Two Votes For The Price Of One
This article in yesterday's Los Angeles Times reminded me of something I knew (vaguely), but that I had pretty much forgotten, probably because it really hasn't come into play in recent presidential elections.
Now that no clear Democratic front-runner has emerged from the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, a campaign that had been all about momentum and money has become a furious race for the 2,025 delegates needed to clinch the nomination.
That gives newfound weight to the preferences of major Democratic Party leaders and elected officials, who can provide organizational help, fundraising aid and a network of supporters.
But the endorsements matter for another reason. Unlike past nominating contests, this one may be so close and protracted that the votes of "super delegates" could prove decisive.
Super delegates are House members, senators, party officials and other elected leaders who get to attend the Democratic presidential convention in August because of their positions and are free to vote their personal preferences. They are not bound by votes in their respective states.
So there are essentially two campaigns unfolding simultaneously: one for rank-and-file voters; the other for the 796 super delegates who account for nearly 40% of the total needed to win. [Emphasis added]
This time around, the nomination hasn't already been sewn up after Iowa and New Hampshire, and may not even be sewn up by the February 5 "Super Tuesday" votes. It is possible that these "super delegates" may determine the Democratic nominee, regardless of how the rest of us voted.
In effect, the privileged 796 get to vote twice: once at the polls, and then again at the convention. Then there is the matter of who the privileged 796 are: insiders, either by virtue of their position within the party or by virtue of their position within government. They have a vested interest in the status quo, which means all of this blather about "change" is just that, blather.
This part of the system doesn't sound very democratic to me. In fact, I think it stinks.
Now that no clear Democratic front-runner has emerged from the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, a campaign that had been all about momentum and money has become a furious race for the 2,025 delegates needed to clinch the nomination.
That gives newfound weight to the preferences of major Democratic Party leaders and elected officials, who can provide organizational help, fundraising aid and a network of supporters.
But the endorsements matter for another reason. Unlike past nominating contests, this one may be so close and protracted that the votes of "super delegates" could prove decisive.
Super delegates are House members, senators, party officials and other elected leaders who get to attend the Democratic presidential convention in August because of their positions and are free to vote their personal preferences. They are not bound by votes in their respective states.
So there are essentially two campaigns unfolding simultaneously: one for rank-and-file voters; the other for the 796 super delegates who account for nearly 40% of the total needed to win. [Emphasis added]
This time around, the nomination hasn't already been sewn up after Iowa and New Hampshire, and may not even be sewn up by the February 5 "Super Tuesday" votes. It is possible that these "super delegates" may determine the Democratic nominee, regardless of how the rest of us voted.
In effect, the privileged 796 get to vote twice: once at the polls, and then again at the convention. Then there is the matter of who the privileged 796 are: insiders, either by virtue of their position within the party or by virtue of their position within government. They have a vested interest in the status quo, which means all of this blather about "change" is just that, blather.
This part of the system doesn't sound very democratic to me. In fact, I think it stinks.
Labels: Election 2008
posted by Diane at 3:43 AM
2 Comments:
< snicker >
You thought we lived in a republican democracy, didn't you!
< chortle >
It's a bird, it's a plane - it's superdelagate! Able to outvote tall citizens in a single bound ...
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