Experienced Caucus-Goers Differ About Meetings’ Worth

Precinct caucuses must be “what the founding fathers had in mind for the democratic process,” says Jan Polek of Spokane.

When Republican and Democratic caucuses were held throughout the state of Washington on Tuesday evening, Polek joined with other Democrats from 17 precincts meeting at Mullan Road School.

“The caucus reflected the recent national polls, which show that citizens care primarily about substantive issues such as education, good jobs, welfare reform,” she said.

“Our caucus,” said Polek, “took decisive stands affirming the nurses’ position in the Sacred Heart (Medical Center) dispute, denouncing Initiative 200 (which would repeal affirmative action), urging more study in the EWU-WSU controversy, declaring welfare reform punitive for women and children and demanding campaign finance reform now.”

Just how much weight those stands will carry as they move farther up the political hierarchy is an open question, suggests C.F. Brenton of Spokane.

“I attended my party’s precinct caucus in times past,” said Brenton. “We made decisions. We voted on things. I became a delegate to the county convention.”

But by the time he got there, he said, party leaders at the convention already had their agenda settled.

“There, I found that no one cared an ounce for the precinct conclusions,” Brenton said, adding he had the same experience at least twice.

“We saw that county leaders … had everything laid out and all we were allowed to do was vote ‘yes.”’

Said Brenton, who no longer attends precinct caucuses: “I don’t doubt the county delegates are treated the same way at state conventions. I don’t doubt that state delegates are treated the same way at national conventions.”

Ellen McCabe of Spokane has been a convention delegate, too, but she comes away from the experience with a different attitude.

“As far as the democratic system goes, it was really great,” she said.

“It is the greatest opportunity for people to just get in there and have their say, and have some input toward the whole system and toward making up the platform. I’d like to hold onto the caucus.”

She also said the caucus meetings and discussions that occur there afford participants an excellent source of education about issues.

, DataTimes MEMO: “Bagpipes” appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. To respond, call Cityline at 458-8800, category 9881, from a Touch-Tone phone; or send a fax to 459-5098 or e-mail to dougf@spokesman.com. You also can leave Doug Floyd a message at 459-5577, extension 5466.