Where is your caucus meeting?

Click on this Minnesota Precinct Caucus Finder.

Precinct caucuses are coming up Tuesday evening, February 5^th,at 7:00 PM. We may be tempted to ask if attending is really worth it. Keep in mind that the world of politics does belong to those who show up. This is as true today as it has ever been. It's the first step on the road to the 2008 elections!

Every eligible Minnesota voter is eligible to participate in a Minnesota political party's precinct caucuses. The different political parties gather in different locations in each community in the state.

At the caucuses you will register your preference for your favorite presidential candidate. You will also elect people ("delegates") to represent your wishes at the next level conventions. These delegates will then endorse the party's legislative candidates! If we want legislators who represent us on our many education issues, show up on February 5^th, be elected as your precinct's delegates, and elect other delegates who also support our issues.

Finally, the caucuses decide which platform resolutions are forwarded to that party's next level conventions. Attending your caucus is one of the biggest ways individuals make a difference in how our government is run and who runs it.

The caucuses are a significant opportunity to have your voice heard. Several months ago we were guests at a meeting with Phyllis Schlafly of Eagle Forum. Phyllis is a veteran of party platforms efforts. She said that she was again expecting an effort to dilute the Republican Party platform. We need people involved, she said, starting with the caucuses, to protect that platform.

The political pundits and insiders always say, of course, that the platform is irrelevant. (They are really saying that they want to disregard the convictions of grassroots citizens.) Don't listen to them. The platform defines the political parties and identifies which policies they are obligated to support, as well as the policies the parties are to oppose. Platforms are important.

On the Republican side, for example, EdWatch supporters have written some very good planks into the Minnesota platform over the last several years-planks that promote knowledge-based education, teaching the principles of freedom stated in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and planks that encourage promoting strong traditional families in the schools (not fantasy families such as gay partners who want to marry and adopt children). While not all legislators follow their party's platform, platforms exert influence on which candidates are endorsed and what legislators will support.

EdWatch supporters have also passed planks that oppose destructive policies-such as the un-American International Baccalaureate (IB) program, anti-family universal pre-school, required "mental screening," personally invasive student surveys, excessive student drugging, and transformational education which focuses on changing students' attitudes, beliefs and values to match that of the Left.

We need to be there to be vigilant to keep these important planks in the platform! We also recommend strengthening the platform with several new planks. They are:

1. We oppose public schools adopting "fuzzy math" curriculum, also called "reform math" and "Everyday Math". (Explanation: students schooled in fuzzy math instead of traditional math such as Singapore math or Saxon math are at a huge disadvantage, especially in being able to do college-level math. California adopted reform math state-wide in the early nineties. In two years, average math scores of California K-12 students on the Stanford test dropped by 10 percentile points. California then threw out fuzzy math because of the horrendous results. See more EdWatch information here and here.)

2. We oppose public schools adopting educational programs or the use of textbooks in public schools that undermine the foundational principles of the United States as stated in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. (Explanation: "International Education" such as International Baccalaureate and some textbooks, including some subsidized by our tax dollars, directly undermines this American Creed. See more EdWatch information here, here and here.)

3. We oppose public schools adopting programs or curricula that undermine Christianity or any of its denominations. (Explanation: programs such as "Religion in American History." created by the 3Rs Project. directly undermine Christianity. Such programs clearly contradict the First Amendment to the Constitution. See more EdWatch information here.)

As you can see, there will be substantial public support for all these resolutions. The public just needs to know something about the issues involved. The resolutions have the twin goals of improving the Party Platforms and, at the same time, informing the public about these issues. We encourage you to submit these new planks to the platforms as you attend your precinct caucus.

Yes, the caucuses are important. We need to be there.