For the past six months we have heard nothing on the TV and Newsprint except the never ending prattle over the Iowa Caucus. But who among us really know what the caucus is and how it is run. But, let’s not forget, Obama knew how they worked in 2007 and that’s why he won it.
The caucus are a gathering of folks who sit around and talk about the candidates running for office. There is very little, if any, oversight and if memory serves me right, you don’t even have to be a registered voter to participate.
Numerically, of all the voters in Iowa, less than five percent with participate. That figure alone should tell you what a poor barometer of political preference they really are. The process is very basic, people show up at designated places, talk and then take a vote. The votes of all the caucuses are then tabulated and a “winner” is declared. All caucus rooms are open in the morning and stay open all day until the vote is taken in the evening. It is not uncommon to see buses with out of state plates show up and disgorge so called voters who have been paid to attend and told who to vote for.
This practice is very common and was employed by our now president in his campaign to defeat Hillary Clinton.
When real Iowans show up at the caucus they find very often, the room packed with strangers and no seats available so the inevitable happens- they leave. It is a wonder to me that this practice still survives and the media takes such an interest in it. It is a sham on democracy and totally without meaning.
It is because of the way the caucus is operated, that I can say that Ron Paul will come in first or second in the overall vote and declare himself a viable presidential candidate when most thinking folks know him for the crackpot he really is.
Mitt Romney will finish near the top, perhaps win, because he spent over $2 million on this farce and God only knows how much was spent on busing!
So when you read your paper on Wednesday morning, do so with tongue in cheek. It means nothing.
