Democrats Should Put an End to Caucuses .

[Scurrilous]

"Whatever the results in the Iowa caucuses, one can be confident that they will leave an exaggerated impression of the level of Sanders' support."

<snip>

"In a primary, eligible voters can show up anytime while polls are open, cast anonymous ballots and go home. In the caucuses, they must show up on a winter night and spend several hours jostling with neighbors and strangers as they show support for one candidate or another.

This setup favors activists who are not deterred by snow, cold and the dark. They tend to be educated and have the luxury of free evening hours. They're also aggressive and skilled in working the intricacies of the caucus process.

The caucuses disfavor working people who must juggle two children and three jobs. Add to that anyone who works nights at McDonald's or drives an Uber after hours. Or who depends on a public transportation system that slows down in the evening.

The obvious winners in this unfair setup are candidates with passionate followers. Bernie Sanders has notably been a beneficiary. In 2016, he did better in the caucuses, where his activists could exert control, than in the primaries, where a wider electorate cast simple ballots without pressure.

Caucuses routinely suppress voter participation, according to the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. In 2016, turnout at the Iowa caucuses was under 16 percent, whereas the New Hampshire primary attracted 52 percent of eligible voters.

Washington state, which held both a caucus and a primary in 2016, offered a real-world contrast of the two. In March that year, Sanders swept Washington's Democratic caucus, walking off with 74 delegates to Hillary Clinton's 27. When Washington held a primary two months later, Clinton won by 6 percent."

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2020/01/16/democrats_should_put_an_end_to_caucuses_142165.html

Bernie Sanders pushed for an undemocratic format that suppresses voter participation . Up the revolution!

[tandem5]

1. but thank god we got rid of those evil superdelegates (that played no role in 2016)!

[ibegurpard]

2. That's fine

But delegate allocation does not necessarily mirror exactly the results of a primary either.

[Blue_Tires]

3. Don't look at me, this is what the Berners forced on us

[Scurrilous]

7. Yes they did.

And now they flog their 2nd place finish as a victory. What a bunch of...

The format discriminates against the working class. The working class. Working. Class. Class.

It shuts them out. They are shunned in favor of wealthier people. OMFG I thought Bernie was socialist hero who helps the working class.

LOL What a .....hypo... who....the...on a daily basis. I am shocked!!!


Exploding Plastic Inevitable Class Warfare

[DanTex]

4. A good start would be to stop trying to pretend the guy with the most votes isn't the "winner."

That's truly absurd, particularly in the "Democratic" party.

But yeah, caucuses should go. It's fortunate that we had a paper trail, thanks to Bernie, and also that we know the vote counts, also thanks to Bernie, so we can tell who won, rather than relying on the unreliable "state delegate equivalent" calculations.

[TwilightZone]

6. A good start would be to stop pretending that you don't know how it works.

The same goes for Sanders.

Intentional ignorance isn't a compelling argument.

[George II]

5. Last time around there were more than a dozen caucuses, this year only six, and thankfully two......

....of those six will be over after the first three states vote.

[Scurrilous]

9. It would be four if not for Bernie's manipulation of the Unity Hug-It-Out.

He took advantage of the hugging to weaseldick Dem officials into saving the Iowa and Nevada caucuses from the chopping block.

Now he had his favorite undemocratic working class excluding format sandwiching next door neighbor New Hampshire's primary.:b

He set up 3 in a row to favor him. Is that fair. It was a Unity party. You plot at a Unity party? Oh karma...hasten thyself.

And of course the media is there to play its role. Anointed or axed. This is a cherished role. One they have played for many years.

I think it's pretty obvious who they chose for axe this year. The same one Trump chose!! Coincidence.

Warming up the axe. Ready to cull. Where's the damn results. We have a narrative to sell.

Link to tweet

[DURHAM D]

8. The state government pays for primaries.

The party pays for caucuses.

So states have caucuses because the state will not pay for the primary.

However, at least one state switched from caucus to primary this year but the Democratic party is paying for it.

[Blue_true]

11. The parties can pay for primaries.

States already have voting machines in position, all they have to do on primary day is move them to voting precincts and staff the precincts. The campaigns will send observers.

[DURHAM D]

12. Not that simple.

Are you assuming that the state will loan their machines to political parties? The machines will need to be reprogrammed. Ballots will have to be designed and printed. Do you think the state government will provide all that assistance ? In red states the last thing they want to do is help Democrats vote.

[Blue_true]

13. Florida is mostly republican led for now.

It manages primaries at all levels through county registrars. So yes, it is being done.

[DURHAM D]

15. Florida is a Presidential primary state.

Thus the government pays for the event.

In caucus states the DEMOCRATIC PARTY pays for the event.

[Blue_true]

16. The state also pays for local, county, state primaries.

I know, I have voted in them.

Every state in the country has a presidential primary now, as well as territories.

[DURHAM D]

17. Yes, of course, very state has a presidential primary or caucus.

Again, in the primary states the state (government) pays. In a caucus state the political party pays for the event.

[Cha]

10. "You basically are nothing': the Americans shut out of the Iowa caucuses"

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=468102

[tritsofme]

14. Caucuses are an undemocratic and exclusionary disaster.

Every voter deserves a secret ballot, there is just no excuse.