"Iowa"

Sydney M. Williams

Thought of the Day

“Iowa”

January 6, 2012

In 2008, it is estimated that $51,593,849 was spent by the two parties, antecedent to the Iowa Caucuses. In the past several months even more money was spent. The Iowa caucuses ultimately result in selecting less than one percent of delegates that attend the two national conventions. This suggests about a million dollars per delegate! The price of admission to our political system keeps rising. The months leading up to the caucuses provide Iowans and, in the process, all Americans ample opportunity to evaluate the candidates, but the overexposure makes the candidates seem increasingly ridiculous, and exhausts the viewers and reporters – never have so many been so eager to leave Iowa behind.

Since 1972, the Iowa Caucuses have been recognized as the first step in the U.S. presidential nominating process, but their record in selecting the actual candidates is mixed. Both George W. Bush and Barack Obama won their respective Iowa caucuses in 2000 and 2008, but Ronald Reagan did not in 1980, nor did Bill Clinton in 1992. In 1988, George H.W. Bush was unopposed, as were sitting Presidents in 1984, 1996 and 2004.

The best thing about the Caucuses is that they are over and that the winnowing process has begun. Michelle Bachman is gone. Rick Perry is as well, though apparently he hasn’t received the message. Jon Huntsman and Newt Gingrich each have one more shot – Huntsman in New Hampshire and Gingrich in South Carolina. In an effluence of delusional obfuscation, depending on the pundit, the Caucuses were won by Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul. If Romney wins both New Hampshire and South Carolina, he should be assured the nomination and Republicans can then devote whatever remaining ammunition they have against the real target – Barack Obama and his extremist views, which are leading the country toward a European form of Socialism. Mr. Obama will, no doubt, play the role of defending the ninety-nine percent against the one percent. The job of Republicans will be to make clear that people understand that Mr. Obama represents the one percent – an increasingly powerful, centralized federal government more interested in consolidating power than in the welfare of the people.

In my opinion, only one Republican candidate can defeat Mr. Obama and that is Mitt Romney. He may seem unexciting, but he is capable; his opinions are less strident than others (he is often accused of flip-flopping,) but he is a centrist; he may come across as a technocrat, but that is one of his strengths; he doesn’t wind up the electorate, but he is pragmatic. Republicans who are looking for a 21st Century version of Ronald Reagan to come riding out of the west will be disappointed. But the country has tired of extremists – both on the left and the right. Polarization has rendered Washington immobile. The time is right for someone with balance, not to lead us back to the olden days, but to lead us forward toward today’s challenges, while maintaining the capitalist system that has made us strong and the inherent goodness of our democracy that has made our country a beacon for the world.

 Iowa began the process, now it’s on to New Hampshire!