Primary and Caucus

I was quoted in an article that just went up in the Star Tribune about my frustrations about my caucus experience.

I've been thinking about it some more today. I don't really want to reject all of the advantages of the caucus system. I like that we had the chance to get some face to face interaction with our local political leaders, and it was very hands-on democracy.

I know that a lot of people were frustrated that they couldn't really participate in what candidate the DFL will endorse for Senate this year. It's not just me -- I've overheard other people that felt frustrated that they weren't really able to be a part of that decision.

What I think might work is something that has both -- a primary for the state wide races like President, Senate, House of Representatives, and Governor. The caucus works as a chance to meet your neighbors, discuss the issues, and feed resolutions to the party at a grassroots level.

I don't really know the best solution -- and as you'd expect from a newspaper article you've got one main sentence pulled out of a couple of minute conversation that supported the story that he wanted to write, but I certainly think there is a better way.

Caucus Frustration

In theory, caucuses make some sense -- they're true citizen participation. But they're very, very frustrating. While we had a poll for the Presidential candidates, I'd like to have a straw poll that let you choose Senate candidate as well -- while we had Al Franken visit our caucus room, they only way that we could really "vote" for him is if we moved on to the March district caucus. And if you can't make that amount of commitment, you're effectively disenfranchised. And given the number of other people that were frustrated that they weren't able to express their opinion on the senate race tonight, I don't think I was alone.

It was extremely crowded -- the room was overflowing, and we left before the end, because I knew that I couldn't go on to the next level of caucusing.

I think the caucusing works relatively well for putting together party platforms and suggestions -- yes, you're going to have crazy or impractical resolutions, but if you let people have their say, you're going to get those. But for candidates for higher office -- I'm not so sure. I think it's too difficult to get a real representative choice there, and I'd rather see the primary have more say in this sort of situation.

I'm not quite sure the best way to fix that -- obviously, you'd have to change how the party makes decisions. And that would require getting it through the people that have the most interest in the current system.

Obama Rally Pictures

I get into a bit more of a political spin during this time of year, I suppose.

It was one of the longest lines I've ever seen:



But it's always exciting to see one of the best speakers out there





(pictures by Alicia LaMunion)

Yes We Can

Spotted on You Tube

One Week Until Caucus Time

I figure someone's blog is much like the bumper sticker on a car. In many ways, it's the primary and/or caucus season that is more interesting to me -- because more often than not party affiliation will determine who I vote for in the November election. And for that not to be the case something really, really unusual has to have happened at the caucus level, and that's not in the cards this year.



And this is one of the more interesting caucus experiences with a Senate race as well, and so here's a little video from Al Franken showing how that part of the process will work here.

Al Franken is in

I don't think this is a surprise to anyone, but Al Franken is in for the Senate. He grew up in the same town that I live in, so he's as home town as you get, really -- despite his previous entertainment career.

We're a state that elected Jesse Ventura and Paul Wellstone -- so of course Al has a chance. And at the very least, it'll make for a much more interesting campaign.

Franken For Senate?

I figure that if Al Franken is giving up his talk radio gig he's going to go for the US Senate here in Minnesota. He wouldn't be the strangest possible candidate for state wide office -- after all, we did elect an ex-wrestler and actor as Governor long before California brought in Arnold.

I figure it'll make for a very interesting campaign, at least. I saw Al Franken do a book reading a little over a year ago and I noticed then that despite his jokes, he was much more like someone who was looking at politics than as a comedian.