I guess I'm taking bar room conversation as fact without checking and I
apologize. Never the less, a few people felt left out of the process enough to
mention it albeit not on the list.
I happen to know a few people who wanted to become delegates but weren't
elected in their local precincts. There may be other legitamiate reasons for
this however. I'm somehat sensitive to complaint by newcommers about being cut
out of the process....somthing which happens in all political parties.
That said, I still have no one inspring for whom to vote in my own council race.
Tamir Nolley
Holland
The New Ward 1
Dorian Eder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>Tamir:
>
>Then why were so many local DFLers who supported presidential candidates other
>than Kerry, especially Kucinich supporters kept from being delagates? Why are
>there so many progressives, or people who want change within the DFL, unable
>to get their concerns addressed?
>
>
Tamir,
I am depply involved in the local DFL and can sincerely state that this
statement is not true. Kucinich delegates had a huge turnout at our
district convention and went on to be elected delegates to the state and
Congressional District conventions in numbers that far surpassed their
percentage of supporters in the electorate. In the 5th CD, Kucinich
delegates dominated the Nominations committee, and promoted many from
within their ranks to party leadership. I, myself, was a Dean supporter
and delegate and had no trouble with that. Kerry was not the obvious
choice, even as late as March when our precinct caucuses were held.
More to your original post about the DFL endorsement - that endorsement
can only be won with 60% of the votes from the delegates. Unfortunatley
or not, delegate slots are rarely competitive and anyone who wants to be
among those voters usually has no problem becoming one. It is an open
process. And I say that as someone who lat year sought the DFL
endorsement and lost. Because I believed the process was fair and open,
I chose not to run against the endorsed candidate. Nobody forced me to
make that decision.
I share some of your concerns about PR. Especially as a resident of
Northeast, which is already seriously under-represented in local
government at-large bodies, I fear the Southwest would simply dominate
the council because they have higher turnout. The areas of our city
with the lowest voter turnout (Near North, Dinkytown), could become the
next 'flyover country'. Those seeking election wouldn't have to spend
their time or resources trying to gain their (relatively) small number
of votes. Ask anyone who's run for an at-large office lately where they
put their time and money.
As for independents and thrid partiers having a fair shot, I think there
are some ways to level the playing field. First, Primaries are the best
way to do this. You don't need party endorsement to run in a primary
(Ask RT, Don Samuels or Arne Carlson). If you can make your case to the
voters, you can advance to the general election. This is especially
true of our 'nonpartisan' city offices because the entire field runs in
the primary regardless of party affiliation or endorsement. I'd also be
intersted in exploring ways of using party fusion, or dual-endorsement.
It seems that if you can convince 60% of the delegates in any party to
support you, you should win their endorsement (s).
-Dorian Eder
Windom Park
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