[Mpls] Remind DFL caucus attendees of '05 caucus

[David Brauer]

On Mar 2, 2004, at 5:28 PM, Earl Netwal wrote:

> I hope that the city convention will reverse this poorly thought out 
> idea to
> have separate precinct caucuses for the city.  If no one else does, I 
> will
> make such a motion at this years city convention.
>
Earl, as the originator of the idea, let's reserve judgment for one 
year. I can assure you a lot of thought went into it, from me and 
others.

The idea behind a city-election-year process was so that people 
wouldn't have to jockey to get elected delegates in March 2004 to pick 
the DFL endorsee for a November 2005 mayor's race. (Remember, this year 
is an exception in Minnesota: a competitive presidential fight to drive 
turnout. Most years, there's all the drama of tapioca.)

Under the old system, if you didn't get elected tonight, there was no 
chance to help endorse someone next year - major disenfranchisement 
(within the party's process). It rewarded insider perennials but not 
new blood who might have city-level issues as their top priority.

It also gives next year's candidates a chance to organize and bring 
their own, and new, supporters into the party.

As Tim Bonham will no doubt remind me, this does make more work for the 
party organizers. But it's not like we're so secure and stuffed with 
participants that we shouldn't try new things.

David Brauer
Former DFL delegate, now just a citizen journalist
Kingfield