I have a bone to pick with both political parties.
Do you realize how difficult it is to get people interested in participating in either political party?
No, no... shut your pie hole... I don't think you do.
A plurality of people identify as independent voters, and have for a long time.
I have a theory that a substantial portion of these independent voters are actually people who could strongly identify with either the Democrats or the Republicans... but the parties themselves are just... well... butt faces.
I would love to be able to brag about the superiority of the DNC convention in Charlotte over the RNC convention in Tampa. That would taste like ambrosia from Mount Olympus itself.
But I can't do that. Because both parties acted like... well... butt faces.
These national conventions are undeniably well-polished specimens of political theater. And while I, as a Democrat, found the theatrics of the DNC to be far superior to those of the RNC, that falls clearly within the realm of eye-of-the-beholder opinion.
The political theater wasn't the problem. In fact, it was totally awesome.
Especially Clint Eastwood. Thanks, GOP!
The problem is that each convention displayed its own butt-facery in its own objectively butt face-ified way.
The Republicans crapped all over the Ron Paul supporters.
The Democrats shoved a plank about God and Jerusalem back into its platform.
Both actions demonstrated a high butt-to-face ratio.
Here is a link to some details about the RNC butt-facery.
Here is a link to some details about the DNC butt-facery.
I shall not linger on the details of either action beyond the following:
In both cases, delegates found out that their participation in the convention, particularly their ability to affect the outcome of events with their votes were all for nothing.
In both cases, those in positions of authority acted in apparent derogation of their duty and stuck to a pre-ordained script, the will of the membership and bylaws be damned.
No matter what rules of order, or bylaws may have allowed for on paper, nothing was to interfere with the reality-show script prescribed by whoever the hell was actually running the show.
Bravo Sierra.
I saw dissenting delegates from both parties treated with dreadful disdain by convention officials.
This is not how to grow membership within a party, knuckleheads.
Going through the motions (literally) of allowing the illusion of delegates transacting actual business at a national convention is like letting the delegates have a Fisher-Price steering wheel with a Cookie Monster gear shift that yells "COOKIEEEEE" every time you honk the horn. It's fine if you are dealing with a toddler... when you are dealing with an adult... not so much.
If these parties don't want their carefully choreographed events tampered with... then they should just admit that delegates have no rights to affect the outcome of the conventions... and that should be honestly and candidly reflected in the rules of order and bylaws governing these events and these parties.
It is a challenge to sustain enthusiasm within the ranks of a political party at all levels of organization. Inviting delegates to travel across the country to a national venue... and then jerk them around... just make that challenge all the more difficult.
Once upon a time, these conventions included the transaction of actual business where the outcome was actually unknown. Those days are long gone. Since these conventions are well established now as political kabuki plays anyway... there is no reason for anyone to even pretend the delegates can affect the outcome, or even the operation, of these conventions.
I believe the first party that stops jerking its delegates around will benefit mightily... but forgive me if I don't hold my breath waiting.
Butt-faces...
[In the interest of full disclosure, the reader should know that Apexnerd is a member of the Democratic party and serves on the Executive Board of the Whatcom Democratic Central Committee.]
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