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Maybe it evens out the funding discrepancies...but there's no denying that it makes no sense that IA/NH/SC residents have so much more impact on who the candidates are than other states.
Maybe it evens out the funding discrepancies...but there's no denying that it makes no sense that IA/NH/SC residents have so much more impact on who the candidates are than other states.
No process is perfect, but at least you avoid SOME of the issues of the big money candidates simply steamrolling through with no effort.
It is each individual candidate's choice to choose how much effort to put in, how much money to spend, and when to or not to drop out of the race.
This year above all others, the canidates are just FLOODING Iowa and making this some "make or break" situation. The media is totally going along with it as well. It's not like anyone HAS to drop out just cause they don't win in little ole Iowa.
I think it's become outrageous and stupid, but it's not really Iowa's fault.
I strongly disagree, McCain and Guiliani, Kucinich, Dodd, Richardson, Biden have not done much in IA b/c there is no way they can win b/c they can't get 15% or more. In the caucus system for the Dems *only*you need minimum 15% of the voters to make you "viable" after the first round of voting, if you don't have that after first round of voting the voters who support Kucinich, Dodd et all can either join another politicians group, sort of forming a coalition, or go home. Never to have their votes even recorded! Since Kucinich et all dont have that stong of support they'll never win or even get close. When's the last time you even saw their polling numbers in Iowa? I can't recall ever. I gurantee you'll see some Dems dropping out after tonight. The whole thing is really strange. I don't understand why 2 small mostly white states that don't really encompass all of america get to have so much influence. NO disrespect is meant to IA or NH , I just don't get it. I don't understand why we can't all just vote on the same day, albeit later in the year, say May.
Even if we voted in thirds if a canadate falls behind by the time it would get to the third region some of said canadates supports would be down and might not even go out thinking he has no chance to win. We kind of have that system now , it's just the later states that deal with this problem.
Does anybody have a problem with these relatively insignificant states (no offense to the natives) with tiny populations always getting the power to basically decide the frontrunners for both parties? Doesn't this tradition seem a little screwy?
I agree with you, I wonder how it became Iowa and New Hampshire instead of heavily populated states (like California, New York, Florida, or Texas).
The small populations make it possible for lesser candidates to have a shot against the big money candidates. A person can go town to town, talk to small groups of people, really get their message out, and have a chance to come out of Iowa and N.H. with a real shot to get on a roll and maybe take the nomination.
If you had a general primary election, you'd have simply the big $ candidates dominating. They may ultimately win out anyway, but with this system, far more perspectives from each party get a voice.
It's a good thing for the democratic process.
But the less-funded candidate ends up expending a much larger percentage of their war-chest, so if they don't win, they withdraw from the race because they can't afford to continue. I don't know if this is such a good thing for the democratic process, but I do get what you are saying about the small populations making it easier for the candidate to get out and meet the people and hear what voters are saying.
After listening for over 3 years to all the coverage and the commercials I wish some other state did have the "honor" of being first. I also wish that the candidates could only start campaigning 6 months before the caucus and that once they do, they have to give up their job as Govenor or Senator!!!
If you don't like the primary system, blame the parties. They set the dates.
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