Minnesota's DFL Party V. Democratic Party

[Skidmore]

Okay, I plead ignorance. Any Minnesotans here? Can you inform me on how the DFL party is connected to the national Democratic Party, if it is? Are they separate entities in a coalition? I'm wondering because I like what I've heard from Minnesota over the past few years and am intrigued by how Minnesotans seem to get democracy and the process right. Perhaps we need to ditch the DNC & DLC apparatus and lend our support to the DFL and help it go national. I may be off base but I like the platform I read over there at their site.

http://dfl.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={B732A19E-2E59-4A48-8CD2-9AB9455D2557}

[arcos]

1. DFL = Democratic Party

I'm not American, but I understand that there really isn't a "national party", but a federation of state parties. Everywhere, except Minnesota, it is called the Democratic Party.

John Kerry was the DFL candidate for President last Tuesday.

[Kilroy003]

2. Minnesota once had a strong tradition of relatively strong minor parties.

In 1943, Democrats merged with the Farmer-Labor Party, a rare urban/rural coalition.

http://www.mnhs.org/library/tips/history_topics/100farmer.html

It appears as though the DNC should explore building a national coalition in the same vein.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/vote2004/countymap.htm