[Politics] Civic duty fufilled, faith in democracy renewed
Just got back from my precinct caucus (Ward 2 Precinct 2, CD 30). I feel invigorated and re-enfrancised. Caucuses are grass roots. It is the people's voice. I am DFL and here is my story.
Resolutions proposed:
Encourage DFL Congressional endorsed/serving members to increase the gas tax to pay for transportation infrastructure - passed (not unopposed, good issues regarding how a gas tax is a regressive tax were raised, the person bringing forth this resolution did it because if we do not fix our transportation funding in this state, we will lose federal funding, and then suckage will begin)
Troops serving in Iraq to be withdrawn as soon as possible in whichever way is safest - unopposed adoption.
Public education to be fully funded - adopted, dissenters were silent (I support public education, but feel programs like 'No Child Left Behind' are wrong)
Oppose any legislation that would amend the MN Constitution to prevent the marriage of or civil union of or interfere with the rights and legal protections of same-sex couples - unanimously adopted. I was shocked, its not that Rochester is homophobic, but they are not as tolerated as in the Cities, I was pleased to see this.
Discontinue 'Project Columbia' and mandate oversight of funding to the Columbian military be judged based on State Department human rights guidelines such that any military or government group engaging in or colloborating with groups that utilize scare and terror tactics be stripped of funding - unanimously adopted...holy shit...this was awesome! About time we do a little human rights oversight on our funding to the Columbian military, Columbia is one of the riskiest countries to be a labor rights leader. Basically this resolution boils down to 'discontinue funding Columbian right-wing death squads'.
I was elected a delegate to the county and congressional district. We could only fill 20 of 24 seats however. My Ward is about 1600 people, and only 49 appeared at the caucus, so not a great turnout, but others have commented that is was better than years past and good for a mid-term election year.
2 comments:
Me (SD 50 P-8). Pretty much undecided on candidates (I don't see many statewide candidates that impress me...) Several people I recognized, several newbies. I was the precinct expert on Rules of Order [a sobering thought, given how little the parlimentarian I am] as well as resolutions (having served on the DFL State Platform commission for several years). My own resolution was passed unapposed:
"Be it enacted that the Democratic Party in congress draft and execute articles of impeachment against George W. Bush and Richard Cheney."
... or words to that effect.
Several other resolutions passed, one a semantic one regarding calling the cigarette pack fee a bona fide tax. One was an amendment to the Medicare Modernization Act regarding medical supply competetive bids, one on restoring funding to health and human services that have been cut in the last few years.
Turnout was pretty light. 11 people. Not a huge surprise given it is a midterm election. Everyone gets to be a delegate. I'll probably end up at the SD50 convention, and then who knows on the CD or state levels, depending on my ambition and schedule.
I was kind of hoping that the straw poll would have included a preliminary feeler on 2008 presidential candidates, but it was not to be.
What struck me, having been away from politics for a little while, was the same singular agendas of lots of people. Everyone has their own little thing. Mostly people were just angry in an unfocused and general sort of way - a kind of political malaise regarding the state of things. They were looking for fellow sympathetic ears, and mostly they found it.
I turned down the opportunity to serve as a precinct officer since my plan is to not live in the district much longer. It is not nice to make two year commitments and then break them.
Democracy isn't exactly pretty, but it's the best we've got for now...
I miss my Precinct in SD65, but I was impressed with CD30 2-2.
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