Darryl Eskin Passes On. RIP my friend.

Let's observe a moment of silence at all 6000 precinct caucus meetings next March in Darryl's  honor.

Among his many other accomplishments, Darryl Eskin was one of the unsung heros behind Save the Caucus. which defeated Amendment 29 in 2002 that would have killed our (potentially) wonderful Colorado Caucus. 

Despite being outspent 1400 to 1 ( ! ) we beat it 60/40. That's why so many of the rich and powerful hate the caucus-assembly system, it levels the playing field. But only with key volunteers like Darryl, with passionate enthusiasm and organizational ability. There were others in that election who were key, too, but I can honestly say that in my opinion without Darryl's wisdom and hard work the vote would have gone the other way.

 

So I'm going to suggest to the chairs of both both major parties and to the Secretary of State's office and to the Governor's office and to all leaders and all elected representatives that there be one-minute of silence at each neighborhood gathering and at county and state assemblies on this 100th year anniversary (adopted in 1912, first held 1914) to honor Darryl and the countless other volunteers who have handed on this powerful tool, the best chance for the common person to service in elected public office, on to us.

Obituary and Online Memorial:
http://www.acommunityfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Darryl-Eskin/#!/Obituary

Post by John S Wren.

Which candidates are using our Colorado Caucus?

We are asking each candidate to let us know if they plan on petitioning onto the ballot or if they are going to participate in our wonderful Colorado way, the neighborhood caucus and assembly, the best chance for the common person to serve in elected public office.

@COLeg @COHouseGOP @cohousedems @COSenDem @cogop Using the caucus or petitioning onto the ballot? Why? Post on: http://t.co/i0ZyeBKYwv

— John S Wren (@JohnSWren) December 8, 2013

What do you think?

What are your suggests/ opinions regarding these political power tools? Click the tab above, post your thoughts and links to other sources on the particular power tool and how to use it.

Thanks for your help in strengthening the grassroots in Colorado! I hope you'll come back here often to be part of the conversation, and that you'll invite your friends who are new to Colorado or to Colorado politics to join us. It's only too late if we don't start now!

Nebraska faces powerful forces, learn from CO?

This is an article from Bishop Conley about the situation in Nebraska today:
http://journalstar.com/news/opinion/editorial/columnists/local-view-the-value-of-marriage/article_3e93bd66-e510-59c3-b559-3a1d7ddc2043.html

Here's the comment from me (John Wren):

If you agree with Bishop then act now and learn from our experience here in Colorado.

Lessons: 1) gather together in your parish now, wait and it will very quickly be too late, 2) take the message to each neighborhood, and gather neighbors who agree on this one issue, 3) have a day at the Capitol, massive meetings with EVERY legislator, get firm commitment to either work against or refer to voters, or start immediate recall. 

Very rough right now, but take a look at educational website http://www.COCaucus.org, call me for more info It's only to late if you don't start NOW in your own parish and your own neighborhood. Pray for guidance, do the little you can each day and trust that with God's help that will be enough.

 But don't repeat fiasco of Colorado Catholic Conference, rally at the Capitol, speakers brag that with God on our side we can't loose, and then suggest everyone write a letter to their representative. Do that and you'll get what we got. This requires stronger action, the power on the other side of this issue is well organized and well finance. 

I pray that Nebraska be the turning point. God bless you! +

Things don't look good for the caucus-assembly system for nominating to the primary ballot. There are still some 17 states that use the system in one form or another, but newspapers find primary elections a much easier story to cover. Looking at all the mentions in Google Books, Colorado Caucus doesn't even register, Iowa Caucus not much of a factor compared to the topic "primary election."

Update of this site. Help us?

We are going to be updating the information on each of the power tools over the next week or so. Would you help? Post info you'd like to see added as a comment here on this main newsfeed for the site. Then we'll transfer to the pages.

Especially helpful would be links to articles in you local newspapers that dug into how things actually got done, does anyone have a good article on how the recent Colorado recall campaigns got off the ground written by a good reporter, fact check, and published? Or blog posts with the details?

Thanks for any help you can give us.

In the mean time, we are about to kick off our 80203 group, we'll keep you posted here, depending on how it goes, neighborhood groups may become our 5th power tool for the common person who wants to serve in elected public office or help others get elected.

A reminder that we are educational, not political, we will not be endorsing issues or candidates. We are not affiliated with any candidate, issues committee, or political party.

As a start, we are going to list links that have been suggested for each of the power tools: referendum, recall, initiative and caucus-assembly, if you have favorite articles, websites, training, books, please post link as a comment here and why you like it, if it's your's that's great, but please let us know so we can give credit where credit is due.

PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH OTHERS WHO MIGHT HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS. THANKS!

Recall News and Facebook Page

Coverage of last night's GOP meeting that celebrated the recent recalls. (click here)  Who is writing indepth stories about the two races? Who had the original idea of mounting a recall campaign it the two districts? If you know, please post it as a comment here, or email John@JohnWren.com.

We are broadening the scope of our sister Facebook Page to match what we are doing here. See https://www.facebook.com/Colorado.Caucus.News

Help us?

We want someone to start a new, healthy small group in each neighborhood that brings brother Jesus into both major political parties not as a boss but as a servant. If you are interested post here or call (303)861-1447and leave a confidential voice mail message with where you are (state/county/neighborhood and parish) what you want to do and why, what help you need now, end your message with your name and phone number, speak slowly and clearly, repeat your name and phone. 

Resources for recall?

What are the best stories on recall as a political tool? On these recall elections in Colorado? Of other recalls in the past? Best books? Websites? We are going to put up a Recall Page here soon, any suggestions will be checked out and the best included on the page. Post as a comment here or email to John@JohnWren.com Thanks!

Front page of today's @denverpost - Amazing what the successful #CORecall started - Keep it going - #tcot pic.twitter.com/hFyGSHkaRz

— Cameron Gray (@Cameron_Gray) September 12, 2013

We are going to soon announce our new plan for civic education in Colorado. It's very possible this site and our companion Facebook Page Good Neighbors We Vote http://Facebook.com/GoodNeighborsWeVote had no impact on the election that were just held. Then again, maybe our civic education, focused on the grassroots tool, the recall, did make a bit of a difference.

  "Before Tuesday's elections in Colorado, only 36 state legislators nationwide had ever faced a recall effort, and roughly half survived. Colorado is one of 11 states that allow for a political recall of elected officials." From Reuters (click here for article.)

From that same Reuters piece:    "What Coloradoans really hate is extremists on either side," said Katy Atkinson, a Denver political analyst... "Overall, it was a sense of arrogance," Atkinson said.

 Denver independent pollster Floyd Ciruli agreed. "There was a sense that people were not being listened to and felt shut out from the aggressive agenda put forward by Democrats in the legislature," he said, noting that an 8-to-1 spending advantage by recall opponents failed to stave off defeat. 

 The Colorado recall battle drew more than $3.5 million in campaign contributions. But the bulk of it - nearly $3 million - came from opponents of the recall drive who support stricter gun control, figures from the secretary of state's office showed. And that's exactly the problem recall and the threat of recall was intended to solve.

 Referendum, recall, and initiative, along with the caucus-assembly system for nominating to the primary ballot. were the progressive reforms intended to stop some of the abuses of power that had become common place.

Same day registration now allowed.

Colorado Election Guide http://www.bringinthevote.com/. 

In the past, to vote you needed to be registered 30-days before the election. No more. We will get a chance to see just how well this works in the upcoming recall elections. 

Good reason to talk with neighbors, encourage early voting and invite them to your 1st or next neighborhood gathering. 

Recall, Teddy Roosevelt's Grassroots Tool.

We are observing the recall efforts in Colorado, will have a workshop right after the elections in November to look at the grassroots tools we have in Colorado, try to help more people understand how to use them to help the common person serve in elected public office.

Neighborhood representative wanted for new project.

I just posted this on www.JohnWren.com. Will you help? Call me! John Wren (303)861-1447 

For years I've had an interest in the Colorado caucus-assembly system for nominating to the primary ballot, in my opinion the best chance the common person has for serving in elected public office. See http://www.COCaucus.org 

Here's a new idea. Let's created a new business, doing well by doing good, with grassroots civic education and a Welcome Wagon type neighborhood marketing network. 

Let's write a handbook for Colorado citizens, update every year, sell to newcomers through a network of neighborhood representatives who will welcome newcomers and be the hub for neighborhood communications.

The citizen handbook will cover the caucus system, referendum , recall and initiatives, as well as how to get elected to public office. 

If you'd be interested in being part of this project as a sponsor, neighborhood representative, writer, or advertiser, contact me via John@JohnWren.com or (303)861-1447 see http://Facebook.com/goodNeighborsWeVote PLEASE SHARE 

It takes a neighborhood to have a fair election.

There is concern on the left and right that we are loosing the necessary condition for the voice of the common person to be expressed through our representative democracy: FAIR ELECTIONS! http://harpers.org/archive/2012/11/how-to-rig-an-election/

What can you do? Strengthen your neighborhood. How? If you don't know, join us at an 
IDEA Cafe Startup Workshop, raise that as a topic.  
http:// Meetup.com/Small-Biz-Chamber

Everyone should read this book. Describes the problem, decline across the board in social capital, the market system, representative government and civil society. What's the solution? See  review of the book and John Wren's suggested solution (click here), along with his comment about the role of groups like Rotary, Lions, and Optimists (it's not what you think) and the Church.

The Great Degeneration

By Niall Ferguson

(Penguin Press, 174 pages, $26.95)

mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEFTTopOpinion&cb=logged0.24258396471850574#articleTabs%3Darticle

If you want to understand Colorado politics, listen to Corky Kyle's In the Lobby!

Will Colorado Caucus be an issue?

Our Colorado Secretary of State has just announced he'll be running for Governor. He's done a good job of getting information out about the Colorado Caucus, will he use that as an issue in his campaign do you think? Here's article from the Denver Post about his entering the race.

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.