Just as important, Brent, is the fact that Byron's other point...

He doesn't seem to like the fact that it is the voter's responsibility to find transportation or babysitters. A group of people in an appartment, on a city block, or the whole neighborhood can pitch in an help get folks to the caucus or provide babysitting... if they want to organize that themselves.
Badda | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 2:49 pm | #

I don't know this for fact, since this is going to be my first caucus, but I would THINK that if you have kids, and want to go, you can bring them with.

While this is not the ideal situation, it would still allow you to be involved.

The truth is...if the caucus is that important to you, you will FIND a way to attend.
Brent | 02.05.08 - 2:55 pm | #

Brent,
Even if you can (and I'm sure you can), would you want to? They probably distract you and the very likely distract others.

That aside, your last comment is the one that matters... if you want to go, you'll find a way.

The next step from Byron and Sam's concerns is that work and school are difficult to get because of kids, transportation, daycare, sleep, meals, etc.

The men and women of Colonial America, Frontier America, the Great Depression, WWII, and other eras are rolling in their graves.
Badda | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 3:00 pm | #

My caucus will be held at a school.
Send the crumb crunchers to the gym.

My caucus will be held at a school
I be it's gonna feel good to have my caucus held.
Sequel | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 3:16 pm | #

Look, MN needs to scrap caucuses (sp) and move to primaries. Caucuses are a pain in the ass. Ours is held in Powderhorn Park and I hate that area of the city.
Tracy Eberly | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 3:19 pm | #

The letter says,

The university sent out an e-mail suggesting if a student wanted to participate in a party's caucus, he or she would have to make prior arrangements with the professor.

The law says,

State universities, community colleges and public schools cannot hold classes or events after 6:00 p.m. on the evening of precinct caucuses.

Brent's interpretation?

Sam is upset that he has school

Un-freaking-believable.
Doug | 02.05.08 - 3:25 pm | #

Doug,
You're analysis is a little dim... however, your anal-cyst is right on the money.
Badda | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 3:29 pm | #

Doug...I stand corrected...I missed that little blurb because I was scanning and not reading...this is MY fault and for that I am sorry.

Now...even though I know that kids lie...I'm gong to assume that Sam is telling the truth here and his complaint is well founded.

I will amend my post.
Brent | 02.05.08 - 3:29 pm | #

Tracy,
The caucus is about much more than a straw poll. We will elect delegates and send resolutions to the central committee for revision of the party platform. You may have noticed my highlighting of some platform planks?

A true primary is just like an election and is very expensive. Mike Huckabee just got all of W. Virginia's delegates to the RNC. All of those delegates will be traded in a brokered convention, so the state just wasted a pile of money.
Kermit | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 3:30 pm | #

...so the state just wasted a pile of money.

I guess I don't consider money spent to allow people to be involved in the election of their government representatives as being wasted.

But, then again, I'm silly that way.
Brent | 02.05.08 - 3:34 pm | #

OK, maybe "waste" is not the best word. The fact remains that they achieved a result that will not stand nationally, and they paid for it. We spend no state money to do essentially the same thing, with equal result.

Which is better? Tracy wants a straight primary. We would still (by law) have to hold the caucus, and the participation would greatly reduced.
Kermit | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 3:39 pm | #

The fact remains that they achieved a result that will not stand nationally, and they paid for it.

Did Huckelbee drop out and I missed it?

We don't KNOW if he is going to be in or out...you are speculating just like the MSM...and while you are more than likely correct, it doesn't change the fact that this is the way that it has been done for...I don't know...darn near forever?

Our government is NOT perfect, which is why it is often called "The Great Experiment", and I for one support all of the little quirks that the system has.

It is ALSO the price that W.Va. pays for having their primary so early in the cycle. This time it means that their first choice is probably not going to make it...but in previous years perhaps they got their canidate.
Brent | 02.05.08 - 3:45 pm | #

Yes Brent, they gave Mike some leverage. We will do the same thing tonight for a lot less money.
So I ask again, which is better? Primary or straw poll?
Kermit | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 3:52 pm | #

Confusion is a good thing. Some people are just too stupid to vote.
Joel | 02.05.08 - 4:05 pm | #

W Virginia is not a primary is it?
Just delegates vote I think. No direct involvement of the electorate.
Sequel | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 4:16 pm | #

You bastard! Quit confusing my excellent argument with facts!
Kermit | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 4:24 pm | #

Primary. People need to be able to stop by and vote, not waste a whole evening with campaign BS that won't amount to shit in November or even later if we win.

The platform isn't worth the paper it's written on. For proof look at our last 10 presidents. Kennedy lowered taxes and Bush senior raised them.
Tracy Eberly | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 4:32 pm | #

I doubt "the school" said what the kid claimed. I have taught college kids at a bunch of different places now. I am virtually certain that the memo was a response to the question of whether class would be CANCELLED college wide. The answer to that question was no. I doubt that Individuals who wanted to participate in the caucus would be penalized in any way.

Night classes are really tough to schedule since they are generally the same material as a regular course over a shorter period of time. I can see a school leaving it to the discretion of the professor about how to handle the caucus night. Since I taught PoliSci, I was pretty forgiving of almost any type of civic activity. I even let kids out for the Wellstone funeral. An engineering prof, I don't know. Also, you'd have to consider whether lots of people want to go to the caucuses or if nobody is planning on going.
Margaret | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 4:32 pm | #

So people shouldn't get involved in the process, electing delegates, getting organized? We do both Primary and Caucus?
Kermit | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 4:37 pm | #

Time off if you ask for it is great, but there are nearly a thousand Minnesotans serving in uniform overseas, and a few hundred more serving stateside but still unable to get to their caucus.

If my entire police department or staff at the local hospital requested time off to caucus tonite, common sense says they wouldn't all get it.

Whatever the merits of the caucus vs a primary (cost is, in fact, a good point Kermit), the end result is that some portion of the population gets screwed.
Dave Thul | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 4:43 pm | #

My daughter is a student at St Paul Collage and they had the day off for the original caucus as it was originally scheduled but tonight she had to make arrangements to get the class work so she can come with me to the caucus

From the school
“we were able to schedule the original date off but this is not giving us enough time to reschedule so we are not it is up to each student to make up the time later “
tim-the dyslexic blogger- | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 4:46 pm | #

Dave makes an excellent case for Primary.
Kermit | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 4:51 pm | #

The whole "non binding straw Pole" thing too.
I'd be nice if I felt sure my evening wasn't a waste of time.

At least the tics caucus actually apportions MN delegates.

Primary winner takes all might be a better plan.
But hey, what do I know...
Sequel | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 5:18 pm | #

Off to hold my caucus now.
Sequel | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 5:57 pm | #

Time to get raucous at the caucus.
Badda | Homepage | 02.05.08 - 6:49 pm | #

I like the idea of a primary vote, winner take all. If my tax money can go to pay a crack ho's rent it can go to the election process as well.
Caucus all you want but let people vote!
maxx | 02.05.08 - 7:10 pm | #

Just got back from mine. GO MITT! won't happen though, all the insiders say Big Mac's the man, and I will stay home.

We had some goons well, 2 guys (out of about about 40 or so)that wrote in Alan Keyes. Cripes it's no wonder thr R's are in trouble. We had a couple of rabid Paulers. almost no McCainiacs he was beat almost 2 to 1 by Mitt. The Huckster got a few votes.
Nobody | 02.05.08 - 9:03 pm | #

The Minnesota Secretary of State's interpretation of the law is that the law only specifies that schools/businesses need to cancel events/give time off on the first Tuesday in March....our usual cacucus time.

Now that the parties moved it up, most of the old laws didn't apply.

Looking at the actual text of the law, I 'm fairly certain our SOS didn't screw up and interpret the law incorrectly. But by the time the change was made it was pretty much too late to do anything about it.
Kevin | Homepage | 02.06.08 - 2:55 am | #

My daughter's Political Science class at the U of MN was NOT cancelled last night. Pretty stupid that she had to skip a Poli Sci class to participate in politics.
A Nony Moose | 02.06.08 - 5:29 am | #

Looking at the actual text of the law, I 'm fairly certain our SOS didn't screw up and interpret the law incorrectly. But by the time the change was made it was pretty much too late to do anything about it.

I believe that Kevin is correct:

202A.14 PRECINCT CAUCUS.
Subdivision 1. Time and manner of holding; postponement. At 7:00 p.m. on the first
Tuesday in March in every state general election year there shall be held for every election
precinct a party caucus in the manner provided in sections 202A.14 to 202A.19, except that in
the event of severe weather a major political party may request the secretary of state to postpone
caucuses.

Which, to me, is just stupid!



My daughter's Political Science class at the U of MN was NOT cancelled last night. Pretty stupid that she had to skip a Poli Sci class to participate in politics.

A Nony Moose, I agree..a Poli Sci class being held on the night of a caucus is stupid. I would have expected credit to be given to ANYONE in a Poli Sci class that WENT!
Brent | 02.06.08 - 7:42 am | #