Saturday, February 9, 2013

It's been about a year since our 2012 Colorado Caucus, we're at the mid-point from it to our 2014 edition. We are going to announce a long over due plan to build a state-wide organization, down to the prescient lever that will be dedicated not to candidates or issues but to maximizing informed participation, especially with newcomers to Colorado and newcomers to our wonderful neighborhood caucus-assembly system, the best chance for the common person to serve in elected public office.

If you'd be willing to help let us know.

In caucus states candidates are put on the primary ballot through neighborhood meetings. The alternative is to just have party bosses anoint their favorites. That's why some party bosses would like to see the system changed.

To protect the system, more newcomers need to find out about how the system works, attend for a couple of election cycles, and then move into party leadership roles them selves. What doesn't our public broadcasting system have a special about how the process works at about this time in the two year cycle? We are going to contact the stations here in Denver and find out for you.

RESEARCH QUESTION. PLEASE FORWARD! WHO DO YOU KNOW THAT'S TAKING A STATISTICS CLASS? Here's a job for a student in a statistics class: What is the impact of the caucus system for nominating to the primary ballot on tax rates? Our assumption: caucus system leads to more active participation by citizens which leads to better local government, more services for less money. What do the numbers say? We'll publish any and all analyses that speak to this question.

1 comment:

Lois Kerschen said...

The caucus system is the first step in the democratic process. Without a means to allow all citizens to participate in decisions about issues and office holders, a government cannot be a true democracy. It is critically important for every citizen to attend a caucus because that is where each person gets direct input into the system. This CO Caucus effort deserves praise for its efforts.