Podcast 477

Stuck With Trump. The last spate of primary results are in, ushering in the inevitable implosion of Marco Rubio’s campaign for the Republican Presidential Nomination. John Kasich wins Ohio but the delegate count continues to widen in favor of Donald Trump, thus republicans might just be Stuck With Trump. Kasich has already hired establishment operatives with experience in ‘brokered’ or ‘contested’ conventions, as the Republican Party Establishment Thugs desperately try to ignore the wishes of republican voters. The same voters the party encouraged to attend debate viewing parties, the same party that ballyhooed the ‘deep republican field of young candidates’, all of whom busted. What a surprise that a reality TV star saw a huge opportunity to take advantage of the RNC’s creation of the ‘Greatest Show On Earth’. Who’s to blame? It’s tough to say it, and tough to hear it, but not the Establishment, not the Paulites, not the Christian Evangelists. Nope. Who’s to blame? The rank and file republicans who wanted simple explanation and meme style politics. The Tea Partiers who handed out the ‘How to Argue with a Liberal’ pamphlets. The people who wanted easy explanations to complex problems. The people who only sometimes vote, who make excuses when it comes to doing any work, the republicans who talk a good freedom game but are nowhere to be seen when its time to organize, because ‘they’re working’. Ok. They should all be thrilled with Donald Trump, who is for most of the things they are against, who could be running on the same ticket as Hillary Clinton. Rubio talked about ‘conservative’ values and ‘Republicans’ in his campaign suspension announcement but didn’t define either. He never defined conservative values or republicans on the campaign trail either. None of the republican candidates have. Now they’re frantically meeting to discuss a third party candidacy, which will take an enormous amount of work on a short deadline. There’s also sudden talk of the return of Jeb Bush as the result of a brokered convention, something this podcast warned people about weeks ago. Anything to stop Trump. Yet, Trump is the candidate the republican voters deserve. Trump is the candidate they have been praying for. The guy who can win the argument. Republicans and Trump; They deserve each other. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul and Pride of Homes real estate.

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Podcast 475

Fight For Your Caucus. Web Designer, Senate District Chair and CD5 Secretary Mitch Rossow joins the podcast to talk about the latest misguided initiative by mainstream republicans in Minnesota. State Representative Steve Garofalo and others want to get rid of the caucuses in Minnesota. Oddly enough, before Super Tuesday, the reason for getting rid of the caucus system was low participation. On Super Tuesday Minnesota experienced a record turnout for its caucuses. So now, apparently, there are too many people caucusing. Isn’t that what we want? Seems like the truth is those in power don’t like the caucus system because it allows for the grass roots to develop new leaders. Critics say the caucuses are too ‘inside’, but aren’t the critics the real insiders? It would be so much easier if the goons in Saint Paul picked party leaders and candidates rather than the citizens. The caucus is one of the few opportunities average citizens have to participate in and influence the political process. Democrats in the state are concerned about this initiative, since the late Senator Paul Wellstone developed the movement that ultimately put him in office through this channel. Mitch Rossow has developed a precinct organization training program, and a training program for caucus conveners. Precinct organizing is the next step after caucuses and its the quickest way for citizens to take back their local representation and eventually state legislature and statewide offices. The enemy of the Republican is the Republican. While Democrats in the state post training videos well before caucuses, and have programs to bring volunteers in to help their caucus attendees understand the process, republicans never got around to doing much of anything to help local precincts with their caucuses. Now they want to do away with it entirely. Moral of the story; the MNGOP talks a lot about democracy and inclusiveness, but doesn’t walk the talk. One wonders what it is that they actually do; Not much of anything. Most of the time the state party is whining and asking the local political units for help. On the DFL side, it’s the reverse. Maybe there a lesson there for the entrenched perfumed princes, hidden behind a security wall at their office in Cedar Riverside. What a joke. With so many new participants this year, maybe a new crop of leaders is being harvested. It can’t happen soon enough. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating and X Government Cars.

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Podcast 463

Inside An Iowa Caucus. Live from Tennessee, we take a final look at the Iowa Caucuses, by taking subscribers inside a rural Iowa precinct caucus. Thirteen US States and 2 US territories use the caucus system. People who live in states with primary elections – where people cast a single vote on a ballot of some kind on primary election day – may hear the word ‘caucus’ but have never been inside one and don’t really understand the process. As democrats argue about how Hillary Clinton eked out a victory in the Iowa caucus, and Donald Trump making noises about Ted Cruz’ efforts to win, just how a caucus is conducted is news. In this podcast we take you inside an Iowa Caucus; The Rules, The Speeches, The Vote Counting and The Results. If you’re lucky enough to live in a state with caucuses, when you participate you’re taking part in one of the oldest democratic processes in the world. Classic representative government in Athens, Rome, and the Venetian Republic among others, allowed a sort of people’s congress. All citizens in good standing could participate in choosing candidate for leadership positions. We still do it to this day with caucuses. It’s fascinating to participate, or listen to everyday citizens conducting an orderly meeting in which leaders are nominated, voted upon, and citizens from that precinct are chosen to represent their neighbors at the next level meeting. While these podcasts have questioned Iowa’s permanent position as the first in the nation vote in presidential cycles, the commitment of its citizens to the process should be celebrated. Having escaped the snows of Des Moines and decamped to Chattanooga Tennessee, I am joined in this podcast by an old friend, who also provides some insight as to how one of the key states in the so called ‘Southeastern Conference’ may vote on Super Tuesday. From here, its on to South Carolina, where all the campaigns are headed after New Hampshire. This concludes the Iowa Caucus portion of 2016 coverage for the Bob Davis Podcasts. A few days of barbecue, shooting and some southern hospitality and we’re back on the road again. (Big thanks to John Berg of Jefferson, Iowa for inviting the Bob Davis Podcasts into his precinct caucus!) Sponsored by Brush Studio and Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul.

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