Democrats and American Democracy

The number and diversity of the 18 Democratic candidates seeking the Democratic Party nomination in 2020, with others that may join, is representative of how American democracy works. By offering the voting public an American buffet of political choices.

Old, young, male, female, straight, gay, Anglo, African American, Asian, Latino, rich and middle-class. Religion irrelevant. All crisscrossing early primary states for votes and visiting big cities for money and media coverage.

Quite a contrast to the lock Trump has on the Republican Party.  The Republican Party is not making it easy for any Republican to challenge Trump.

The Republican National Committee has passed a resolution of “undivided support” for Trump and reached an unprecedented agreement to merge Trump’s campaign and the party into a single political re-election machine. That leaves little room for an opponent to operate. Especially, when Trump has a 90 percent approval rating among Republicans.

Let’s not forget the Democratic Party did the same in the 2016 presidential election. The party supported Hilary Clinton and did everything in its power to slow or stop Bernie Sanders.

The diversity of candidates in the Democratic primary is a refreshing reminder of how the Founding Fathers intended democracy to work in their new found Republic.

No matter who wins the Democratic primary, the Democratic nominee for president to challenge Trump will offer the American electorate a true alternative. A real choice for voters and the Electoral College to make.

The only shortcoming to American democracy is the Electoral College. A brilliant political tool to keep America’s founding states and additions together as a federal union. But irrelevant in todays wired social media world and migration of Americans across state lines and borders. American voters should elect their president, not an Electoral College that is not representative of the public vote. The 2016 presidential election being the most recent example.

The Democratic Party primary race, from the small farming communities across Iowa, coffee shops in New Hampshire, bars and disenfranchised households in Michigan, and dairy farms of Wisconsin, offers Americans a real choice.

The opportunity to pick a real alternative to Trump.

That is how American democracy works — and how democracy should work worldwide.