Superdelegates Undermining Our Democracy

[njinsa]

Is it really a democracy if you only get to choose from pre-selected candidates?

What needs to happen to improve the (or create a) democratic process, and how do we get there?

 

[VivaRevolution]

Internet voting with receipt ID's, with those ID's posted to a public site, that lists each receipt ID as a vote for a candidate.

If people are concerned with voter fraud, we could require a registration number that you receive after meeting the requirements, needed to cast a vote.

National voting by popular vote.

Also, does anyone even know why Super delegates were created in the first place?

 

[Higus]

Also, does anyone even know why Super delegates were created in the first place?

Exactly for the reason you think; a backup for when the party disagrees with the electorate.

 

[PrinceOfPain]

Yeah, this concept confused me when I stumbled across it. Seems pretty open to abuse.

 

[HockeyBjj]

So ridiculous. We get to choose between two established preferences from the actual powerful people in charge, and pretend we have a democracy

 

[JDragon]

Exactly for the reason you think; a backup for when the party disagrees with the electorate.

The whole electoral college system can be criticized from many angles.

For example, your vote counts much more in Wyoming (187k votes per elector) than in California (677k per elector). This violates the democratic idea of one man-one vote.

The winner-takes-all system on state level is undemocratic - for example, 4.5 million Californian voters who chose Bush in 2004 did not have an elector in the actual voting process for the president. Maine and Nebraska have a slightly similar system, but it's still not one man-one vote.

Finally, not all electors have to vote for their designated candidate. 21 states do not have a law against this, and it has happened 157 times in the history of the presidential election. I am not sure if all of you are aware of this. No, it has never changed the outcome of the Presidential election, and it is not common, either. But why even have this process in place unless you don't trust the people?

 

[Higus]

So ridiculous. We get to choose between two established preferences from the actual powerful people in charge, and pretend we have a democracy

To be fair, Super delegates is more of a Democratic party threat, not a GOP concoction.
If Trump or Cruz win the nomination, I wouldn't be surprised if the GOP made a few rule changes. The whole thing came about because the DNC had a series of disastrous election cycles with McGovern and Carter. The intended purpose of the super delegate is to put forth a candidate that will WIN the presidency.

 

[SODACKER]

The issue is no one said the decision for a party to select their candidate had to be democratic.

 

[fightfan2355]

And that crazy Bernie Sanders says we have an oligarchy......

The media isn't doing a good job of explaining this, shockingly.... but superdelegates switched sides in 2008 as Obama surpassed Hillary and will likely do the same this year if Bernie wins enough.

It could be considered political suicide for a party elite to pee in the face of their constituency like this.

 

[panamaican]

Hmm, a thread where people question the democratic process but also conflate political parties with government entities.

There are no preselected candidates. The Dems and the GOP are not government entities. You are not obligated to pick from their candidates. They are not obligated to follow the popular vote.

What has undermined our democracy is people who rely on private organizations, like the Republican Party and Democratic Party, to provide them with candidates and then complain when the private organization follows it's own internal rules for doing so.

 

[second sight]

So Bernie kills hillary in NH and comes out tied in delegates, 15-15?

6 super delegates say FU to a 100,000 voters, Ive said for years the primaries might be the most rigged part of our voting process.

Total Bullshitt

 

[Jack V Savage]

Between Pan and FF, this should be over. For one thing, if it's clear that primary voters prefer Sanders, superdelegates will just switch, and for another, parties aren't the gov't. Let's say a bunch of Democrats register as Republicans to nominate Trump (or Gilmore or whatever). The GOP would and should be under no obligation to let themselves get fucked like that.

 

[Fawlty]

That the parties are not "the government" is virtually a technicality, and has been for decades. The whole presidential election process undermines an aspect of democracy (people) whenever it can get away with it, for the benefit of political elites. I'm not saying that's good or bad, but it's as cheap a way out of the argument to blame it on the parties, as it is to weasel out of free speech arguments by standing on corporate rights.

 

[jrams]

What needs to happen to improve the (or create a) democratic process, and how do we get there?

Stop voting for dishonest candidates. Give up partisan politics; stop voting for people just because they are sponsored by Democrats/Republicans. Don't vote for career politicians. Take care of your own life.

These are supposed to be civil servants who are supposed to serve the public, not a group of untouchables playing a game with the public's best interest at stake.

 

[second sight]

there are 712 democrat super delegates, the can vote however they want

apparently almost all the republican super delegates are obligated to vote with the election outcome

 

[BVG]

Yeah, this concept confused me when I stumbled across it. Seems pretty open to abuse.

Which is exactly why it's in place.

 

[BVG]

Between Pan and FF, this should be over. For one thing, if it's clear that primary voters prefer Sanders, superdelegates will just switch, and for another, parties aren't the gov't. Let's say a bunch of Democrats register as Republicans to nominate Trump (or Gilmore or whatever). The GOP would and should be under no obligation to let themselves get fucked like that.

if 1 person had 1 vote you would need a huge amount of people that are democratic to waste their vote and troll repubs.

 

[Fawlty]

So ridiculous. We get to choose between two established preferences from the actual powerful people in charge, and pretend we have a democracy

Wouldn't you think the Senate is far worse than the delegate process? It has immense power but was designed in no proportion to the will of the people. They have the ability to take very popular legislation and put it down like a dog.

 

[second sight]

Wouldn't you think the Senate is far worse than the delegate process? It has immense power but was designed in no proportion to the will of the people. They have the ability to take very popular legislation and put it down like a dog.

at least senate positions are subject to elections, the supreme court would be a better example

 

[n...not crazy]

This has been an obscene discovery for a lot of people this week...