Letter: Time to change status quo in United States
March 23, 2016
Why do Americans think it’s time for a change, time to challenge the status quo?
While we all want a democracy in which each vote counts, we Democrats are angry that our voice isn’t equal to that of the Democratic Party Establishment.
So we question why the National Democratic Party-Power Establishment has created 717 unpledged superdelegates, unelected by voters in the caucuses/primaries.
Iowa is allotted 44 national delegates. Our caucus outcome determines the distribution of those ‘pledged’ delegates to the National Convention. In Iowa, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton tied, splitting the pledged delegates.
A total of 171,000 Democrats voted in Iowa’s caucus, which means each elected delegate represents 3,900 caucus votes.
Democrats are angry because those 717 superdelegates are chosen by the party establishment (Iowa has 8); none were elected at the caucuses/primaries. Some superdelegates are party leaders, some governors, some congress members and 437 are DNC party officials.
In a democracy we speak of “one-person, one-vote.” Yet, if superdelegates get the equivalent of 3,900 votes in Iowa, to my one vote, we’re very far from a democracy.
An UNequal voice means UNequal power. Of course, that serves the purpose of the Democratic Party Establishment. They simply rely on their superdelegates to tip the scale, in favor of their choice.
Many superdelegates have said they will cast their votes for Hillary, the Establishment choice. She has paid personnel who are courting superdelegates, collecting over 300 before any caucus or primary. Thus, in this close race, the party Establishment is hijacking the election, putting in their choice, but not necessarily the voters’ choice.
We are at a turning point in our democracy. The only way to change things is to challenge established political power. We have a history in our country of asserting ourselves, of challenging the status quo. It’s time to mobilize again. Call Dave Nagel at 319-234-3623. Tell him: Abolish superdelegates.