Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumCan I stand up for Iowa just a second.
People do not like our caucus system.. I understand that. The republicans do a different kind of caucus here, where they have a straw vote prior to their caucus, and the caucus is basically a organization event.
We in the Democratic party do it differently. We all come in with our selected person who we want. Mine is Biden if you have not figured it out by now ...
We vote, and everyone who is a candidate who does not get at least 15% of that caucus vote, well, guess what... we give our voters a second chance, that the republicans do not have. We can choose to go and join a different candidates group or leave.. that is up to us.. but that is why in Iowa, numbers 2,3 4 5 are just as important as number one. If #3 does not make it, his or her people many end up boosting number 4 into first place. So Iowa Democrats really try to look at everyone. Because, my choice may not be viable at my caucus, but if someone else that I think they would be a good choice, I can go and stand with them.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,715 posts)caucus so get left out...other than that my husband interviewed in Iowa but didn't get the job...it was a nice place.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Peacetrain
(22,880 posts)But you would be amazed at how many babies are at caucus and little kids. We have been living with these people for two years, and we will slug it out to get there to cheer our choices on, or hear from other candidates captains on why another candidate would be a good choice. It also gets a LOT of people involved in our state organization. But it will probably change in the future.. we had thought about doing a online caucus, but there was no way to control who would participate. And in Iowa, you have to be a registered Democrat to vote at the Democratic caucus..
Edit to add.. darned, wish you could have moved here.. I just moved to the eastern side of the state a couple of years ago.. I used to live on western end by South Dakota. It really is a nice place
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Skidmore
(37,364 posts)to get people without transportation, the elderly, or with disabilities to the caucus. I wonder how many people in primary states don't get to the polls because of work schedules.
The one benefit of the caucus is that all participants get a chance to be immediately selected as county delegates and voting on proposals for platform items to move up to the next level occurs.
What I'd like is a holiday for voting/caucusing everywhere.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Peacetrain
(22,880 posts)And the great thing about selecting county delegates at caucus, is that we have so many more people to select from.. gets new people involved in the process.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,715 posts)over...we were looking at a tire company in Iowa...hubs is an engineer...but here we are in Ohio...I like Ohio.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Peacetrain
(22,880 posts)She loves it there too. You know the downside of moving to Iowa.. you would have had to choose between the Hawkeyes (Univ of Ia) or Cyclones (Ia State Univ) .. we love our college football, almost as much as Nebraska..
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,715 posts)much good this year...I do have a soft spot for Green Bay...my Dad from Chicago loved them...his folks were from Wisconsin... we lived in Janesville for a while too.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Peacetrain
(22,880 posts)Your bona fides go deep in the Midwest.. so with linked arms... let me give a shout out to the Buckeyes!!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,715 posts)many years in the Mid West.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Demsrule86
(68,715 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
hlthe2b
(102,419 posts)People civilly talked with each other and some even ended up changing minds...
The part I didn't like was the extreme limitation on participation. Given one had to be able to attend on a single evening event for several hours was extremely exclusive of those who worked certain jobs, those with caretaker responsibilities, and of course the sick and infirmed.
But, yes, the caucuses were an interesting exercise in civic participation. It introduced me to a few neighbors several streets over that I might never have gotten to know, as well as a lot of people who I've since recognized at other local political events.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(145,666 posts)The Texas two step is no more but under this system two-thirds of the delegates were allocated on the basis of a primary and one-third on the basis of a caucus that took place the night of the general election. Hillary Clinton won the primary but President Obama won the most delegates due to the caucus portion
There are games that you can play. The Obama team had trainers who worked the Iowa caucuses train us on how to game the caucus system and these techniques worked.
I do NOT like caucuses. I am glad that Texas got rid of the Texas two step and I am glad that 10 or so states that had caucuses in 2016 are now using primaries
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Peacetrain
(22,880 posts)there is no changing anything for this caucus. I know they tried to implement an online caucus for those who could not attend..but as the party looked closer at all the intrusions the Russians and other parties were doing in the viral world. they realized this just would not work. It would have been too easily manipulated. So this is where we will be in 2020
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(145,666 posts)New Hampshire will move their primary up if anyone tries this. Iowa's hands were tied. I simply do not like caucuses. I know the games that one can play. Game theory works in the context of caucuses
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Peacetrain
(22,880 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
MuseRider
(34,135 posts)in Kansas. We did the caucuses but I would much rather vote a vote than be a part of a smaller or larger mass then have to go on to the next etc. etc. I am looking forward to it.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
brooklynite
(94,792 posts)I want my candidates selected by people who get their information from TV ads and Facebook stories...
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
dsc
(52,169 posts)to use one example our candidate couldn't caucus when he was serving in Afghanistan, though he was pretty likely engaged. I presume you like the fact that if you get sick at night you have a hospital to go to, well the people who staff those hospitals can't caucus no matter how engaged they may be. I am lucky that I work at a job where I could caucus but I am not so self absorbed that I don't realize others aren't so lucky.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Peacetrain
(22,880 posts)is the last thing I want. God only knows how many disruptive actors are putting up ads as we speak. Facebook makes yellow journalism look good. I have to admit, Joe Biden has some great ads on Facebook, but some of the other stuff I have seen scares me to death to think people would use that garbage to make a decision with. I have seen people who I know and are intelligent educated people fall for some of the craziest crap you have ever seen ..I will take a long night at caucus anyday over that. The people developing this ads overseas have become experts at what rings the bells of Americans.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Skidmore
(37,364 posts)engaged Iowans are when it comes to attending campaign events. In the cold. At night. In the daytime. On weekends. With strollers, wheelchairs, and walkers. We go whether we can caucus or not. I've seen people swap shifts with someone who didn't want to go and schedule trips around the caucus. Participation is discounted by many who don't live here.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Peacetrain
(22,880 posts)at caucus or gave someone a ride who does not drive anymore or does not have access to a car. After two years of these people literally living with us.. Martin O'Malley stayed in the homes of his supporters.. and giving up rooms for their staff, we are invested in going to that night. for sure
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Skidmore
(37,364 posts)Hillary staffer living with one of our friends in 2016. In 2008, another friend's house was big enough to serve as meet-up central for Obama supporters from several villages. There was a group who made certain people at phone banks were supplied with food and drinks.
During the last caucus, I was a precinct captain. Took lots of calling to organize and GOTV.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Peacetrain
(22,880 posts)We were not viable, so I was just not ready to stand for anyone else that night, and walked.. but by the next week I was all in for Hillary..
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Happy Hoosier
(7,425 posts)... and be far more inclusive to boot. Plus, I HATE, HATE, HATE that my primary vote is almost never a factor. Why is it that Iowa voters get so much say and voters in my state get the cold shoulder. Rotate the early states. Let everyone have a shot at mattering.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
sacto95834
(393 posts)Caucuses and primary elections test different strengths of a campaign. I agree with many who think caucuses are "less democratic," but they are cheaper to hold if that is a concern.
It's unfortunate that Iowa and New Hampshire gets so much criticism for going first - somebody has to. Moving toward the future, it would be nice to rotate the states that get to go first. My only concern is that they be relatively small and where the media market is not very expensive to give the lesser known candidates a shot to gain recognition. If one did only a one day national primary (like the General) only the best funded and most well known candidates would win.
Perhaps we can move towards a regional primary, where say four to six or so regions of the country vote in a block and the regions change with each cycle, so if you went first this cycle you go last in the next. Not sure you can do this as each state governs their own primary. Haven't work out all the kinks in the plan, but just some of my thoughts.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
redqueen
(115,103 posts)It's long past time to implement that.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
TidalWave46
(2,061 posts)But I love how you put forward positive aspects to the system. Like many things, black and white thinking can sink us. I do no like the public vote aspect of it and think there is a very easy way around it that still keeps the "caucus" theme.
Love your op.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
nsd
(2,406 posts)So, the first state should be representative of the country as a whole, not just Democrats or just Republicans.
Iowa is pretty good in that respect because it can go either way. HRC lost by 9 points, but Obama won by 9 and 7 in his two runs. GWB edged out Kerry in 2004, but Gore edged out GWB four years earlier.
Yes, Iowa is whiter than the rest of the country, but it was also the single most important state in the rise of Barack Obama as a presidential contender.
Caucuses are tricky, but I do get the feeling that Iowa caucus voters take their responsibility more seriously than primary voters in other states.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Peregrine Took
(7,417 posts)I watched one on tv years ago and saw some big guys crowded around a small group of people seated in a corner who supported another candidate
Had I been in the seated group I would definitely been intimidated by the men standing over me wanting to discuss my vote.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
MBS
(9,688 posts)- then later for primaries in NH, MA, AZ, and other states
I found that Iowa voters were, hands down, the most knowledgeable and engaged of any primary voters that I encountered.
I have huge respect for Iowa voters [at least the Democrats ], and I think that their sense of responsibility and overall engagement does our entire country a big service. And yes, I also think that the caucus system helps foster that engagement, in part for the reasons you've already articulated.
There are very few states for which the caucus system would be appropriate. But IMO Iowa's system plays a vital role.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
justgamma
(3,667 posts)I can't imagine just walking in and voting. It seems so impersonal.
A caucus leads to actually talking to people. Discussions, about candidates and the platform we want. I've never seen anything but respect for people with different views of the candidates. There has been no pressure put on anyone. If your person isn't viable, there might be some campaigning to switch votes but that's it. Remember the caucus are full of our families, friends, and neighbors especially in the majority of small towns in Iowa.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Happy Hoosier
(7,425 posts)I guess ya just dont count?
We need to be eliminating barriers to participating, not entrenching them.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden