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octoberlib

(14,971 posts)
Wed Apr 27, 2016, 09:12 AM Apr 2016

Exclusive: Half of Americans think presidential nominating system 'rigged' - Reuters poll

More than half of American voters believe that the system U.S. political parties use to pick their candidates for the White House is "rigged" and more than two-thirds want to see the process changed, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

The results echo complaints from Republican front-runner Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Bernie Sanders that the system is stacked against them in favor of candidates with close ties to their parties – a critique that has triggered a nationwide debate over whether the process is fair.

The United States is one of just a handful of countries that gives regular voters any say in who should make it onto the presidential ballot. But the state-by-state system of primaries, caucuses and conventions is complex. The contests historically were always party events, and while the popular vote has grown in influence since the mid-20th century, the parties still have considerable sway.

One quirk of the U.S. system - and the area where the parties get to flex their muscle - is the use of delegates, party members who are assigned to support contenders at their respective conventions, usually based on voting results. The parties decide how delegates are awarded in each state, with the Republicans and Democrats having different rules.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-primaries-poll-idUSKCN0XO0ZR?utm_source=twitter

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djean111

(14,255 posts)
1. Only half?
Wed Apr 27, 2016, 09:13 AM
Apr 2016

I think this Democratic primary is as in-your-face rigged as it can get.
Won't be playing.

merrily

(45,251 posts)
13. If you were a Hillary supporter who thought the Democratic nomination were rigged, would you be
Wed Apr 27, 2016, 11:25 AM
Apr 2016

candid about that with a pollster? Same for a Trump supporter.

https://www.quora.com/Do-people-lie-to-pollsters-If-so-how-do-pollsters-factor-it-in

n2doc

(47,953 posts)
4. So we know 1/2 the voters are paying attention
Wed Apr 27, 2016, 09:15 AM
Apr 2016

What will it take for them to vote against their masters?

Joob

(1,065 posts)
6. aboutHalf think it's rigged, the other half knows it's rigged, minus a few oblivious souls out there
Wed Apr 27, 2016, 09:38 AM
Apr 2016

that think everything is fine and dandy, why would money rig elections at all? @_@

Baobab

(4,667 posts)
8. No way is it only half
Wed Apr 27, 2016, 09:40 AM
Apr 2016

Basically everybody does who isn't being paid to pretend they don't does.

Shelter in place wont do it though, because those with the financial or ego based motives to take advantage of this are.

As we are seeing.

Robbins

(5,066 posts)
9. And they are right
Wed Apr 27, 2016, 10:14 AM
Apr 2016

especilly democratic party.Trump is winning republican party thanks to all media attention.

LiberalArkie

(15,719 posts)
10. I lot of people do not even know who is running or that there is even an election
Wed Apr 27, 2016, 10:19 AM
Apr 2016

this year. Most people who do vote do not watch news tv or read newspapers, if they do it is the local small town paper. At lest 40% of Americans do not ever vote and do not care about elections. A large number of voters have no idea of who they are going to vote for until they enter the voting booth. So how would most Americans even think about what goes on behind the scenes.

The number of people on DU, JPR and other political discussion do not even come close to .00001% of the voting public in the U.S. Most people just try their best to get through life with out thinking about elections.

One thing that Bernies and Trumps large rallies have done this year is to make people aware that there is an election, that there is a difference in candidates, that not everyone is the same. Without Bernie and Trump the general election would have been Clinton vs Rubio or Bush with the agenda of everything is almost ok - be afraid though, we just have to have a few wars to settle things out.

jillan

(39,451 posts)
12. It's time for the UN to oversee our elections.
Wed Apr 27, 2016, 10:23 AM
Apr 2016

Anyone that denies we have a serious problem here has had their head in the sand for the last 16 yrs.

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