So, yesterday's exercise in democracy: the local GOP caucuses.

.
I haven't been to the caucuses for 4 years, so it was with some interest that I went to see the going's on... and to look at public response to the current scenario confronting us. I thought, "There should be a huge turn out, given the horrific job the democrats are doing at every level."

There wasn't.

About 40 people showed up. 3 or 4 precincts had no one at all. My precinct was represented by, well, me and my wife; which also describes 2 or 3 others. One precinct had 12 people show up.

I was hoping for more as an indicator. I was disappointed.

No candidates showed up. One person spoke for Ann Rivers, candidate in the 18th District House race; one for Craig Williams, candidate for US Senate. (As a brief aside, the guy who spoke for Ann spoke off-the-cuff for 45 seconds or so, the woman who spoke for Williams read a massive amount of text off of a web page from a netbook. It was mind-numbing, and bizarre to talk about maybe 20 different subjects at the same time; very difficult to remember any of it.)

A letter was read from State Senator Don Benton (R-17) thanking everyone there for taking the time to show up and asking folks to check out his website. Another letter was read from Jaime Herrera, a typical written-for-her yawner.

Only two candidates had literature there: Ann Rivers and Shannon Barnett... who still doesn't seem to have a campaign web site up. (How's that working out for you, Shannon?)(At least this time, he was smart enough not to mention Herrera.)

Barnett used a cute dodge to scam a list: he put out a "survey" that he'll ignore, except to get names and address off of those who actually believe the results of the surveys mattered.

No other candidates showed up; no other candidates had literature; and no other candidates had any campaign representatives.

We did a part where candidate stuff was done (speakers and the like) a part where resolutions were done (a resolution was passed demanding a vote on this ungodly bridge/loot rail waste among others) and then each precinct voted for county convention delegates.

That was pretty much the whole deal; a rather eloquent exercise in democracy.

Now, some might be just the tiniest bit confused at my multiple protestations on this blog that I am no longer a part of the GOP. If so, then why did I go to their caucuses, and why go to their convention?

Information.

No, I'm not a spy. But *I* need information, so *I* can tell what's going on.

Now, as a convention delegate, I expect all the candidates will be sending me stuff. And from that "stuff," I can glean bits of information, critiquing those running to oust the democrats who've managed to so cluelessly fly this country into the ground.

I mean, Herrera's already sent me a fund raising letter. And in her rather bizarre letter, read at the caucus, she mentioned her worthless endorsement by Slade, continued to pound away at her "Senior Legislative Aide" lie, and her spin about "raising the most money in the last 15 days" of the reporting period was as worthless as she is.

So, it's reasonable to expect that a forest's worth of pulp will be coming my way.... and at the same time, I can start a push from the ground up to get our commissioners to run the county wide advisory vote that should have been done years ago.... so we can finally drive a stake through the heart of the idiotic nonsense that is the waste of $100,000,000 (so far) on a bridge we don't need, and loot rail we don't want.

It was interesting to interact with others as concerned as I am over the damage the left is causing to this country. But it was not the overwhelming response I anticipated.

One has to wonder.... why? The dissatisfaction with leftist government is palpable. If the GOP can find a way to tap into that rage, then 94 will look like a fender-bender for the left in comparison.

But if they can't get past the abysmal failures of GOP congressional control... if they can't find a way to convince the people that THIS time, they MEAN it when they say "smaller, more efficient government.... then nothing will happen.

Cross posted on Jaime Herrera Watch.
.