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Brickbat

(19,339 posts)
Wed Feb 8, 2012, 09:14 AM Feb 2012

News from your precinct caucus?

From mine:

We held a straw poll for the 8th District candidate; Nolan won my precinct.

We had a lively discussion about sulfide mining, with passionate speakers on both sides.

My precinct unanimously approved a resolution opposing the marriage amendment vote coming up this fall.

Did you go? What happened at your caucus?

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News from your precinct caucus? (Original Post) Brickbat Feb 2012 OP
Saint Paul W6 P13 - MineralMan Feb 2012 #1
Right on. Brickbat Feb 2012 #2
I skipped the caucus this year, do I need a note? kickysnana Feb 2012 #3
Unless you want to be a delegate to district conventions, MineralMan Feb 2012 #4
Actually I need another year to be out of grieving kickysnana Feb 2012 #5
Take all the time you need. We'll cover for you. MineralMan Feb 2012 #6
I usually go, but this year I didn't geardaddy Feb 2012 #7
from a small town spedtr90 Feb 2012 #8
Thanks for the update, spedtr90, and a belated welcome to DU! Brickbat Feb 2012 #9

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
1. Saint Paul W6 P13 -
Wed Feb 8, 2012, 10:28 AM
Feb 2012

Small turnout, as usual. Pretty uneventful, but we got all our business done. All attendees are delegates for the District 67 Convention, and I'm still the precinct chair. We heard from a couple of candidates who stopped in, as well. We had a brief discussion about what to do if Michele Bachmann ends up as the candidate for CD4 in the redistricting maps and all support an all-out effort to re-elect Betty McCollum and put Michele's political aspirations to an end.

The lack of a Presidential primary race is probably the reason for the low turnout at the caucus, which was about the same as the 2010 caucus.

We're still the only precinct I know of, though, in Minnesota, that has its own website. You can visit it at the link in my signature line. I'm hoping to do a workshop for other precinct chairs in Saint Paul to help them create their own.

Election season has begun!

Brickbat

(19,339 posts)
2. Right on.
Wed Feb 8, 2012, 11:19 AM
Feb 2012

All of us are delegates as well; we were in fact a little short. I'm precinct chair this year; getting back into things after a five-year hiatus. Our main challenge is getting new people involved in our precinct; the vast majority of residents are retirees. The county seat precincts did a little better.

kickysnana

(3,908 posts)
3. I skipped the caucus this year, do I need a note?
Wed Feb 8, 2012, 11:47 AM
Feb 2012

My lame excuse: I am not supposed to be out in the cold and I had a ride to the support group but not the caucus.

The Support Group is out of town and my ride is with a rabid Dem married to a Pub from Plymouth. Politics comes up in the supper before the meeting but not last night. Could be because our absent Rabid Pub in the group has just been diagnosed with ALS and at the same time got taken in a real estate scam on a small farm. The talk was 3 phase converters, electronic gearshifts in new tractors, a technique for repairing Caterpillar carburetors and moving outrageously heavy things. They did finally get around to discussing the topic at hand. Did I mention the group was 80% men last night?

MineralMan

(146,189 posts)
4. Unless you want to be a delegate to district conventions,
Wed Feb 8, 2012, 12:07 PM
Feb 2012

there's little reason to attend precinct caucuses in MN. That's why turnouts are so small. Heck, half of the people at ours probably won't show up at the district convention, either. That's why caucus systems allow a very small group of people to make the decisions. I guess it's all in what you want to do.

kickysnana

(3,908 posts)
5. Actually I need another year to be out of grieving
Wed Feb 8, 2012, 12:26 PM
Feb 2012

Last few years kids grew up and moved out, I lost significant other, sold a home and moved into an apartment, lost my Mom and my Dad a year and a half apart but the last few weeks were intense and then last my own health took a turn for the worse. I've got a handle on it again So like Gabby I am going to recover this year and maybe next year I will have tough enough skin and strong enough legs to stand up and brave politics in person.

I am very grateful for those who do.

(Oh they did mention one other things besides heavy equipment last night, the Super Bowl in passing, good game sad ending for the Patriots fans.)

spedtr90

(719 posts)
8. from a small town
Mon Feb 13, 2012, 09:20 PM
Feb 2012

some resolutions in brief from a group of less than 12:

oppose Right To Work legislation (state & federal)

oppose use of supermajority requirements and amendments to replace the work/responsibility of elected legislators (state)

support an amendment to the Constitution to provide that corporations are not entitled to the protections or rights of natural persons, specifically so the expenditure of corporate money to influence the electoral process is no longer a form of constitutionally protected speech (federal)

and many related to agriculture - of course!

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