Sunday, February 19, 2012

 A Powerful Tool for Advancing Your Political Agenda

There are many reasons to participate in your neighborhood caucus aside from participating in the selection of your party's candidate for President.

Most important is the selection of delegates who will select local candidates.

Another reason to attend your caucus, one that is almost never discussed in the media, is to put forward resolutions that can be adopted at county, state, and even the national convention for one of the major political parties.

The caucus resolution is sort of a suggestion box on steroids. What the caucus passes is reviewed by the county resolutions committee. Resolutions that have broad support as demonstrated by being adopted by many of the caucuses, or for any other reason that the committee sees as sufficient, are put before the delegates at the county assembly. Those adopted by the counties are then considered by the state resolutions committee, and may be put before the voters at the state assembly. The process is then repeated at the national level. At each level there can be discussion, debate, and promotion of the idea in various ways such at advertising, distribution of fliers to delegates, workshops, etc.

I've never seen this resolution process discussed in-depth in the popular media, just one of the reasons caucus attendance is so low.

Here's an explanation by one special interest group you may find useful:  http://archive.fairvote.org/index.php?page=2191

What resolutions do you think will come up in the March 6 Colorado Caucus? (Yes, it will be mostly Democrats that gather since they are the only ones that vote, but by Colorado Law these are open public meetings, and anyone could put forward a resolution.)

Have you ever put forward a resolution? Do you think it made a difference? Your comment here would be very much appreciated. And please forward this along to any of your friends who you know have had experience using this tool to achieve their political purpose.

No comments: