Superdelegate power just breeds corruption; end it, Democrats
from "Asheville Citizen-times"
The smoked-filled room, a secret political gathering for stealth decision-making has long since gone, but the party bosses still weave their silent webs of deceit. It was President Andrew Jackson who headed the public call for the first national convention with delegates.
This year the National Democratic Convention will be held Aug. 25-28 in Denver, Colo., with the primary goals to nominate a candidate for president and vice president, adopt a comprehensive party platform and unite the party. Some previous conventions have been contentious. In 1924, there was a brawl between the “Wets” and the “Drys.” In 1968, there erupted a highly emotional battle between the conventioneers and the Vietnam war protesters.
Conventions’ purpose
In 2008, the division is between liberals and the more conservative wing of the party. In working for party unity, the goal is to shut down the fracas. The powerbrokers want a good show, like “American Idol.” They have long since forgotten that conventions are not to ratify nominees.
Conventions are to elect, through the people’s choice, their delegates. Delegates are chosen in a series of individual state caucuses and primary elections. They come from communities across the nation to carry out our constitutional mandate.
Superdelegates, anointed, are elected officials such as governors and congressmen and other party bigwigs. These honorables, vested with the responsibility of voting for a presidential candidate, can be bought with cash, donations to their PACs, contributions to an organization, a project dear to their hearts or commit to a backroom grand bargain. It might be unseemly for a candidate to hand out money to a voter, but almost a million dollars has been handed out by Obama and Clinton in political contributions over the past three years.
Tracking the money
At the state and local level, these contributions are difficult to trace. At the federal level, contributions are reported and traceable. There is a lengthy lag time. Recent figures may take weeks to be reported and analyzed; however, February records can be examined. Obama had donated to delegates more than $700,000; Clinton more than $236,000. Studies have found that a presidential candidate who gives the most money to superdelegates receives their endorsement 82 percent of the time.
The Weekly Standard commented “... if 82 percent of the superdelegates are endorsing the candidate who donated more to them, that’s indicative of something other than a belief in the ‘audacity of hope.’ It sounds like old-fashioned bribery.”
The new politics: candidates lobbying for votes.
Superdelegate power has created skullduggery in our political selection process. The system is an affront to voters, undemocratic and misconstrues the selection process. It thwarts the one- man, one-vote rule. Will we know by August the names of the bought delegates? Should they be seated? Should they acknowledge their 30 pieces of silver? Should they own up to their grand bargain? Should they vote their pockets or vote their convictions? The antiquated superdelegate system should go before the Rules and ByLaws Committee of the Democratic National Committee, be presented to the delegates at the convention and repealed.
The 2000 election was decided by judges acting as delegates. The 2008 election should be decided by delegates acting as judges in open convention. Contentious? A fracas? So what. It would film well.
Francella Poston has been active in community, civic and political affairs, and works actively on governmental fiscal policy. She lives in Asheville.
