Caucus Results

Newcastle Caucus Site Maybe

Caucus Confusion – What Happened??:
Once upon a time in a land far, far away there lived a magical princess. She turned into a frog and lived happily ever after among the lily pads. The end.

Well, we went to a caucus. The first item of business was to enter the room (gym) which revealed our party choice. Then we had to reveal our choice for presidential candidate. Normally we’re allowed to keep our choices private.

Then we tell everyone in our group why we think this person is the right one. Again, I thought our reasons for favoring a particular person were not something we had to explain.

Finally, after a few of the group defect to a different choice we begin the process of selecting delegates. These delegates will then be subjected to another caucus in a few weeks. After that another caucus selects delegates to the next one. Finally at the state convention delegates are selected to send to the national convention. Its months before the real results of the Washington State Caucuses will be known.

However news reporters told everyone on earth the exact numbers from yesterday’s preview, preliminary, non-counting caucuses.

At the national party conventions delegates are only obligated to announce their preferences during the first roll call. If no winner is selected during that first round everyone is allowed to change their position.

Here’s why “THEY” think this is OK. Each political party (all 7) thinks it’s their job to select their candidate for the presidential election. Allowing peasants to participate in a caucus is their way of legitimizing their selections. If I, a private citizen, wish to support the magical princess who now lives among the lily pads then I have the option of forming my own political party. I can raise funds, make campaign signs, and talk until my head explodes. But if I say I belong to any of the existing parties then I’m also saying I support the person that party selects as their candidate. And only after the parties have finally decided which individual they will run, plus a running mate, will I get to vote in the general election. That’s the first time my vote will count. And as usual whoever I vote for will probably lose. Happens a lot.

OK, this sounds like my person lost. That’s not the point. Maybe we accidentally supported the right person and maybe we didn’t. Holy cats, maybe the smart people were at another party’s caucus. Bummer.

Well, now you pretty much know why I mostly don’t talk about national politics. Millions of smarter and more productive people can do that much better than I can. The Republicans, for example, even have their own news network. The Democrats have George W sending votes by the ton their way. I don’t need to get in the middle of that. I can barely keep track of the 82 unit affordable housing branch library parking garage city hall in Newcastle. I wonder if it’ll have a lily pond.

By the way, the “magical princess” is not a reference to any person (or Senator) currently running. It refers to my personal hero who, due to their frog like appearance, is not considered electable but would make an outstanding president. Really.

Al