BEAT Hunger '08 Iowa Caucus Wrap-up - by Julie Zimmer, Bread Activist

Getting Your Bread for the World & ONE Plank in the Platform, a “How-To”

Here in Iowa before the Presidential caucuses, the phone rings two or three times a day with live politicians, friends of live politicians, pre-recorded campaign speeches, invitations to campaign events and political polls. They may not visit every state with such intensity, but your turn is coming.

Because I identified myself as a "definite" caucus participator, I also received calls from three national advocacy groups asking me to present a platform resolution in my precinct caucus January 3. I consented to two and said no to the third, not because the cause isn't important but because I wanted to stay focused.

That's me (next to the woman in the white sweater with the microphone) asking Barack Obama “the question” in the new Vinton high school gym, the night Bhutto was assassinated. CNN interviewed him in their mobile news van in the parking lot right before he came on stage.  He answered that the MDG are “AMERICA’S goals” and he would double our aid. On his way out, he signed my copy of Jeffrey Sach’s book, "The End of Poverty".

As part of the Bread for the World Election Action Team (BEAT Hunger '08) and the ONE Campaign, I've been lucky enough to meet six Democratic hopefuls and one Republican face-to-face in my home town (Vinton IA, pop. 5,000) at mostly small meetings within a few blocks of my home. I have also asked each of them the same question (about their support for the Millennium Development Goals in their administration).  It turned out to be great fun, and a challenge, to get called on, and to get the signatures. By caucus night several of my friends were willing to wear ONE stickers and propose the plank in THEIR precincts.  I planned for months to caucus for the ONE campaign, so that  was an easy "yes" on presenting a resolution. Iowa is officially a State of ONE (endorsing the campaign) and my local city council was easily persuaded to sign a  proclamation as a City of ONE last fall.

Planks have two parts: first, the "because... (as in, because “As Democrats, we recognize the devastation caused by global hunger and poverty. We believe it is our moral obligation to help those in extreme poverty.) and then the "therefore"... As in, what action the party should support in the way of resolving the problem. Even though some planks are pre-written by experts in advocacy organizations, the presenter has the privilege of rewriting because his or her name goes on it, not the name of an organization.

I sent copies of the official Democratic and Republican ONE planks, and of my revised version, to Democrat and Republican friends respectively, asking them to submit a resolution (if they chose) in THEIR precincts. Several took me up on the offer. This way there will be more visible support as the resolutions go to the county platform committee and on up the line. Of course, those who submit planks are free to rewrite if they choose.

This was my first time as caucus precinct secretary. No one else wanted the job. At the precinct caucus meeting I stapled my resolutions on forms instead of recopying them, signed the forms, and handed them in — to myself. 

We followed the prescribed agenda. When the caucusing for Presidential candidates (the fun part!) finished, I called for any other resolutions to be submitted for the platform committee.

I read aloud four proposed planks from another participant and then my two. We decided not to do discussion at this stage, but followed each resolution with a simple up or down voice vote.   All but one (on another topic) were unanimously accepted, and there were only two "nays" on that one.

Volunteers were accepted for the platform committee and I volunteered for that as well. The meetings are open to anyone in the party, but only the the caucus night volunteers may vote to accept or reject.

Our platform committee meets in mid January to sift through ALL the resolutions including those from other precincts, plus any more that people want to bring that day. Some will be reworded, some combined with similar resolutions, some abandoned for lack of interest, some rejected on principle, and the results will be forwarded to the next level. I think there is another level between precinct and state, but I have never participated outside of our community.

One advantage of serving on the platform committee is being present to defend or support your own resolutions and moving them forward.  I served four years ago and the local platform committee passed my “home made” resolution about the MDGs, but the idea of eliminating poverty was so big, mind boggling and new to people that my plank disappeared at the state level. The pre-written proposals available now from ONE and Iowa Votes ONE are more likely to make it into the state platform, especially since our state government endorsed ONE.

I know the process differs in other states, but NOW is the time to get involved if you are so inclined. It isn't difficult or terribly time consuming (one or two meetings) and you will meet a lot of interesting people. 

Julie Zimmer - Vinton, Iowa