Like Ralph, I’ve seen and participated in the Iowa Caucuses,. For me from 1966 to 1998, both Republican and Democratic. The first in the nation was an unintended consequence of selecting Iowa National Delegates via a caucus/convention system. The early Attention was tremendous for Iowans. I agree that the neighborhood nature of precinct caucuses and ability to organize from them is still valuable but depends on incentives to attend and follow through. As much money thrown around, you think local long term organizing would be efficient and effective.
I have not understood IDP GOTV for the past few cycles, spending GOTV time in Iowa up to COVID Unfortunately it is overwhelmed by fundamentalist churches organizing accomplishments and turnout.
Hateful Hypocrisy is organized and votes! It must be Resisted
Iowa should take the high road. Unless one was involved in the first 40 years of caucuses, one does not understand the value of caucuses vs. primaries. I hope other state primaries and the party understand the value of organization found in caucuses, recruitment of potential Iowa-based candidates, attaching meaning to becoming a precinct caucus person, and person to person communication, as opposed to TV ads found in primary states. PS D's could also take a swipe at Grassley and Kaufman for taking the time to comment on the Caucuses, but remaining silent on Trump meeting with bigots.
I worked many caucuses and enjoyed them. The last time I went to training the rules had changed slightly. What hadn't changed was the people showing up to do the work. This in itself made the caucuses appear doomed. No one new was stepping up. When we got an e-mail about using the app to report, I ignored it. You know why? It worried it was some sort of Republican phishing scam. I didn't want anything having to do with politics on my phone. That's how bad of bullies I saw them and continue to see them as. Kim R filmed the racist ad in Pella and it didn't make a ripple. Miller-Meeks is a fountain of misinformation. No one cares here.
Three strikes and Iowa was out--2016 poorly run caucus; 2020 caucus collapse; and failure to explain behind the scenes strengths of the caucus. Iowa should share those strengths with new primary leading states-- purposes include more than organizing, but also candidate recruitment. Caucuses include building relationships-Politics 101. Caucuses used to include seeing new faces involved in politics (the last few cycles failed to capitalize on these benefits of a caucus). Primaries do not offer any of this. Iowa needs to explain this. And Iowa should make a belated offer of a rotational system of leading states. Iowa should recommend ways primaries can instill same kind on idealism, enthusiasm, and energy.
I have attended the Iowa Democrat caucas but now I am a snowbird so I would prefer a primary that I could vote in however Iowa did not allow me to vote in the last primary from Arizona as an absentee voter. I feel since Iowa did not run a good caucase with late results, etc. and since Iowa let Trump who is a criminal come into the state and champaign you should lose your economical leader position. Trump will not pay his bills any way. I champaigned for Michael Franken and he lost. Since you voted so Republican I can see why the Democrats are leaving. You supported Grassley who supported Trump and the lie.
I am a snowbird and cannot participate in the Iowa caucases with my Democrat members. I feel a primary would be better. Yes, the results came in late last time. And I wrote letters to the editors, etc. and encouraged people to vote for Michael Franken and he lost. You have let Trump and the Republicans take over the state. Because of this I feel you should lose your spot in the election process. You should not let Trump into the state. He is a criminal. He will not pay his bills.
For a few days now including this morning's 'analysis' articles I've been reading the left's outlets in Iowa (Lee Newspaper's outlets) and across the country where the leftward writers offer 3/4ths of a full page of analysis regarding the DNC's choice to consolidate the first three Democratic party primaries into roughly four days. Headlined by the left in the usual 'squirrel! Look there! Nothing to see here! fashion in this instance 'Moving the first caucus from Iowa to South Carolina'. Except for Ed, who at least had the chops to put Biden in the headline, though avoiding noting 'this is about Biden, for Biden.'
After a full column on the front page, and toward the bottom right of half of page 5, the closest a 'leftward professor' could get to the point, in fig leaf covering the obvious fashion, was 'well, South Carolina isn't a huge state, but with Michigan and Georgia within 4 days of its primary makes it much harder [for issues to be discussed among many voices]'.
Another forum member pointed out: Biden is too old to make the number of personal appearances necessary to visit Iowa's five or so larger metro areas, neither is he able to do similarly in South Carolina. And when the cameras on in personal situation Biden says things showing he's not in charge of the things he says. So let's put some big states close to one another, and far away from 'The Gavin' in CA so he's a lock without having to say much in public that's not scripted except for a few major cities.
So the party of the liberal left in its choices once again hides they advantage the rich manor born who are imperious and distant, prefer to speak by advertising, and to avoid the one-on-one unscripted discussions liberal folks say with their words they are 'for', say they 'like'. But when 'the party leadership' comes together to make choices that have consequences, they know 'the people they own' will fall in line. Like the professors and news article explainers are doing, as we see.
Until the liberal left holds their own leadership to generate a better actual everyday, avoiding burning cities they've controlled for decades such as Portland and Minneapolis or having more murders per weekend than the press can report like Chicago: nothing the middle or right says or does will matter. Ideas are only good if 'the left' tells 'their journalists' they are. If the ideas aren't theirs, they are a threat, they are bad -- just look at the source, it's enough for the left. As such, the left's leadership is immunized against actually generating a better everyday for the people they think they own, happy to accept 'fighting for you' and really effective blame and political skills as the same as having the chops to govern in a fashion that improves for all.
And 'their own media' plays right along, while calling themselves 'journalists'. Writing and publishing very large articles that explain everything, using all the precious time people have to read suich things -- except the main thing. So, once again, the journalists inform the readers.
With just a little twist. At least Ed put Biden in the headline. A start.
The only ones benefitting from an iowa first in the nation status are political consultants and media ad folk. Give some other state the "honor" of incessant surveys and tons of junk mail.
Like Ralph, I’ve seen and participated in the Iowa Caucuses,. For me from 1966 to 1998, both Republican and Democratic. The first in the nation was an unintended consequence of selecting Iowa National Delegates via a caucus/convention system. The early Attention was tremendous for Iowans. I agree that the neighborhood nature of precinct caucuses and ability to organize from them is still valuable but depends on incentives to attend and follow through. As much money thrown around, you think local long term organizing would be efficient and effective.
I have not understood IDP GOTV for the past few cycles, spending GOTV time in Iowa up to COVID Unfortunately it is overwhelmed by fundamentalist churches organizing accomplishments and turnout.
Hateful Hypocrisy is organized and votes! It must be Resisted
Iowa should take the high road. Unless one was involved in the first 40 years of caucuses, one does not understand the value of caucuses vs. primaries. I hope other state primaries and the party understand the value of organization found in caucuses, recruitment of potential Iowa-based candidates, attaching meaning to becoming a precinct caucus person, and person to person communication, as opposed to TV ads found in primary states. PS D's could also take a swipe at Grassley and Kaufman for taking the time to comment on the Caucuses, but remaining silent on Trump meeting with bigots.
I worked many caucuses and enjoyed them. The last time I went to training the rules had changed slightly. What hadn't changed was the people showing up to do the work. This in itself made the caucuses appear doomed. No one new was stepping up. When we got an e-mail about using the app to report, I ignored it. You know why? It worried it was some sort of Republican phishing scam. I didn't want anything having to do with politics on my phone. That's how bad of bullies I saw them and continue to see them as. Kim R filmed the racist ad in Pella and it didn't make a ripple. Miller-Meeks is a fountain of misinformation. No one cares here.
Three strikes and Iowa was out--2016 poorly run caucus; 2020 caucus collapse; and failure to explain behind the scenes strengths of the caucus. Iowa should share those strengths with new primary leading states-- purposes include more than organizing, but also candidate recruitment. Caucuses include building relationships-Politics 101. Caucuses used to include seeing new faces involved in politics (the last few cycles failed to capitalize on these benefits of a caucus). Primaries do not offer any of this. Iowa needs to explain this. And Iowa should make a belated offer of a rotational system of leading states. Iowa should recommend ways primaries can instill same kind on idealism, enthusiasm, and energy.
After making a good case but losing,it seems the Iowa thing to do is pitch in and work for the overall good.
I have attended the Iowa Democrat caucas but now I am a snowbird so I would prefer a primary that I could vote in however Iowa did not allow me to vote in the last primary from Arizona as an absentee voter. I feel since Iowa did not run a good caucase with late results, etc. and since Iowa let Trump who is a criminal come into the state and champaign you should lose your economical leader position. Trump will not pay his bills any way. I champaigned for Michael Franken and he lost. Since you voted so Republican I can see why the Democrats are leaving. You supported Grassley who supported Trump and the lie.
I am a snowbird and cannot participate in the Iowa caucases with my Democrat members. I feel a primary would be better. Yes, the results came in late last time. And I wrote letters to the editors, etc. and encouraged people to vote for Michael Franken and he lost. You have let Trump and the Republicans take over the state. Because of this I feel you should lose your spot in the election process. You should not let Trump into the state. He is a criminal. He will not pay his bills.
For a few days now including this morning's 'analysis' articles I've been reading the left's outlets in Iowa (Lee Newspaper's outlets) and across the country where the leftward writers offer 3/4ths of a full page of analysis regarding the DNC's choice to consolidate the first three Democratic party primaries into roughly four days. Headlined by the left in the usual 'squirrel! Look there! Nothing to see here! fashion in this instance 'Moving the first caucus from Iowa to South Carolina'. Except for Ed, who at least had the chops to put Biden in the headline, though avoiding noting 'this is about Biden, for Biden.'
After a full column on the front page, and toward the bottom right of half of page 5, the closest a 'leftward professor' could get to the point, in fig leaf covering the obvious fashion, was 'well, South Carolina isn't a huge state, but with Michigan and Georgia within 4 days of its primary makes it much harder [for issues to be discussed among many voices]'.
Another forum member pointed out: Biden is too old to make the number of personal appearances necessary to visit Iowa's five or so larger metro areas, neither is he able to do similarly in South Carolina. And when the cameras on in personal situation Biden says things showing he's not in charge of the things he says. So let's put some big states close to one another, and far away from 'The Gavin' in CA so he's a lock without having to say much in public that's not scripted except for a few major cities.
So the party of the liberal left in its choices once again hides they advantage the rich manor born who are imperious and distant, prefer to speak by advertising, and to avoid the one-on-one unscripted discussions liberal folks say with their words they are 'for', say they 'like'. But when 'the party leadership' comes together to make choices that have consequences, they know 'the people they own' will fall in line. Like the professors and news article explainers are doing, as we see.
Until the liberal left holds their own leadership to generate a better actual everyday, avoiding burning cities they've controlled for decades such as Portland and Minneapolis or having more murders per weekend than the press can report like Chicago: nothing the middle or right says or does will matter. Ideas are only good if 'the left' tells 'their journalists' they are. If the ideas aren't theirs, they are a threat, they are bad -- just look at the source, it's enough for the left. As such, the left's leadership is immunized against actually generating a better everyday for the people they think they own, happy to accept 'fighting for you' and really effective blame and political skills as the same as having the chops to govern in a fashion that improves for all.
And 'their own media' plays right along, while calling themselves 'journalists'. Writing and publishing very large articles that explain everything, using all the precious time people have to read suich things -- except the main thing. So, once again, the journalists inform the readers.
With just a little twist. At least Ed put Biden in the headline. A start.
The only ones benefitting from an iowa first in the nation status are political consultants and media ad folk. Give some other state the "honor" of incessant surveys and tons of junk mail.