Rant-Democrats aren’t Democratic

[bcollins]

Although I will most likely get the opportunity to vote for Obama for president…the democrat party (and the spelling is intended) is far from democratic even in it’s nomination process. Mind you, I completely support that party’s right to define it’s process the way it wants, but the irony is abundant.

If the Democrat Party was truly democratic, why would:

Puerto Rico be allowed to vote to nominate, but note in the actual election?

Why are there caucuses?

Why do some caucus states not report the popular vote to the national commitee?

Why do they have super delegates?

Why would Hilly and Billy claim a popular vote victory with only the votes and states they feel are valid?

Why have delegates at all?

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[beachdrivegirl]

bcollins, i have been wondering many of those same questions myself. And that is one of many reasons why although many times I vote Democratic I will always claim to be an Independent.

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[Estopher]

I don’t know what your expectations are for the Democratic Party, but it sure isn’t their fault that Puerto Rico can’t vote. The fact that Democrats allow Puerto Ricans to help in the nomination process is a plus.

People seem to think that selecting a nominee is somehow ‘voting.’ It isn’t. Political Parties are allowed to select their nominee however they want. The fact that Democrats and Republicans provide some semblance of a democratic system for selecting a nominee is completely by choice. There is no requirement that a party have a single vote, debate, or discussion.

For instance the Green Party that just handed us Ralph Nader and now Cynthia McKinney, and the Libertarians just selected (by committee) Bob Barr. If you were involved in the party, you might have had some say in those selections. Or maybe not.

Part of the problem is it is impossible to know who is actually in your party or not. So I can see why the Greens for instance wouldn’t want an open primary. They need to make sure all the people selecting the nominee are actually Greens. Same goes for all parties. Super Delegates are there to insure that the party selects the nominee. Not simply whoever, whomever votes for.

When people don’t like it, they are certainly allowed to start their own parties (a la Ross Perot) and select who ever they want to be President by what ever means they see fit.

Democrats allow individual states to select the manner in which their delegates are selected. If you have a question as to why a particular state does or does not report vote totals or does or does not have a caucus, you should ask party officials in that State.

Heck, if you don’t like the way the Dems do it here, you could even get involved and tell them what you think.

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[beachdrivegirl]

Estopher maybe I should have been a bit clear. I find it silly that the Democratic party is not laughing off Hil’s claim that she is winning in a popular vote. A popular vote that includes states that can not vote in the general election, dismisses cuacus states including Washington State, and includes Michigan where Obama’s name was not on a valid. That is undemocratic.

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[Ken]

bcollins.

If you’re actually interested in the answers to your questions, then repeating a slur from the McCarthy era (or the Hoover administration more fittingly) is not the way to go about it.

The history of the phrase and it’s usage can be found here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democrat_Party_%28phrase%29

If you really are both as ignorant and confused as your post makes you seem, the experts are reading this blog and can set you straight.

That is if they had time and the inclination to do so.

I am not one of the party leaders or elected officials. I have however taken the time to educate myself about the important issues of the day as well as the origin of many of the current news items that our corporate news media seem to have recurring amnesia about.

If google is really not enough for you, and reading the long and tedious explanations on this forum from the caucus period is just too daunting, then ask your questions in a civil fashion and the answer shall be revealed unto you.

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