Trouble

I’m not usually a member of the Democratic Party; before yesterday I can’t remember when I last voted in a Democratic primary. So I come to party machinations late. But it’s beginning to look like the Clinton/Obama contest will go down to the wire of the convention, where the super delegates, some 20% of the total delegates, could well make the difference. What, you might well ask, is a super delegate? Another manifestation of the fear of democracy, that’s what. This short piece explains it nicely: essentially they are the contemporary equivalent of the smoke-filled backroom, the party apparatchiks who maintain party control over the insurgents, grassroots, and other troublemakers. They are the ones who gave us Mondale, Dukakis, Gore, & Kerry. (If Perot hadn’t run, Clinton would have made it five out of five). Nice work, team! Note to self: little wonder I’ve been voting Democratic all my voting life. Since these SDs are mostly politicians (every Democratic member of Congress, for instance, and the Dem governors) and party regulars, you can bet the Clintonoids are working them hard, if they haven’t already stuffed 'em into their pockets.