“This body of 30 individuals has decided that they’re going to substitute their judgment for 600,00 voters,” Mr. Ickes said. “Now that’s what I call democracy,” he added sarcastically. (source)

How right you are, Mr. Ickes. It is indeed horrifying that 30 individuals get to have a major influence on the outcome of the primary race, thus reminding voters that they have no real say in the democratic process, except when it suits the party elite to give us the illusion of making some sort of difference. Of course, you were petulantly referring to the outcome of the vote in Michigan, not this entirely messed up electoral system in general, but still.

I am, as you might have gathered, infuriated by the decision of the rules committee which was made yesterday. Now, I’m not a Democrat, so maybe my views don’t count, but I don’t think I’m the only one here who is irritated, and fortunately some of the people who are irritated are registered Democrats, so maybe we’ll be seeing some backlash of some form or another. From the sound of things, the backlash is already starting: some people are pissed that delegates were seated, some people are pissed that the delegates were seated but they only get a half vote, others are pissed that Mrs. Clinton was stripped of four delegates, and so forth. It’s a decision I don’t think anyone is happy with, honestly.

It’s a meeting that should never have been held. Florida and Michigan violated the rules of the party, their delegates should not have been seated. Period. The fact that there was even a meeting to discuss this infuriates me. The fact that the outcome of that meeting was a decision to seat the delegates is outrageous.

By agreeing to seat the delegates (even with half a vote each), the DNC sent a clear message. And that message is that if you whine enough, and get your husband to whine enough, you can get what you want. And, apparently, when you get what you want, you’re going to whine some more. The DNC should have held their ground and toed the line, because they set a dangerous precedent yesterday. And it’s a precedent that I think hurts women in politics, because now people are going to say “Man, remember back in ‘08 when Clinton didn’t get what she wanted, and she lost the nomination anyway? That was a bitch, wasn’t it?”

This is what rules are for, kids, and sometimes rules suck, but then again, you can’t always get what you want. Those states knew the consequences of moving their primaries up, they chose to do so anyway, and they should have  been penalized. Just like you get a ticket when you drive too fast.

As for what’s going on with Michigan, it’s ludicrous for the Clinton campaign to be talking about “the voice of the people” in a state where Mr. Obama took his name off the ballot and refused to campaign, out of respect for the DNC. To claim that you “won” the vote in a state where you were one of the only names on the ballot is just offensive. Kucinich and Gravel may have stayed on the Michigan ballot, but since Obama wasn’t represented, I don’t think it’s fair to say that the people got a voice. Maybe that 55% who voted for Clinton would have voted differently if Mr. Obama had been on the ballot, and that’s something the Clinton campaign seems to be reluctant to even consider.

And boo to the Clinton campaign for encouraging protestors while the Obama campaign politely requested that people not protest the meeting, as it would be unproductive. Boo to the Clinton campaign for trying to muscle the DNC into doing its bidding, and for trying to manipulate voters and superdelegates into taking positions based on fear, rather than values.

Today, I’m glad I can say I’m not a Democrat. I come from a long lineage of non-partisan voters, and now I see why. Democracy is on its way to death, and the Democrats are toying with the life support machine.