Dean predicts changes for 2008 primaries

[LincolnMcGrath]

For decades, the Iowa caucuses have been the first nominating contest, followed closely by New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary.



http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DEAN_PRIMARY?SITE=TXHOU&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-08-09-20-57-57

[Debi]

1. Iowa has been first for so long

It would be awful for us to fall back (I also believe that if Iowa does get replace with a different First (say Michigan) we won't be going second or third...our caucuses will be in May or June :boring:. I am a cynic, though, I do hope things don't change.

Lincoln, good catch on the article thanks for being diligent! :hi:

[Debi]

2. Any Iowan who believes in the caucus process please head over here

and get involved in this discussion....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1689020

[IADEMO2004]

3. count me in

I love hearing out of state people say they are fixed or rigged or numbers changed. Everyone there can count each warm body in a preference group. The purest elements that make up the democrat party are on display.

[Debi]

6. I like hearing how I'm going to be fired or stalked or beaten up

If I caucus or don't caucus for a certain candidate.

The 'I will only vote in private and not let anyone know who I support when I vote' crowd are the same folks with yard signs, bumper stickers and lapel pins with their preference of candidate on them. (the guy DARBOY actually door knocked for Dean, but doesn't want anyone to know who he voted for)

I enjoy the caucuses because it's sometimes the only time I see my neighbors other than at other political functions. Who cares that we don't agree on the candidate, we agree on the philosophy of our party and we WILL work together to see that spread throughout our state.

I don't want a party where I don't know my fellow Democrats, I want a party where I feel at home and want to participate.

[IA_Seth]

7. Hallelujah!

I really enjoy the interaction you get with a caucus.

I mean, which is better: A private primary where uninformed voters are basically SOL when it comes to choosing a candidate, or a caucus where you can walk in with an open mind and actually discuss party politics and candidate's stances?

And the vote-swapping argument is weak. Who really cares about vote-swapping really anyway? If a candidate is weak in a particular area, what harm is it for that candidate to say - Hey, vote for this gal then, I agree with him more than others.

It's amazing how anti-Iowa and anti-caucus people can be when they don't live here.

[Debi]

8. I don't understand why non-Iowans don't just ask Iowans about the caucuses

rather than spread lies.

Did anyone here get pushed into caucusing for someone they didn't want to (and I'm not talking about realigning - that's part of the process - and if you REALLY don't have another preference you can stay with your candidate).

Did any Firefighters get bullied into caucusing for Kerry?

Did anyone get fired for being a Democrat?

I haven't heard a single negative story from and Iowan.

I have heard how bad Iowa is from Michigan Democrats...but they want to be first (and their caucus isn't even a caucus - it's a ballot vote :eyes: they just called it a caucus so they wouldn't have to fight with New Hampshire).

[IA_Seth]

9. I know...

I am still recovering from my broken knees I got for trying to caucus for Clark....whatever!

For God's sake, it was my FIRST caucus, I am a relatively shy kind of fella (well I was more so then, anyway), and here I am trying to caucus (still didn't know what that meant) for Wesley Clark in a state where mentioning his name normally got a "Wesley Who?".

I obviously was disappointed that I had to re-align, but like you said, its part of the process that makes it so great. I think by having a caucus and the forced re-alignments it actually causes party cohesiveness... My point being that eventually we are all going to have to get behind a single candidate and they are ALL democrats. By re-aligning we have the chance to show party solidarity behind that one candidate instead of us vs. them mentality prevalent in primaries.

Just me ranting...i better get back to work!

[IADEMO2004]

4. Just back from your link

Yer a scrappy one. way to go!

[Debi]

5. This happens every couple of months

Iowa, Iowa, Iowa....how come all the candidates go to Iowa?

The fact is Iowa is in real danger this time and a shake up would surely create a shake down for Iowa's caucuses.

This isn't some thing I want to lose.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

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[Debi]

11. Whoever got that law on the books is a genius!

Obviously the law is only enforceable in Iowa....so we could go ahead and hold our caucuses prior to anyone else but they could mean nothing. It would be up to the DNC to determine whether or not to recognize our caucuses as legitimate (the DNC could instruct candidates that some other state is the official first and we are rouges....the candidates could agree to ignore us as well).

Also, I wonder, if Vilsack decides to run in 2008 does he want to piss off the National Party by being part of an anti-national party rules organization?