Can Democrats execute on fundamentals?

Have you ever heard the Will Rogers quotation: “I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat.”  I no longer find it amusing. As of the end of May, 2022, the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor party is continuing to ask for funds for the midterm elections. In particular, the Senate DFL Caucus, is asking for a donation to “flip 3 seats in the Minnesota Senate.” They continue, “We need to build a massive grassroots movement to get out the vote in every corner of the state.” Unfortunately, for those of us who live in Senate District 28, the Minnesota DFL web site lists only one DFL endorsed candidate, for House District 28B. THERE IS NO DFl- ENDORSED SENATE CANDIDATE LISTED for SD28.

SD28 is, for the most part, comprised of Chisago and Isanti counties. The Chisago-Isanti DFL has a web site. It does not mention nor identify DFL candidates, at least as of about mid-day on May 31, 2022. We have a House candidate for district 28b on the state site but none I can find for 28a.

The Minnesota DFL state convention was held on May 20 - 22, more than a week ago. I’ve yet to locate the link on the DFL convention web site that leads to a list of which candidates were endorsed. As of mid-afternoon today, the Ballotpedia web site lists no DFL candidates for SD28. [There are also a number of other Senate and House districts with no DFL candidate listed.]

Are you ready to vote?

Photo by J. Harrington

Perhaps it's just my perspective on things but I find it extremely difficult to get engaged in a massive grassroots effort with a political party that has such difficulty organizing and communicating and getting candidate’s boots on the ground. Several weeks ago I filled out a questionnaire to serve as a district director in SD28. I never heard back until I received an email several days after the convention asking if I still wanted to serve since I had missed the convention and some other meeting. I responded that no one had told me my “application” had been accepted.

I’m definately planning on voting. I will, most likely, use a tactic I learned way back in time and space when I lived in Massachusetts. I’ll only vote for candidates I approve of, not an entire party ticket. That may mean there will be Democrats who won’t get my vote,just as the party won’t get my $$. I will research candidates in my congressional and legislative district and may make a contribution directly to their campaigns. To the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party? Meh!

[UPDATE: MinnPost has a web page devoted to MN House and Senate candidates.]

The Process

By Dilruba Ahmed

So grateful the process is clean

and faithful. Does not cheat

like a disenchanted spouse

dozing on a haggard couch.

Take heart: the process is always right — 

is automatic, phlegmatic. Clean, cold,

and always refreshing. Brewed to perfection

some say. Guaranteed to satisfy

you might say. Give thanks the process

is organized. Synchronized and sterilized.

Optimized but not disguised, like

the grown man at my door long after

trick-or-treaters have gone, hand

outstretched, mask covering his eyes.

Thankful, too, for the oversight: no

boogeyman standing over the drain pipe,

clogging it with debris when no one sees

so he can charge you your life

for the cleaning; name your price.

And how shall we praise the instruments

of investigation? So shiny, so new, gleaming

with silver and glass? No traces of fingerprints

or funders. No whispered voices

softly requesting, of the results, a first glance.

There’s no need to come clean. We know

the process won’t fall prey to steak and wine

and then slink upstairs to spend some time,

just a little. The process doesn’t. The process

wouldn’t. The process isn’t that kind.

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