The LuLac Edition #3133, January 31st, 2016

IOWA: THE LEDGER SHEET

What a caucus looks like. (Photo: Politico)

2016 logo. (blog4president.org)

You’ve heard a lot about Iowa. The Caucuses are Monday night and for those who wonder what the big fuss is all about, I did a ledger sheet of why or why not this state is important in an election year.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT

1. It is the first national test of Presidential candidates. The caucuses started in 1972. It is not a long standing historical part of American history. Iowa gives many candidates the opportunity to try and get exposure and traction. Some like George McGovern, and Jimmy Carter got enough momentum to gain their party’s nomination. But the dirty little secret of Iowa is that McGovern came in third behind Edmund Muskie who finished second. Carter came in second too. But who came in first you might ask? UNDECIDED.
However winning the Iowa caucuses does not mean a win. Presidents who lost in Iowa were Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush, and Bill Clinton.
2. The Iowa contest creates a media buzz. In the day of a 24 hour news cycle, the media is drawn to Iowa like a moth to a flame. Iowa essentially exists as a tourism gimmick for a state no one really would want to visit and an opportunity to fatten up national news budgets. The 24 hour media cycle gets to feed their beast too.

WHY IT’S NOT IMPORTANT

1. The outcome in Iowa is not a real state or federal state sanctioned election. You don’t vote. Rather you go to a town hall or someone’s house and commit to your favorite. The person who wins does so by organization and popularity.
2. Candidates need delegates to win the nomination at the Convention. Very few delegates come out of these caucuses. Most of the delegates are chosen by the 99 County Chairs in the state.

ONLY 1% OF THE DELEGATES WHO ACTUALLY VOTE FOR THE NOMINEE AT THE CONVENTION WILL COME FROM MONDAY NIGHT'S CAUCUSES.

UNLIKE REAL ELECTIONS, YOU CAN JUST WALK IN! SET A SPELL, CHEW THE FAT AND PICK THE NEXT LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD!

IF IT’S A GOOD NIGHT, LESS THAN 375,000 PEOPLE WILL TAKE PART! 

3. The process is not representative of true voting. As a matter of fact, the Republicans and the Democrats each have different ways to choose delegates.
The Democrats will meet in designated areas of the hall or home. For 30 minutes people advocate for their candidate. If a 15% threshold is met for viability, then another 30 minutes is taken to state their case and try to get the support of those candidates who are not viable. When the final count is given, it is reported to the county chair who reports it to the state.
Yeah isn’t that freaking crystal clear???????
The GOP process is easier. Starting in 2016, the caucus site voting that was previously a non-binding poll becomes the binding method of selecting delegates. The delegates are bound to vote for candidates in proportion to the votes cast for each candidate at the caucus sites.
But looking at both methodologies there is no way you can say that the Iowa caucuses are representative of any type of sane voting process. My heavens, my 8th grade election for class President was more Democratic and less confusing than this.
4. Iowa is not representative of either major party in terms of economy or demographics. It is important because it is first and the media has pumped it up.
5. Iowa is more important today because everybody thinks they are important right? After Monday night, the media and the candidates will blow a kiss and kiss off the corn fed denizens of political wisdom. We’ll hear from them if the General is close. But the Iowa drama may not end because the weather people are calling for a blizzard after midnight Monday night. The big story is how the candidates and media might get stranded in Iowa.
6. Iowa is so confusing to most Americans that in my estimation it scares more prospective voters away than bring people to the political process.
So whatever the results Monday night, remember it is only 1 per cent of an electorate. And in my opinion, Iowa is a very entitled group in the election calendar whose importance is over inflated and doesn’t deserve the attention.

IMPORTANT NO: 6.

IMPORTANT YES: 2.

Take that Iowa!