Wednesday, March 30, 2016

What are Superdelegates?

There has been a lot of traction in the news lately over the subject of superdelegates, also called "unpledged delegates." Specifically, there are some people who speculate that Hillary Clinton is using them, via her and Bill's influence, to widen the gap between herself and Bernie Sanders.

Indeed, as of this writing, Clinton has 1,243 delegates and Sanders is rather close behind with 975. When you add the superdelegates to the mix, Clinton leads Sanders by 1,712 to 1,004. Quite a difference, yes?

But who are these mysterious superdelgates? To begin with, only the Democrat party uses them, not the Republicans. They are totally unattached to the popular vote of the citizens as opposed to the distribution of regular delegates. The method of distribution of regular delegates is determined by each state; some are winner-take-all, others depend on a ratio.

On the other hand, the supers make up their own mind; they are bound by no one. Many people, with good reason, feel that this undermines the voting system by taking some critical power out of the hands of the common voters and giving it to special interests with absolutely no oversight.

Who are the Superdelegates?

This is where it gets scary. The supers are for the most part elected officials such as members of the House and Senate, Democratic governors, and the Vice President. Others to note are members of the Democratic National Committee.

Also included are “distinguished party leaders” like former Presidents, senators and House leaders. There are about 712 of them nationwide; potentially a sufficient number to swing the nomination--no matter the will of the people.

Oh, did we mention that the party named Bill Clinton a superdelegate? Now that's ethics taken to the next level.


One would have to be blind not to see the implication of political chicanery and backroom "sausage-making" to secure their loyalty to one side or the other. Would you like a comfy government job after the election?  How about an ambassador post? An invite to all state dinners would be nice, yes?

If you think the matter is trivial, consider this--if the tables were turned and Sanders had the number of pledged supers that Clinton has and she had his numbers, he would be crushing her.

When Jake Tapper of CNN asked Debbie Wasserman Schultz, "What do you tell voters who are new to the process who say this makes them feel like it's all rigged?" Schultz responded, "Unpledged delegates exist really to make sure that party leaders and elected officials don't have to be in a position where they are running against grass-roots activists."

Citizens, be afraid; be very afraid.

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Trump's Ascendancy Signals a GOP Revival

The Republican party has seen better days. As it stands today, one might call it the Republicrat party. Certainly the policy talking points reflect a solid conservatism but as with all other things in life, actions speak louder than words.

Consider; currently the GOP controls both the House and the Senate. Yet both keep rolling over and giving President Obama everything he wants. John Boehner as Speaker of the House was an embarrassment. He caved on every issue because he was terrified of being labeled as the person that orchestrated a government shutdown (which technically speaking is meaningless; any federal employees put on hold get all un-worked-for back pay when the budget is again funded).

Paul Ryan promised to be a breath of fresh air when he took over Boehner's post. That promise was short-lived. One of his first accomplishments was his Omnibus bill. This bill fully funds DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and grants around 700,000 illegal aliens with work permits, as well as the ability to receive tax credits and federal entitlement programs.

The bill also funds sanctuary cities with federal grants. If that were not enough, Ryan's bill funds President Obama’s refugee resettlement operation and will allow for the admission of tens of thousands of refugees with access to federal benefits. Mind you, many of these benefits are not available to tax-paying citizens. These are conservative values as trumpeted during stump speeches?

In view of all this disregard of the promises made to earn votes, is no small surprise that the base is throwing up its collective arms and embracing Donald Trump? The establishment earlier blew him off, thinking he would burn out. But to their dismay, he has only gained momentum and the establishment is now running scared. As the delegate count continues to rise, establishment attitudes are beginning to change and many hangers-on are hustling to position themselves in the new party paradigm. Chris Christie saw the writing on the wall, bailed from the primaries, and promptly endorsed Trump. Is there a conciliatory cabinet position in the offing?

Another key endorser is the Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions. Sessions is known as being one of the strongest opponents in the United States Congress of illegal alien amnesty. His endorsement adds more conservative cred to The Donald's image.

Clearly, not only Republicans but the populace at large is ready for a change back to more accountability and constituent representation. According to the Boston Herald, "Nearly 20,000 Bay State Democrats have fled the party this winter, with thousands doing so to join the Republican ranks, according to the state's top election official."

These citizens are joining the Trump movement and the current Republicans that are rebelling against the establishment. Whether Trump wins the Oval Office or not, the voters have spoken. A new, revitalized GOP will have to happen if it is to survive at all.
Nearly 20,000 Bay State Democrats have fled the party this winter, with thousands doing so to join the Republican ranks, according to the state’s top elections official. - See more at: http://www.teaparty.org/thousands-ma-democrats-quit-party-switch-trump-146725/#sthash.grtpS51a.dpuf
Nearly 20,000 Bay State Democrats have fled the party this winter, with thousands doing so to join the Republican ranks, according to the state’s top elections official. - See more at: http://www.teaparty.org/thousands-ma-democrats-quit-party-switch-trump-146725/#sthash.grtpS51a.dpuf
Nearly 20,000 Bay State Democrats have fled the party this winter, with thousands doing so to join the Republican ranks, according to the state’s top elections official. - See more at: http://www.teaparty.org/thousands-ma-democrats-quit-party-switch-trump-146725/#sthash.grtpS51a.dpuf