Why do Iowans and others get to determine who will be our candidates?

[Vinnie From Indy]

As noted on another thread about Evan Bayh and his attempts to attract Democrats in the first primary states, Iowans play such a HUGE role in the selection of a candidate. I have never liked that and I was wondering if anyone could explain why this process never changes.

[Greeby]

1. How about this for an idea

How about the other states not march in lockstep once Iowa and NH have made their pick :shrug:

Didn't it used to be, way before my time, that you wouldn't know for sure who the nominee would be until all the delegates were counted at the convention? :think:

[AZBlue]

11. Excellent point!

I see it as part of the bigger problem, which is: most Americans don't want to read the news, do the research and make up their own minds about any issue or person.

How can we change that? Let's start with the primaries - maybe the "movement" will spill over into other areas then.

[Clark2008]

13. Good point.

People need to research their candidates and stop doing what the media tells them to do.

[Nederland]

24. The problem is money

Candidates that don't place well in Iowa and New Hampshire don't have enough money to continue to their campaigns.

[msongs]

2. "because" and "no good reason"

iowa is first because it is first. the blab is that it is a caucus and people interact, and choose on consensus instead of individual private ballot. the downside is that that system is open to arm twisting, extreme social pressure (you gotta live with those people after the vote and they all know who you picked), and possible shenanigans.

the reasons it has not changed is, there is no good reason it has not been changed. just like new hampshire being the first ballot primary. it is, just because it is. No reason there could not be other voting events on those same days in other states with a different ethnic balance and political outlook.

nobody wants to go...first with the changes.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[formernaderite]

7. the social pressure also comes from the party machine

I think it's an awful way to pick a front runner and would love to see it done away with.

[Debi]

14. How much arm twisting and social pressure did you see at the caucuses?

Or are you just repeating garbage you read/heard elsewhere? And please tell me what shenanigans occurred during the caucuses.

Iowa is clean, the process is well thought out and encourages active participation in Democracy. Yes, it's more time consuming than marking a piece of paper and claiming to be active in the process - it actually demands being part of the process. I wouldn't have it any other way, and I can bet you'll find many, many Iowans who would agree.

Voting is the very least a person should do, caucusing forces a person to be informed about the candidate they are going to support. It makes a person become educated about the other candidates in case their first choice is not viable in the process. Then, with people together at the caucus, it helps build the party by having elections of delegates to the convention and committees. It makes the Party stronger by having active, educated voters ready to work.

Who would complain about having a full, vibrant, active volunteer structure set up in their state?

[LincolnMcGrath]

17. I am giving you heart for that response!

:hug:

[Debi]

19. Back at ya LM!

:loveya:

People ignorant to the process just love to bash it. People who have experienced a caucus want to come back for more!

[LincolnMcGrath]

21. Will you be at the district convention?

:loveya:

I am loving the caucus experience more and more. I meet and interact with folks I would not even met in a curtained polling booth.

[Debi]

22. Sadly, no.

I will be at County and (hopefull) will be at State.

My son is being confirmed on April 29th and that trumps convention.

d.

[LincolnMcGrath]

23. I should be at State as well. Hope to see you there.

Congrats to your family on your son's confirmation.

[Debi]

25. As state approaches we will have to discuss a gathering Friday night

so many people hit Des Moines Friday before State Convention to pick up their credentials and get settled in that we should do something together. (I haven't heard what's going on for the Hall of Fame Dinner - but I say let's play hooky and go out downtown somewhere!)

[LincolnMcGrath]

26. Sounds like a plan to me.

:hi:

[Debi]

27. So, I won't have to twist your arm??? heh heh n/t

[CornField]

15. Have you ever participated in an Iowa caucus?

I have & can assure you there is little or no "pressure" being placed on anyone. Well, I guess you could construe the hot chocolate offered by the Kucinich supporters as an attempt to get us all to head for the potty at voting time, but they really couldn't know our digestive levels. LOL!

My neighbor on the right supported Dean while the neighbor on the left supported Kerry. I was an Edwards supporter. We still watch each other's property while the other is on vacation. We still keep an eye on each other's kids. In short, we're still neighbors (and we all placed our support behind Kerry when he won the nomination).

The disinformation you are spreading is silly at best.

[LincolnMcGrath]

18. Thanks for posting that CornField

[Debi]

20. I was Dean and I made hot cider...

Didn't work though....he only got one delegate from my caucus :(

Cute post CornField :rofl:

[BOHICA06]

3. Iowa certainly staked Dean heart in '04

but not without some help from the MSM, DLC, and the establishment Dems!

[CornField]

16. I'm sorry, but Dean staked his own heart

Prior to the caucus, Dean simply didn't put in the one-on-one time which Edwards and Kerry did. Go ahead and blame the scream on crappy journalism, but the bottom line is that Dean and his team made their own bed.

[liberal N proud]

4. Because January is Iowa is so cold and the wind is blowing so hard

there is nothing else to do.
You get tired of watching it snow sideways and so you decide to hold the first primary or caucus as it is called in Iowa.
If you really want to see a true political debate, go watch a caucus in Iowa sometime. Confusing at first but very interesting in the end.
Much more engaging than a simple primary

[1932]

5. Sometimes the appeal/lack of appeal of a candidate is so obvious

even an Iowan can figure it out.

I'm not sure how different any recent election would have been regardless of which state goes first. Just so long as whoever votes first gets a long, up-close look at the candidates, I'm happy.

[DU9598]

6. The Iowa Democratic Party

They were smart enough in 1976 to take the first spot and market the idea. The party has done a terrific job of turning the caucuses into a major media event. The first in the nation status has stuck with the party and it has made the Iowa Democratic party stonger. I cannot see why party members don't welcome Iowa's input and then the other states can make their own decisions.

[progressoid]

8. Changes to what??

Gotta start somewhere.

[emulatorloo]

9. Iowans have time in the winter to evaluate the candidates and their BS

Questioning the candidates one on one, going to their rallys, listening to what they say, asking hard questions and sorting through their bullshit. It gets damn cold in Nov Dec Jan, so while you are living your life doing fun stuff, we are grilling the crap out of the candidates.

[snowbear]

10. Hey now waita-cotton-pickin-minute...

If you're going to judge which state goes first by how cold it gets, then Alaska wins easily!!

[Debi]

12. Iowans only choose who THEY believe the nominee should be

as well as New Hampshire making it's choice. Why do people in other states think they have to follow suit? (which really isn't accurate, I mean there was no President Harkin or President Mondale or President Gephardt now was there?)

If Iowa jumped off a bridge would Indiana follow? Okay, snarky I know, but it's not the State of Iowa's fault that the MSM lulls the other states into thinking Iowa results should shape every other states results. Ignore the MSM and vote for the candidate you support. And quit blaming one state for nominees that don't win elections. (After all, Iowa didn't choose Clinton).