DAVE ROSS

Why I love the caucus

Jan 3, 2012, 8:27 AM | Updated: Jan 5, 2012, 2:43 pm

Listen to Dave Ross Commentary: Why I love the caucus

Caucuses get a lot of criticism — but here’s what’s great … any voter can show up, register as a Republican or a Democrat, and participate.

Any voter can be in the smoke-filled room.

Although being Iowa, it’s actually a cookies and brownie-filled room. And when I went in 2008 the Hillary supporters had those exquisite ham and cheese sliders — just as the Founding Fathers intended.

And I know turnout is going to be low — maybe 100,000 — a mere 3 percent of Iowa’s population — but what’s great about that is: if you want to, Iowans, you can be in that 3 percent.

You can even stand up, make a speech and persuade some people.

I know we always hear how our Democracy has been bought, that only the big money has a chance, but in Iowa, with only 100,000 people making the decision, a candidate actually has a decent chance of seeing most of them IN PERSON. Unfiltered.

So hooray for the caucus. Hooray for citizens meeting in Brownie-filled rooms, hooray for opinions presented in person instead of by anonymous internet trolls.

The only drawback to the Iowa caucuses — is that only Iowans can go.

But even then – every one of us is free to move to Iowa if we feel that strongly about it.

And from what I hear, there are a lot of Iowans more than happy to trade places with you about now.

“We’re so tired of the ads, and all the debates. I’ve never seen so many debates,” said a woman in one report.

Suck it up madam. That bickering is the sound of freedom. Have a brownie.

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Why I love the caucus