Comments on: Iowa – so what?

By: John W

John W — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:17:49 +0000

Iowa goes first, so the media cover it.

If we’re going to use direct democracy to select presidential candidates, then I think it’s a good thing that we have a series of individual state primaries (or caucuses) to vett and narrow the field of contenders before we move into the multi-state primaries. I just think the process should start later (like March) and that it shouldn’t always be Iowa and New Hampshire going first.

By: RR, Senile Columnist

RR, Senile Columnist — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 02:17:37 +0000

Bottom line: Iowa is important because the news media says it is. Iowa’s primary won’t decide anything except news coverage for a matter of days, then New Hampshire will have its time in the spotlight.

By: John W

John W — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 01:01:56 +0000

Re: #6 “Iowa is a straw poll, no more.”

It’s a straw poll (won by Bachmann) and a caucus (decidedly not won by Bachmann). In fact, Iowa is only one of many caucus states, which were the key to Obama beating Clinton in 2008.

By: Rick K.

Rick K. — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 06:11:35 +0000

Also, the caucus is not a secret ballot. Some participants (esp. low-level employees and rank-and-file union members) may be forced to vote against their conscience because their employee and/or union bosses demand that they support a particular candidate. But we can thank Iowa for sinking Queen Hillary’s and King Bill’s self-coronation in 2008. Mr. Richman had more insight in these few paragraphs than one likely would find in a full hour of national cable TV coverage of this over-hyped political boondoggle (which I refused to watch as it is generally a waste of air time). And don’t get me started about the “Iowa straw poll” last summer.

By: RR senile columnist

RR senile columnist — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 04:42:06 +0000

Iowa is a straw poll, no more. Its prominence stems from the news coverage it receives. If serious observers scoff, fine. TV news channels aren’t likely to care until viewers stop
watching the reports from Iowa.

By: John W

John W — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:33:47 +0000

The Moonlite Bunny Ranch brothel has endorsed Ron Paul. And Pat Robertson says God has revealed to him personally who the next president will be. However, he apparently is not at liberty to reveal to us whatever God revealed to him. Is this a great country or what?

By: John W

John W — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:22:05 +0000

The entire “American Idol” system we have for nominating presidential candidates is suboptimal. However, in a way, I think it’s good that the process starts out in a couple of small states, where the candidates have to engage in retail politics, rather than just buying the airwaves. Whether those two states should always be Iowa — especially with it’s caucus system — and New Hampshire is another question.

By: Josh Richman

Josh Richman — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:10:28 +0000

Nobody’s begrudging Iowans their right to vote, RR; I’m just saying it’s hard to see that small subset of voters as any sort of reliable harbinger of things to come given they’re so unrepresentative of most voters across the nation, even within the GOP.

By: RR senile columnist

RR senile columnist — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:05:58 +0000

You are so right. I say expel Iowa from the Union. It is so insignificant, I am ashamed as a Bay Area resident to share a citizenship with White Protestants, farmers, non-Hispanics, middle-brows, etc.

By: Elwood

Elwood — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:47:09 +0000

Indeed