Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

In the past two presidential elections people here on Dave's have asked me how caucuses operate, since I am from Iowa and have attended in the past. This year I thought I'd preempt the request by posting early: ONLY 2 months away now.

There is a clear description given here: http://www.iowacaucus.org/iacaucus.html

Another aspect of it is Why Iowa? The historical accident that made Iowa first is also explained in the link.

Every four years there is talk by other states that the system be changed, but nothing has been done, so Iowa is first again this year. There are some good arguments for change, but none that are really compelling.

[huffdaddy]

Very interesting stuff, Ya-Ta. I never knew about the corn cob ballots before.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Don't be dissing Iowa while eating your corn flakes, huffdaddy. It ain't polite to bite the hand that feeds you.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[Milwaukiedave]

I have never sat down and read about how that works, it's interesting but complicated.

As to the arguement that Iowa should go first, part of the problem there is exactly what the other states (my state left their primary where it is, which is 7th to last) jumping in front of each other making it a circus. It has always been an issue, but not as big of an issue until this year.

Personally I'd like to see a regional primary system where it rotated who goes first. The problem with saying one state goes first is frankly it makes others less important. When your state comes up and the nominees are chosen, it makes you wonder why you bother to vote or support one of them. The Oregon Legislature was considering moving the primary to Feb 5th, but I think part of the problem is so many of the other states had jumped up to that date that there was a concern the calander would be too front loaded (which is it is already).

There is a slight chance (I'd say less then 10%) if it were a very close race, the nominee could still be undecided in May and Oregon would have a crucial say in it, but I doubt it.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Obama and Huckabee look to rewrite Iowa script

Mon Dec 3, 11:46 AM ET
DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - One month before Iowans kick off the long march to the November 2008 election, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee are threatening to turn the tense U.S. presidential race upside down.

Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Mitt Romney have seen once stable leads in Iowa evaporate as their challengers surge forward, leaving a tight and unsettled contest for both parties' nominations in the Midwestern state.

"Everything is in flux, but I don't see anyone breaking away from the pack," said Mark Smith, president of the Iowa state AFL-CIO, a federation of labor unions.

"This could all shift again. Some people are just starting to think about the race and a lot of people aren't sure about it yet."

A Des Moines Register poll on Sunday found Obama narrowly leading Clinton and John Edwards among Iowa Democrats, and a Pew Research Center-AP poll on Monday gave Clinton a slight edge.

Huckabee held a small lead over Romney among Republicans in the Register poll, with Rudy Giuliani, who is ahead in national polls but has not focused on Iowa, trailing badly in third place.

The leads were within the Register poll's margin of error, and more than half of Iowa voters said they could change their minds before the January 3 contest that opens the state-by-state battle to pick general election candidates.

The findings mirrored other surveys showing tightening races nationally and in New Hampshire, which votes five days after Iowa. The shifting ground has electrified campaigns in both parties.


The rest of the article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071203/pl_nm/usa_politics_iowa_dc


If Clinton wins the nomination I would support her, but I prefer Obama to her because of the baggage. I prefer Biden or Richardson over Obama, but neither of them seem to have a chance. So...

Go Barak!!!

[Ya-ta Boy]

The fat lady hasn't sung yet.

[Rteacher]

Robert Reich (Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton) regrets HRCs "strident" and "inaccurate" attacks on Obama, as she continues to lose ground in polls... http://robertreich.blogspot.com/2007/12/why-is-hrc-stooping-so-low.html

[Ya-ta Boy]

I always rather liked Reich. (no, BJ, not the 3rd Reich. That's your puppy.)

[ontheway]

[blaseblasphemener]

[ontheway]

Rudy's corruption. This is the beginning of the story, he'll be out of the race soon:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=639gThp4Pxw

[Kuros]

[Ya-ta Boy]

My mom is uncommitted to any candidate so far, so she is getting several calls a day from the various camps trying to get her to go with their guy. If I were at home, I think I'd register as a Republican just so I could get lots of phone calls and say nasty things about all of their candidates...and waste their time and money.


EDIT:

I wish I'd been quicker on the draw. I'd have said I was thinking of Ehud Barak, the Israeli Defense Minister and that the fact the two have the same name is proof of an international Jewish conspiracy to take over the world.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Iowans undecided as caucuses near

"Jane Halliburton dined with Joe Biden and conferred with Hillary Rodham Clinton. Talked with Barack Obama and met with Chris Dodd. Loved the pecan pie sent over by John Edwards' staff."


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071205/ap_po/iowa_undecideds;_ylt=AocNiVANtedG3xEs90TGm7Os0NUE

This is an excellent article showing why Iowa and New Hampshire are a good idea. It's rare for regular people to meet candidates face to face, and in small states, it can happen much more often. I'm not saying it's a fool-proof method, but it is a rare chance to gauge candidates without the intervening medium of TV.