Jilani writes: "The rule-making body of the Democratic National Committee on
Saturday defeated an amendment brought by Bernie Sanders delegates to
abolish superdelegates -- the unelected party elites who make up 15 percent
of all delegates and are allowed to cast a vote for the presidential
candidate of their choice, unbound by the popular vote."
Bernie Sanders. (photo: Karen Bleier/Getty Images)
DNC Votes to Keep Superdelegates, but Sets Some Conditions
By Zaid Jilani, The Intercept
24 July 16
The rule-making body of the Democratic National Committee on Saturday
defeated an amendment brought by Bernie Sanders delegates to abolish
superdelegates - the unelected party elites who make up 15 percent of all
delegates and are allowed to cast a vote for the presidential candidate of
their choice, unbound by the popular vote. But the rules committee did
approve a compromise measure that binds some superdelegates to the results
of their state primaries.
The debate over the first amendment, which failed 108 to 58, pit insurgent
Sanders backers against the party establishment.
Advocates of the amendment argued that it would make the presidential
selection process more democratic, ensuring that all presidential delegates
are elected by popular vote. Opponents of the amendment argued that the
superdelegate system ensured a greater diversity of voices and that there
should be more deliberation before it is changed.
"It's been stated that if this resolution were adopted that it would pit
elected officials or politicians against community activists who would be
vying to become delegates to the convention," said former Cook County
Commissioner Chuy Garcia, an amendment backer. "As a politician and as a
community activist in my community, all I can say is this is a silly
argument to make!"
Garcia was referring to an argument first raised in a Congressional Black
Caucus letter sent in June where the lawmakers argued that they preferred
the superdelegate system because it allowed them to evade "the burdensome
necessity of competing against constituents for the honor of representing
the state during the nominating process."
"I am fully aware of those who have concerns with the superdelegate process.
But I'm also aware of the issues of diversity and the balance that
superdelegates have given," said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, defending
the current system as allowing greater diversity. "I want no one left along
the highway of despair because their voice was not heard."
"On the issue of inclusion, on the issue of racial justice, this is not
justice," Lilian Sharpley, an African-American Ohio Democrat who backed the
amendment, argued. "We need to trust the people to vote."
Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, a superdelegate speaking on behalf of
the Clinton campaign, offered procedural arguments saying that the issue
itself was not germane to the committee.
"Everyone agrees that this is a complicated issue; it's an issue that needs
to be addressed. But it's not an issue that this committee can definitely
address today," he said. He also went on to cite a Vietnam veteran he
personally knew who was a superdelegate, saying that the system "has
provided opportunities for participation."
After the defeat of the first amendment, the Sanders and Clinton camps met
and came up with draft language for a "unity commission" to meet shortly
after the general election to draw up changes to the party's nominating
process.
As part of the language of that proposal, which passed the committee 158 to
6, the commission will be charged to "make specific recommendations
providing that members of Congress, governors and distinguished party
leaders . remain unpledged and free to support their nominee of choice, but
that remaining unpledged delegates be required to cast their vote at the
convention for candidates in proportion to the vote received for each
candidate in their state."
The Washington Post's Dave Weigel reports that this would effectively bind
two-thirds of superdelegates to voting as their states vote in the
presidential nominating process.
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Bernie Sanders. (photo: Karen Bleier/Getty Images)
https://theintercept.com/2016/07/23/dnc-votes-to-keep-superdelegates-but-set
s-some-conditions/https://theintercept.com/2016/07/23/dnc-votes-to-keep-supe
rdelegates-but-sets-some-conditions/
DNC Votes to Keep Superdelegates, but Sets Some Conditions
By Zaid Jilani, The Intercept
24 July 16
he rule-making body of the Democratic National Committee on Saturday
defeated an amendment brought by Bernie Sanders delegates to abolish
superdelegates - the unelected party elites who make up 15 percent of all
delegates and are allowed to cast a vote for the presidential candidate of
their choice, unbound by the popular vote. But the rules committee did
approve a compromise measure that binds some superdelegates to the results
of their state primaries.
The debate over the first amendment, which failed 108 to 58, pit insurgent
Sanders backers against the party establishment.
Advocates of the amendment argued that it would make the presidential
selection process more democratic, ensuring that all presidential delegates
are elected by popular vote. Opponents of the amendment argued that the
superdelegate system ensured a greater diversity of voices and that there
should be more deliberation before it is changed.
"It's been stated that if this resolution were adopted that it would pit
elected officials or politicians against community activists who would be
vying to become delegates to the convention," said former Cook County
Commissioner Chuy Garcia, an amendment backer. "As a politician and as a
community activist in my community, all I can say is this is a silly
argument to make!"
Garcia was referring to an argument first raised in a Congressional Black
Caucus letter sent in June where the lawmakers argued that they preferred
the superdelegate system because it allowed them to evade "the burdensome
necessity of competing against constituents for the honor of representing
the state during the nominating process."
"I am fully aware of those who have concerns with the superdelegate process.
But I'm also aware of the issues of diversity and the balance that
superdelegates have given," said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, defending
the current system as allowing greater diversity. "I want no one left along
the highway of despair because their voice was not heard."
"On the issue of inclusion, on the issue of racial justice, this is not
justice," Lilian Sharpley, an African-American Ohio Democrat who backed the
amendment, argued. "We need to trust the people to vote."
Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, a superdelegate speaking on behalf of
the Clinton campaign, offered procedural arguments saying that the issue
itself was not germane to the committee.
"Everyone agrees that this is a complicated issue; it's an issue that needs
to be addressed. But it's not an issue that this committee can definitely
address today," he said. He also went on to cite a Vietnam veteran he
personally knew who was a superdelegate, saying that the system "has
provided opportunities for participation."
After the defeat of the first amendment, the Sanders and Clinton camps met
and came up with draft language for a "unity commission" to meet shortly
after the general election to draw up changes to the party's nominating
process.
As part of the language of that proposal, which passed the committee 158 to
6, the commission will be charged to "make specific recommendations
providing that members of Congress, governors and distinguished party
leaders . remain unpledged and free to support their nominee of choice, but
that remaining unpledged delegates be required to cast their vote at the
convention for candidates in proportion to the vote received for each
candidate in their state."
The Washington Post's Dave Weigel reports that this would effectively bind
two-thirds of superdelegates to voting as their states vote in the
presidential nominating process.
http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
