Iowa, Texas State Democratic Conventions Produce Platform Reflecting Bernie Sanders’ Progressive Ideas
Several state Democratic Conventions were held on Saturday, in which Bernie Sanders delegates succeeded in introducing several progressive resolutions to carry with state delegations to the national convention in Philadelphia. In Texas and Iowa, delegates were particularly successful in pushing a more progressive platform.
Mainstream and local media seem to be reporting only the number of delegates in attendance, and how some folks believe Sanders’ supporters will eventually come around to Clinton by November. Because few, if any, have reported on the actual results of platform issues, most of the information has come from delegates who’ve attended the conventions themselves.
In Texas, progressives and Sanders delegates adopted resolutions that Bernie has long called for, despite being outnumbered by Clinton supporters. Resolutions that were adopted at the state convention included a variety of hot topic issues.
- Banned lobbyists from becoming superdelegates (effective after the 2016 election).
- Limited the number of superdelegates to no more than 10 percent of the total number of delegates, down from 15 percent.
- Banned superdelegates from voting on the first round for presidential candidate nominations, although Clinton delegates resisted this measure.
- Adopted a resolution to make the minimum wage $15 for non-tipped jobs, and to make tipped jobs start at $7.25 per hour.
- Breaking up the big banks, addressing climate change, and a call for a ban on fracking were all adopted immediately with more than 50 percent of delegates signing the measures.
Great crowd at Texas Democratic state convention! @texasdemocrats @wilcodems pic.twitter.com/qX28Yz5W1B
— Christine Mann (@drcme) June 18, 2016
The Texas State Convention did have its share of drama, but nothing like what occurred in Nevada. On Reddit, user Yugeulb described the events that occurred at the youth caucus.
“At the youth caucus, we kicked a Hillary superdelegate out of the DNC, despite her doing a couple of pretty shady things to stay in … we replaced her with another Hillary supporter who is much more progressive on pretty much every issue … and wants to get rid of Debbie Wasserman-Schultz.”
He also noted that Bernie Sanders supporters got “almost everything” they had asked for.
At the Texas State Democratic Convention all day today. #TDP16 pic.twitter.com/WaizUoDiZI
— John Moffitt ???? (@JohnRMoffitt) June 17, 2016
Iowa’s convention was a bit more dramatic and drawn out than the Texas convention. It finally ended after 3 a.m. local time on Sunday. The convention began at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning, making the event a nearly 19-hour ordeal.
A delegate who attended the state convention, posted the results in the Facebook group “Bernie Sanders Activists.” As in Texas, Iowans voted to ban franking and raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. Iowa progressives also succeeded in getting some ambitious policies on the state platform.
- Legalize all drugs and tax and regulate them.
- Abolish superdelegates.
- Adopt 100 percent renewable energy by the year 2025.
A Sanders supporter had earlier described the fatigue Iowa delegates were feeling after spending more than 18 hours at the convention.
“I just heard this from another Bernie delegate. The Hillary folks can’t keep up with the energy we’re putting out!”
He then repeated what that delegate overheard in the restroom.
“In the bathroom and just heard an HRC supporter just say, ‘I’m just beginning to not care anymore.'”
In Washington state, the Democratic Party voted to officially endorse Bernie Sanders, although the move was made to make it more palatable for Sanders supporters to endorse Clinton later. This is the case despite the fact that Sanders won Washington with more than 70 percent of the vote.
Indiana’s state convention did not go as well for Bernie Sanders delegates; although, the total number of assigned national delegates did not change. According to multiple posts on both Facebook and Reddit by Sanders delegates who attended the Indiana convention, the14-member state Democratic Party resolution committee had 13 Clinton supporters and only one Sanders supporter. As a result of the stacked committee, Sanders delegates failed to get more progressive resolutions on the Democratic platform.
In July, each Democratic delegation will take their state’s party platform to the national convention in Philadelphia in the hopes that the party will adopt most of Bernie Sanders’ ideas. Even if he does not win the nomination, his campaign and his delegates are hoping to transform the Democratic party into a more progressive party that better represents the American people instead of corporate interests.
[Photo by Wilson Ring/AP Images]
