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The Democrats' Super Disaster
Wall Street Journal ^ | 24 March 2008 | JOHN YOO

Posted on 03/24/2008 7:10:03 AM PDT by shrinkermd

Until recent weeks, one of the least understood aspects of the Democrats' primary contest was the role of superdelegates. These are Democratic Party insiders, members of Congress, and other officials who can cast ballots...

But now these unelected delegates are coming in for a close inspection, because neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama can win their party's nomination without superdelegate support. The big Pennsylvania primary on April 22, for example, has only 158 delegates at stake (each of them will be pledged to support one of the candidates). By comparison, there are a total of 795 superdelegates, none of whom are required to honor the will of the voters of their state at the party's convention.

Sound undemocratic? It is. That the 2008 Democratic nominee for president will be chosen by individuals no one voted for in the primaries flew for too long under the commentariat's radar. This from the party that litigated to "make every vote count" in the 2000 Florida recount, reviled the institution of the Electoral College for letting the loser of the national popular election win the presidency, and has called the Bush administration illegitimate ever since.

Democratic Party reforms in 1982 gave super-delegates about 20% of convention votes -- so that party greybeards can stop a popular, but politically extreme, candidate from seizing the nomination. The Democrats deliberately rejiggered their party's rules to head off insurgent candidates, like a George McGovern or a Jimmy Carter, who might be crushed in the general election. Unelected delegates thus have more than twice the votes of the richest state prize, California.

So much for unfiltered democracy. In truth, the Democratic Party runs by rules that are the epitome of the smoke-filled room and ensure, in essence, that congressional incumbents exercise a veto power over the nomination.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008dncconvention; democratparty; democrats; elections; hillary; obama; superdelegates; superdisaster

1 posted on 03/24/2008 7:10:04 AM PDT by shrinkermd
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To: shrinkermd
A pleasant thought to start the week.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)

LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

2 posted on 03/24/2008 7:11:06 AM PDT by LonePalm (Commander and Chef)
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To: shrinkermd

Duplicate post:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1990481/posts


3 posted on 03/24/2008 7:12:01 AM PDT by jdm
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To: shrinkermd

What is quite nice about this, is that it was all predicted long ago that Hillary would destroy the Democratic party.

Now here we are, Hillary mathematically eliminated from being her party’s nominee, yet she hangs around hopint the party blows up even more and she can slip in.

We all need to thank Hillary for destroying the Dem Party.


4 posted on 03/24/2008 7:14:23 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: shrinkermd
It is unlikely that a candidate today would trade a cabinet post for a superdelegate's vote. Sen. Harry Reid is unlikely to be the next Secretary of Veterans' Affairs, or Speaker Nancy Pelosi the next Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

I wouldn't be so sure of that.

The Surprised One also clearly is militating to be Obama's VP.

5 posted on 03/24/2008 7:18:11 AM PDT by fightinJAG (Rush was right when he used to say: "You NEVER win by losing.")
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Photobucket
6 posted on 03/24/2008 7:19:10 AM PDT by Doofer (Carl Cameron Is A Weasel)
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To: LonePalm

Excellent post! Even selecting a President from the ranks of Senators is ill-advised. Unfortunately, our Presidency is drifting towards a Prime Ministership.


7 posted on 03/24/2008 7:27:21 AM PDT by Aevery_Freeman (Terrorists, Demonrats(sic) and ACLU lawyers are always in season)
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To: 1Old Pro
Now here we are, Hillary mathematically eliminated from being her party’s nominee, yet she hangs around hopint the party blows up even more and she can slip in.

We all need to thank Hillary for destroying the Dem Party.

You know, we need to consider that she's one of the best sleeper agents of history. After all, she was a Goldwater Girl. Maybe everything's been a front since then, with the specific plan of destroying the opposition?

Let the Daily Kos idiots get ahold of this "theory" and the Dems will proceed to eat their own even faster.

8 posted on 03/24/2008 7:35:54 AM PDT by Ancesthntr (An ex-citizen of the Frederation trying to stop Monica's Ex-Boyfriend's Wife from becoming President)
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To: shrinkermd
Sound undemocratic? It is.

And that is why I am not a democrat. There is nothing democratic about the democrat party.

9 posted on 03/24/2008 7:36:47 AM PDT by KC_Conspirator
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To: Ancesthntr

LOL.

You mean she was a part of the VWRC all along? Outstanding....


10 posted on 03/24/2008 7:40:13 AM PDT by dashing doofus (Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber)
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To: KC_Conspirator

Will Rogers: “I belong to no organized political party. I am a Democrat.”


11 posted on 03/24/2008 7:40:45 AM PDT by dashing doofus (Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber)
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To: jdm

Yes, I am sorry. I thought I searched, but I must not have. The search function I rely on requires me to go to the starting page. I can’t seem to find it when I just pull up either the posts or the comments. sorry.


12 posted on 03/24/2008 7:40:57 AM PDT by shrinkermd
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To: Doofer

That’s Ha Ha Hillary-ous!


13 posted on 03/24/2008 7:41:16 AM PDT by evets
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To: shrinkermd

The search function doesn’t work for me either...


14 posted on 03/24/2008 7:45:00 AM PDT by nikos1121 (typical white person)
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To: Ancesthntr
...we need to consider ... she's one of the best sleeper agents of history.... she was a Goldwater Girl. Maybe everything's been a front since then, with the specific plan of destroying the opposition?

Nice thought. But I'm not gonna buy it. Maybe the DUmmies and KOSsacks will, but not I.............

15 posted on 03/24/2008 7:48:31 AM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
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To: Ancesthntr

She’s done more for the Republican party than a whole lot of Republican operatives.

She helps the GOP raise money and she destroys the Dem Party - how sweet is that.

The Dems are in such bad shaoe that they are actually talking about drafting algor, that would be like the GOP drafting Dole.


16 posted on 03/24/2008 7:52:41 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: Red Badger
Nice thought. But I'm not gonna buy it. Maybe the DUmmies and KOSsacks will, but not I.............

Oh, come on! I don't believe that for a minute. It was clearly tongue-in-cheek. I'd actually LIKE for the KOSacks to get ahold of the idea - as I mentioned, the Dems would proceed to eat their own even faster.

17 posted on 03/24/2008 8:01:23 AM PDT by Ancesthntr (An ex-citizen of the Frederation trying to stop Monica's Ex-Boyfriend's Wife from becoming President)
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To: Ancesthntr
From a thread I posted on yesterday....

Well, folks, I hate to break this to you, but the the Moonbats have figured out our plan. Saw it on a local board.

Obama’s rise was due to a Bushco, Rovian plot..

You see, the Pubbies laid the way for Obama’s Senate win by kicking out their candidate and replacing him with Keyes, ensuring defeat.

Then, it gets really good. Fitz is in on it too. The Rezko thingy is being prosecuted by Fitzgerald (The same guy who wouldn’t indict Rove for leaking the name of a spy), so 3 weeks out from the election, Fitz indicts Bambi, McCain and the eeeevil war machine reign, and the dastardly plot to keep Hillary down is complete.

I takes a sick mind or a lot of drugs to come to these conclusions. But then they wouldn't be Moonbats.

18 posted on 03/24/2008 8:38:56 AM PDT by digger48 (http://prorev.com/legacy.htm)
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