Legal Commentary

The Will Of The People Is Not In The Pledged Delegate Count (Part 2)

By Big Tent Democrat

By Big Tent Democrat

(Original Post here.)

Yesterday, Barack Obama won Wyoming by 2,000 votes of 8600 cast. He gained a 2 (and with the add on delegate to be added later likely 3) delegates to his pledged delegate lead. Last Tuesday, Hillary Clinton won Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island, while Barack Obama won Vermont. The difference in the popular vote that day was was 334,000 in favor of Hillary Clinton, as she garnered 2.84 million votes to Obama's 2.51 million. We are told that Hillary gained a net 4 delegates that night.

This is because Ohioans choose one pledged delegate for every 15,000 Ohioans voting, Texans choose one pledged delegate for every 22,373 persons voting, Rhode Islanders choose one pledged delegate for every 8800 persons voting and Vermonters choose one pledged delegate for every 10,066 persons voting. By contrast, Wyomingians choose one pledged delegate for every 725 persons voting (not counting the add on delegate.)

The Democratic nomination system is institutionalized vote dilution. It is undemocratic. It is a travesty. It is no way to pick a nominee. The will of the people is reflected in the POPULAR VOTE, not the pledged delegate count.

More . . .

I want to anticipate an argument here where people will analogize to the Electoral College. Well, let's play the Electoral College game, with the understanding that the Electoral College is winner take all.

So far, using Electoral College math, my back of the envelope has Hillary Clinton winning 14 states with 216 electoral votes. Barack Obama has won 25 states and DC with 196 electoral votes.

Outstanding are Florida (27), Pennsylvania (21), Michigan (17), Mississippi (6), North Carolina (15), Indiana (11), Kentucky (8), Oregon (7), West Virginia (5), Montana (3), and South Dakota (3). That is 123 electoral votes outstanding.

NOTE: I am missing one electoral vote in my count but for the life of me I can not find it.)

Full post as published by TalkLeft on March 09, 2008 (boomark / email).