Bernie won 73% in the Washington state caucus. Congratulations to Bernie and his supporters in my state! But now Bernie is trying to argue that the super delegates in my state should switch from Hillary to him because he won that 73%.
And this is the kind of bullshit that I hate in politics and I don’t hate it any less when Bernie is the one shoveling it.
Yes, Bernie won 73% in the caucus. But only 5.8% out of the 4 million registered voters participated in the caucus.
Bernie’s 73% win shows the preference of a single digit percentage of registered Washington voters.
That’s not even remotely close to an expression of the will of the people of Washington state.
Most people can’t participate in a caucus. They have to work and they have kids. They don’t have hours to spend in a caucus.
Washington state had the 13th highest voter turnout in 2012. Up from the 15th in 2008.
81% of those 4 million registered voters voted in 2012.
5.8% of those 4 million registered voters caucused.
Bernie won the caucus fair and square and he gets the pledged delegates and the bragging rights.
But he doesn’t get to tell senators and representatives that they should switch to him because the voters of Washington chose him overwhelmingly, because they didn’t.
92.4% didn’t even get a say, because they couldn’t spend hours in a caucus. And even if they could, the state isn’t even remotely close to being able to accommodate 4 million people participating in a caucus.
I didn’t get to participate in the caucus and I am as deeply committed as it gets. I had to work all weekend and I had no choice in the matter.
And now, thanks to this bullshit that Bernie is shoveling, some of his supporters have been aggressively demanding that the senators and representatives of my state switch to Bernie.
I am getting so sick and tired of this aggressive demanding approach by Bernie supporters.
They do not represent the will of the vast majority of the voters in Washington state. The vast majority of voters in Washington haven’t spoken and even if they did they wouldn’t YELL at their senators and representatives to give them what they want. They would show respect.
I caucused for Obama in 2008 and I never would have shown this kind of disrespect for my senators and representatives for supporting Hillary. When I voted for them I put my trust and confidence in them. I would never threaten them because they don’t support my preferred candidate in a primary. Especially since they are more important to me than whoever the President is.
Friday, Apr 1, 2016 · 9:39:57 PM +00:00 · AntonBursch
I wrote this diary at lunch, so, I haven’t been able to reply to comments. I’m taking a break right now, so, while I still can’t reply to comments individually, I do want to respond to a number of comments saying the same thing.
I don’t have a problem with Bernie courting super delegates. That’s how you win them over. What I have a problem with is his bullshit argument that his tiny little caucus win reflects the overall will of voters in my state.
And the fact that this bullshit has led to the latest instance of Bernie supporters making aggressive demands of public figures. That’s the title of this diary. That’s what pisses me off. I am sick and tired of the disrespect.
From Planned Parenthood to Rachel Maddow and now my own representatives. And this is what happens when someone who always thought he was too good for this party runs for the nomination. His followers think they are better than everyone else and that they just yell and threaten to get whatever they want.