At Maine's recent convention, Democrats voted to change Maine’s system and require superdelegates to vote according to the proportion of the people's vote. This happened in response to the fact that just one of the state's five superdelegates (20%) committed his vote to the 2016 presidential candidate who won 64% of the caucus vote and 68% of pledged delegates at the convention. In numerous states, the current situation of superdelegates overwhelmingly supporting the candidate who lost that vote is unacceptable. It is undemocratic and disenfranchises voters. If the Democratic Party wishes to live up to its name, it needs to fix the superdelegates system so that the will of the majority of voters is represented in every state and territory.

Stop the Burn! Given the high probability that any delegate numbers will be insufficient for a Bernie victory, Given that apparently this fight is not about egos but the future of the Democratic Party, Given that the candidates’ difference between their democratic values and goals is relatively small, Given the history of the Democratic Party’s lack of unity and cohesion when needed most, Given that there is only one Democratic Senator to endorse Bernie, Given that the alternative to a Democrat in the White House is Trump, Given the enthusiastic wave of radicalized new Republican voters, Given the dire need for ALL Democratic voters to go to the polls to prevent a disaster in November, Given that the Republicans are enjoying every reduction of strength in the Democratic Party, Given that any attack on Hillary translates into added strength for Trump voters, It is time to stop the Burn! Let Republicans feel the New Bern! Klaus Roesch, Atlanta, Georgia

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have both said that they oppose a vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal during a lame duck session of Congress after the November election. [1] Secretary Clinton responded to a question on a lame duck session from the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign by stating: “I oppose the TPP agreement - and that means before and after the election.” Senator Sanders said: “Holding a vote on the TPP during a ‘lame duck’ session would be going against the will of the people.” Even former Bill Clinton policy advisor William Galston now concedes that "the 2016 presidential campaign already has undermined public support for trade agreements and should force supporters of the Trans-Pacific Partnership to reassess their strategy…It is difficult to see how an end-of-the-year push for the agreement can succeed when the president-elect, no matter the party, is sure to be dead-set against it." [2] Urge Democratic Senators to press the Democratic National Convention Platform Committee to stand with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders and adopt a platform plank in opposition to a lame duck vote on the TPP by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-does-not-back-obama-trade-vote-in-post-election-congressional-session/2016/05/05/ce94f76e-12d7-11e6-8967-7ac733c56f12_story.html 2. http://www.wsj.com/articles/rethinking-the-politics-of-trade-1462920193

Superdelegates should be required to vote in proportion to the popular vote, the same as any other delegate. The superdelegates should follow the will of the people.

I am starting this petition for Oregon because the Democratic Party elites and the political establishment should not have a veto over the will of the voters.

Superdelegates skew election results away from the will of the People. I believe this is undemocratic.

Maine Democrats have voted to require that, beginning in 2020, the state’s total delegate votes at the national convention must be awarded proportionately to the results of the state’s presidential caucus or primary. The proposal would urge but not require this year’s superdelegates to honor the outcome of the Democratic caucuses in March. Finally, it calls on the national party to eliminate the superdelegate system altogether. [1] Urge Illinois Democratic Party leaders on the State Central Committee [2] to follow Maine's lead by signing our petition. 1. http://www.pressherald.com/2016/05/07/maine-democrats-vote-to-change-superdelegate-system/ 2. http://ildems.com/illinois-democrats/state-central-committee

It seems as though our elected representatives in Washington, D.C., USA, have forgotten the true meaning of public service; of being a public servant. Public service or civil service is defined, in part, by Wikipedia in the following manner: "A civil servant or public servant is a person in the public sector employed for a government department or agency. The extent of civil servants of a state as part of the "civil service" varies from country to country." Such are elected or appointed by the People of the United States of America and belong to the People of the United States of America. Period. Because of this fact, stranger than fiction, it is our duty as Americans, as Voters, to remind them of this fact, every day if possible, for as long as they occupy elected or appointed office on behalf of the People of the United States of America. Kindly and respectfully pledge with me to remind them of this fact, stranger than fiction, by adding your name to this petition. Thank you....

This is what is happening in a few states to the Bernie delegates. Please sign this petition that will be sent to Debbie Wasserman Shultz and the Democratic National Committee in order to make this stop. While some states can support Bernie all the way others are discouraged and threatened to lose their delegate status. Some states require a pledge 'as a good democrat' to vote for whomever the nominee will be in the General Election. Let us make it clear, as Democrats, that we support Bernie Sanders and we will not be bullied or lose our 1st or 15th Amendment rights in order to 'please' the Democratic party. The below references are from two different States. Delegate suppression prior to being voted in... "I am a member of the (this state) Democratic Party State Committee and a leader of the (this county) County Democratic Party and received an email with the list of potential delegates that will be voted on in (your convention). I noticed that your name was on there. As a voting member of the #th district, I would first like to commend your passion for Bernie Sanders. I honestly do. Passion is needed in this country and you have shown it. However, we members of the (this)County Democratic Party and leaders within the (#)th district are discussing the votes in (this convention) and we do have a concern. We have looked over the potential candidates vying for both Hillary and Bernie delegates. As you know, you will have to sign a document in (convention) stating that you are a "good Democrat". With that said, we have discussed your posts indicating that you would vote for (another candidate) over Hillary Clinton if she became the nominee. As you know, you would be representing us in the district as a "Democrat", not just a Bernie supporter. So, we plan on being there in (local convention) and I wanted to reach out to you to see if your posts were serious about voting for (another candidate) over Hillary. If so, then we will certainly look at that in a unflattering way. We are wanting to reach out to you to see if you would reconsider that approach so we can have the confidence in your support for our party's nominee. Thank you." How the delegates respond after receiving this information and in fear of losing their delegate status... "Like I've said before, I won't be a part of the Bernie or Bust thing openly because it still is a risk of being targeted. I think it is careless that you would as well but that's your choice." These are fear tactics. Used to shut our Bernie delegates down and make them afraid to support their candidate at the National Convention too openly on social media. What if they are asked these questions at the Convention? This type of rhetoric needs to he prohibited from the National Convention and delegate process. Currently only 3 states (that we know of) are required to sign a pledge to vote for the Democratic Nominee in General Election if their candidate does not win. This is a national campaign and should be fair to candidates and delegates all the way around. Let the Democratic Party know that when we sign to vote for a candidate in the National Convention, we should not have to sign our vote away for the General Election. If the candidate the delegates have pledged to vote for does not make it, they then have a constitutional right to vote for whomever they choose in the General Election. All names and locations have been removed for delegate safety.

At a Hillary Clinton rally on March 31, the presidential candidate lost her patience with a young Greenpeace activist, who thanked Clinton for her commitment to climate change and then asked her whether she'll reject fossil-fuel money. Pointing her finger at the activist, Secretary Clinton said she was "so sick of the Sanders campaign lying about me." The reason Clinton was asked this question wasn’t because of a lying Bernie Sanders, but because of her own political record. Here are some facts: Clinton’s official campaign agenda supports new fracking and other fossil-fuel projects in the United States and around the world. Unlike Sanders, Clinton has not signed the Fix Democracy pledge which rejects fossil-fuel money. Eleven lobbyists who represent fossil-fuel companies have bundled $1.4 million for the Clinton campaign. Three of the lobbyists primarily represent fossil-fuel companies, and two more exclusively represent fossil-fuel companies: one is a Cheniere Energy lobbyist, and one an ExxonMobil lobbyist. Hedge-fund and private-equity financiers who have billions of dollars at stake in the fossil-fuel industry are investing millions of dollars in Clinton's campaign. Of course, the vast preponderance of fossil-fuel money is invested in Republicans, the party of climate denial. There are many committed climate and clean-energy activists who are strong and influential Clinton supporters. But global warming isn’t going to stop until we stop burning fossil fuels. We need to divest and invest: to redirect all—not just some—of the billions financing the fossil-fuel industry into financing a clean, just national infrastructure. Now, state attorneys general are investigating ExxonMobil’s climate deception and scientists are revealing the true climate costs of methane leakage. The fracking boom and bust has left millions of American workers and their families in dire economic straits and frightening health consequences. The time is right for the Democratic Party to cut ties to oil lobbyists and fracking financiers. For that to happen, political leaders need to take action. Hillary Clinton says that climate change is “an urgent threat and a defining challenge of our time,” and that she is committed to making the United States the “world’s clean energy superpower.” Clinton can show strong climate leadership by taking a clear stand against the dirty fossil-fuel interests investing in climate destruction. The language of the Fix Democracy pledge: "I pledge allegiance to a democracy of, by, and for the people. If elected, I pledge to fight for a people-powered democracy where every voice is heard by defending the right to vote for all, and supporting common-sense measures like public funding for campaigns and overturning Citizens United to ensure a government by and for the people, not the biggest donors. And I will prove that I work for the people by refusing money from fossil fuel interests and by championing these solutions for a people powered democracy on the campaign trail."

Because voting is a fundamental right of all Americans.

The Ethics Commission brushed off my complaint against the nine senators who accepted $4,000 plus travel gifts from a lobbying organization that has interests before the state legislature and my complaint against the lobbying organization that made such gifts. Without serious enforcement, the Commission serves no purpose and should be abolished.