The LuLac Edition #2825, January 26th, 2015

IOWA: POLITICAL FREAK SHOW

Iowa: A diverse state representative of all of America. (Photo: MSNBC)

Okay, I’m going to take on the great state of Iowa. Iowa, known as "The American Heartland" is bordered by the Mississippi River on the east and the Missouri River and the Big Sioux River on the west; it is the only U.S. state whose eastern and western borders are formed entirely by rivers. Iowa is bordered by Wisconsin and Illinois to the east, Missouri to the south, Nebraska and South Dakota to the west, and Minnesota to the north.
In colonial times, Iowa was a part of French Louisiana and Spanish Louisiana; its current state flag is patterned after the flag of France. After the Louisiana Purchase, settlers laid the foundation for an agriculture-based economy in the heart of the Corn Belt. Iowa is the 26th most extensive in land area and the 30th most populous of the 50 United States.
That last sentence is extremely important because since 1972 Iowa has been a bellwether state in politics. It was Iowa that first gave birth to the George McGovern for President insurgency in the Democratic party. Iowa put the imprimatur on Mr. McGovern as a viable candidate and cause for the Democrats. Four years later Jimmy Carter made his mark with a win there that catapulted him to the top of the line of more than 16 contenders.
The 80s brought the Iowa caucus system more in focus for the GOP side. In 1988, Iowa voters picked Bob Dole over Pat Robertson but the big news was that Robertson won 25% of the vote.
In the 90s front runners Bush 41 and Bob Dole as well as George W. Bush won. But in 2008 Iowa became the stand for voters who were a tad right. Mike Huckabee won in 2008 and Rick Santorum won in 2012.
This weekend more than a few GOP pretenders and contenders went to Iowa. Former pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former business executive Carly Fiorina, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker were on tap. There was also Donald Trump and Sarah Palin.
Notably absent was Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio. These guys know that Iowa is a state that can handcuff the party into positions that are contrary to the mainstream. Iowa has not done the GOP any favors in the last few years by picking right leaning candidates who make it almost impossible for a main stream candidate to win.
Al Gore had it right in 1988 when he ignored the Caucuses.  If I were advising any of the four who did not attend, I’d advise them not to file in Iowa. Only 75,000 people make a pronouncement every four years like corn fed groundhogs saying who will rise and who will not shine in GOP Presidential politics. It is time to stop this nonsense and ignore Iowa. It is not representative of America. If we ignore them, maybe they’ll go away. Someday.
(Source: LuLac and Wikipedia).