Open letter to Superdels: Do what's right for the country
Mon May 05, 2008 at 09:55:41 AM PDT
There has been much written over the past several months about what the proper role of the Superdelegates is: Should they should vote with their precinct/district/state? Should they exercise their independent judgment as to who they feel is most likely to win in the fall? For what it's worth from a technical, party standpoint I think the Supers should exercise their own judgment, should not be bound by local primary/caucus results, but would need an exceedingly good reason to overturn the results of the primary process no matter how close (and the way the rules are set up, a prolonged two-person race will ALWAYS be very close). However I would like to submit a different consideration beyond the party: That you do what is best for the country.
I believe our country is close to a crisis point, we are on an unsustainable path militarily, economically, environmentally. The last eight years have, quite obviously, exacerbated this situation and, by radically increasing inequality and squeezing the middle class, made our problems that much more difficult to solve. A McCain presidency would be a disaster on so many levels that I shudder to even contemplate it, but we need more than McCain to lose, we need the right values to win. There is more at stake in this election than the Democrats regaining the White House (and McCain's increasing incoherence on the campaign trail makes that exceedingly likely). We need a leader that is able and willing to address these problems head on, a leader who is able to take the long view over the short term. Not surprisingly, I think that leader is Barack Obama.
And I think no issue has been more illustrative of this point than the gas tax. I am not going to bother to link to all the articles going over the various arguments, we've all read them. High gas prices suck as they hit the middle class and poor disproportionately, but they are here to stay. There is virtual unanimity that the "gas tax holiday" will more likely benefit the oil companies than consumers, and by purporting to do something about high gas prices will only delay the long-term solutions we need to alter our energy use patterns in this country. Yet Clinton has embraced this policy, which is not only shortsighted but potentially HARMFUL, and Obama has not. And why? Because it polls well.
Now let me also state (or claim at least) that I am not naive. I know that it is hard for any politician to tell difficult truths to the country, especially during hard economic times. The resulting onslaught from the wingnut right claiming such talk is terrorist-loving and America-hating will be formidable (although, let's face it, they'll do that no matter what). I do not think Obama walks on water. Is he the person what can stand up to the entrenched interests, the wingnut crazies, the DLC, and say what needs to be said? I don't know, but I have hope and I firmly believe that he is our best shot. What this primary battle has made clear, and the gas-tax issue merely put into sharp relief, is that Hillary Clinton is not that leader.
I went into this primary thinking Clinton would be an effective, competent president, and I still believe that. But her behavior in the primary, her descent into Rove-style politics, right-wing talking points and all, has convinced me that can not, or will not, take the long view and truly address the problems we have in this country in a meaningful way. We cannot have four to eight more years of the slash-and-burn politics of personal ambition, of 50%+1 strategy, of ignoring problems (and experts) for political gain.
Now many will obviously disagree with my analysis, and that's fine. But I just want to implore the superdelegates (and any democrat) to take the long view. To look beyond November or 2009 or even 2012. To do what you think is right not just for the party but to get the entire country moving in the right direction again.
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