Dear Editor,

I suppose my wife and I, like other Caucus attendees, had no clear idea what was to be discussed and accomplished at the Republican Caucus.  We knew that the local Caucus would select who our county’s hoice for a Presidential Candidate would be, but that was the only thing we knew for certain.  We did accomplish that goal which was then tabulated on the State Level.  Donald J. Trump won resoundingly!

 

From the standpoint of a disappointed Caucus goer I’d like to make some recommendations to our local folks who plan and run these Caucuses.  Perhaps I’ve missed something in which case forgive me.

 

Before Caucus day

Preliminary information should be available to all attendees on the Slates, how they are created, the rules and information needed to create and submit said Slates.  The excitement causing people to leave could have been avoided entirely if folks knew, had time, and rules to put together their own Slates. Maybe some did but that wasn’t evident to us.  Don’t assume all those on those lists will be present unless it is mandatory.  Tell people!  This should have been conveyed to any and all well before gathering for the Caucus so that more than 1 Slate could be created and voted on (a website?).  When there is only 1 Slate, people are going to question why.  From their perspective, it appears to those at the Caucus that there is no other Slate but the one presented, and it is being forced upon attendees.  Even if there is time and an agenda step to create one on the fly, if you don’t know that going in, you will never be able to accomplish what is needed to create a valid Slate in real time because all your recommendations may require those people to be present.   

 

Caucus day

There should have been an agenda for what we needed to accomplish.  This agenda should have been part of the Platform document which was handed out to each attendee or shown on slides at minimum.  No matter if the agenda comes in paper format, or projected as a slide presentation, the presenter ought to step though it and briefly discuss the need and deliverable for each item.  Ideally, this would also be available online well before the date of the Caucus. 

If you are building a Slate, apparently you need to have the people you are nominating physically present.  It would be useful to know what information they are expected to share with the other attendees, you know a thumbnail biography.

Again, these are my ideas on what might be improved in this process.  As I’m not part of the group planning or running the Caucus I’m uncertain who to discuss this with other than going to the list of Platform Committee Members.

 

Miscellaneous

Contact Information for the Platform Committee Members ought to be available for attendees with questions prior to the Caucus.

 

Troy Galebach

Willow Springs, MO