Democratic Party Disenfranchisement

Howard Dean reminded his superdelegates that the could vote for whomever they wanted, regardless of the outcome of the popular vote:

Citing Democratic rules, national committee Chairman Howard Dean on Tuesday said the superdelegates who are poised to select the party’s presidential nominee are free to back whomever they wish at the end of the primaries, regardless of who leads in the popular vote or pledged delegates.

Then the next day he said:

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said Wednesday the party would “absolutely seat” a Florida delegation when it meets in August in Colorado for the national convention.

and, from other reports, it’s so that that Florida and Michigan voters aren’t disenfranchised.

Yet the superdelegates are free to invalidate any of the voters’ votes if they feel like it, so in reality seating Florida and Michigan or not is completely irrelevant, and the Democratic primary will be decided by superdelegates, and not regular voters.

That’s pretty much textbook disenfranchisement, which was the intent after the 1968 McGovern disaster (for the Democrats). Contrast with the Republican primary where there are no superdelegates to alter the outcome. Consider the next time you hear somebody complaining about disenfranchisement.