Caucus is coming up on March 4th. Since the precincts were renumbered many Republicans will have to figure out their new caucus meeting locations. Caucus locations used to also be voting locations, but mail-in ballots have evidently made polling places obsolete, at least for the time being.
So, caucus meetings are the last remaining face-to-face official political event for the small minority of average voters who don’t operate the machineries of the political parties, but who like to get out one evening every two years and do something political.
After the last Colorado governor’s race and the guy who Republicans now dare-not-speak-his-name, the near loss of Republican majority party status in the state, the experience of being had by the Democrat “Blueprint,” and the effect of new-media sunshine in that at any instant a broadcast publication on social media could launch from any room, there’s definitely a caution in the air. Speakers are more careful about creating an inconvenient sound bite. Some seem less spontaneous and more scripted.
With the exposure of the Left’s Blueprint for Colorado and the revelation that large sums of money wait in the wings to exploit any spinnable factoid for political advantage, a certain amount of caution is warranted. A couple candidates are taking it to the point of closing off debate forums entirely, under the theory that the reality of their meaning will be spun by adverse political and media forces no matter what they say, so they’re just not going to say anything.
This represents an imposed caucus disempowerment. Caucuses can’t function without discussable content.
I’m sure that once the candidates get into true two-party debates and the playing field is levelled, political disclosures will come fast and furious from all sides.
Also, consider that the historical manipulability of candidate selections by caucus party insiders may have run its course to some extent. Technological evolution forces adaptations. If the cloaks and cloak rooms of the past no longer shelter participants from scrutiny, then those folks must adapt to operate in a new reality.
The right questions directed toward leadership can bring out some good analysis if the leaders are honest with themselves and with their audiences. Candor is always appreciated and I’m seeing much more of it. Those speakers uncomfortable with candor may stand out more. Must not make eye contact, must not. . . Too much! But it’s all good fun, at least until the polls close and you find out what harmful edicts the opposition will be shoving down your throat for the next two years. Hopefully the tide will turn this year and we won’t experience those revelations once again.
Elbert County Republicans have never advanced caucus resolutions to the state party for further action. Either they just never got around to it, or perhaps the resolutions were never sufficiently cleaned up to make them worth advancing. This year could be different.
Caucuses have a right to pass resolutions for consideration at the County Assembly on March 29th. In the past those resolutions have not been rationalized at the assembly. Conflicting resolutions were allowed to stand, and the whole resolutions business came at the end of the assembly day when everyone was tired and disinterested. The necessary assembly discussions did not occur.
This year, resolutions are scheduled for assembly discussion and approval, in detail, from 10:00 – 12:00 a.m., prior to commencement of the remaining assembly business. This opportunity should give Elbert County Republicans a chance to pass a set of harmonized, non-contradictory resolutions that can be sent up the party chain of command.
More importantly, out of this process, resolutions concerning local matters should carry more persuasive weight with county leadership.
If you don’t like how much of our local media constantly push an opposition agenda designed to shift debate to the left, the Republican caucus resolution process presents a great opportunity to voice some leadership direction to Elbert County in an authoritative manner. Republican caucus attendees, who show up to act in the capacity of representing the big majority of Elbert County voters, should bring that language to their caucuses. Don’t waste the opportunity! Make those resolutions persuasively, get them passed, debate them at the county assembly on the 29th, and give some real direction to this county.
Republicans can stop reacting to the leftist juggernaut and get out in front of it. We have the tools and we have the numbers, if we’d just use them.