Democrats Want to Change the Way We Select Nominees for President

This is an opinion piece by Rania Batrice, former Bernie Sanders staffer and special adviser to the DNC.

I was part of the trio that helped negotiate the URC--the agreement to develop such a body was a victory in and of itself, but I would be lying if I said I thought the results were going to be anything earth shattering. But I’m adult enough (most of the time) to admit when I’m wrong, and in this case, I certainly was. While the earth certainly is in tact, it’s definitely been shaken up.

There are a number of recommendations that have been made, both big and small, that will begin the process of returning our party back to the hands of the people--from reducing the number of Superdelegates by 60 percent to ensuring that large contracts and senior staff hiring decisions go through an appropriate process to finally ensuring the rules and bylaws of the DNC are followed and there is openness and transparency in the entire budget process and so much more, the recommendations made by the URC will be impactful if adopted and implemented.

I say “if” they are adopted and implemented because this vote on final recommendations was only the first step. It now has to be voted on by the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee (RBC) as well as all DNC members. With commitments from Tom Perez, Keith Ellison, and the entire URC body to see this through to implementation, I remain cautiously optimistic.

While all of these recommendations are great, they’re not why I’m feeling more hopeful. So why am I feeling hopeful do you ask? Because communication and humanity won.

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I can say, with some authority, that the 21 members of the URC came to the table with extremely differing ideas and viewpoints not to mention preconceived notions about there being no chance friendships could be developed over the months long exercise they were carrying out. But that is not what happened--did anyone get everything they wanted? No. There were fights and disagreements and frustrations.

But in the end, everyone did find some common ground and agree to compromises. And through the amazing leadership, facilitation and mediation of Jen O’Malley Dillon and Larry Cohen, the co-chairs of the commission, a document emerged that not everyone was 100 percent happy with but everyone could and can be proud of. I would even go so far as to say that unlikely friendships and partnerships emerged as well--it’s amazing what happens when we remember the humanity in ourselves and those around us.

So what’s my point in all of this? Well it’s a couple of things. First, I’m committed to fighting like hell to making sure these recommendations are adopted and we begin the work of saving our party and our country--who’s with me??

Second, anyone who knows me knows my obsession with communication--over communication some have called it. I believe in the power of sitting around a table together, regardless of the size or magnitude of a disagreement, and finding common ground.

Furthermore, I believe that if these convenings happened more often, we wouldn’t find ourselves wading through massive piles of crap, trying to find the light on the other side. Challenge number two: even if you don’t agree with someone’s perspective on how to solve an issue, be willing to sit across the table and find that common ground. And here’s one more crazy idea…let’s do it with some regularity instead of only when situations get so bad they can no longer be ignored.

Finally, while I have gotten sucked into the negativity and infighting that occurs almost daily through various social media outlets, I’m making a public pledge to do everything I can to learn from the example of the URC and remember we are all humans with various life experiences. We may have differing perspectives and even different ideas about how to reach the same goals, but for the most part, many of those fighting with one another (myself included) sometimes lose the plot in an effort to be “right.”

A good friend told me recently that she was reminded we can fight for what we believe while still being kind. That’s not to say I’m going to be able to hold my tongue and my emotions at every turn, and it certainly doesn’t mean I’m going to be able to muster up that love and kindness when Trump does whatever next horrendous thing comes to his twisted mind, but I can definitely try to remember that love and kindness when dealing with members of my own party fighting for the greater good in the ways they believe to be right.