that has already taken place gives an unfair advantage to Hillary. While
I?m not opposed to Hillary, many will see this as an unfair advantage.
D) The new ?Credential Committee? option is so convoluted and confusing
that the electorate will be confused, seeing it as ?politics as usual? and
therefore unfair, not to mention that many members on that committee are
Clinton friends. Scratch that idea, please!
The most fair and equitable way I see this being resolved is for the DNC to tell
these two states that they must pay for a caucus or primary sometime
between now and August (DNC Convention in Denver) if they want their
delegates to be seated at the convention and to count. This helps voters in
MI and FL feel they had their say and it helps the supporters of each candidate
see this is a fair 'fight.?
Finally...food for thought: Michigan has 156 delegates, Florida has 210. In a
fair primary/caucus, Hillary will likely take Florida (seniors and former NYers)
and Barack will take Michigan (large black community). Most likely, a ?re-do?
of these two states will still have them about equal. Worth it? Well, maybe
not, but it bodes well in terms of PR and illustrates a just democracy.
Jim on February 12, 2008
Unfortunately, one can construe that Hillary (and followers) knew what she was doing when she didn't follow suit and take her name off the MI ballot. Did she or her advisors have some sort of pessimistic foresight?
Hillary played the game of politics very well. She probably knew that if it came down to a "virtual tie" that there would be a tie-breaker needed- why not MI? Her campaign will be the first to call for the inclusion of MI results to determine a "winner."
There needs to be a recount. That sneaky, back-handed game of politics needs to end.