2008 Woodie Awards
First time caucus attendees have conflicting experiences
Point-Counterpoint
Bryan Willis
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: Opinion
Caucus experience was not enjoyable
As a first time caucus attendee I didn't exactly know what to expect. I honestly expected that it would be a lot like voting, or at least similar in process. We would show up, go through it and then be able to leave. That ended up not being the case at all.
As an independent I was required to re-register as a democrat before I could participate. I did not like that, I wasn't there to change party and I shouldn't have had to. I think that if I support a candidate I should be able to caucus for them regardless of what party I am.
Another thing I did not enjoy was having to listen to all the pre-caucus democrat party rhetoric where the majority of the room took a lot of time to congratulate themselves for being democrats, in such ways as reading letters from noted party members the state over.
If I wanted to go to a rally, I would. I was there to support a candidate, not be asked a dozen different times to donate to the Iowa Democratic Party.
Once we moved past the 'Hurray Democrats' hour, it was finally time to proceed with the caucus. Counts turned into recounts and resulted in the migration of those who were no longer viable. That in turn caused further recounts until finally we could say that 'so and so' would get this many delegates, etc.
In states with primaries, they just show up and vote and that's it with none of the disorganized jumble required. They do not have the political party rhetoric and propaganda; at least none that you have to sit through to get your voice heard.
I'm glad I caucused but I did not enjoy the experience.
As a first time caucus attendee I didn't exactly know what to expect. I honestly expected that it would be a lot like voting, or at least similar in process. We would show up, go through it and then be able to leave. That ended up not being the case at all.
As an independent I was required to re-register as a democrat before I could participate. I did not like that, I wasn't there to change party and I shouldn't have had to. I think that if I support a candidate I should be able to caucus for them regardless of what party I am.
Another thing I did not enjoy was having to listen to all the pre-caucus democrat party rhetoric where the majority of the room took a lot of time to congratulate themselves for being democrats, in such ways as reading letters from noted party members the state over.
If I wanted to go to a rally, I would. I was there to support a candidate, not be asked a dozen different times to donate to the Iowa Democratic Party.
Once we moved past the 'Hurray Democrats' hour, it was finally time to proceed with the caucus. Counts turned into recounts and resulted in the migration of those who were no longer viable. That in turn caused further recounts until finally we could say that 'so and so' would get this many delegates, etc.
In states with primaries, they just show up and vote and that's it with none of the disorganized jumble required. They do not have the political party rhetoric and propaganda; at least none that you have to sit through to get your voice heard.
I'm glad I caucused but I did not enjoy the experience.
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