Vol. 5, No. 3
.jpg)
December 1, 2007
Nevada's Online State News Journal
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| . | |||||||
 |
Find Out
More About Our Wonderful State. |
COPYWRITING
|
|
Caucus Fever? Not
An Epidemic
Party Bosses Are Ready, Maybe,
But Those Registered Are Not
In just six weeks from this publication date, Nevadans that are registered in one or the other of the two major political parties will be asked to make their choices for president known. A political caucus is not a primary election and those casting ballots will be selecting delegates to conventions, not candidates for president. Delegates will attend the national party conventions in the summer of 2008 and represent the candidates chosen at the caucuses.
A caucus is a highly structured operation in which many don't participate. January 19 has been chosen by both the Republican and Democratic parties as the date for the 2008 presidential caucus in Nevada. In order to participate, you must be registered in one of the parities before December 19, less than three weeks from today (December 1). The rules are rather simple:
• be registered,
• show up,
• vote.
Of course we are still talking about politics, so each party has created a mish mash of things that make them seem like they are actually accomplishing something. Before attending your caucus, we strongly recommend that you read a little about how they want to do things. For the Republican Caucus, go to http://www.nvgopcaucus.com, and for the Democratic Caucus, go to http://www.nvdemscaucus.com. The information presented is much more complete than many people expected.
In November 2008 registered voters across the country will elect a new president, an entire House of Representatives, and select members of the Senate. State, county, and local representatives will also have a place on the ballots of the nation, as well as myriad issues and initiative petitions. To focus only on the presidential election is to make yourself open to attack from local politicians. They have far more control of taxes and other budgetary issues than any president has ever had. Join the debate over the next president by all means, but become as aware as possible over the local issues for they will be the ones you will be paying for. For years and years to come.
The early caucuses in Nevada were designed as a public relations stunt to get news coverage of the Silver State across the nation. As a PR stunt, they are a failure. One debate in which Nevada was only the local joke, and a few visits that went unnoticed in the national press. It was noted in deeply philosophical news reports that some candidates actually knew how to pronounce Nevada. What is happening is a million registered voters are left in the dark. Polls have been taken and many people are telling pollsters whom they would like to see as the next president, but when questioned about attending the local caucus, they are mute. As mentioned, a political caucus is not a primary election. Nevada will hold primary elections in September, but those running for president will not be on the ballot. Only congressional, legislative and local candidates will be on the September primary ballots.
The other parties in Nevada, Libertarian, Green, and Independent American are not holding party caucuses. The Green Party hasn't updated its web site since February of this year and the Independent American Party is discussing 2005 candidates on its web site. The Libertarian Party is active but not holding a caucus. For more information, go to http://www.lpnevada.org.
•••
____________________