After the Primary….

This column is about the Democrat (DFL) side of the political conversation.  Doubtless there is similar discussion in the Republican universe.

Today, the DFL (Democrat) Central Committee is meeting to decide how to approach the 2018 General Election in Minnesota.  Its agenda is as agendas always appear: bland and boring.  Looks can be deceiving; I can guess it will be a long grueling day today.  If you pay any attention at all to elections, you’ll be interested in what the DFL Central Committee  decides.

A major part of todays agenda will be the 2018 Minnesota Primary Election results which you can view here.

*

Some thoughts:

As long as I can remember I’ve been fairly active politically, as a Democrat.  I vote, and I participate in the process up to the point of electing delegates to Congressional and State Conventions.

This years Primary in Minnesota attracted more interest than usual.  Voters could vote one column or the other (Republican or Democrat).  There were about 900,000 total votes cast, about two-thirds of them in the DFL column.  There was apparently much more interest by Democrats than Republicans this year.

The last off year election in Minnesota, the 2014 Primary had these results: less than 400,000.

Of course, the big event comes on November 6.

The 2014 General Election attracted near 2,000,000 voters.  The 2016 General Election near 3,000,000, out of 3.3 million registered voters.

I will leave the analysis to the individual reader.

*

The question is raised again about whether DFL endorsement process is worth doing; whether the caucuses are a waste of time…why bother?  After all, those of us who went to the caucuses were participating as citizens in the political process; those of us who agreed to go to the local Senate District or County Conventions the same; those of us who agreed to be delegates were representing certain points of view at the Congressional District and State Conventions.

Then the endorsements were (it appears) by and large ignored, by candidates, and voters.

Why bother?

*

Today the DFL Central Committee (which is, I gather, about 50 people) will try to sort out “stuff” relating to the aftermath of the Primary.

Once again there will be debates – probably passionate ones – and once again there will be recommendations about who to vote for in November.

It does seem like nonsense, but tell me a viable alternative.

I am one of those who respects the deliberative process, messy as it can be.  One can only imagine what result would occur if this country just had a general election and people just came in and marked down who they wanted for President, Governor, Mayor, Dog catcher, whatever.  No management of the process.   None.

It would be destructive chaos.

Maybe I’m talking about anarchy?  A system where order disappears; “freedom” reigns.  “Power” to the strongest, temporarily.

It would be sort of the system that I read about this morning in Just Above Sunset: Notes on the Apocalypse.

*

With all the messiness there is, I am glad that there is a DFL State Central Committee, a group of committed people willing to scrap amongst themselves and to come to a conclusion about where they stand about November 6.

The Primary  decided who will be on the ballot.  The Parties will have to decide who gets their active support.

Become very well informed, have conversations, vote November 6, wherever you are.  Our country’s future is worth your time.

After 2018, the debates can continue, possibly for changes in the existing system…but there must be a system for our republic to survive.

1 reply
  1. corky Marinkovich
    corky Marinkovich says:

    MN DFL ‘ers. Focus on tight agenda such as health care (single payer), and not only anti 45 PR hits. Tax cuts vs balanced budget as centrist agenda? Get out of the Bernie box or pack our bags for another four years of this verbal nonsense.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply to corky Marinkovich Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.