[Mpls] Caucuses

[David Shove]

The walking subcaucus is the BEST thing about the DFL. It is Proportional
Representation in action.

The older way mentioned here is at-large voting in action. If you have 51%
of the votes, you get ALL the delegates, and no one else gets any. If THEY
have 51% of the votes, you get NO delegates. It freezes out all minorities
and diversity at the very lowest level.

As an advocate for PR and IRV, I would hate to see the DFL drop the best
procedure they have, for one of the worst.

-David Shove
Roseville



On Tue, 1 Mar 2005 Delcalzojan at aol.com wrote:

> Mike Nelson wrote:
> >
> >> I just came home from my precinct caucus.
> >> I seriously doubt I will be returning.
> >> When we were in the process of filling our allotted number of
> >> delegates,we had more volunteers than open positions. Someone made a
> >> suggestion regarding how we might eliminate some people.
> >> The suggestion: " I think anyone who is a white male should step
> >> down..."
> >> I didn't even stay to hear the rest of her suggestion. I left.
>
> and
>
> Steve Nelson wrote:
>
> > I am sorry you experienced this at your caucus, Mike, but wouldn't that
> > be the perfect time to remind people that the DFL is the party of
> > INCLUSION not EXCLUSION.  Walking out, while it may feel good at the
> > moment, ends up being a disservice to the rest of the attendees who may
> > well have agreed with you given half a chance.
> >
> > Don't give up on the party over one incident.  Get out their and bring
> > your friends to next year's caucuses so you can form your own subcaucus!
>
> And I contend that the subcaucusing has been at the very heart of what is
> wrong in the DFL party.  People are Balkanized according to some division -
> labor, feminist, gay - and that is the niche in which stay.  The groups barely talk
> to each other because they are off choosing their own delegates.
>
> I for one liked the old days when the delegates had to be chosen by the whole
> caucus, not just their group.  Did it have problems - sure.  But many of
> those problem could be overcome just as Steve Nelson said - organize, bring your
> friends.  Heavens, packing the caucuses was a tried and true technique to
> insure victory.
>
> Jan Del Calzo
> Lynnhurst
> Ward 13, Precinct 6
>
>
>
>
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