If You Can’t Stand Crowds, Go To A Party Precinct Caucus
It’s caucus day in Washington state.
If that concept doesn’t register with you, you’re probably among the majority. As political events go, participation in Democratic and Republican precinct caucus meetings is notoriously skimpy . Next to them, the most dismal off-year primary election turnout looks robust.
That’s significant. In presidential election years, the caucuses are critical in determining which candidates this state’s delegates support at national nominating conventions.
Even in non-presidential years, the precinct gatherings are the mechanism for establishing control of local political parties.
Yet these meetings are anything but smoke-filled rooms. They are open to one and all, a perfect counterpoint to those who complain that the political system shuts them out.
A countywide list of caucus locations was published in Sunday’s Spokesman-Review but you still can find out where yours will be held (all start at 7:30 p.m.) by calling the Democrats at 324-8525 or the Republicans at 838-6162.
If you go, call Bagpipes to tell us how it went. If you’re a regular, tell us why. Regardless of whether you attend, let us know how this system supports a democratic form of government.
Did job loss justify light sentence?
Former Spokane Police Officer Mark Meehan forgot whose side he was supposed to be on.
As a cop, he was expected to enforce the law. But because of his personal relationship with a woman who broke the law, he made some bad choices. He broke the law, too.
Last month, Meehan was convicted of two counts of obstructing other officers, those charges stemming from his having tried to help his woman friend conceal her identity.
On Thursday, visiting District Court Judge David Frazier of Whitman County rejected a prosecutor’s recommendation that Meehan be sentenced to 60 days in jail. Instead, Frazier ordered 160 hours of community service and only 10 days in jail.
The judge noted that Meehan already had been punished by losing his job and “leaving a career you seemed to love.”
Meehan apparently didn’t love his career enough to uphold its standards, but never mind that. When was the last time you heard of a judge softening the sentence because a crook’s actions cost him or her a job?
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