Many are wooed but few caucus in Iowa

[Herman Munster]

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-masoncity19nov19,0,4998232.story?coll=la-politics-campaign

Though most Mason City residents pride themselves on Iowa casting the first ballots of the 2008 campaign, many say they are too busy and confused by the process to participate. By the time the caucuses roll around, they are fed up with politicians, and unwilling to spend a cold January night arguing with their neighbors.

Even Weaver is unsure whether he will caucus.

He would have to change his registration from independent to Democratic on the day of the caucuses to take part. "I'm not comfortable with that because then I have to go back and re-register," he said.

Norb Thomes, 50, and his wife, Marie, 50, had seen Clinton and Obama. The Thomeses often talked of politics, they said, but had never caucused. "The whole caucus thing is a little intimidating," Norb Thomes said.

On this Saturday morning, few people seemed concerned about the presidential race. The city was bustling with other out-of-towners -- farmers who had come to buy fertilizer, families shopping for the holidays. At the mall, JCPenney and Yonkers did brisk business.

Vicki Deal, who works at the bijouterie counter at JCPenney, said she would definitely be voting in 2008 -- her choice: a woman or a black man -- but she would not caucus. "We are busy around this time with the holidays coming," she said.

Bev Marshall, a 68-year-old nurse, said her work schedule prevented her from getting involved to caucus for a candidate.

"When you work 12 hours a day," she said, "you don't have the time."

[xchrom]

1. participatory government requires sacrifice on the part of

the citizens. -- that's all there is to it.

this becomes a metaphor -- an allegory for our times.

[Skittles]

2. why the FUCK does anyone go FIRST?

why is the nominee a done f***ing deal before the voting gets anywhere NEAR me ????

[K Gardner]

5. Its infuriating

I don't have a vote in the primaries, lots of us don't. If you're not in the "critical" Iowa or NH, and not in a close followup state like SC, then the fix is in before your state ever even goes to the poll. Hell, I don't feel like my vote counts even in the General Election. And I can't believe we haven't fixed this broken system prior to now. As all of us who watch, know... the Media Selects our candidates. And if we get around to a close general vote, they elect them again.

[Skittles]

6. maybe there was a reason for it a long time ago

but like the electoral college it has ceased its function and needs to be REVAMPED! Welcome to the DU K Gardner :hi:

[durrrty libby]

3. The system is silly and needs to change

[calteacherguy]

8. That and the electoral college.

anachronisms

[CK_John]

4. A caucus is designed to eliminate all but the insiders. It is a bully pulpit for bullies, where the

loudest and most confrontational agree to meet at a fixed time for an unlimited duration. The turnout is always low and should be changed into an secret ballot with normal polling times to meet the needs of the voters.

[calteacherguy]

7. I remember reading the percentage of Iowans who caucus is very low

perhaps in single digits?

It really shocked me the first time I found out how low turnout historically is in Iowa.