Feb 28 From Catharsis to Traction

Yesterday was “Super Saturday” in Minnesota. 44 GOP endorsing conventions took place. Precinct delegates selected their candidates for the 2010 state legislative races.

At Wayzata Central Middle School, a theme emerged from candidate remarks in Senate District 43. Gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer spoke of an “emotional wave” which is raising from the electorate to sweep aside out of control government. State Senate candidate Norann Dillon passionately encouraged delegates to transmute their enthusiasm into action on behalf of campaigns. State House candidate Kathrine Dettman engendered the civic duty to move beyond discontent to corrective action. Representative Sarah Anderson relayed an account of the current legislative session and the enthusiasm of Democrats to continue spending beyond the state’s means. Anderson stressed the necessity to wrest control of the gavels in St. Paul before meaningful reform can take place.

Saturday was also the anniversary of the Tea Party movement, recognized across the nation at local rallies. The Tea Party has successfully defended its honor in recent months from a handful of advances by GOP suitors. Even so, sentiment among Tea Partiers active in the GOP, as assessed through anecdotal encounters surrounding the SD43 convention, is extraordinarily positive.

When one refers to the “grassroots,” there is a threshold which divides catharsis from traction. 2009 saw an emergent rival of conservative and libertarian activism which observers of all political alignments regard as phenomenal. 2010 provides a transmission for that energy from protest to campaign, to electoral change, to legislative action, and a course correction for the State of Minnesota. In SD43, the GOP has produced a slate of candidates those disaffected by the course of state government can proudly support. A unified front will be necessary in this district, as in many others across the state, to challenge an incumbent majority addicted to spending other people’s money.

Of course, it will not be enough to simply get these folks elected. They will need to be held to account. The vigilance required to preserve liberty will not abet when polls close in November. This writer believes the SD43 GOP candidates will welcome such scrutiny and perform best under it. Sober support, tempered with a healthy skepticism, will ensure these citizen candidates become and remain public servants.

Cross-posted at Fightin Words, where comments are welcome.