Those Party Platform Hearings The #DNC Is Holding? A Complete Snow Job!

Politico reports that Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Elijah Cummings announced that the DNC will be holding hearings to get the public’s input on the party’s platform. This sounds like the democratic thing to do, right?

Well, no… The hearings will be held in only four cities, Washington, Phoenix, St. Louis and Orlando. Why only those cities were chosen, I do not even begin to understand. Politico quotes Wasserman Schultz as saying:

“I want all Democrats to have their voices heard in this process,” Wasserman Schultz said in a statement. “We are the Party of substance, ideas and diversity. We expanded the platform process to provide greater opportunity to express their views and we look forward to hearing different perspectives from across the nation.”

Different perspectives from across the nation… OK. Well, those cities cover a small percentage of it. The DNC could have chosen to have these meetings held in one city in each state, or one city in each region – north, south, midwest and west. But no! It seems four cities (why four?) were picked arbitrarily. Why? To give the impression that the platform writing is a collaborative effort that accounts for the public will? To use as leverage against Senator Sanders’ representatives on the platform writing committee?

Whatever the reason is, the posterior covering maneuver is not only transparent, but very poorly thought out.

Most of the nation just got done voting in the primaries that were just held. By the time these meetings take place, the rest of the states and territories will have voted. The delegates that each state will send to the convention are by definition the representatives of this nation’s voters. Why then is the DNC doing this? What is the point of delegates if their voices aren’t the people’s, as this stunt seems to telegraph? This kind of hare-brained idea sounds like it came from the top of the DNC and is consistent with some of the more outrageous behaviors Wasserman Schultz has displayed.

The will of the people will truly be expressed when the DNC chair appoints people who aren’t representatives of the establishment are named to chair convention committees. The will of the people will truly be expressed when the number of superdelegates is greatly reduced, who they represent completely redefined and the rules amended to make those appointments by popular vote and not the whim of some party higher up.

The way this primary has been managed, so far, is a complete disgrace. Today, more than any time in recent years, voter dissatisfaction is at an all time high, and the way the DNC has comported itself is a big part of the problem. It is time for Wasserman Schultz to resign and someone competent to be named in her stead.