Party caucuses easily manipulated — or not?

Pignanelli: On Tuesday night, some Utahns will make the biennial trek to participate in neighborhood precinct caucuses to review current events and elect delegates for conventions. This ritual originated in the Progressive Era to promote grass-roots activism and thwart party bosses from controlling elections. The opposite has been achieved, and the caucus system is another musty, archaic institution out of touch with 21st century realities — much like LaVarr.

Delegates wield real power: A few dozen decide the fate of a legislator and less than 3,000 determine their party's gubernatorial candidate. Left- and right-wing special-interest groups understand this dynamic and stack the meetings with die-hard members to elect delegates sympathetic to a particular cause. Thus, extremists that are otherwise irrelevant can be major players, and the results are entertaining. Republican office seekers have been queried regarding fulfillment of LDS home-teaching assignments and their ability to recite the U.S. Constitution. Some Democratic contenders have been subjected to examinations of vegetarian diets and personal commitment to recycling programs.

Notwithstanding amusing stories, the manipulation of caucus meetings by special-interest groups is a serious threat to sound policy development. These organizations demand strict adherence to policies far from the mainstream. Elected officials cannot ignore this enthusiasm. Because most caucus meetings are sporadically attended, organized efforts to control meetings pay dividends. Consequently, a large number of political interest organizations conduct workshops and seminars to train their faithful to succeed in caucus deliberations. Intermountain Healthcare is the most recent entrant in the caucus sweepstakes to garner political gains. The state's largest hospital network and health insurer is sponsoring programs in its hospitals and clinics to urge employees' attendance at caucus meetings. One redeeming value of the caucus system is the action it generated from the LDS Church. Last week, the First Presidency issued a statement, read in sacrament meetings, that contained the usual encouragements of political participation. More important was the sentence: "Principles compatible with the gospel may be found in the platforms of all major political parties." While this provides a much-needed bolster to LDS Democrats, it also offers relief to GOP officeholders accused of religious unorthodoxy when deviating from perceived Republican principles. An articulation by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is welcome and appreciated.

The normal demands of our lifestyle prevent broad-based participation in neighborhood caucuses. My 32 years of personal experience with precinct caucuses compels a judgment for their elimination and a mandate for candidates to appeal for support across a broader political spectrum through primary elections.