Colorado Caucus Article in Wikipedia

Colorado Caucus article on 3/21/17
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Caucus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Colorado Caucus is the electoral process used in the state of Colorado to appoint candidates for certain political offices and to start the process of electing new leaders for political party leadership.[1] It takes the form of a series of precinct caucuses, meetings of registered electors within a precinct who are members of a particular major political party.[2] The purpose of precinct caucuses is to elect precinct committee persons and delegates to county assemblies, including those that elect delegates to the presidential nominating conventions.

History

The caucus system was adopted by the Colorado legislature in a special session called by Gov. "Honest John" Shafroth in August, 1910 as part of a package of progressive reforms. It was seen as a way to limit the power of party bosses and to attract more grassroots involvement. The caucus system was abolished in favor of presidential primaries in 1992, but restored in 2002 with the defeat of Amendment 29[3] and co Clerk.[5]
Strengths and weaknesses

Research carried out in Iowa indicates that a well-designed caucus system "brings candidates’ arguments, strengths, and weaknesses into the open".[6] However, it has recently been claimed that the system "is a poor way to begin the party nominating process in Colorado",[1] in that it "is complicated and often disenfranchises all but the most politically motivated participants."[7] Others feel that the Colorado Caucus is the best tool for the common person, the average, ordinary citizen, to be able to serve in elected public office.[8][9] The late Sue O'brien, Editorial Page Editor of the Denver Post, who some called "the conscious of Colorado" was particularly fond of the Colorado Caucus because it creates repeated opportunities for average, ordinary people to take the first steps toward become political leaders.[10]

Regulation

Caucuses are held in 3,000 neighborhoods across Colorado and are open to the public. Some now meet in homes that are accessible to disabled people, but many meet in public spaces such as schools.

The Colorado Secretary of State is charged with the responsibility of providing information about the system. Caucuses are regulated by Colorado law, but expenses for it are paid by the major political parties that use the system. At this time only the Republican Party and the Democratic Party have enough registered voters to use the caucus-assembly system.
The 2016 Colorado Caucus

On March 1, 2016 (Super Tuesday), each of the two major parties (determined by number of votes in previous election) held a caucus in each precinct. Members of both the Democratic and Republican parties chose delegates to represent their precincts at the county conventions. Additionally, Democratic party members participated in a presidential preference poll which determined the allocation of delegates based on their stated intent to vote for a given presidential candidate. Regardless of party, delegates are bound neither to their stated intent nor to the preference given by the population they were chosen by.[11] On the weekend before March 1 caucuses both major political parties had state chairs who unilaterally announced they wanted to see an end to the Colorado Caucus, the system that had been entrusted to their care.[12] Partly as a result of poor leadership, the Colorado Caucus this year was chaotic.[13] st considerations, the fully restored Colorado Caucus was in 2004.[4] To find your precinct number contact your Colorado County Clerk.

For citations see this article on Wikipedia.

Startup Show: 2nd Colorado Caucus Day at the Capitol. SBCC Startup Method.

Startup Show, live each Friday at noon mst.
This week: 2nd Caucus Day at the Capitol. Electoral College. SBCC Startup Method.
To be on the show call John at (303)861-1447

Please print, copy and post, ok? Thanks!

You can still make a difference, here's how:

Help us fight 107 and 108. Don't know what they are? Then do this for sure!!!

Google "Colorado Caucus" or "Colorado Proposition 107" or "Colorado Proposition 108" Google News works best. Or check out our compilation on http://Facebook.com/Colorado.Caucus.News  (If you find good articles we've missed please let us know. Thanks!

Help us Save the Caucus! Now!

It's only too late if we don't start now!

The Colorado Caucus provides the best chance for the common person to serve in elected public office, that's why the rich and powerful have tried to kill it since it was created as part of the Teddy Roosevelt progressive reforms. If you are willing to help us Save the Caucus, call John Wren. (303)861-1447

Save the Caucus is a Colorado political committee, registered agents are John Wren and Scott Shires. 1881 Buchtel Blvd #501, Denver, CO 80210 (303)861-1447

Action Class in Practical Politics

Train the Trainer. You are invited. Check it out: http://Meetup.com/Small-Biz-Chamber.  

New! Now give $ online to Save the Caucus!

Together we can Save the Caucus!

Send your check or money order to John Wren, registered agent, Save the Caucus, 1881 Buchtel Blvd. #501, Denver, CO 80210 or give online after you join our Colorado Caucus Club Meetup, watch there for announcement about Meetups across the state. www.Meetup.com/Caucus-Clubs

Email from Caucus Killers

Exciting news, John! Both of our Let Colorado Vote initiatives have officially qualified for the ballot. This is an important milestone in our work to strengthen our democracy. Reinstating a presidential primary and opening up primaries to Colorado's 1.3 million unaffiliated voters will make our elections more open and more fair for all Coloradans. We can’t let our focus slip, though, because qualifying for the ballot was just a first step. Now the real work begins: getting these propositions passed. That means building a dedicated on-the-ground team that will connect with voters to make sure they know what a “yes” vote will mean – especially unaffiliated Coloradans, who make up more than one-third of the electorate. With Election Day coming up fast, we don’t have time to make up for a missed fundraising goal. Can we count on you for a donation to restore fairness and increase participation in our elections? Donate now to help us go straight to the voters to enact these propositions and expand voter engagement in Colorado. We can’t thank you enough for helping make sure every Coloradan’s voice is heard. Now let’s go win. Jesse Hassinger Campaign Manager Let Colorado Vote 2016 Contribute   Paid for by Let Colorado Vote 2016. Let Colorado Vote · United States   This email was sent to John@JohnWren.com. To stop receiving emails, click here.  You can also keep up with Let Colorado Vote on Twitter or Facebook. Created with NationBuilder, software for leaders.

Join us! New Colorado Caucus Clubs.

Don't let Newcomer Kent make Colorado elections like California's!

Here is how Colorado has selected our candidates for the primary election since Gov. John Shafroth and the Colorado legislature institute our wonderful Colorado Caucus, the system that gives control of the major political parties to their rank and file members, not the political bosses:

 Ever since we first gathered for the Colorado Caucus in neighborhoods across the state in 1914, this is what the political bosses and other powerful people like Newcomer Kent have been trying to force us into, a Presidential Primary, or worse, a convention system where party hacks instead of the rank and file decide who gets on the ballot.

Photos: Denver Post

Lisa Jackson, Colorado Caucus Culture

Every two years Colorado has the opportunity for a state-wide civic lesson. This year it was a disaster. 

John Wren will talk with culture change expert Lisa Javkson on the Startup Show, see http://www.SmallBizChamber.org then join us for the organizational meeting for Caucus Club August 9, more about it on today's show. 

Join us, Save the Caucus!

Join us, get an invitation/agenda for 2nd Colorado Caucus Day at the Capitol. How do you join? Just "Like" and "Share" our Facebook Page, http://Facebook.com/Colorado.Caucus.News 

Caucus Corp on the Startup Show

Startup Show, noon MDT or by recording here sponsored by Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Inc. Each Friday we talk about startup. Today the start of "Caucus Corp."

To be on the show next week call John Wren on Monday or Tuesday at (303)861-1447 or RSVP for next week's show on http://www.Meetup.com/Small-Biz-Chamber where you'll also find information about the IDEA Cafe Startup Workshop and joining a peer advisory group. PLEASE CARE ENOUGH TO SHARE THIS WITH A FRIEND. THANKS!

TODAY:
THANKS Villager Newspaper.
Recovering the American Dream.
Denver Speakers Corner
IDEA Cafe Startup Workshop
New wife?

Caucuses aren't for ciphers by Sue O'Brien

My friend Sue O'Brien wrote this when our wonderful Colorado Caucus, our neighborhood system for nominating candidates to the primary ballot, was in danger of being killed by Amendment 29. Partly because of Sue's and The Denver Post's strong support of the Colorado Caucus, the misguided Amendment 29 was defeated.

Sue's wonderful column is still very much worth reading as a reminder of why the caucus-assembly system is worth preserving, warts and all. Please share it with your friends. 

Caucuses aren't for ciphers
Denver Post Editorial Page, October 6, 2002
by Sue O'Brien

cipher - a person or thing of no importance or value; nonentity

Release: New Civic Education Campaign in Colorado

Save the Caucus A Colorado political committee.
John Wren, registered agent. 1881 Buchtel Blvd. #501, Denver, CO 80210

 For more contact: John Wren cell (720)495-4949

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2016

 New Caucus Corp hyper-local network for communications and education being formed. 
 “We are recruiting a state-wide network of volunteers and a steering committee for civic education,” says John Wren. 

 Denver—Caucus Corp is the working name for a new effort to bring civic education to each neighborhood in Colorado. For all the details see the “About us” section of www.Meetup.com/Caucus-Corp or call John Wren (303)861-1447. 



“The Colorado Caucus is under attack again from powerful forces and their dups who have been conned into thinking that a drive by vote in the AstroTurf of a Presidential Primary is better than the grassroots of their neighborhood caucus for a couple of hours every two years,” said John Wren, long-time community activist.

 “I'm the registered agent for Save the Caucus, a Colorado political committee. We may have to raise as much as $1 million if out of state money funds a campaign to kill the Caucus as expected,” said Wren, “but we are hoping we can get all sides of the issue involved in an educational, not political, campaign in the next couple of weeks. 



“We just won the fight in the Colorado State House, and it made clear an educational process is what is needed now. Caucus Corp will not take positions on issues, candidates or party leaders. Hope you'll attend on of the free informational meetings we will be having Fridays and Saturdays through the end of June about this new Caucus Corp effort. For more see http://Meetup.com/Caucus-Corp or call me (303)861-1447"

                                                                             ###

 John Wren is founder and CEO of Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and a long-time business consultant and community activist. He was one of the co-founders of the 2002 Save the Caucus that defeated the Caucus killing Amendment 29, despite being out spent 1400 to 1. For more see www.SmallBizChamber.org www.JohnWren.com or call (303)861-1447.

GROUP TO WORK FOR GOOD COLORADO CAUCUS IN 2018 AND BEYOND.

Save the Caucus

A Colorado political committee. John Wren, registered agent.

1881 Buchtel Blvd. #501, Denver, CO 80210   (303)861-1447.

For more contact: John Wren cell (720)495-4949

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 5, 2016

GROUP TO WORK FOR GOOD COLORADO CAUCUS IN 2018 AND BEYOND. 

“We are recruiting a state-wide network of volunteers and a steering committee,” says John Wren. 

Denver— A new Colorado political committee has been formed to do just what it’s name implies, Save the Caucus, according to John Wren registered agent of the new group. Information meetings will be held for those interested in helping. For more see http://www.COCaucus.org or call Wren at (303)861-1447

“Our focus now is 100% the Colorado Caucus, the best chance the common person has of serving in elected public office. We will recruit a working committee and then train over 3,000 volunteers across Colorado this summer. Each volunteer will work with both their Republican and Democratic precinct committee people and other neighborhood activists to make sure good leadership at the district, county and state levels for both major political parties make sure a this year’s fiasco doesn’t happen again.”

“Strong neighborhoods have good caucuses,” said Wren. Depending on local conditions, each PL (Precinct Leader) will welcome newcomers to the neighborhood, create and distribute a hyper-local newsletter, and hold neighborhood social events. Each precinct will be autonomous, Save the Caucus will provide training and other support.

“Our first jobs are to recruit a strong steering committee, raise money, and once an initial budget is approved to hire staff. We will fight to Save the Caucus in the elections next fall, fighting any Colorado Caucus killing initiative or legislation, then working to have a healthy 2018 Colorado Caucus. We expect to have a statewide event before the elections next fall, and if we’ve been successful it will involve leaders from similar efforts in other states,” said Wren.

###

John Wren is founder and CEO of Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and a long-time business consultant and community activist. He was one of the co-founders of the 2002 Save the Caucus that defeated the Caucus killing Amendment 29, despite being out spent 1400 to 1. For more see www.SmallBizChamber.org  www.JohnWren.com or call (303)861-1447.

Why Colorado legislators should vote NO on HB 16-1454. Please Share.

(Please share this with your Colorado legislators and urge your friends to do the same):

Save the Caucus! Vote NO on Colorado House Bill 1454.

The room is buzzing with conversation. Neighbors who may only have shared brief greetings in the past are now discussing pressing public policy issues and presidential candidates who will shape the nation for decades. 

Neighbors connect with each other at levels of nuance and depth that is nonexistent for passive subjects watching the nonstop chatter of today’s news media. They discover common ground that is translated into political action by their representatives at the local, state and federal levels.

This is the wonderful Colorado Caucus..  This is the grassroots of our representative democracy at its very best. In some 6,000 gatherings across Colorado citizens interact in an iron-sharpening-iron forums that challenge, enlighten, clarify. 

This is usually the Colorado Caucus, the wonderful grassroots system that has served us well since 1912 until recently. It was almost killed with a misguided experiment with a Presidential Primary for three election cycles, the test ended in 2004. It was never fully restored to health, and it has been under attack by powerful forces ever since 1912.

These forces are united by a single idea: to dupe Colorado citizens into reverting back to the pre-reform days, with party bosses having almost no oversight from rank-and-file party members.

If the Empire, in StarWars terms, fools enough into signing and then voting for Initiative 98, or right now Colorado HB 16-1454, our wonderful Coloradan grassroots will once again be replaced with the astroturf of a Presidential Primary. This is not a new fight.

Save The Caucus, a Colorado political committee, was first formed to do precisely that, to save the Colorado Caucus, which would have been killed by Amendment 29 in 2002. Despite being outspent 1400 to 1, Amendment 29 was defeated 60% to 40%.

The committee was formed by John Wren, Phil Perington, Frank & Sylvia Sullivan, Sharron and Ben Klein, , JoAnne & Dan Gray, Ruth Prendergast, Bill Armstrong and many others to fight Amendment 29, which would have killed what was left of the Colorado Caucus that had almost died trying to co-exist with expensive Presidential Primaries that were tried in 1992, 1996 and 2000. We fully re-adopted the caucus system in 2004.

Wren recently reactivated Save the Caucus with the Colorado Secretary of State and listed himself as registered agent. “Our intention was to be ready if a ballot initiative arose that would have the same impact as Amendment 29 in 2002, and that has now happened with the Secretary of State’s approval of the title of Initiative 98, the Trojan Horse legislation with a poison pill that could take either party back 100 years to the corruption that existed then that finally stopped with the progressive reforms adopted by states across the country.

Why is the Colorado Caucus worth saving? Here's what CU political scientists very familiar and experienced in it's operations before our experiment with the Presidential Primary has said:

“…(The Colorado Caucus— the unique Colorado system adopted in 1912) permits citizens to run for office even though they may not be the ‘pets’ of the party organization, and at the same time it discourages persons without any real stature and public standing from becoming candidates,” wrote Curtis Martin and Wallace Stealey of the University of Colorado, Boulder, in 1967.

Caucuses are held every other year in 3,000 neighborhoods across Colorado, often in public spaces such as schools, and also in homes that are handicapped accessible. This is the start of a process that ends up with delegates going to the Democratic and Republican national conventions, where they will vote for a nominee for each party to represent the voters in the general election. 

At each neighborhood caucus, members of one of the major political parties vote for delegates to their county assembly. At the caucus and assembly citizens have the chance to persuade their neighbors about why their preferred candidate should be elected. A candidate must garner a minimum number of votes to be presented at the next level. At the county assemblies, some of those delegates will be chosen to go to the seven congressional district assemblies and others to represent the candidate at the state assembly April 16. From there, delegates are chosen for the national convention, where they will have a chance to choose their political party’s nominee for President of the United States of America.

Some say our Colorado Caucus is too complicated. It is true that to be a self-governing citizen takes time. The obsession our culture has with instant gratification is not healthy for our society when it comes to important matters such as who represents us politically. 

"I love the caucus process," Chuck Broerman, El Paso County clerk and recorder, told the Colorado Springs Gazette in February. "I really enjoy the fact that grass-roots people can get in and participate in the process and make a decision about who the candidates are going to be."

If there are bad leaders in the party or among elected representatives, the Precinct Caucus enables concerned citizens to begin a powerful process to set a new direction.  A Presidential Primary only allows the quick pull of a lever or check of a box, the opportunity to easily correct problems is lost, which is exactly why dictatorial party leaders hate our wonderful Colorado Caucus. 

People complain that our nation’s elections are dominated by monied interests. Our 6,000 Colorado Precinct Caucus gatherings are a powerful corrective to this domination. The Colorado Caucus enables those who feel powerless to have a voice and enter the political process. Apathy about governance disappears when the politically-poor find their voice and connect with neighbors. Many, many of these formerly silent citizens over the past 100 years have subsequently been elected to public office. 

“We're systematically replacing ‘social capital’ with plain old monetary capital (with primaries),” wrote Sue O'Brien in 2002. “Colorado's traditional caucus-convention system, in contrast, rewards the shoe-leather and diligence. It provides a low-cost way for aspirants to work the neighborhoods, investing energy instead of dollars.”

Those screaming “Kill the Caucus” say the 6,000 neighborhood gatherings for a couple of hours every two years creates radicalization, but the opposite is true. When they are well led, which they were not this year, face to face discussion helps citizens realize the people they share their votes with are real human beings with similar life struggles, experiences and desires. 

Washington State has estimated changing from a Presidential Primary to a caucus-assembly system like the Colorado Caucus would save $11 million. Political parties pay for the caucus.

Cost of Presidential Primary— $Millions. The experience of shared humanity lost— Priceless. That is why it is so important that we once again Save the Caucus. Urge your Colorado legislators to vote no on 1454, it is a Colorado Caucus killer.

For more see Colorado Caucus News (click here) or call John Wren at (303)861-1447. 

John Wren is registered agent for Save the Caucus, a Colorado political committee. 1881 Buchtel Blvd #501, Denver, CO 80210

It takes a village...

New service to turn your neighborhood into a real village. Watch this: Yesterday's (Fri, 4/28) Startup Show, on Colorado Caucus.

Denver Post? Still a newspaper?

At what point do we call the Denver Post a shopper and not a newspaper? 

Past owners promoted it with a circus, today with an attack on our wonderful Colorado Caucus.

Why? Because a healthy caucus-assembly system levels the political playing field for the common person who wants to serve in elected public office.

Colorado Caucus makes it almost impossible to buy elections with advertising. And to a shopper it's all about selling more ads.

For more see http://www.Facebook.com/Colorado.Caucus.News  Save the Caucus! 

Caucus News

Colorado Caucus articles and videos posted each day on http://Facebook.com/Colorado.Caucus.News

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