Thank God for Caucuses!

[txaslftist]

I previously posted a thread detailing my experience as a precinct chair in Lubbock, Texas, on the night of the Texas caucus. In that post I didn't say what the results of our caucus were, Hillary won 5 delegates and Obama 3. This slightly overstated Hillary's position among the voters in our precinct, but as an Obama supporter, I didn't mind much.

Here's why: On the night of the caucus the place was packed. 50 people showed up to participate in the Democratic Party caucus, while about 4 showed up for the GOP caucus. This is in a precinct that's been GOP dominated for decades, in a part of the state that's been dominated by the GOP for decades. When I got there I was handed a packet, and in that packet were the materials for everyone to sign in, with email, address, phone number and candidate. Now, no matter who wins the nomination process, I have a working list of who to ask for donations, where to put yard signs, who to canvass on election day.

Not only that, but I got a list of EVERY PERSON WHO VOTED IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY in my precinct. Not just the caucusers, but every DEM voter! It was a much larger list than I expected. Everyone on that list will be getting a letter from me.

Still, knowing who was willing to show up on a Tuesday night at 7:15 pm tells me who I can count on to go the extra mile in a campaign, who I can count on to talk to a neighbor, who I can for sure put a sign in the yard... This is how a party that's been on the ropes for decades rebuilds. I never would have met these folks any other way.

Not only that, but it was EXCITING! We waited with bated breath for the results. We talked politics! Maybe in your neck of the woods it's different, but most places I go, nobody wants to talk politics. It's all sports, sports, weather and sports, and to hell with you if you're a Packer fan in West Texas!

So I say, thank God for Caucuses! We need to have more of them.