DEAR JASON RAE

One Man, One Super-Vote

Dear Jason:

I am inspired by you.

When you were just 17 years old, you ran a grassroots campaign and were elected one of Wisconsin's four members in the Democratic National Committee. After beating two established leaders, you became the youngest person ever elected to the DNC. As a college student, you authored a bill that provided domestic partner benefits to faculty.

Today, you are probably one of the Democratic Party's most famous "superdelegates," as I've seen or heard you interviewed on countless news programs. And with your recent brave decision to come out in the national media, you are probably one of the few openly gay delegates.

Because you have yet to pledge to a candidate, you've received quite a bit of attention from some major players. Hillary Clinton called you, as did her husband Bill. You had breakfast with Chelsea Clinton. John Kerry and Madeline Albright even called to say hello.

As you know, you could very well end up being the person who decides the next president. You seem to be relishing in that awesome power and responsibility.

Unfortunately, this post isn't just an ode to you. It's also a notice that my admiration will expire the moment you pledge to a candidate.

You see, by pledging to either Clinton or Obama, you will be making a complete mockery of the democratic process. Each un-super American's vote is worth less than .0001% of yours. The exclusive club to which you belong constitutes seven-millionths of the Democratic Party, but 20% of the vote at the convention.

Which is to say, you suddenly have the power to single-handedly nullify the will of over 10,000 voters, which is far greater than the number of Florida voters whose votes were eliminated by the Supreme Court in 2000.

As an Obama supporter, am I biased? Perhaps. I won't deny that I am anxious about the serious possibility that superdelegates will hand Clinton the nomination despite Obama receiving more votes. But even if the situation were reversed and the superdelegates handed the nomination to Obama, I would still be enraged.

No matter how you vote, you will be crushing the hopes of millions -- especially those who have dreamed to cast their vote for the first African American president or the first female president.

You will be the latest chapter in the history of disenfranchisement in America.

You will be the the poster-child of anti-suffrage laws, the human embodiment of poll taxes, the 21st Century Jim Crow.

But it's not a lose-lose situation. There is one way to escape this dreadful fate: vote with the people.

Choose the candidate who receives the most votes nation-wide. Or, at least, pledge to vote for the candidate who wins your home state of Wisconsin.

You will be my hero, Jason Rae, if you use your access to the mainstream media to tie your vote to the popular vote and call on all the other superdelegates to pledge the same.

On the other hand, if you and your fellow superdelegates decide this election by choosing the candidate of your own liking, I will hold you personally responsible for destroying millions of Americans' last remaining morsel of faith in our fragile democracy.

Please do the right thing, Jason.

Sincerely,

Junichi

--Junichi