2016 Postmortem

DemocratSinceBirth

(99,710 posts)

28. Elaborate

Sat Aug 29, 2015, 03:07 PM

Aug 2015

They exist , imho, to decide very close and hotly contested elections.

Here's the results for the 1984 election. If not for the superdelegates Gary Hart could have won with less votes by making a deal with Jesse Jackson.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries,_1984

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What's this "superdelegate" thing? [View all] sibelian Aug 2015 OP

It varies by state HassleCat Aug 2015 #1

But how does that affect the result? sibelian Aug 2015 #2

Each has one vote as a delegate. It's just that they are not bound MineralMan Aug 2015 #4

Why do we need them. Doesn't sound like a democracy to me if some are given special RKP5637 Aug 2015 #9

It's not a democracy. It's a political party. In my native country of Canada, only party members Metric System Aug 2015 #14

Thanks! RKP5637 Aug 2015 #15

It's not so much "special powers." They can just vote for whom they MineralMan Aug 2015 #17

Thanks for the additional information MM! RKP5637 Aug 2015 #21

In practical terms HassleCat Aug 2015 #12

Frankly, the delegate count situation you propose seems to me to MineralMan Aug 2015 #20

I agree HassleCat Aug 2015 #22

Actually, the 2008 convention was pretty weird, MineralMan Aug 2015 #24

Think Orwell. Some votes are more equal than other votes. Tierra_y_Libertad Aug 2015 #3

Maybe we could have "supervoters" as well tularetom Aug 2015 #6

Just thinking about it, seems "Citizens United" has done just that, and was clearly a death call for RKP5637 Aug 2015 #10

... tammywammy Aug 2015 #5

....... "Each state has its own ballot access laws to determine who may appear on ballots..." sibelian Aug 2015 #7

Tennessee, where I live, has some of the least restrictive ballot access laws cheapdate Aug 2015 #31

OK. sibelian Aug 2015 #37

It's just how our government is ordered. cheapdate Aug 2015 #39

I see. sibelian Aug 2015 #41

The United States is a federal system, cheapdate Aug 2015 #43

"Local control can be preferable to central control for a variety of reasons." sibelian Aug 2015 #48

I'm simply describing it and not justifying it. cheapdate Aug 2015 #50

Well, fair enough, but my goodness... sibelian Aug 2015 #51

There are various proposals to amend the U.S. constitution cheapdate Aug 2015 #58

OK, I will not argue the toss... sibelian Aug 2015 #60

Thank you for that. cheapdate Aug 2015 #63

sorry, tammy, I shoud probably have just gone and looked... sibelian Aug 2015 #8

After McGovern lost the election sadoldgirl Aug 2015 #11

.... magic people with giant votes. sibelian Aug 2015 #16

I probably shouldn't be too critical sibelian Aug 2015 #18

They are the Holy Shit Jessie Jackson could win this Warren Stupidity Aug 2015 #13

OK, that made me chuckle. But as another poster pointed out, I think it originated in the 70s to Metric System Aug 2015 #19

+1 nt Zorra Aug 2015 #52

They only exist to decide a close primary like 2008. DemocratSinceBirth Aug 2015 #23

OK. sibelian Aug 2015 #26

Elaborate DemocratSinceBirth Aug 2015 #28

I'm not sure what you're trying to say here. sibelian Aug 2015 #35

This is how Mr. Obama became the .......... mrmpa Aug 2015 #25

That...is... sibelian Aug 2015 #27

Some states have primaries...Some states have caucuses... DemocratSinceBirth Aug 2015 #30

"...if she did not fight this commitment..." sibelian Aug 2015 #33

Many posters here are under the mistaken impression that you can win the nomination with a plurality DemocratSinceBirth Aug 2015 #38

That is NOT the issue I was reacting to, DemocratSinceBirth. sibelian Aug 2015 #40

What is your question? DemocratSinceBirth Aug 2015 #42

Here's a better question sibelian Aug 2015 #47

Not true. MohRokTah Aug 2015 #45

! sibelian Aug 2015 #53

Prior to 1972 1939 Aug 2015 #29

That is the BEST explanation and history of the super delegates Le Taz Hot Aug 2015 #49

The great elders of the Democratic Leadership were recognized by the Gods HereSince1628 Aug 2015 #32

And, lo, the Great Blue Wall was patrolled forever sibelian Aug 2015 #34

The whole thing sounds like some weird fantasy cooked up by MANNY. sibelian Aug 2015 #36

By a margin of 67 to 26 superdelegates prefer Hillary on Bongos compared to Bernies Singing HereSince1628 Aug 2015 #46

It's what you cling to AgingAmerican Aug 2015 #44

Well. THAT's bad. sibelian Aug 2015 #54

In 2008, Superdelegats voted: Barack Obama 562.5, Hillary Clinton 211.5 they did not affect electio Agnosticsherbet Aug 2015 #55

"The chance of them having any affect on the election is quite remote." sibelian Aug 2015 #56

They are really there to tip the nomination should nobody get the required 50%+1 MohRokTah Aug 2015 #57

They are also there to blunt the effectiveness of an insurgent candidate. Adrahil Aug 2015 #62

It is the powers that be antidemocracy emergency escape hatch TheKentuckian Aug 2015 #59

Just in case the people don't agree. mmonk Aug 2015 #61