Sign the Petitions for a Democratic Democratic Party

Last weekend I wrote a blog on the Huffington Post warning that if either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton win the most elected delegates in the primaries/caucuses, but the unelected Superdelegates veto the will of the voters and nominate the candidate with fewer elected delegates, it could split the Democratic Party and hand the Presidency to John McCain. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/miles-mogulescu/build-a-grassroots-moveme_b_85673.html

I suggested a grassroots petition campaign demanding that Super Delegates sign a pledge to vote for the candidate with the most elected delegates. I received numerous emails asking how to sign such a petition.

Now two grassroots organizations with substantial email lists, Democracy for America and MoveOn.Org, have started just such petition campaigns. I urge all Huffington Post readers, whether you support Clinton or Obama or haven't made up your mind, to go to their respective web sites and sign both petitions.

The MoveOn.Org petition reads: "The Democratic Party must be democratic. The superdelegates should let the voters decide between Clinton and Obama, then support the people's choice." Already over 200,000 people have signed the petition. Move On plans to run an ad in USA Today with the total number of signers, so it's important to sign right away. You can sign the Move On petition at http://pol.moveon.org/superdelegates/

The Democracy for America petition reads: "We the Undersigned call on Democratic superdelegates to let the voters decide the Democratic nominee. After every Democrat in every state has had a chance to vote, superdelegates must confirm the winner of the popularly allocated delegates." You sign the Democracy for America Petition at http://www.democracyforamerica.com/votersdecide

This is not an issue only for Clinton supporters or only for Obama supporters. Whichever candidate you support, it is vital that the Democratic nominee be legitimate, not the product of a backroom deal that looks like the 2000 Supreme Court decision handing the Presidency to George Bush. If either Obama or Clinton win the nomination by the Superdelegates overruling the voters, it is likely to be a hollow win, leading to a McCain victory, as well as losses in important Senate and House races.

There is one more issues that must be resolved to insure a democratic Democratic Party nomination--the delegates from Florida and Michigan. It would be illegitimate for the nomination to be won by the votes of Florida and Michigan delegates chosen where the candidates were not allowed to campaign and, in the case of Michigan, where all the major candidates except Hillary Clinton took their names off the ballot. It would also be a mistake for the Democratic Party to disenfranchise Democratic voters in Michigan and Florida, two states that will be crucial to a Democratic victory in November. The Democratic Party should organize and pay for new primaries or caucuses in Michigan and Florida, to be sure those states are represented at the Democratic Convention following a competitive contest between the leading candidates. To follow up on the Superdelegates petition, there should be a petition campaign calling on Howard Dean and Democratic National Committe to organize and pay for new contests in Michigan and Florida. If you have ideas about starting this second petition drive, please email me at [e-mail]

Comments

[Rebelfriend]

The party officials in Florida made the decision to override the ruling of the National party, and hold their primary earlier than the planned schedule, knowing their delegates would not be counted. Fine. That decision disenfranchised the voters of Florida. Now there is the risk of their being further disenfranchised by either not having their delegates counted or by having a Caucus, in which only a small number of voters are involved in deciding who the winner is. Neither is fair to the people of Florida. The only fair thing is not a Caucus but a full Primary in which every voter will know that their voice is being heard.
Giving Hillary the delegates garnered in the premature Primary would create a serious rupture in the unity of the Democrats. But certainly everyone would agree that it is the people of Florida whose interests should come first. Obama wants a Caucus. That is unfair to the huge number of voters whose voices would not be heard. It is unfortunate that it has come to this, but it is incumbent upon the Democratic Party of Florida to make it right. And the only way to do that now is to have a full Primary which puts Floridians first -- making sure the will of the people is heard. Floridians have had enough trouble in the voting process. The Democratic leadership needs to do the right thing by the people, and hold a full Primary. Period. That is the only fair decision for the candidates as well.

[Doofus]

How come you all didn't realize earlier that

the Democratic Party decided quite a long

time ago that *some* Democrats are more

'democratic' than other Democrats.

I mean, come on, you ninnies!

Get with the program already!

[pbarba1969]

This guy is a Obama supporter who now wants the rules changed to favor his candidate. Rules are rules....Plus over 1,700,000 people in Florida voted, now the Obama people want a do over..thats a joke and political affirmative action

[mmogu77]

For the record, I was orginally an Edwards supporter. I now prefer Obama, but will support whomever is the Democratic nominee against McCain, whether it's Clinton or Obama This is not about whether Clinton of Obama would be the better nominee. It's about insuring that the nominee is chosen in a democratic process and not in a backroom deal that overrules the will of the voters. Otherwise, winning the nomination is likely to be a hollow victory, viewed as lacking legitimacy, split the Democratic Party, and lead to John McCain becoming the next President.

[jhNY]

Why is it that those ignorant and oblivious to the rules and hierarchies within the democratic party now wish to have special rights to overturn them via some sweeping mob action, sometimes from the very instant they take it upon themselves to join the party? Surely all the candidates knew a bit more about the institutions and practices of their party, and yet some now wish to behave as if they had only now, when things might not work out in their favor, discovered a vast conspiracy against their ambitions.