Your Opinion: Confusion reigns at GOP caucus

Dear Editor:

The headlines read: "Contention, confusion common in caucuses." I attended the caucus at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. I am not politically savvy. I research the candidates, I share that information with others, and I always vote - but I don't particularly care for politics. I attended the caucus because my son and his friends asked me to go. Politics and the processes thereof always seemed confusing.

After we arrived at the event, I asked probably 10 people to explain how a caucus works. None of them had any idea. After the caucus began, I could sense within 10 minutes that most in attendance had no idea what was happening. One lady interrupted several times, saying that she had moved from another state, and had never experienced the caucus process so confusing. Many in the audience yelled out, agreeing with her.

Very quickly on the agenda, we were asked to vote on a slate of delegates and alternates. Only a handful of attendees knew whose names were on that list, and which candidate they supported. That caused a huge uproar. People were outraged that we would be asked to vote on a list of which we knew nothing about.

I just want to say that something needs to be done about our delegate selection process. Everything we read in the paper speaks of the "state's complicated delegate selection process." Why does it have to be complicated? One gentleman stood up and said that information on the caucuses was very difficult to find, that he researched the Internet for hours, trying to find specific information.

One woman in the crowd stood up toward the end and said we need new Republican leadership at the caucuses, but I don't blame those who take the time to put on this event. They are just following the rules and processes that have already been determined. I think we need to have the process changed, so that it is simpler, and more easily understood.

I think too, about the various proposed amendments in the past, which contained very confusing wording. Do the proponents of these amendments do this purposely to confuse us - and quite possibly cause us to vote the opposite of what we believe is right? If lawyers compose the wording, could they possibly ask a few people of average intelligence to determine if it can be understood by the general public? We are causing division within our own party - and among individuals - by these complicated processes and hard-to-understand wording. If our goal is to defeat our current president, we must do so with honesty, clarity, and with a unified effort.

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