caucus

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One of the most important features of American politics, the caucus, seems to have an American Indian origin. It may go back to a word Captain John Smith reported in his 1624 Generall Historie of Virginia: "In all these places is a severall [separate] commander, which they [the Indians] call Werowance, except the Chickahamanians, who are governed by the Priests and their Assistants, or their Elders called Caw-cawwas-soughes."

A century later, when the politically active elders of Boston met to choose candidates for public office, they called their meeting a caucus. We find the word in young John Adams's diary for February 1763: "This day learned that the Caucas Clubb meets at certain times in the Garret of Tom Daws, the Adjutant of the Boston Regiment.... There they smoke tobacco till you cannot see from one End of the Garrett to the other.... they choose a Moderator, who puts Questions to the Vote regularly, and select Men, Assessors, Collectors, Wardens, Fire Wards, and Representatives are Regularly chosen before they are chosen in the Town.... They send Committees to wait on the Merchants Clubb and to propose, and join, in the Choice of Men and Measures."

Although primary elections now take the place of some caucuses, and smoke-filled rooms are an exception rather than the rule, the caucus remains a distinctively American way for like-minded politicians to arrive behind closed doors at a common cause or candidacy that they can then separately support in public.

An exclusive meeting of the members of a party, or faction for organizational and/or strategic purposes. In the United States there are nominating caucuses and congressional caucuses. In some states caucuses of local party members are held as the first step in a multistage process to determine the membership of the state party's delegation to the National Convention where presidential candidates are selected. The best-known caucuses of this type take place in Iowa. These caucuses select delegates to county conventions in accordance with the presidential preferences of those who attend. primary elections provide an alternative means whereby rank- and-file party members may participate in the process of selecting presidential candidates.

The word caucus is also used in the United States in reference to party organizational structures in Congress. The parties in each house periodically hold private meetings to elect officers, to make nominations, and where substantive policy issues may also be considered. Among Democrats such gatherings are known as caucus meetings whereas Republicans in modern times come together in a ‘conference’. The significance of the congressional caucus or conference has varied over time. They have also usually been more important in the House than in the Senate and Democrats have tended to take them more seriously than Republicans.

In the early years of the republic congressional caucuses took upon themselves the responsibility for selecting candidates for President and Vice-President. Congressional party leaders have periodically sought to use caucus mechanisms to instil party discipline in the legislature. This occurred during Thomas Jefferson's and Woodrow Wilson's presidencies. In the latter period, the Democratic caucus in the House debated legislative proposals and ruled that when two-thirds of those present agreed to support a bill this would, with certain qualifications, be binding on party members in the House. In the early twentieth century, the Republican leadership in the House also made use of the caucus in efforts to maintain party discipline and later, in 1925, expelled rebels who supported Robert LaFollette, the Progressive candidate for the Presidency in 1924, as did the House Democratic caucus against two Democrats who supported Barry Goldwater, the Republican presidential candidate in 1964.

In the 1970s the Democratic caucus in the House abolished the seniority rule in favour of making Committee chairmanship nominations subject to caucus approval. In 1974 three chairmen were deposed. The caucus was further strengthened by making the appointment of Rules Committee members and Appropriations Committee Chairmen subject to its approval. A further rule change conferred on the principal committee of the Democratic caucus, the Steering and Policy Committee, the right to nominate standing committee members, subject to caucus approval.

The word is also used for informal organizations of members who share common interests and come together in attempting to influence the agenda. These bodies often have cross-party membership. One of the best-known examples is the Congressional Black Caucus, an organization of African-American legislators. There is also a Hispanic Caucus, and many others.

— David Mervin

Caucus, a face-to-face meeting of party members in any community or members of a legislative body for the purpose of discussing and promoting the affairs of their particular political party. Traditionally, the term "caucus" meant a meeting of the respective party members in a local community, for the purpose of nominating candidates for office or for electing delegates to county or state party conventions. Such a nominating caucus was used in the American colonies at least as early as 1725, particularly in Boston. Several clubs, attended largely by ship mechanics and caulkers, endorsed candidates for office before the regular election; these came to be known as caucus clubs. This method of nomination soon became the regular practice among the emerging political parties. It was entirely unregulated by law until 1866. Despite some legal regulation after that date, abuses had become so flagrant that control by party bosses came under increasing criticism. By the early 1900s the caucus had given way, first, to party nominating conventions and, finally, to the direct primary. By the late twentieth century a few states still permitted the use of caucuses for nomination of candidates for local offices or selection of delegates to larger conventions.

A second application of the term "caucus" is to the party caucus in Congress, which is a meeting of the respective party members in either house to organize, determine their position on legislation, and decide other matters. In general, this caucus has three purposes or functions: (1) to nominate party candidates for Speaker, president pro tem, and other House or Senate offices; (2) to elect or provide for the selection of the party officers and committees, such as the floor leader, whip, committee on committees, steering committee, and policy committee; and (3) to decide what action to take with respect to policy or legislation, either in broad terms or in detail.

Caucus decisions may be binding—that is, requiring members to vote with their party—or merely advisory. Whether formally binding or not, caucus decisions are generally followed by the respective party members; bolting is likely to bring punishment in the form of poorer committee assignments, loss of patronage, and the like. Party leaders have varied in their use of the caucus as a means of securing cohesive party action. During the late twentieth century all of the congressional caucuses or conferences underwent a revival, with much of the impetus for reform and reinvigoration coming from junior members.

A special application of the party caucus in Congress was the congressional caucus (1796–1824), which was the earliest method of nominating presidential candidates. No provision was made in the Constitution for presidential nomination, and no nominations were made for the first two presidential elections, since George Washington was the choice of all. But in 1796 the Federalist members of Congress met in secret conference and agreed to support John Adams and Thomas Pinckney for president and vice president, respectively; shortly afterward, the Republican members met and agreed on Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. In 1800 the respective party members met again for the same purpose, and after that date the congressional caucus met openly as a presidential nominating caucus. In the 1830s the national convention system succeeded the congressional caucus as the method of selecting presidential nominees.

Bibliography

Berhdahl, Clarence A. "Some Notes on Party Membership in Congress." American Political Science Review 43 (April 1949): 309–332; (June 1949): 492–508; (August: 1949): 721–734.

Bositis, David A. The Congressional Black Caucus in the 103rd Congress. Washington, D.C.: Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, 1994.

Davis, James W. U.S. Presidential Primaries and the Caucus-Convention System: A Sourcebook. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1997.

Peabody, Robert L. "Party Leadership Change in the United States House of Representatives." American Political Science Review 61 (1967).

—Clarence A. Berdahl

A meeting of members of a political party to nominate candidates, choose convention delegates, plan campaign tactics, determine party policy, or select leaders for a legislature.

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• Acts, Powers, Conditions, and Procedures - caucus: closed meeting of legislative party members to decide status of forthcoming issues or select leaders
• Elections and Campaigns - caucus: party meeting to choose candidates and plan strategy

"Caucuses" redirects here. For the Eurasian geographic region, see Caucasus.

This article is about a meeting of political supporters. For the purported ancestor of Caucasians, see Caucas.

Look up caucus in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in Canada and the United States. As the use of the term has been expanded, the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.

Contents 1 Origin of the term 2 In alternative dispute resolution 3 In Commonwealth nations 4 In the United States 4.1 Caucuses to select election candidates 4.2 Affinity groups 4.2.1 Congressional caucuses 4.2.2 Caucuses within liberal organizations 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

Origin of the term

Lewis Carroll mocked the futility of the UK's caucuses in "A Caucus-Race and a Long Tale", Chapter 3 of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: when the "Caucus-race" of running in a circle stops, everyone is declared a winner by the Dodo and Alice is told to hand out prizes to all others, receiving her own thimble as her prize.

The origin of the word caucus is debated, but it is generally agreed that it first came into use in the English colonies of North America.

A February 1763 entry in the diary of John Adams of Braintree, Massachusetts, is one of the earliest appearances of Caucas, already with its modern connotations of a "smoke-filled room" where candidates for public election are pre-selected in private:

This day learned that the Caucas Clubb meets at certain Times in the Garret of Tom Daws, the Adjutant of the Boston Regiment. He has a large House, and he has a moveable Partition in his Garrett, which he takes down and the whole Clubb meets in one Room. There they smoke tobacco till you cannot see from one End of the Garrett to the other. There they drink Phlip I suppose, and there they choose a Moderator, who puts Questions to the Vote regularly, and select Men, Assessors, Collectors, Wardens, Fire Wards, and Representatives are Regularly chosen before they are chosen in the Town...^[1]

An article in Great Leaders and National Issues of 1896^[2] surveying famous presidential campaigns of the past, begins with an unsourced popular etymology of the origin of the caucus:

The Origin of the "Caucus"

The presidential nominating convention is a modern institution. In the early days of the Republic a very different method was pursued in order to place the candidates for the highest office in the land before the people. In the first place, as to the origin of the "caucus." In the early part of the eighteenth century a number of caulkers connected with the shipping business in the North End of Boston held a meeting for consultation. That meeting was the germ of the political caucuses which have formed so prominent a feature of our government ever since its organization.

No wholly satisfactory etymology has been documented.^[3] James Hammond Trumbull suggested to the American Philological Association that it comes from an Algonquian word for "counsel", 'cau´-cau-as´u'.^[4] Other sources claim that it derived from medieval Latin caucus, meaning "drinking vessel" such as might have been used for the flip drunk at Caucus Club of colonial Boston.

An analogical Latin-type plural "cauci" is occasionally used.

In alternative dispute resolution

The term caucus is also used in mediation, facilitation and other forms of alternate dispute resolution to describe circumstances wherein, rather than meeting at a common table, the disputants retreat to a more private setting to process information, agree on negotiation strategy, confer privately with counsel and/or with the mediator, or simply gain "breathing room" after the often emotionally-difficult interactions that can occur in the common area where all parties are present. The degree to which caucuses are used can be a key defining element, and often an identifier, of the mediation model being used. For example, "facilitative mediation" tends to discourage the use of caucuses and tries to keep the parties talking at a single table, while "evaluative mediation" may allow parties to separate more often and rely on the mediator to shuttle information and offers back and forth.^[5]

In Commonwealth nations

The term is used in Canada and New Zealand. In Australia the term is used only by the Australian Labor Party. However, when used in these countries, "caucus" is more often a collective term for all members of a party in Parliament, usually called a parliamentary group, rather than a word for a regular meeting of these Member of Parliaments. Thus, the Australian Federal Parliamentary Labor Party is commonly called "the Labor Caucus."

The word was introduced to Australia by King O'Malley, an American-born Labor member of the first federal Parliament in 1901; it presumably entered New Zealand politics at a similar time. In New Zealand, the term is used by all political parties, but in Australia, it is restricted to the Labor Party. For the Australian Liberal and National parties, and for all parties in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (not a Commonwealth country), the usual term is "parliamentary party".

In Canada, caucus refers to all members of a particular party in Parliament, including senators, or a provincial legislature. These members elect among themselves a caucus chair who presides over their meetings. This person is an important figure when the party is in opposition and an important link between cabinet and the backbench when the party is in government.

In a Westminster System, a party caucus can be quite powerful, as it can elect or dismiss the party's parliamentary leader. The caucus also determines some matters of policy, parliamentary tactics, and disciplinary measures against disobedient MPs. In some parties, the caucus also has the power to elect MPs to Cabinet when the party is in government. For example this is traditionally so in the Australian Labor Party and the New Zealand Labour Party.

In the United States

Look up caucus race in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Precincts from Washington State's 46th Legislative District caucus in a school lunchroom (2008).

In United States politics and government, caucus has several distinct but related meanings. Members of a political party or subgroup may meet to coordinate members' actions, choose group policy, or nominate candidates for various offices.

Caucuses to select election candidates

Further information: Iowa caucuses, Texas caucuses, and Nevada caucuses

For specific caucuses, see Idaho caucus and Washington Democratic caucuses, 2008.

See also: United States presidential primary and United States presidential nominating convention

The term caucus is frequently used to discuss the procedures used by some states to select presidential nominees such as the Iowa caucuses, the first and largest^{[citation needed]} in the modern presidential election cycle, and the Texas caucuses.^[6][7][8][9] Since 1980 such caucuses have become, in the aggregate, an important component of the nomination process. Because such caucuses are infrequent and complex to organize, there is a practice version called a maucus, a portmanteau of mock caucus.^[10][11]

In the state of Washington, the caucus has become controversial.^[12] According to the Website for Washington Democrats, even though the Washington State Legislature decided the state would hold a primary, the Washington State Democratic Party decided to continue choosing its delegates through the traditional caucuses. As a result, votes for a Democratic candidate in the State Primary do not count toward delegate selection, although the state will spend $9 to $10 million on it.^[13]

Despite a rule in the Democratic Party that delegates are to be allocated proportionally rather than winner takes all, some individual caucus groups decide for themselves how to allocate their group's delegates^{[citation needed]} — for instance, by using a majority vote to determine which of the two methods to select. Discussion of party rules is not necessarily part of the caucus experience, and few rules govern the actual process^{[citation needed]}. And, in the winner-take-all scenario, a group's delegate allocation may be reported as unanimous, with the minority votes ignored^{[citation needed]}. Depending on how the caucus is organized, the caucus system may require voters to publicly announce the candidates they support. Voters have the option to draft resolutions, and those are introduced by delegates at later divisional caucuses or conventions^{[citation needed]}.

Affinity groups

Congressional caucuses

Main article: Congressional caucus

Another meaning is a sub grouping of officials with shared affinities or ethnicities who convene, often but not always to advocate, agitate, lobby or to vote collectively, on policy. At the highest level, in Congress and many state legislatures, Democratic and Republican members organize themselves into a caucus (occasionally called a "conference").^[14] There can be smaller caucuses in a legislative body, including those that are multi-partisan or even bicameral. Of the many Congressional caucuses, one of the best-known is the Congressional Black Caucus, a group of African-American members of Congress. Another prominent example is the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, whose members voice and advance issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, including Puerto Rico. In a different vein, the Congressional Internet Caucus is a bipartisan group of Members who wish to promote the growth and advancement of the Internet. Other congressional caucuses such as the Out of Iraq Caucus, are openly organized tendencies or political factions (within the House Democratic Caucus, in this case), and strive to achieve political goals, similar to a European "platform", but generally organized around a single issue.

Caucuses within liberal organizations

Among American left-wing groups, a caucus may be an openly organized tendency or political faction within the group, equivalent to a European "platform". Examples would include the "Debs," "Coalition" and "Unity" Caucuses of the Socialist Party of America in its last years.

See also

• Iowa caucuses
• Iowa Democratic caucuses, 2012
• Iowa Republican caucuses, 2012
• United States presidential election

References

1. ^ Noted by J.L. Bell, "Boston 1775: History, analysis, and unabashed gossip about the start of the American Revolution in Massachusetts"
2. ^ Edward Sylvester Ellis, et al., eds. Great Leaders and National Issues of 1896: containing the lives of the Republican and Democratic candidates for president and vice-president, biographical sketches of the leading men of all parties ... famous campaigns of the past, history of political parties, lives of our former presidents ....
3. ^ J.L. Bell, ""Boston 1775: Colonial Boston Vocabulary: 'caucus,' part 2"
4. ^ Caucus might also derive from the Algonquian cawaassough, meaning an advisor, according to Wilson, James (1999). The Earth Shall Weep. New York City, NY: Atlantic Monthly Press. pp. 104–105. ISBN 0-87113-730-5. 
5. ^ Further details in Julie MacFarlane, Dispute Resolution: Readings and Case Studies, 2003:356-62, excerpts from C. Moore, The Mediation Process, 2nd ed. 1996:319-26
6. ^ Our View: Caucus turnout suggests change in Idaho politics" Idaho Statesman^{[dead link]}
7. ^ "Final Caucus Results"^{[dead link]}
8. ^ Idaho Statesman^{[dead link]}
9. ^ Idaho Caucus overflow^{[dead link]}
10. ^ MileHighGayGuy: Colorado Stonewall Dems Maucus
11. ^ skepticalcommunity.com :: View topic - Maucus
12. ^ Search Results|Seattle Times Newspaper
13. ^ Caucus Potus|Slog|The Stranger|Seattle's Only Newspaper
14. ^ See, e.g., U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Caucus, U.S. House of Representatives Republican Conference; U.S. Senate Democratic Caucus; U.S. Senate Republican Conference; California State Senate Democratic Caucus

External links

• COCaucus.org

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - forberedende partimøde, partibestyrelse
v. intr. - holde landsmøde (politisk)
v. tr. - kanvasse

Nederlands (Dutch)
fractievergadering/ -verkiezing, besloten beleidsvergadering, groep partijleden etc., een verkiezings- bijeenkomst etc. houden

Français (French)
n. - (US, Pol) comité électoral, réunion du comité électoral, (GB) coterie politique
v. intr. - se réunir/tenir une réunion du comité électoral
v. tr. - se réunir, faire du démarcharge (auprès des membres du comité électoral)

Deutsch (German)
n. - (USA)(Pol.) Parteitag, Interessengruppe, Versammlung zur Vertretung spezifischer Interessen
v. - durch eine Parteiversammlung bewirken, eine Wahlversammlung abhalten

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - διαβούλιο, κομματική ομάδα χάραξης πολιτικής, συνέδριο ομάδας χάραξης πολιτικής

Italiano (Italian)
riunione di partito

Português (Portuguese)
n. - panelinha (f) de um mesmo partido (fig.), política de um partido

Русский (Russian)
фракционное совещание

Español (Spanish)
n. - reunión electora, reunión de dirigentes
v. intr. - realizar o tomar parte de una reunión electora
v. tr. - realizar o tomar parte de una reunión electora

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - förberedande valmöte (am.), valorganisation (br.)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
干部会议, 政党地方委员会, 核心小组, 召开干部会议

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 幹部會議, 政黨地方委員會, 核心小組
v. intr. - 召開幹部會議
v. tr. - 召開幹部會議

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 간부 회의, 지방 정치 간부회
v. intr. - 간부제로 하다, 간부회를 열다
v. tr. - 간부제로 하다, 간부회를 열다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 幹部会議, 党員集会, 幹部会
v. - 幹部制にする, 幹部会を開く

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) لجنه حزبيه تنظيميه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮ועידה מפלגתית, פגישה של קבוצת חברי מפלגה או ארגון, קבוצה בתוך ארגון הנפגשת בחשאי‬
v. intr. - ‮נפגש בוועידה מפלגתית‬
v. tr. - ‮כינס ועידה מפלגתית‬

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