A wonderful Iowan
Met a wonderful Iowan in the hours before the caucuses begin: Glenna Finney works at the in Winterset, half an hour outside Des Moines.
Mrs Finney, like her hero, is a Republican. She USED to know who she was going to support BUT - incredibly really, given all the fuss there has been - she has recently decided that she is, once again, Undecided!
She is seriously going to go this evening without any clear idea about who she will support - and she says she knows others who are in the same position.
That is the aspect of the caucus process so difficult for foreigners to grasp - that Americans (well, some Americans) care so deeply about their democracy that they are willing to go out in the snow and spend time thrashing it out...
Hello, I'm 
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I don't wonder that foreigners have such difficulty grasping this, even many of us here do, too. What's so demanding about going out amid a few snow flakes - usually in a luxury automobile - to sit in a warm room in a comfortable chair at a tepid meeting for a few minutes. What kind of great sacrifices does that entail? Is that like crossing the ocean in the fragile Mayfower or sleeping outside at Valley Forge? But they care so little about their alleged democracy that many of them won't even make the miniscule effort required to attend a caucus one night in four years or, in other states, to go to a primary poll for a minute - let alone bothering to show up next November for the rubber-stamp general election? Even though they'd readily go out in the snow to go to a show or the shopping mall. Whether they really care at all - let alone 'deeply' - is highly questionable. But the even more interesting - and disturbing - question also arises: is this indeed a democracy in anything other than name only, and is that why so many really don't care?
Mr. Webb,
So if this was the Hawaii Caucus instead, you'd be more understanding?
It seems like you're also having trouble comprehending how a John Wayne worshiper hasn't automatically signed on to some Neanderthal candidate, with nothing able to sway her from her Paleolithic loyalties.
Brett, it's actually a Republic with democractically elected officials if that makes you feel better. Regardless, the last time I looked whether or not a system qualifies as a "democracy" has nothing to do with voter turnout. In fact, international voter turnout percentage is usually inversely proportional to the age and strength of the democracy involved. What would you have the government do? Force people to leave their homes to vote in primaries? America's relatively low voter turnout actually reflects the confidence the average American has that, whomever is elected, the system that has worked so well will remain in place without too many serious changes that will affect their daily lives. Americans argue vehemently about approximately 5-10% of the issues on offer in most other countries (including whether to continue a democractic system after the next election) and agree without much discussion on the other 90%.
Brett, it's actually a Republic with democractically elected officials if that makes you feel better. Regardless, the last time I looked whether or not a system qualifies as a "democracy" has nothing to do with voter turnout. In fact, international voter turnout percentage is usually inversely proportional to the age and strength of the democracy involved. What would you have the government do? Force people to leave their homes to vote in primaries? America's relatively low voter turnout actually reflects the confidence the average American has that, whomever is elected, the system that has worked so well will remain in place without too many serious changes that will affect their daily lives. Americans argue vehemently about approximately 5-10% of the issues on offer in most other countries (including whether to continue a democractic system after the next election) and agree without much discussion on the other 90%.
Mr. Webb:
I wouldn't worry too much about posters like Brett and David. Unless you live under our system, or take the time to really study it, then foreigners will never get it. I've spent a lot of time perusing posts on the 大象传媒. There are those that will hate us yanks no matter what we say or do, so most of us, as we have for 200 years, just shrug it off and go on with our lives. We can't make everyone happy in the world, and don't even pretend to try. (at least the majority of us). And bye the way: I'm not even from Iowa, but I haven't decided yet either whom I'm going to vote for. And most voters don't, normally, until about 2 weeks before the election on Super Tuesday.
Brett I am one who will be caucusing. It's cold windy and a 10 mile ride on ice for the most part. I will be in my F 150 1992 pickup since it can go through the snow drifts. It will be in a small town of 610 at the school for the blues and library for the reds. I am for edwards but can change. Thats what I like about us Iowans We keep the world woundering what we are thinging So you see it really is secret. Just in our own way
It would seem on the democratic side of the front runners only John Edwards can realistically be seen as a victor after Iowa - if he places 1st or 2nd then he exceeds expectations and gets momentum. Obama and Clinton can only hope to meet expectations by winning - and it's possible that either could win but not by enough of a margin to get any real value out of it.
On the republican side if huckabee doesn't win by enough he will prob. be seen as peaking too early and will prob. lose the momentum.
Coming from a country that suffers from turn-out rates almost as low as those in the US, I'm quite envious of a system that succeeds in engaging people in this way. Even if the numbers are lower than they could be (which, as Alec points out reflects at least in part the general confidence in the system).
As for the weather - it's pretty well documented that poor weather tends to keep people from participating in any democratic processes that involve leaving their home (i.e., pretty much all of them) - heated cars or no. So yes, the fact that this caucus is being held in Iowa in winter rather than Hawaii does make it more admirable that people leave their living rooms to attend it. Good for them.
I don鈥檛 see what the cold has got to do with it. Plenty of other countries around the world in similar situations. And if the cold is really a problem, change the date of the election! But, if they really care about their democracy so much, why not allow postal or electronic voting, so not having to 鈥渂rave the cold鈥 for the sake of democracy. But staying on that point鈥.how can this be real democracy when those who fall behind after the first or second vote, appear no longer to be in the race and have to 鈥渏oin forces鈥 for a quasi-coalition or just fade away and are not even in the final vote鈥ounds more like collusion. Just let everyone all over the nation vote at the same time on the same day. Would also reduce the amount of time electioneering and money wasted too鈥.
We are NOT a democracy. Never have been. The United States of America is a Constitutional Republic.
Mr. Webb,
So if this was the Hawaii Caucus instead, you'd be more understanding?
It seems like you're also having trouble comprehending how a John Wayne worshiper hasn't automatically signed on to some Neanderthal candidate, with nothing able to sway her from her Paleolithic loyalties.
"Why not allow ... electronic voting, so not to have to brave the cold for the sake of democracy" -John
Electronic voting = democracy? I must be missing something.
K.Tyson: Thank you for your post. Obviously this needs to be pointed out, and probably will again numerous times in the future.
As to the weather and how Justin sees that it affects the caucus turnout, I think it's only a big, terrifying issue for people who do not live in states (or countries) with harsh winter weather such as what the midwest and northern states experience. I've experienced Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Illinois, Iowa and Missouri in winters past. Snow falls, lots of it. Ice storms happen, it melts. Local residents typically are not halted by weather, we deal with it. We do not huddle in fear in our homes. Good heavens, it is silly to assume that a little frozen precipitation would keep us hearty midwesterners shivering behind closed doors. Weather is only an issue to those unfamiliar with the general locale---AND the local people.
K. Tyson - the two things are not mutually exclusive.
A democracy is a system of government that is controlled by the people through their elected representatives by means of an election.
A Republic is a system of government headed by an elected leader (usually a president).
Therefore the USA is a republic and a democracy.
The Iowa caucus is not designed to encourage voter participation. The political parties govern the rules for the Iowa caucuses (cauci?).
An individual desiring to register her political sentiment is required to attend the caucus for her party from about 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm. In the Democratic caucus they conduct an open ballot rather than a secret ballot and individuals whose candidate of choice fails to obtain a minimum number of supporters are forced to chose a new candidate to support.
In the words of the Wall Street Journal鈥檚 John Fund caucuses 鈥渨ere designed as an insiders鈥 game to attract party activists, donors and political junkies and give them a disproportionate influence in the process. In other words, they are designed not to be overly democratic."
The American tradition of caucusing reflects party politics rather than "American Democracy".
I wonder what Ms Finney would have to say about the revelation in Gary Wills' 1997 book, "John Wayne's America: The Politics of Celebrity," that Mr. Wayne was a World War II draft dodger? (Gary Wills was and is another admirer of John Wayne and the book also mostly very positive in its take on this very distinguished American.)
This link - obtained by web-searching [John Wayne draft dodger] (no brackets) gives John Wayne's side of the story - an explanation that many men who were in a very similar circumstances (e.g. the actor James Stewart, who rarely played tough guys) who signed up anyway to risk life and limb in World War II would find unconvincing.
Even so, those of us filmgoers who enjoyed "The Duke's" films - and who, beyond that, noted how
much of President Reagan's presidential fa莽ade of tough-guy bravado was borrowed from this very talented actor, knew from "at home" profiles in major magazines like "Look" and "Life" that John Wayne was actually a very sensitive, rather emotional man - a much more complex and interesting character in real life than he ever played in his films.
Another celebrity of World War II vintage - one who became a Ronald Reagan supporter in his later years - who managed a "4F" classification (medically unfit) when similarly "afflicted" men were drafted anyway, was Frank Sinatra. This is a link to a year 2000 New York Times story giving the reasons for Sinatra's "4F" classification.
And also - let's see - George W. Bush dodged the draft by using his rich man's son pedigree and solid gold insider connections to get an appointment to the air national guard. And Dick Cheney managed to evade the draft too. (Well-connected men in those days also used the merchant marine or the coast guard to avoid taking the real military man's risk of deployment in Vietnam. This is not, however, to say that everyone who was an officer or enlisted man in those services at that time were dodging more demanding military service.)
But when it came to choosing between a battle-decorated veteran, John Kerry (an officer who risked his life to save one of his crewmen in the heat of battle), the American people choose....George W. Bush.
And today, a plurality of Iowa's Republicans picked...Mike Huckabee!
My friend and I visited the John Wayne birthplace museum hours after Justin, and we both agreed Glenna Finney was an awesome person.
We asked her about the primaries, and instead of spewing partisan rhetoric or voicing cynicism about the political process, she said how exciting it was and how much it benefited Iowa.
I think a lot of Americans could stand to learn a thing or two from Ms. Finney.
It is my opinion the strength of America's democracy (and it is, we simply give our representatives delegate power to make decisions for us by proxy), should be found in situations where we wait until the last moment to make a decision.
I'm supporting Hillary, but you know what? It's a month before my primary. There's a lot that can happen, and I won't say for certain who I'll vote for. It just doesn't seem right. I'll allow for a last minute conscience check inside the booth.
I'm willing to "thrash it out" even if it's only with myself.
I don't understand how caucuses can be allowed to happen in a modern democracy anyway - in a small town, especially in a country with such seemingly polarised polictical parties (well, polarised amongst their supporters anyway, cf numerous TV comments about the 'bleeding hear Democrats' or 'right wing Republicans'), surely a caucus is just asking for peer pressure to determine the winner? Do people really feel free to say who they're voting for, or are they so worried what people will think of their choice that they vote with the crowd?
Of course, democracy itself is simply an organised vote-yourself-rich mob rule scheme anyway, so perhaps this is actually a more honest way of conducting such a flawed institution. But as the great man said, democracy is the worst kind of goverment... except for all the others.
Do people really feel free to say who they're voting for, or are they so worried what people will think of their choice that they vote with the crowd?
The former. It seems to be strangely difficult for people "from away" to understand how seriously the locals take their responsibility at these events.
I grew up, and currently live, in New Hampshire. My eldest sister currently lives in Iowa. Between us, we pretty much bear the brunt of the campaigns -- and relish our participation.
Caucuses and primaries in small states may have social aspects to them (after all, everyone knows everyone else in the room), but citizens still consider their vote sacred. Nobody, but nobody, tells 'em how to vote, either overtly or via peer pressure.
I'm off to the polls in about an hour to cast my vote. And nope, not telling. *grin*