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"Democratic" Party Proves To Be Anything But Democratic

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The normally ceremonial "super-delegates" of the Democratic party may be the deciding factor.


The existence of super-delegates, much like the electoral college, is an institutionalized example of great distrust of the masses on the part of the political elite. '
By Citizen Correspondent Josh Sidman
Date Posted: 02/14/08
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For the first time in decades, the American people are learning the importance of "super-delegates". For those of us who thought we lived in a democratic republic -- one in which the people select their leaders -- there may be a rude awakening brewing.

Given the tight race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the normally ceremonial "super-delegates" of the Democratic party may turn out to be the deciding factor in selecting their presidential nominee.

So, what is a super-delegate? Well, for example, Bill Clinton is a super-delegate. So is Nancy Pelosi. In other words, super-delegates are party fat-cats who are given hugely disproportionate say in who their party nominates simply because they hold powerful positions.

In other words, they represent the antithesis of democracy. Does anyone imagine that Bill Clinton, when determining which candidate he will support, will ask himself who the rank-and-file Democratic membership wants or who will best serve the country? No, he will ask himself which of the candidates is his wife and which isn't?

What this all boils down to is that both of the mainstream political parties are nothing but corrupt organizations with no agenda other than to perpetuate their own power. The existence of super-delegates, much like the electoral college, is an institutionalized example of great distrust of the masses on the part of the political elite.

What other possible explanation is there in a system that claims to be based on "one man, one vote"? There is no reasonable explanation other than that those in power will do whatever they can to hold onto power, and they will stack the deck against any outsider who threatens their privileged position.

And, this is the prospect we are faced with in the Democratic race. Barack Obama is clearly emerging as the people's choice, but Hillary Clinton may still manage to steal the nomination by pulling strings behind the scenes and swaying the votes of the super-delegates. If she does so, I predict a collapse of the Democratic Party.


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Re: "Democratic" Party Proves To Be Anything But Democratic

By luyen, February 15, 2008 at 10:56

John Stewart had a super-delegate on his show, from Massachusetts, and i have to say, that it was very disconcerting to see that there were two levels of delegates, the "super" being the more worrisome of the two, as it definitely seemed to point to, people who were on the "ins" somehow...

Now i don't think this is the death of democracy, as the voter still has a say who he/she votes for, but it speaks volume about how party politics must be run, favoritism, lobbying, special interests... - this is what liberty and capitalism is all about isn't it?

I think in all politics, at the risk of sounding Marxist, if there isn't an overriding objective that is non-partisan, and transcends hopefully personal interests alone or at least coincides with it, then it's never really for the good of the people, which is unfortunate.

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