Message to Ralph Nader

Behold the strange eloquence of online anonymity.



You know what, Ralph? I agree that the concept of "taking votes away" is, in your words, pernicious (and simplistic). I agree that many of the ideas you articulate are human, relevant, real, and important. I sincerely want them to be part of the national dialouge. And there is so much to be said for forcing "them" to either A: argue against it, or B: get off the pot and make it happen.

From what I've seen of your stance on Obama, you are impressed by his power to bring people together. You generally admire his ethics, and want him to press more fully and powerfully for the issues that, to your mind, he is not pushing for hard enough.

My thought is this: go talk to the man. Tell him what you think. Work with his campaign. Engage his thoughts and - this is the big one - help him become the kind of president that the rest of us know he can be. When you position yourself in opposition to him, the implication to many people is that he opposes your values, whether that is the case or not. By merit of his character and conviction, Barack Obama is the person I want making decisions. But that doesn't mean that -secretly, when no one is watching - I wish that the political environment allowed him to go further. You go further. But you don't survive in election politics.

Don't give up. I really believe you can be of service. You can work with him, speak to him, entrust in his sense of the common man and the strength of your positions to come to a working solution. But now, perhaps, it is time to take a more humble role that what you might wish. Now, Ralph, you have the unique opportunity to cooperatively shape policy with the person this country so desperately needs in the White House. A non-corporate candidate. A human being of principle, who truly appreciates the diversity of the human experience, and will apply his intelligence in the service of his fellow man.

Just recognize this: that man is not you.

The Unlikely Story that is America

Caucii FAQ - A Public Service of Beckett, Inc.

Yes yes y'all: tomorrow is the moment. Washington State will caucus at 1 PM on Saturday, February 9th, 2008, and believe me, the world will be watching. Tomorrow is big; tomorrow is HUGE; tomorrow makes an Andre the Giant look like Gary Coleman.

But why? What the hell is this all about? I've heard about 50 variations on this question over the past few weeks, and what I've realized is that the vast majority of voters (even "good" or "regular" voters) are ignorant about the process by which the Republican and Democratic Parties choose their candidate.

I'd like to put you at ease and say that you shouldn't feel bad, wrong, or (heavens forbid) guilty about it. My own opinion (like you asked) is that there is a fundamental inaccessibility inherent to the structure of our current political parties, and our collective lack of understand is a symptom of our faulty system - an issue I may cover in a future blog, but will highlight briefly in the following section on primaries vs. caucii. The real point is that it's beyond complex and extremely confusing. My intention is to provide some clarity, as well as some thoughts that might serve you well tomorrow in your patriotic endeavors. I also intend to coin the term "caucii".

I'm thinking a quick story might be illuminating. My apologies if you've heard it before. And, if you know me, you almost certainly have.

I attended my first caucus in 2004 at the behest of my best friend's mom, who informed me that I would "simply love it" without explaining further. Nothing about me at the time really screamed "potential"; I was jobless, out of school, broke, a head full of dredlocks and just a little angsty with life in general. But I know my own mind, and I speak it fairly well, and I was pretty damn sure I wasn't in to this Bush character. Hell, if I could play a small part in making sure he didn't screw things up any worse than he already had, I'd at least feel like I accomplished something. With that thought, I decided to attend this crazy "caucus" of which I'd heard so much.

I showed up. I sat at my table (GAMBLEWOOD 454 REPRESENT!). And I spoke my mind. And when it was over, someone said, "You'd better be a delegate to the next caucus," to which I replied, "There's ANOTHER ONE??"

Oh yes. And I went to Boston. And it was incredible. But that's another story.

The real story, the real hero, is this small, funky thing called a "caucus" that in so many ways embodies the better nature of our political system. It's imperfect, and often unwieldy, but in the hands of the wise it can work miracles. I make no claims to expertise - and in fact would welcome dissenting or more factual information - but, as promised to my friends, here is the Official Jessica Beckett Breakdown of Caucusing. Some restrictions may apply.*

Okay, so, what is a caucus?

A caucus is a system that a political party (Democratic, Republican, Green, whatever Ron Paul is) can use to choose their candidate for the Presidency.

It works like this: each state of the union is assigned a certain number of delegates based roughly on the population. Washington State gets 80 delegates. So it's up to the members of the Washington State Democratic Party, or those who feel morally aligned with it, to decide who gets how many delegates. In the grand scheme, those delegates count toward a national total (2025) that determines who gets the nomination. Detailed information on delegate allocation can be found at the CNN Election Center: Delegate Explanation section-majiggy.

But that's national. Locally, a caucus is a gathering of people within the same general area to choose a candidate for the presidency based on what matters to that community. You talk to your neighbors, you discuss issues of merit, and you try to persuade those on the fence to support your side. After a certain amount of discussion, a vote is called, and those numbers are the numbers that count in determining how many delegates are awarded to which candidate.**

Why is Washington State having a caucus and a primary?

The short answer is "legal noise". A better answer is provided by the Washington State Democrats (just so you know I support your right to vote regardless of which party you so foolishly choose to support, the WA Dems and the WA GOP teamed up to fight this little gem in court):

"The Washington State Legislature was the body who voted to hold a primary. The means that the Washington State Democratic Party, which chooses how delegates are decided, had no participation in the decision to hold the primary, which will cost $9 to $10 million. The Washington State Democratic Party decided to choose their delegates through the Caucuses, as it always has. As a result, your vote for a Democratic candidate in the State Primary will not count toward delegate selection."

Washington State Democrats - Caucuses FAQ

Essentially, a bill was passed to change Washington State to a primary system. Unfortunately, changing the way a party chooses their candidate is not within the right of the legislature. So the Democrats and Republicans decided to carry on with their caucuses, and the Washington State taxpayer has been saddled with an unfortunate bill for a badly thought-out piece of legislation.

The short story is, toss it. We're interested in change, not party politics. That's why we're here, right?

So do I HAVE to go to the caucus?

Yes. If you don't physically show up, your vote doesn't count.

This was the motivating factor behind the aforementioned piece of legislation. Whoever the author was, I'm sure they thought that a voting system which allowed people to vote by absentee was more fair, just, and balanced. And there's truth to the concerns of working people who simply can't attend a caucus scheduled on Saturday. These are issues that need to be discussed on a party level - a valid and legitimate concern of disenfranchisement.***

Unfortunately, this initiative attempted to override the right of a political party to determine its own candidate by popular ballot - and failed as a result of stepping outside of its boundaries. I don't think that the issue is a bad one, or that we can easily slice this issue in to right or wrong. But I think it's important to highlight how, in this case, ignorance of the system led to abuse of the system, which led to a costly piece of nothing primary. Changing the WA Dems system from a caucus to a primary would be an enormous undertaking; but if that is truly your goal, the democratic system should support you. You can't and shouldn't circumvent that with legislation, folks. Ignorance isn't just lame; it's also expensive.

What happens when I'm there?

This excellent guide is from the Obama campaign. Yes, I'm supporting Obama, about whom I will have much more to say soon. But the flash tutorial on caucusing is informative regardless of your party.

How do they figure out delegates?
Magic.

Does my vote really count?
Yes. And it counts toward several things in varying degrees of potency. Importantly, your vote counts, your ability to speak out can change other's votes, and it's probably a lot more rewarding than voting in the general election.

Who are you supporting, Jessica?
Barack Obama.

Why?
Senator Obama articulates a vision of hope that I both believe in and relate to. He is a critical thinker and analyst, but still very new to Washington DC. I like this. I am sick of insiders. I want someone who will shake up the system, and Senator Obama seems like the most likely candidate for the job.

I'm not 18 yet. Can I still go?
You can't register, but unless the person running the show is some self-important asshole, I don't see why they wouldn't let you in to be part of the dialog. If you don't think you can make it, but still have a lot to say, email me with your thoughts and voice, and I will take them to my caucus and read them out loud.

How do I become a national delegate?
The caucus tomorrow is a precinct caucus - that is, the basis level off of which delegates are assigned. There are two more levels of caucus: the legislative district and the congressional district. For every three people supporting a candidate, one person will go on to the next level, and from there the same. Once you've become a congressional delegate, you are automatically a delegate for the state convention - as well as becoming eligible to compete to be a national delegate, which happens at the congressional caucus.

I had more things to post, but dammit, I'm tired, and I gotta be on my game to caucus tomorrow. If you want talking points for the caucus, they're online. Or call me. I'm always good at speaking . . .


*If the information contained in this guide is inaccurate, it is unintentional upon the part of the author. Furthermore, the author disclaims any responsibility for use of this information that results in something you don't like. That's what you get for not researching it yourself. Also, that's democracy. Yes, that's redundant.

**I have no intention of trying to explain the formulas behind delegate selection because, frankly, I don't understand them.

TANGENT: The debate about the limits of government's role in our lives is multi-faceted and fairly fluid throughout history. I would argue that we use this fluidity to forgo thinking critically about the issue; in other words, rather than thoughtfully discussing the matter, we throw up our hands, say it's too hard, and blame the other side for pushing boundaries that even we can't clearly define. And yet, this issue is so fundamental to our system that it continues to arise under multiple guises no matter how hard we try to ignore it. This, to me, is a warning from the system. We need to pay attention, and develop critical (and inclusive) ways of discussing it.

The Cute, The Island and Beer

I freely admit that I love cute things. Not Hello Kitty cute, maybe, but seeing a couple in their late 80s holding hands and walking down the street has been known to get a smile-and-sigh out of me. And yes, somewhere in my picture files I might even have a Lolcat. Or five. Or fifty. The point is that some things are just too cute to write off, and The Little House is one of them.

Built in 1912, the pint-size "Little House" features one bedroom, a kitchen with folding table and chairs, a living room and a full, if narrow, bathroom. With a living area of just 300 square feet, it was bought and renovated this year, and is back on the market for C$173,000 ($172,000). (Reuters)

You have to love Canada. And not just as an escape plan in case of President Huckabee.

One of the more excellent qualities that I share with my dad is his appreciation for - and discriminating taste in - microbrews. While visiting my brother in Oak Harbor yesterday, I chanced upon a specialty beer store called Whidbey Beerworks. The website is sparse (and they don't ship . . . curses!), but if you're even on Whidbey Island, the selection makes the stop worthwhile.

I was lucky enough to come in during a duvel & trippel tasting, and fell in love with the Maredsous 8 (Kent was more for the Maredsous 10, and BeerMe.com agrees with him). In characteristic me fashion, however, I forgot to buy either of them after an informative conversation with the proprietor, who pointed me toward a brewery that I haven't given nearly the attention it deserves: Dogfish Head.

Yes, Jessica, you scoff. We all know that Dogfish Head is amazing. What of it?

Amazing, my friend, is what you call an unexpectedly excellent beer. What do you call the brewery whose every brew - regular, experimental, or bizarre - is an unforeseen delight that your taste buds never knew they wanted? I don't think these guys can do anything wrong. Observe:

• Midas Touch Golden Elixer - The Phyrgian leader on whom the legend is based had no intention of going soberly in to that good night. His tomb "held the largest Iron Age drinking set ever found--157 vessels, including a ram-headed and lion-headed situla--for preparing, serving, drinking and libating a special beverage at the funerary feast of the king." (Dogfish.com). Chemical analysis of the interior of the vessels revealed a "Phyrgian cocktail" of grape wine, honey mead, and crack - just kidding, it's barley beer. The good folks of Dogfish Head - saints, angels, call them what you will - saw it only fit to brew a beer based on this fine mix of ingredients. It is this kind of creative thinking that sets America ahead.

• Chateau Jiahu - Humans have been drinking beer since someone let bread ferment on the counter in a hut by the Nile - and perhaps before. I won't wax prosetic, but I like putting myself in the shoes my ancient counterparts and try to imagine what their beer drinking experience was like. Thankfully, someone at Dogfish has an equally meandering mind. This beer, based on chemical samples from 9000 year old Chinese pottery, is made with pre-gelatinized rice flakes, wildflower honey, Muscat grapes, barley malt, hawthorn fruit, and chrysanthemum flowers. And, of course, pitched with sake yeast. If you're not curious, you're not human.
• 60 Minute IPA - This is a beer that anyone can appreciate - a subtlety that makes it almost easy to dismiss. Don't. This is one of the best balanced beers I've ever tasted - washing over your pallet with full, unobtrusive citrus-orange-resin tastes, and finishes with a great hop flavor that - somehow - doesn't over-activate your bitter taste buds. Remarkable in every way.

I am also the excited owner of the 120 Minute IPA, boasting an almost incredible 20% ABV. I'll let you know what I think. And suggestions, of course, are always welcome.

Jessie's Halloween Pictures 2007