Where Does a Republican Go to Resign?

Well, I attended my county’s Republican Caucus last night. What a fiasco! Two firsts combined to make the night disorganized and a bit of an irritation. First, Minnesota usually has its caucuses in March. That might have been okay in the day pre-television and pre-Internet, but it really is no longer the case. When you have watched state after state submit their results and a front-runner is already clearly established, taking part in the process seems a waste of time. Other people have already selected the Republican Party nominee for you. Your vote really doesn’t seem to matter that much. This year Minnesota was part of Super Tuesday! Next, inexplicably, unlike in past years, our County Republican Caucus was held all at one place. All the precincts met at the High School. You wouldn’t believe the crowd if I told you. I probably shouldn’t tell you that the number of people packed into the cafeteria all at one time would not have pleased the Fire Marshall. The members of the planning committee were obviously at a loss. I could forgive their lack of organization and foresight, but I actually was quite disappointed in the content of the meeting.

One of the “main” items on the agenda was learning more about the various candidates. (The other main items were to discuss resolutions to the state’s Republican platform and to elect delegates to the County’s Republican Convention.) Uh, do you think reading a one-page political propaganda letter from the two front-runners qualifies as learning more about the candidates, as in ALL the candidates? I felt as if the leaders of the party had already predetermined that these two candidates were the only worthy candidates and were dictating how the attendees should vote. I am not sure I can forgive being treated so paternalistically.

Senator Ingebrigtsen who represents our district at the state level was there to talk about what is happening in state politics. During his talk, he flippantly mentioned that 45% of Minnesota’s budget goes for education. Yes almost half! So what are we getting for our investment? First, I want to give this young man credit. At almost 18, I would not have spent a Tuesday night at a political caucus. However, a young man volunteered to read a letter from one of the candidates. He stumbled over much of the letter. At first I thought that he was nervous speaking in front of the almost 900 people who were gathered in the cafeteria. But, it became increasingly apparent that this young man was not functionally literate. One of the words he had to read was vociferous. Not only couldn’t he read it; he couldn’t sound it out. Someone on the planning committee had to tell him what the word was. He is a senior; he is graduating… from a public school in a state which has as a goal preparing 80% of high school students for college. Unbelievable! Forget college; teach our children to read!

As we were leaving the school, we walked past a row of school buses. I don’t know what they were doing there or why they were all running. The smell of the exhaust combined with the suddenly extremely cold air irritated my airways and caused me to start coughing. My husband is so funny. He decided on the way home if carbon dioxide is a green house gas causing global warming, we could fix the problem of global warming and balance the budget in one fell swoop by eliminating public schools and ergo the need for busing. I wonder what my state would do if it suddenly freed up all that money? Do you think we could get anyone to consider this? I am only partially kidding. I am not against public education. How can someone make an educated vote for a candidate without being educated? But, I am against the education monopoly that exists in our current system.

“This is your time to speak now or forever hold your peace for another two years.” ~ Ron Carey, the state GOP chair.

Well, I spoke now. My candidate of choice did not win and it looks like John McCain will be the Republican nominee for president. I will not vote for John McCain, even if he does have an (R) after his name. Where do I go to sign up for the Libertarian Party? I have learned something about myself during this election year. Sorry Dad, I am not a Republican. I am not even a Conservative in the strictest sense of the word; I am an anti-Federalist, a too strong, too powerful national government encroaches on the freedoms of the state and the individuals. Life would be so easy if everyone thought just like me. Boring, but easy…