The Washington caucus is coming up in early March [in the comments N in Seattle points out the GOP caucus is March 3 and the Dems are April 15], and it seems to me that liberals and moderates who want to get involved have a few options:
First, caucus for Obama. You’re not going to decide the nomination, but it’s still worthwhile to show your support.
It’s also your only real chance to change the platform. While most of the platform will be whatever Obama wants, there will be a push for a marriage equality plank. It probably won’t be a floor fight or anything like that, but every vote for delegates who support that plank is helpful. In any event, you don’t get to have your say on the final product unless you show up.
The second option is the chaos option. Goldy outlined it here. Vote for Santorum, and hope that it gives him the momentum to eat up Romney resources. The fight will ultimately hurt them.
I’m not convinced that this is a good idea for a few reasons. Primary elections are generally good for the party that has them. They get to test their message, they get to build organizations early. While this year may be different, it doesn’t seem like we need to take that chance with Obama already ahead in the polls. The other reason is I really don’t want Rick Santorum to win Washington. Even if he loses the nomination, every state he wins mainstreams his horrible philosophy. I for one, don’t want to say I helped increase his speaking fees, got him more TV time, or made outright opposition to birth control more mainstream in this country.
So if you’re looking to move the Republican party with your caucus vote, I’d like to recommend a third option: Fred Karger. No, he isn’t going to win. But voting for him sends a much more clear message than voting for Satorum, or even Obama. It says to the GOP enough with demonizing gay people and trying to push women’s rights back to where we’re arguing about birth control.
So I’m probably going to show up for Karger. Who knows? In Seattle, there might be few enough delegates that I can take that message to the next level.
Carl, only the Republicans are running precinct caucuses on March 3. The Democratic precinct caucuses are scheduled for Sunday, April 15, at 1pm.
Therefore, there’s no need to choose between Obama and chaos. You can do both … the party caucuses come six weeks apart.
In my neighborhood, finding a Republican caucus might be hard (central Wallingford), but if there is one, don’t you have to give them your name, address and phone number. And while making them use up resources sending me stuff might not be a bad idea, it’s the phone calls I don’t want.
Breadbaker, to locate your caucus location you can go to the KCGOP site (if you dare) and use their tool.
Dollars to doughnuts, it’ll be Roosevelt School. That’s where I would go, and I’m in Fremont. There are only about a dozen Republican caucus sites in the entire city.
I couldn’t stand to be in the same room with most of the Rs I know.
Just too much stupid in one place.
4
No shit. I’d have to shower for an hour just to get the stink off if I had to caucus with them. Then, I’d have to get stinking drunk to wash off the cranial residue.