Do we dance with the one we brung?

 

 

 

"Love them or not, they are ours - we chose them using the system which is currently in play"

Well, all the endorsing conventions are over and it is now full speed ahead for the 2014 political season. I attended the endorsing conventions for SD31, CD6 and MNGOP. It was quite an experience to say the least. Being somewhat of a newcomer to this kind of stuff, what I find interesting is the discord within the troops when it comes to "saluting the flag", honoring the endorsement process. The result of the discord will be a costly primary in August, just three short months before the general election.

As we know, the process of becoming a delegate starts with the caucus system. What is SUPPOSED to happen is people from a precinct gather together to discuss issues and candidates. People who would like to be delegates then put their names forward. Votes are then taken, and delegates and alternates are chosen.

HOW IT WORKED THIS YEAR. In many precincts, very few people showed up. Those who wanted to be delegates, were. Many times there were not enough people who showed up at the caucus to fill up the primary and alternate slates.

The main criticism I heard about the current endorsing system was that it was loaded with "party hacks" and why should we let these types of people endorse our candidates? Well excuse me - I am not a "party hack". Most of the folks I know who ended up at state are just like me. They all just went through the system, starting with the precinct caucus meetings.

Why did I get so deeply involved this year? Two reasons really. First, the country and the state are a total mess and need new leadership. I wanted to be part of the process that would bring that change about. Second, a very good friend of mine told me something after the last election that I really took to heart. We were talking and I was grumbling about the outcome of the state elections. She said to me, "what did you do besides vote? Did you go to the caucus, did you put up yard signs? What did you do?"

Those were embarrassing questions, and I wished she had not asked them. When I replied "Nothing", her response was, "Then don't bitch. If you are not part of the process to change things, you can't complain about the outcome." Ouch. She was right.

So this year I was a part of the process. I was a delegate. I am helping candidates. I am contributing money. So what is the clinker? I have told by some that my votes in the conventions were counterfeit and illegitimate. "We need to scrap the endorsement process and go directly to a primary!"

If we want to transition from a representative democracy to a pure democracy in our candidate selection, then let's do it. While we are at it, let us also change our system of government from representative democracy to a pure democracy also. Our President seems to think was already have one. We can get rid of Congress. We will ALL vote on EVERYTHING. Heck, if we did that on ObamaCare, it would have never have passed (unless of course, there was voter fraud).

My view is very simple. Our caucus system is a microcosm of representative democracy. It worked just fine this time. Was it perfect? Heck no. Can it be improved? Absolutely. I have met and talked with each of our endorsed candidates. They are all fine people. They are people who can take it to the Democrats this November and win. As for me, I am going to dance with the one I brung - and the one I brung are the endorsed candidates.