Ah Dennis, I have spent many an hour for many years doing the caucus thing to find out it was the insider who got his/her way. I have served on rules committees where insiders worked to get proposed rules that they didn't like defeated. I worked on platform committees where committee chairs decided which ones to push through. You are right, if you show up you can have input. But, its my experience that you have to show up year after year after year to get to a point where your input is accepted. Mike Fratto Payne Phalen
>>> d-hill <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 11/05/2004 1:03:25 PM >>> > > Now seriously when was the last DFL endorsed Mayor elected to St > Paul? I think it was before my now Sophomore Daughter was born. John, You've misunderstood what I wrote which was: "Clearly the strongest challenger that Mayor Kelly will face will be which ever candidate wins the DFL endorsment for mayor." I never wrote that the DFL endorsed candidate would win. I do believe that candidate will survive the primary election and face Mayor Kelly in the general. I stand by that and have read nothing in your post that would lead me to think otherwise. Mayor Kelly's political base is made up of the coalition of pro life, Republican, downtown corporate community, Eastsiders voters, plus the addition of the newly defined religious conservatives. The St. Paul DFL Party's political base is made up of the coalition of pro choice, DFL, neighborhood activist, small business, organized labor, GLBT, social justice activists. Kelly will be the champion of the first coalition, if he chooses to run, and I believe he will. The DFL endorsed candidate will be the choice of the latter coalition. Contrary to what marginal supporters of the DFL like John and Erik say, the DFL is alive and well in St. Paul and continues to be the dominant player in St. Paul politics. The endorsement process is not controlled by "insiders" it is controlled by those citizens who are committed enough to the political process to take a few hours out of their lives to attend a precinct caucus and DFL convention or two. It was just demonstrated in the last election cycle that the endorsement process is still a useful tool if citizens take advantage of it. A resurgence in participation remember? A small price to pay to promote grassroots democracy in our city in my humble opinion. Dennis Hill Ward 2 DFL'er Still Blue in Minnesota! _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ St. Paul Topics - This Week: Light Rail http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul-topics _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ St. Paul Topics - This Week: Light Rail http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul-topics _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
