Primary time...less than one week away

DISCLAIMER

PERSONAL OPINION FOLLOWS

NOT PARTY POLICY

I've always been of two minds regarding primaries....in some very, very rare cases (can you say Leiberman?) they are a tool to maintain party discipline and clarity of message but for the most part, they have become nasty little blood-letting affairs.

When we look on the State and local level we find some primary races which could, in this next hectic week deteriorate into one of those affairs.

Primaries have always been with us and maybe my memory is playing tricks on me but I don't remember primaries being as divisive as they have now become. I'd like to think that the reason had to do with the differences in how politicians see themselves. Let me try and wade through this philosophical swamp for a moment.

There was a time when the term "politician" wasn't a bad word. In fact, in some circles, a politician was someone who resolved conflicts, who accomodated competing interests, who (in the words of an old mentor of mine) was so skilled at rhetoric that he could " tell his opponent to go to hell in such a way that the opponent looked forward to the trip." If and when two of these old style politicians ever faced each other in a primary, you could count on one thing at the end: there would be a photograph of the loser holding up the hand of the winner in a traditional victory sign to indicate that there was unity among the two. In addition, the winner would give reconciliatory speeches for the loser, adopt some of his/her (there rarely was a her) platforms or ideas and, if elected, make certain that an appointment was made even if only an honorary position was offered. The end result was party solidarity and loyalty among competing interests within the party.

When and where this gave way to the "winner take all" mentality, I don't know but I think we, as a party and as a community are worse off for it.

btw: Blogger has been down since last night so I haven't been able to post and update.....

I need to mention that I was a very impressed with the job that DeDe and her volutneers did with the Wisconsin Rapids headquarters in the Wisconsin Rapids Mall. GREAT JOB GUYS!!! Send pictures of the office via email when you get a chance.