Bernie Sanders supporters gather near City Hall on day three of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on July 27, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo: Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)
As 'Petulant' Democratic Elites Howl in Protest, DNC Panel Gives Plan to Gut Power of Superdelegates Final Approval
The plan has widespread party support, but corporate lobbyists who "think their vote is more important" are desperately working to undermine it
In the face of fervent opposition from Democratic elites who "think their vote is more important" than the will of the party's base, the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) Rules and Bylaws arm cleared a major hurdle in the fight to curtail the power of superdelegates on Wednesday by approving a plan that would end their ability to cast votes for the presidential candidate on the first ballot at the party's convention.
"Many prioritize corporate interests over those of everyday people and thus automatically support the less progressive candidate."
--Alex Kotch, investigative reporter
"The activists that have been concerned that superdelegates will overturn the will of the voters should feel good about this," DNC member Elaine Kamarck said in a statement.
While the plan to gut the influence of superdelegates--who have been free since 1984 to put their weight behind any candidate no matter how the public voted--has received broad support from Democrats and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) as an important first step toward making the party's process more "open and transparent," establishment figures who stand to lose power if the plan is implemented are staging a last-minute "revolt" to block the rule change.
As investigative reporter Alex Kotch noted in a Twitter thread on Wednesday, at least two of the Democratic insiders who are clinging desperately to their undue influence as superdelegates happen to be corporate lobbyists--a fact that Politico neglected to mention in its reporting on the party elites' "longshot bid to block the measure."
"They don't realize it but they're proving the point of Sanders and everyone else who's opposed to superdelegates," Kotch writes. "Many prioritize corporate interests over those of everyday people and thus automatically support the less progressive candidate."
Responding to Politico's story on the superdelegates' last-ditch attempt to undermine the push to curtail their power, The Humanist Report offered an alternative headline:
Wednesday's vote in favor of the plan to ensure superdelegates cannot overturn the will of voters on the first ballot of the presidential nomination process was the final step before the proposal heads to a vote before the full DNC next month.
"Any attempt to derail the rules changes at the summer convention is thought to be a long-shot," concluded Astead Herndon of the New York Times.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
In the face of fervent opposition from Democratic elites who "think their vote is more important" than the will of the party's base, the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) Rules and Bylaws arm cleared a major hurdle in the fight to curtail the power of superdelegates on Wednesday by approving a plan that would end their ability to cast votes for the presidential candidate on the first ballot at the party's convention.
"Many prioritize corporate interests over those of everyday people and thus automatically support the less progressive candidate."
--Alex Kotch, investigative reporter
"The activists that have been concerned that superdelegates will overturn the will of the voters should feel good about this," DNC member Elaine Kamarck said in a statement.
While the plan to gut the influence of superdelegates--who have been free since 1984 to put their weight behind any candidate no matter how the public voted--has received broad support from Democrats and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) as an important first step toward making the party's process more "open and transparent," establishment figures who stand to lose power if the plan is implemented are staging a last-minute "revolt" to block the rule change.
As investigative reporter Alex Kotch noted in a Twitter thread on Wednesday, at least two of the Democratic insiders who are clinging desperately to their undue influence as superdelegates happen to be corporate lobbyists--a fact that Politico neglected to mention in its reporting on the party elites' "longshot bid to block the measure."
"They don't realize it but they're proving the point of Sanders and everyone else who's opposed to superdelegates," Kotch writes. "Many prioritize corporate interests over those of everyday people and thus automatically support the less progressive candidate."
Responding to Politico's story on the superdelegates' last-ditch attempt to undermine the push to curtail their power, The Humanist Report offered an alternative headline:
Wednesday's vote in favor of the plan to ensure superdelegates cannot overturn the will of voters on the first ballot of the presidential nomination process was the final step before the proposal heads to a vote before the full DNC next month.
"Any attempt to derail the rules changes at the summer convention is thought to be a long-shot," concluded Astead Herndon of the New York Times.
In the face of fervent opposition from Democratic elites who "think their vote is more important" than the will of the party's base, the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) Rules and Bylaws arm cleared a major hurdle in the fight to curtail the power of superdelegates on Wednesday by approving a plan that would end their ability to cast votes for the presidential candidate on the first ballot at the party's convention.
"Many prioritize corporate interests over those of everyday people and thus automatically support the less progressive candidate."
--Alex Kotch, investigative reporter
"The activists that have been concerned that superdelegates will overturn the will of the voters should feel good about this," DNC member Elaine Kamarck said in a statement.
While the plan to gut the influence of superdelegates--who have been free since 1984 to put their weight behind any candidate no matter how the public voted--has received broad support from Democrats and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) as an important first step toward making the party's process more "open and transparent," establishment figures who stand to lose power if the plan is implemented are staging a last-minute "revolt" to block the rule change.
As investigative reporter Alex Kotch noted in a Twitter thread on Wednesday, at least two of the Democratic insiders who are clinging desperately to their undue influence as superdelegates happen to be corporate lobbyists--a fact that Politico neglected to mention in its reporting on the party elites' "longshot bid to block the measure."
"They don't realize it but they're proving the point of Sanders and everyone else who's opposed to superdelegates," Kotch writes. "Many prioritize corporate interests over those of everyday people and thus automatically support the less progressive candidate."
Responding to Politico's story on the superdelegates' last-ditch attempt to undermine the push to curtail their power, The Humanist Report offered an alternative headline:
Wednesday's vote in favor of the plan to ensure superdelegates cannot overturn the will of voters on the first ballot of the presidential nomination process was the final step before the proposal heads to a vote before the full DNC next month.
"Any attempt to derail the rules changes at the summer convention is thought to be a long-shot," concluded Astead Herndon of the New York Times.