Where should I go to caucus on Feb. 5?
Caucus DFL!

BY CHARLEY UNDERWOOD

Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer

2007 has been a depressing year for all of us, but perhaps worst for Democrats. Last November, we thought we would start seeing some changes. It didn’t happen. We didn’t get back civil liberties; we just made a few things legal that were illegal last year.

The schools failed. The banks foreclosed on homes. The bridge fell. And the Democratic party suddenly decided that 60 percent was the new majority. The country is paralyzed and still afraid, and the Democratic Congress ended up less popular than even George Bush. Why, then, should a good progressive citi-zen go to the DFL precinct caucuses on February 5? The answer: Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. Paul Wellstone’s U.S. Senate seat, currently occupied by Norm Coleman, is up for grabs this year.

Lots of people know comedian Al Franken, but lots of people don’t like him. Not many people know Mike Ciresi, unless they are lawyers or maybe they were precinct captains a decade ago.

Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, on the other hand, is a fiery progressive who sees what’s wrong and has the solutions. He calls for the immediate and total withdrawal of U.S. forces, mercenaries and contractors from Iraq. Jack sees a real danger in global warming and argues that we can’t invest in alternative energy solutions
while we prop up private oil companies with a bloated military. He calls for single-payer health care, and points out that a large number of homes are lost due to the cost of medical emergencies.

On every issue, from a woman’s right to choose, to civil liberties, to
equal marriage rights for all, to fair treatment of our most recent immigrants,
Jack is a progressive deep in his own heart. He is incorruptible, a
true person of principle. We won’t need to lobby him to do the right
thing, to make the right vote. He’ll just do it.

I make no excuses for the spineless votes in Congress this past year. As a
Democrat, I have had times that I felt completely ashamed. But I tell you
quite simply that Jack Nelson- Pallmeyer is not one of them. In the
Senate, Jack will change the tone, stand up for justice and work tirelessly
for peace.

War profiteers and fear-mongers have their voice in Washington, but the majority of us don’t want any more war and neither does Jack.And Jack has an excellent chance of winning the DFL endorsement and the best chance of any Democrat to beat Norm Coleman. Oddly, this year the very best candidate may also be the
most electable.

Here are some resources: You can find out your precinct at pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/. In a few days you can find out where your precinct caucus meets at dfl.org

In the mean time, you can find out how caucuses work by attending a caucus training; many are listed at peaceintheprecincts. org, and then click
on “caucus trainings.”

The precinct caucus will take only a couple of hours, but you get to vote
in a binding presidential primary. Then raise your hand if you can
attend the Senate District Convention, usually on a Saturday a
couple of weeks later.

That’s where the real power is, because you can elect a Jack Nelson-
Pallmeyer delegate to the state convention in Rochester June 6 to 8. Or
go yourself.

Yes, the country’s going to hell in a hand basket. No doubt about it. But a democracy is a terrible thing to waste.Consider using yours. It might be easier than having someone else make your decisions for you.

For more information about Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, check out his website:
www.jackforsenate.org.

Charley Underwood is a husband, a father, a grandfather, a kindergarten
teacher, a peace activist and a Democrat since those pesky Republicans nominated Barry Goldwater back in 1964. He has no official standing in the Jack Nelson- Pallmeyer for Senate campaign, nor does he speak for Jack or forthe campaign.