The economy is struggling and an unpopular war appears to have no end. A widely mocked and loathed president sits in the Oval Office.

These components were supposed to spell disaster for the GOP and bring the executive branch back to the Democrats. But thanks to the broken primary process and appointment of superdelegates, the Democrats will spend the next few months bickering among themselves, paving the way for warmonger John McCain to miraculously become our 44th president.

It does not help that the Democrats award delegates proportionally to the percentage of votes a candidate wins in each state, effectively awarding delegates to both the winners and the losers. Unlike the Republicans – who have a winner-take-all approach – this process inhibits the frontrunner from building a large lead before the Democratic convention in August.

If neither Obama nor Clinton manages to secure the committed vote of 2,025 out of 3,253 delegates by the convention – a historically rare occurrence – then the votes of the 796 superdelegates become of vital importance. Superdelegates are Democratic congressmen, Democratic governors, mayors, members of the Democratic National Committee and various other individuals, some of whom are only 21 years old and have never voted in a presidential election. This is far from democratic.

Even more frightening, the superdelegates are unchecked and free to vote for whomever they choose, whereas delegates are forced to vote for their district winner. This freedom opens the door for under-the-table deals and bribes the public will never hear about. Similar to an NCAA coach wooing a high school player, don’t think the Obama and Clinton camps do not contact the superdelegates in hopes of influencing their vote at the convention.

We could be looking at another Gore-Bush fiasco. Obama may come into the convention with a lead in the popular – or delegate – vote, but the superdelegates could sway the nomination to Clinton. This would assure that the Obama camp – and the rest of America – would become incensed.

But the very existence of the superdelegates should be questioned in the first place.

For example, one superdelegate is a junior at Marquette University, according to ABC News. I doubt his vote should have the same authority as a California delegate who represents thousands of voters.

This is similar to giving Derrick Low the same voting power as all Waller Hall residents in the ASWSU elections. Just because Low may be more recognizable and want the best for WSU, it does not mean other opinions should be less significant.

The superdelegate process is unfair and undemocratic. There are several issues in this tiresome and inefficient nomination process, but the superdelegate controversy is the most prominent. It would be extremely disappointing to see a select few members of the political elite tarnish this thrilling, unprecedented race for the White House.

It is time to take the power from the superdelegates and trust the people in selecting the nominee. Now that is a super idea.