July, 22 2016, 10:45am EDT
LOOK UP FRIDAY: Plane Banner Urges DNC to End Superdelegates Ahead of July 23 Vote
Clinton and Sanders Backers Unite to Fly “HEY DNC: ENDSUPERDELEGATES.COM” Banner Over Democratic Convention
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.
On Friday, July 22, a plane calling for an end to superdelegates will fly over the Philadelphia Convention Center ahead of a Saturday vote on the topic. The DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting is Saturday, July 23rd, and a vote on superdelegates is expected. The plane will be flown on behalf of a coalition of both Sanders and Clinton supporters who agree about the superdelegates cause.
The plane follows increasing online pressure from 14 national groups representing a cross-section of the Democratic Party. The groups have launched a national petition, lobbed thousands of tweets at committee members, and sent an open letter to the DNC.
See the petition that thousands have already signed here: EndSuperdelegates.com
"Superdelegates are undemocratic, and they undermine the very voters who make up the Democratic Party's base," said Aaron Regunberg, a Rhode Island State Representative and DNC Rules Committeemember. "If the Democratic Party wants unity after the primary, they have to move to end superdelegates to ensure confidence in the democratic process."
**WHERE/WHEN**: The plane will fly over the Philadelphia Convention Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, July 22.
Groups involved in the to end superdelegates include: Courage Campaign, Credo, Daily Kos, Demand Progress/Rootstrikers, Democracy for America, Center for Popular Democracy, MoveOn, National Nurses United, NDN, The Other 98%, Presente.org, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Progressive Democrats of America, and Social Security Works.
This past Thursday, the fourteen national organizations representing over 10 million members released a letter calling on the DNC to end superdelegates. Read the full letter at: EndSuperdelegates.com.
The unelected superdelegates have as much weight in the nominating process as the pledged delegates from the District of Columbia, 4 territories, and 24 states combined.
For more information, or for interviews with national leaders in the fight to end superdelegates, please contact Diane May at (317) 292-2922 or by email at dianeelesemay@gmail.com.
# # #
Statements from Clinton and Sanders backers who are campaigning this week to end superdelegates:
Statement from Deborah Burger, RN, co-president of the National Nurses United, who supported Bernie Sanders during the primary:
"The super delegate system undermines the promise of one person one vote that is bedrock of democracy. It was created to block the nomination of candidates who would challenge a political system that has for far too long been dominated by corporate interests and a wealthy elite. Ending this undemocratic selection process would be a strong step forward to making the Democratic Party more responsive to those thirsting for real change and a healthier America."
Statement from Simon Rosenberg, President of NDN, former DNC staffer, who supported Hillary Clinton during the primary:
"There are many reasons to end the practice of superdelegates in the Democratic Party. To me the most important is that it is discordant with broader and vital efforts by Democrats to modernize and improve our democracy. If we want the voice of everyday people to be louder and more consequential in our nation's politics, it must also be so in our Party."
Statement from Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who supported Bernie Sanders during the primary:
"In my view, both as a superdelegate and a former DNC official, the nominee of our party should be decided by who earns the most votes --not party insiders, unelected officials, or the federal lobbyists that have been given a vote in our nominating process. The current system stands against grassroots activists and the will of the voters.
"We've seen a historic number of new voters and activists join our political process in the past year, many of whom are rightly upset at how rigged the political system can seem at times. If we want to strengthen our democracy and our party, we must end the superdelegate process."
Statement from Joe Trippi, former Howard Dean campaign manager, who supported Hillary Clinton during the primary:
"Of all the ideas to reform and improve the nominating process of the Democratic Party the core goal has to be to empower voices from the bottom up. The top down idea of superdelegates is obsolete and is a good place to start."
Statement from Chuy Garcia, Cook County Commissioner and Rules Committee member, who supported Bernie Sanders during the primary:
"I'm proud of the progress this year by the Democratic Party on issues critical to the historically disenfranchised. But we still have further to go to achieve political parity within the Party. The superdelegate system gives disproportionate power to party insiders over rank and file voters. The will of the people is best expressed through elected, pledged delegates. It's time to reform the superdelegate system!"
Statement from Rosario Dawson, actress, who supported Bernie Sanders during the primary:
"Bernie Sanders' campaign was about having governance that actually reflects and represents all of the people of this country and prioritizes their needs. The Democratic Party can truly be the party of the people by demonstrating that it takes these concerns seriously. Ending the anti-democratic superdelegate system is a step in that direction."
Statement from Christine Pelosi, Political Strategist, who supported Hillary Clinton during the primary:
"Let's show America that as the Democratic Party, we believe in democracy and that leaders should never trump the will of the voters."
Statement from Nina Turner, former Ohio State Senator, who supported Bernie Sanders during the primary:
"The 2016 presidential election cycle is a piercing reminder of what happens when absolute power runs amok. If we were not aware before, we are certainly aware now that the 'superdelegate' model within the Democratic Party is on its face undemocratic. It must be reformed to conform in tangible ways to the expressed values of equity, diversity and fairness enshrined in our Party's principles."
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