Under pressure from Bernie Sanders, Democrats poised to change how they pick nominees

[SunSeeker]

Source: LATimes.com

The final deal approved by the rules committee on Saturday will create a commission that will draft changes to the superdelegate system. Only elected officials would be allowed to be superdelegates, reducing their numbers by two-thirds.

"We have to hang together, or we might hang separately," said Arthur Cheliotes, a labor leader and Sanders delegate from New York.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), who had resisted changes to the superdelegate system earlier in the day, also supported the amendment.

African American members of Congress have often argued to leave the system in place because it helps give minorities a greater voice in the nomination process.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-bernie-sanders-democratic-rules-20160722-snap-story.html

---

A good compromise that avoids a floor fight.

[BumRushDaShow]

1. I thought they were pretty much all elected officials

Congress members, governors, state/local legislators, mayors, etc. - Apparently this is in reference to the non-elected state/local/ward/precinct party leaders... I can see in many cases where, as noted about what happens with POC in the party, you have strong local/ward politicos who might not be serving in an "official" elective office (whether executive/legislative/judicial) but are boots-on-the-ground organizers of voters for the party.

[Ruby the Liberal]

5. There are a host of lobbyists on this year's SD slate

Some who have never held public office. Was a huge uproar about it a few months back.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. In that case

one might consider some of the nation's "lobbyists" may be from unions or other traditional Democratic party-supporting organizations (e.g., NOW, or pro-choice groups like NARAL, gun-control groups, etc).

It's sad that when most people hear the term "lobbyist", they automatically assume big banks/big pharma/Monsanto, etc.

It's definitely something that needs to be delved into and reconciled because there are a number of large organizations (that have often left-leaning memberships) who can help getting platforms planks drafted.

[noamnety]

12. The superdelegates include:

Paid Hillary campaign staffers.
Private prison lobbyists.
A senior VP of the company that owns Fox News.
Lobbyists paid to undermine Obamacare, and Michele Obama's nutrition guidelines.
People who lobbied for tax cuts for overseas earnings.
Lobbyists for Pfizer and Goldman Sachs.

https://theintercept.com/2016/02/17/voters-be-damned/

I'm not convinced that "some might be union members" makes this okay.

[BumRushDaShow]

15. So you would exclude unions and other traditional groups

that support the Democratic party in an all-or-nothing argument due to others who are not traditionally aligned with Democrats?

[noamnety]

21. Absolutely.

If the elected democratic officials that are superdelegates are doing their jobs, the interests of those groups are already represented.

[BumRushDaShow]

25. Except that when it comes to eventually drafting legislation

and other nitty gritty language in platform planks, there is no way that only "government-based 'elected'" officials can capture the needs of every group with a stake, across the spectrum. In the case of unions and other liberal organizations, their leaders are "elected" to represent their membership.

I think the issue that was brought up by the Congressional Black Caucus is that due to the continued voting restrictions against minorities that hinder the election of minorities to public office (example - Mississippi is almost 38% black, yet the state only has ONE black congressman), this use of "super-delegates" gives some voice to the traditional voiceless.

[noamnety]

34. Union reps can still assist in drafting legislation

without being superdelegates. That was a logical fallacy.

[LiberalFighter]

22. theintercept is not a reliable or unbias group

[Ruby the Liberal]

23. Is the information factually incorrect?

[noamnety]

24. Please let me know which of those names were incorrect.

Or whether the statements about their backgrounds were incorrect.

[LiberalFighter]

32. Please show me where they provide a focus on the majority of DNC members?

Putting a focus on a small group is the intercepts purpose to do a hatchet piece on everyone.

[noamnety]

35. So ... the info I posted is correct? (nt)

[LiberalFighter]

17. That host of lobbyists is a myth.

Here is a breakdown with number for each. Keep in mind that they are also spread out in 50 states, DC, and territories. As such unless they are living within commuting distance to DC they are generally performing their day job in their own home state.

Activist 1
Air Traffic Controller -Retired 1
Architect 1
Attorney 1
Business: Small 1
Chicago Cubs -Owner 1
City Elected 2
Clergy 2
Clinical Supervisor 1
Communications -Corporate 1
Computer: Consultant 1
Consultant -Business 1
Consultant -Govt 1
Consultant -Lobbyist 1
Consultant -Mgmt 1
Consultant: Govt Relations 1
Consultant: Hispanic 1
Consultant: KLS Consulting Group 1
Consultant: Media 1
Consultant: Political 3
CPA 1
Design Consultant 1
Education 1
Education: Admin 1
Education: Administration 1
Education: Saint Augustine University 1
Education: University 2
Education: University Regent 1
Education: Wilderness 1
Educator 5
Educator -Politics 1
Educator: Chiang Mai University 1
Educator: Retired 3
Educator: University 1
Elected State Govt 1
Emerge Virginia 1
Environmental: Activist 1
Farmer 2
Fine Arts & Holocaust 1
Florida Alliance 1
Former Congressional member 1
Fruits & Vegs 1
LGBT 2
Govt Affairs 1
Govt Communications 1
Govt Fed: FDIC 1
Govt Legal 1
Govt Relations 1
Govt State: SOS 1
Health Care: Executive 1
Health Care: HMO 1
Health Care: Patients 1
Hispanic 1
Hispanic: Activist 1
Hotels 1
Information Systems: Analyst 1
Insurance: Broker 1
Investment 2
Labor: Activist 1
Labor: AFGE 1
Labor: AFL-CIO 9
Labor: AFL-CIO Counsel 1
Labor: AFSCME 8
Labor: AFSCME retired 1
Labor: AFT 1
Labor: Bricklayers 1
Labor: CWA 3
Labor: Education 1
Labor: IAM&AW 1
Labor: IBEW 3
Labor: IBEW Spouse 1
Labor: Laborers 1
Labor: LIUNA 1
Labor: MEA 1
Labor: NEA 2
Labor: OAPSE 1
Labor: OHEA 1
Labor: RWSDU 1
Labor: SEIU 7
Labor: State Employees 1
Labor: Teachers 3
Labor: Teamsters 1
Labor: UAW 2
Labor: UAW (CAP Chair) 1
Labor: UFCW 2
Labor: USW 2
Labor: USW Activist 1
Labor: USW Attorney 1
Landscape Architect 1
Language Consultant 1
LanguageSpeak: Founder 1
Legal 21
Legal -Immigration & LGBT 1
Legal -Trial Lawyer 1
Legal: 3
Legal: & Activist 1
Legal: Bordas & Bordas 1
Legal: Bremer & Trollop 1
Legal: Bryan Cave 1
Legal: Dewey Square Group 1
Legal: Dickinson Wright 1
Legal: Firm 1
Legal: Hollingsworth 1
Legal: Ice Miller 1
Legal: Labor 1
Legal: Labor Law 1
Legal: Page Perry 1
Legal: Partner 3
Legal: Personal Injury 1
Legal: Poole & Kane 1
Legal: Port Madison Enterprises 1
Legal: Retired 1
Legal: Shareholder 1
Legal: Success Solutions 1
Legal: Texas Trial Lawyers Assn 1
Legal: Woodburn Wedge 1
Legal: Ziffren Brittenham 1
Legislator: State 1
LGBT 2
Lobbyist 2
Marketing: Bernardin Lochmueller 1
Media: Journalist 1
Mental Health: Owner 1
Mortgage Broker 1
NARAL 1
Native American 1
Nursery 1
Party: Activist 1
Pharmacist 1
Philantrhopic: Advisor 1
Planned Parenthood 1
Political 3
Political Campaign 1
Political: Activist 4
Political: Campaigns 1
Political: Communications 1
Political: Consultant 5
Political: Dewey Square Group 2
Political: Liaison 1
Political: Northwind Strategies 1
Political: Organizer 2
Political: Staff 1
Political: Staffer 1
Political: Strategist 3
Psychologist 1
Psychology 1
Public Relations: Rollins Group 1
Real Estate 3
Retired 1
Social 1
Social Work: Retired 1
Social: Aids 1
Social: Halfway 1
State Employee 1
State: Employee 1
Stonewall 1
Summer Camps 1
Tax Accounting 1
Temple Strategy Group 1
Trading 1
UPS: Worker 1
Women's Advocate 1
Women's Issues: Activist 2

[BumRushDaShow]

27. There are those who don't care about labor

education, women's rights, minority rights, or anyone else who has been a traditional part of the Democratic base. Only a single issue drives those folks to seek to silence everyone else in the main constituency of the party.

[4139]

2. "will create a commission" ... Punt now, do nothing later.

[wyldwolf]

3. My prediction

IF changes are made to appease them, they'll still contend it isn't fair when the fail to get the nominee they want. At the end of the day, it really is about how may people vote for someone.

[chwaliszewski]

6. I disagree.

I am a Bernie supporter and Trump hater. I don't care much for Hillary but I would take her over Trump any day. I'm disappointed that Bernie didn't get the nomination but I know that's the way it goes. No problem. This particular change was needed if only because of the diverse selection of superdelegates that were participating in this primary. They should be elected officials and distinguished party leaders. The DNC member part of the process is what I have a problem with. Some of these people happen to be big donors and the like. This chart shows the makeup:



I am also not a fan of the media preannouncing the superD's voting intention. That has an affect on the outcome. Hillary won, fair and square under the current system. The system itself needs to be fair and square.

[LiberalFighter]

19. The chart doesn't show how many are big donors and the like.

It only shows the groups they belong to that makes them automatic delegates. If big donors is the criteria for DNC members then my state and many other states are doing it wrong. Those DNC members come from a wide diverse group of Democrats. They are also elected by state convention delegates.

[chwaliszewski]

41. You are correct.

This link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Democratic_Party_superdelegates,_2016 does show.

[rock]

4. Suppose there had been no Super-delegates this Dem Primary

Would would have won the nomination?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

8. This "Bernie-Bro" sez ...

Clinton still would win it.

But, she would have started out with "zero" delegates until the first primary/caucus. She would not have the huge lead created by her superdelegates. It would have been more interesting.

[DemonGoddess]

9. I say leave the SDs alone

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

10. Oh, this is just a lot of noise. The SDs will be just fine.

There will be meetings and discussions and such. But in the end, there will be no change.

[George II]

14. This happens every four years, rules and procedures change every four years. Nothing special.

[HitchStop]

29. I disagree

pertaining to what one said about Clinton still winning it. She may not have without the momentum of the super delegate count. In addition, shows like MSNBC were totally behind her and pushed her over Sanders. Had it began on an even count, knowing human behavior as I do, the masses may have gone over to Sanders from the very beginning.

[OwlinAZ]

42. and more democratic

[FailureToCommunicate]

11. Much of the problem was that the media never tried to unravel the subtleties of the

super delegate system. So it was always just a numbers horse race the way they portrayed the contest, with Clinton way ahead at the starting gate.

[LiberalFighter]

20. They didn't care about understanding it. They were interested in stirring the pot.

[OwlinAZ]

43. Very sad, very contrary to our Democratic values.

[hollowdweller]

31. I totally agree with your point

It doesn't matter who they are. Clinton would have won anyway.

Superdelegates are UNDEMOCRATIC and they should just do away with them.

If they are going to reduce the number I'll settle for that and maybe in the next 10 years we can totally get rid of them.

[lancer78]

46. Until our party nominates a "Trump"

than everyone will be wanting SDs back. I bet the GOP wishes they had super delegates.

[George II]

13. The superdelegate system has changed more than once since it was instituted. Just ask Tad...

...Devine, who was instrumental devising the system.

Contrary to the subject line, it's not "Bernie" who is bringing about any changes, it's DEMOCRATS, and this is nothing out of the ordinary. Prior to every convention each four years there is a review of existing rules and changes come about to be implemented for subsequent campaigns and conventions.

[bluedye33139]

16. Get rid of the carcasses...caucuses...autocorrect issues

The caucuses were ugly this year. I stayed home, having already left my neighborhood FB group in Seattle because people were planning all kinds of weird tactics.

Washington state has a caucus and a mail-in ballot primary, and the state party uses the caucusess currently. This year demonstrated a massive difference between the actual ballots counting everybody versus the caucus system counting only people who could bring any intimidating presence to the carcass...caucus. It was really bad. Caucus results diverge wildly from a representative sampling of Democrats in my state.

I wish my spell check would stop using the word carcass.

[MADem]

38. Caucuses are undemocratic, rotting carcasses....so you were correct. Your spell check is WISE!

They're mob rule by the fittest and most able to endure long stretches in uncomfortable surroundings. They disenfranchise people who actually WORK at "blue collar" and shift worker jobs, they disenfranchise single parents, the elderly, the disabled, the poor who cannot get transport easily, and anyone without the wealth and time to hire babysitters, drive to a caucus site and spend many hours farting around.

They have no place in modern America. Back when everyone farmed and there was no TV or radio, it was a nice excuse for a get-together. Today, they're just stupid. Put your vote on a ballot and drop it in a box. Better still, mail it in, or put it in a special ballot box that is placed in public buildings if you want to save the stamp.

I feel the same way about "town meetings" in New England. They're clique exercises by noxious elites--the working people never get a say.

[CBHagman]

18. There will also be changes to the primary versus caucus system after this year...

...and though I am going to have to do a little online research to obtain a complete list of states that are shifting from caucuses to primaries, I can tell you that Minnesota is one.

[url]http://www.twincities.com/2016/05/22/minnesota-moves-to-presidential-primary/[/url]

[stonecutter357]

26. Democratic party Members only.......thanks.

[Tarheel_Dem]

28. I'm delighted to hear that there will be fewer caucuses next time. Very undemocratic, and not at...

all representative.

[SunSeeker]

39. Exactly. nt

[liberal N proud]

30. Remember one thing - Trump was once considered a Democrat

Super Delegates would have saved the Republicans from owning Trump!

Super Delegates serve a purpose.

[Raspol]

33. clinton won among pledged delegates as well

so there.

[MADem]

36. The unspoken codicil to this is that the DNC will never again allow an "independent" or

anyone not having a big fat bold "D" after their name to run on the Democratic ticket. You wanna play? You'll have to join the club and be an avowed member.


So yeah, it's a legacy...of sorts.

[SunSeeker]

37. I hope so.

Certainly we should require that people on the platform committee are actual Dems.

And while they're deciding primary rules, vote-supressing caucuses should be done away with.

[MADem]

40. Caucuses are garbage--they don't reflect the will of the voters at all, and they don't do a good job

of checking who is even qualified to "caucus." They're bully exercises, frankly. The sooner they're gone, the better.

Iowa will fight like hell to keep theirs--but they should transition to something better. Like actual VOTING. That said, their first in the nation "caucus" is worth billions to their economy so that is why they keep it.

[OwlinAZ]

44. melt down?

What's good for the goose....

[MADem]

45. ?

What does that post mean?

[Tarheel_Dem]

48. +1

[The Second Stone]

47. Non-electeds should not be super delegates

and that would be a good thing. But I would include elected DNC officials. Not appointed ones.

[Ken Burch]

49. I could live with superdelegates

If they were pledged to vote in the same way as the other delegates from their states. It's time to remove from our process the standing insult to Democratic to voters that exists in letting the supers vote for whoever they wish to vote for-the implication that rank-and-file Democrats can't be trusted to pick our own party's presidential nominee.