That's Just Super
Super Tuesday is over and, on the Democrats' side, things are far from settled. It seems quite possible this uncertainty will continue on to the convention where, perhaps, the winner will be chosen by Super Delegates.
This is at least in part thanks to the complex, even mind-boggling rules the party has created to award delegates. And isn't this symbolic of the Democrats? They respond to problems (real and perceived) with complex super-structures of laws and regulations, figuring they can take into account every factor and solve it before it happens. Or is that the problem of both parties?
posted by LAGuy @ 12:35 AM
7 Comments:
My personal experience in Colorado - we have a caucus system that should be scrapped. As everywhere, 3 times as many people showed up as were expected. Someone had to run out and photcopy the sign in sheet because we ran out of space. The two Precinct Captains elected 2 years ago didn't show up, so no one really knew how to proceed. We read the instructions and took nearly two hours to take a simple straw poll (7 McCain, 20 Romney). First we had to elect 2 new precinct captains (who won't show up in 2010 I bet) and a bunch of delegates to several state conventions. Nobody wanted to fill any of the positions, but to continue we had to comply with the stupid rules. And then rubbing salt in the wounds, those of us who had reluctantly agreed to be "elected" had to pay for the privilege of serving ($10 to $25 depending on which conventions you were going to). Around the table, we decided it was unfair and everyone kicked in to defer the cost.
P.S. Colorado still has blue laws too banning Sunday beer and car sales.
Complex rules are a problem with authority generally. Naturally, people see unfamiliar (the other side's) rules are more ridiculous and arbitrary. No ruling structure is exempt and of course when there aren't rules- everybody blames authority for the resulting chaos.
In organizations and business that I have been involved in, the best "rules" (that word is loaded and sounds too authoritarian, maybe "shared assumptions" would be better) are ones that seem natural to most folks and have a clear and obvious and agreed to rationale (this perhaps is why people put up with airport security despite its extreme annoyance)
Caucuses strike me as outdated, especially in national elections.
Of course, it's hard enough to justify taking time out of your day to vote, but I guess a caucus, for all the time and frustration involved, gives you a lot more say.
You still have blue laws? I guess people have to load up on Saturdays.
You think voting rules are tricky, wait until you have to maneuver through nationalized health care.
Or try to run the insurance reimbursement process at the back of your doctor's office.
Yes, but at least you can change doctors and insurance companies. You could even set up your own system, if you're such a smart cookie. With national health care, whatcha gonna do? I suppose you could change nationality, but it would seemingly be harder. Plus, who knows, they might declare it a crime to try to do so, and then they'll shoot you. At least those godawful insurance companies are marginally less likely to do that.
SWMBCg, etc.
Change insurance companies? The vast majority are employer-mandated. I assume I'd have the same luck convincing my Fortune 50 conglomerate employer to change as I would Congress.
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