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Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 10:09 pm
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By RUTH ANN HAGER
News Editor
WASECA — The Waseca County Fair is a great place to talk politics.
In one building — at opposite ends — are the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and the Republican Party booths. In the building next door, the Independence Party of Minnesota has set up shop.
Loyal party members put in two- to three-hour shifts manning their booths and waiting for the chance to talk politics, which is something they all like to do.
“The fair booth gives us a chance to meet and talk with people and let them know what the party is all about and hear their concerns,” said Waseca County DFL chair Bob Hunter.
Democrats’ immediate concerns are economic, especially gas costs. On the national level, the war in Iraq is a clear second and locally, it is probably education, he said.
Katie Mullen and Marcus Penny said they were excited about working the DFL booth Wednesday afternoon.
“It’s really good to see younger people behind the booth because there are so many young people at the fair and it grabs their attention,” Mullen said.
Penny said he’s a Democrat because he grew up as a Democrat. Even though his dad, former Democratic congressman Tim Penny, changed his views, Marcus Penny said he stays with “what I grew up knowing and believing.”
This year, the added excitement for Penny and Mullen comes from presidential candidate Barack Obama. They believe he has done a lot of good for the Democratic Party, drawing new voters and disenfranchised and independent voters by bringing a new tone to politics.
Penny said, “I absolutely think he can win.”
Mullen said she had been interested in the DFL and becoming active in the party is the easiest way to get connected.
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They belong to the DFL, Penny said, because it’s the party where people can have hope.
“You feel happy and believe in what you’re doing,” Mullen said.
Tom Viken of Rochester is manning the Independence Party of Minnesota booth with the purpose of gaining exposure and growing the party.
County fairs are “the best bang for your dollar,” he said.
The party will have booths at 10 county fairs this year, up from eight in 2007 and four in 2006. Next year, they plan to have a presence at at least a dozen county fairs in the state.
Viken said the party is leaving the presidential debate up to individual members but he has already decided he will be voting for Libertarian Party candidate Bob Barr in November.
The IP is state-focused, trying to have more of a voice, according to Viken. He said the party has an active leadership and Tim Penny, former and IP candidate for governor, is still involved in the party.
The issues that draw Viken to the IP are mainly economic: fiscal responsibility, balancing the budget, Social Security reform and Medicare.
“It’s not right that the kids will have to pay back our debt,” he said.
Viken got interested in third party politics back in the 1970s when he attended his first caucus with the American Party.
His vision is that the IP some day reaches the level of the two major parties.
Waseca County Republicans decorated their booth Tuesday night while enjoying the political bantering that brings them together in the first place.
John Petersburg, Waseca County Republican Party member, said spending time in the booth is part of sharing the responsibility of belonging to the party.
“It’s exposure, said Rollie Maas. “We point out the differences in the parties and what we believe in.”
Party chair John Wilkus said working at the fair booth is exciting to him because representative government doesn’t work without participation.
“Everyone has an issue,” he said.
For Maas, his affiliation with the Republican Party began when candidate Ronald Reagan welcomed home the Vietnam vets, of which he was one. It was the first time anyone had done that, Maas said.
Now his number one economic issue is drilling for oil. “We need to drill now and drill everywhere,” he said.
John Knotts put it succinctly. He is a Republican because his is conservative. He’s been active in the party “for a few years ... probably since Clinton.”
And the purpose of belonging to the party and working the fair booth is easily explained.
“To elect Republicans,” he said.
Wilkus said he loves to talk issues and he has found there are many people as “highly opinionated” as he is.
Ruth Ann Hager is at 507- 837-5446 or rhager@wasecacountynews.com. |
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