Black Lives Matter’s criticisms of Kamala’s selection apply to more than the present moment. It’s a principled argument against the anti-democratic nature of the Democratic Party. This didn’t start with Kamala’s ascension or when Joe Biden was handed the nomination without significant opposition, but has been a feature of the Democrats’ playbook for a long time.

A party that positions itself as the defender of Democracy undermines and weakens its authority when it’s own party structures cynically undermine and sideline popular participation.