I attended the latest meeting last night at the Washington Pavilion. I actually enjoyed the conversation that was free flowing and Scott Peterson (who chairs the group) did a fantastic job of running the conversation.
Many topics were discussed, including voter registration. I encouraged the audience to talk to their city councilors, county commissioners and school board members on getting a uniform election process in Sioux Falls (precincts).
They also discussed getting Rounds to hold a public town hall after his lunch appearance with the Chamber on June 1st.
A lot of the people in attendance admitted they were frustrated with the Trump presidency and DC in general and why they feel like they need to get involved. I encouraged them to recruit local candidates for the upcoming municipal election and legislative races in 2018. I reminded them that local government matters most. I said something like, “90% of the taxes/fees you pay are decided by local government . . . and that our DC representation are ‘Clowns’ that I don’t pay much attention to because it is a ‘waste of time’.
They reminded me that they were concerned about healthcare, I countered that many of those changes can also take place locally and with our state legislature.
I told them about my experience of being a ‘Deaniac’ and watching the national media destroy Howard Dean was a lesson to me that we don’t have much control over National politics. Corporate media and special interests pick the winners and losers in DC, but locally WE do.
I applaud those who get involved.
“Corporate media and special interests pick the winners and losers in DC, but locally WE do.”
Boy, if that is not the truth, I don’t know what is. That’s how we ended up with Dukakis, Gore, Kerry, and Hillary. They got it right with Clinton in ’92 and some can take credit for Obama in ’08, but for the most part they do more damage than good for those in support of progressive ideas, however….
And your Dean example is spot on! That’s why the real battle is not with the right its with the elite, regardless of their politics, because they just don’t get it or want to get it…..