RSS Feeds
Categories
- Barack Obama (31)
- Bob Barr (1)
- Bullshit (5)
- Campaign Finance (1)
- Celebrity Endorsements (3)
- Charlie Crist (1)
- Chuck Norris
- Duncan Hunter
- Elephant Droppings (2)
- Florida (1)
- Fred Thompson (1)
- Fried Squirrel (2)
- Gaffes (1)
- Gov. Pawlenty (2)
- Hillary Clinton (26)
- John Cox
- John Edwards (2)
- John McCain (34)
- Local Republicans (4)
- Media (14)
- Michigan (1)
- Mike Gravel (1)
- Mike Huckabee (12)
- Minneapolis
- Minnesota Caucus (6)
- Minnesota elections (1)
- Mitt Romney (14)
- National Republicans (17)
- New Hampshire (3)
- Primary (6)
- Race Relations (2)
- Ralph Nader
- Republican National Committee
- Republican National Convention (16)
- Ron Paul (9)
- Rudy Giuliani (8)
- Sam Brownback (2)
- Sen. Norm Coleman
- Sex (6)
- Shameless Whores (4)
- St. Paul (2)
- Tom Tancredo
- cPod (1)
Archives
Recent Entries
- RNC host committee recruits steroid user to lecture us about Minnesota Nice
- Big Bet Politics: what craps and poker say about McCain and Obama
- Why Mitt Romney will be John McCain's Running Mate
- Submarines! Bullet proof luxury boxes! The RNC is coming.
- Romney: Non-proliferation is a liberal issue
- Norm Coleman Isn't Funny, But He's Trying to Be
- The Ralph Nader of 2008?
- Is Minnesota Really a Battleground State?
- Two Minnesota contests make list of seats that might flip from Republican to Democrat
- Everybody hates John McCain
Links
« Previous Post | Main | Next Post »
What a ridiculous clusterfuck
Filed under: Minnesota Caucus
I just finished "caucusing" at Rondo Education Center in St. Paul. I put the word in parentheses because it's not necessary to actually caucus in order to vote in the DFL presidential primary. You simply fill out a ballot indicating your pick--just like any other election. Yet for some ridiculous reason we're all forced to show up at the same damn time to try and vote for president.
The good news: turnout is definitely heavy. The bad news: it's a chaotic scene. I had to stand in line for 20 minutes to cast my ballot in ward one, precinct four--and I arrived even before the six o'clock door opening.
By 6:30, there were hundreds of people waiting to file into the correct classrooms to cast their ballots. There weren't nearly enough election workers to help direct traffic. The parking lot and surrounding streets were a nightmare. Undoubtedly people left before voting, rather than deal with the mess. It definitely seemed to be an overwhelmingly pro-Obama crowd.
By contrast, I've never had to wait one second in line while voting in any other election. Why the hell does Minnesota persist in staging such a ridiculous process? It seems designed to make it as difficult as humanly possible for people to vote.
A couple of (not very good) photos after the jump should give some sense of the scene.
Posted by Paul Demko at February 5, 2008 7:45 PM
« Minnesota Caucus Report: Huge Turnout! | Main | Huckaboom »
Comments
Well, I wish I could have a comparison for my district. I was, however, in Mayo Hall on campus at U. Minn. at my Environmental Policy & Politics course.
What A Clusterfuck, indeed. Except the C.f. was the choice to have some damn thing called a "caucus", which is a euphemism for "disenfranchisement of the working poor and service industry". In Michigan, I went to my NORMAL polling place any damn time between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. and voted. I don't care who you want to vote for. The rationale offered this a.m. by some political guy on MPR's Midday was that caucusing is a "community event" letting you "meet your neighbors". I see my neighbors all the damn time. I don't care how they vote. If I cared, I would talk to them about it. On my own time.
This bizarre Caucus thing is an effort to force me to try to persuade people who already think more or less like me (afterall, we're at the same caucus) that they ought to vote like me too? I don't need to be forced to do this at a specific time. I don't see any benefit to a caucus. None.
The only benefit is to keep the working poor and shift workers from having any participation in the political process. If the DFL is happy about breaking records at the turn-out last night ... perhaps the should consider that another 20-30% of the eligible voting population was denied due to their jobs.
Posted by: GopherMPH at February 6, 2008 2:04 PM
Post a comment
City Pages Insiders
- Local food, music and news blasts
- Free Stuff
