Iowa
and New Hampshire primaries: who cares but the media?
ItŐs really too bad the 24/7 news media have decided
to make caucuses and primary elections in Iowa and New Hampshire the bellweather
states for the nominations of presidential candidates. What a disservice to the
rest of America. Think about it. Hardly anyone resides in either state - Iowa
is rated 30th in population and New Hampshire rated 41st.
Neither state represents a cross-section of the country, with practically no
minorities or urban population, and Iowa is hardly progressive in electing
women to public office. New Hampshire and Iowa are 96 and 95 percent white,
respectively.
The Iowa caucuses fly in the face of democracy at every turn. They are
usually held in someoneŐs house, which is a tad personal for many. If you are
brave enough to go, your vote is by the raise of a hand – no privacy
there. Strong and single-minded voters and campaign workers dominate the
process and intimidate the other voters. One caucus of 25 people has as much
clout as a caucus of 2,500 people in DesMoines. So much for the one man, one
vote guideline upheld by the Supreme Court.
My husbandŐs two brothers lived in Iowa almost their entire adult lives
and didnŐt attend more than one caucus. The brother from Wayland attended one
and thought it was such a joke he never went again. Apparently Iowa has been
using the caucus system for years but no one paid any attention until the last
decade.
ItŐs a circus put on by the media, and should be devoid of much
meaning. At least this year voters in Illinois will still have a choice because
of our early primary on February 5. That day Illinois will be joined by
primaries in many other states, including New York and California. Now that will be an important election day and a Ň super
Tuesday!Ó
Caroline
Porter is a freelance writer who can be reached at
caroline.porter@insighbb.com.
12/20/07