SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
February 5, 2020
Sullivan’s Salvos 2/11/20
In this edition:
*Caucus Reflections
*Democratic Party Unity
*Bowl For Kid’s Sake
*Did You Know?
*Caucus Reflections
The Iowa Caucuses. What can you say? Seriously, I feel bad for so many people. A very quick list of winners and losers:
Winners: Iowa haters. Caucus haters. Joe Biden, who got creamed statewide. New Hampshire. Billionaires. Donald Trump. Joni Ernst.
Losers: The Iowa Democratic Party. Sanders, Warren, and Buttegieg, who all did well. Klobuchar, who clearly outperformed expectations. The national media. Future longshot Presidential candidates. Iowa’s Democratic nominee for US Senate.
I have many thoughts on a variety of caucus topics. Here it goes:
*The integrity of the results is paramount. Despite the way it feels, the caucuses are not a made – for – tv event. It is critical that the IDP take the time to get it right. The IDP made the right decision - get it right first.
*The national media needs to chill. I am SO sick of the talking heads! First, most cannot hide their hatred of Iowa. They think they are too good to spend two nights in the Des Moines Embassy Suites, when in actuality they need to spend a week in Ottumwa and Mason City. Secondly, and an even bigger part of the problem – they demand 100% of the info, 100% accurate, instantaneously.
*I feel terrible for IDP Chair Troy Price. We have had entirely too many IDP Chairs who steered the car with one eye on the road and the other on their own personal political future. (That hasn’t worked, by the way. Running the Party requires one’s whole attention. When you don’t run the IDP well, Iowans are unlikely to entrust you with a bigger job.) But Troy is not one of those people. He is a good man and has been an excellent Chair. I am sad to see this go down on his watch.
*The DNC is not without fault here. The IDP proposed a “virtual caucus” system that would have alleviated some (but certainly not all) of the concerns re: accessibility. But after stringing the IDP along, the DNC decided to shut down their plan. At that point, it was too late to do anything different.
*Caucuses are volunteer led. Thousands of Iowans volunteered on caucus night, and only a few flaked out. Literally over 99% did their jobs, and then some! Show me any other endeavor where volunteers handle such a task! You may be disappointed in the reporting, but please do not blame the volunteers. After all, you could have volunteered yourself!
*Why are volunteers running this thing? Because it is not an election, it is a party function. I AM convinced that it SHOULD be an election. It is problematic that so many people get shut out of the current system. People with disabilities, seniors, people with young children, people who dislike crowds, people who cannot get off work, people who do not want their spouse/boss to see how they voted… the caucus system simply presents too many barriers to participation. And we should not have a method of selecting a nominee that shuts some people out.
*Personally, I find the caucus fun, but stressful. I actually enjoy working the room. But because of the growth in the number of caucus goers, most of the fun parts no longer exist. For example, we no longer discuss platform issues. The place is too crowded, and once results are announced, there is a stampede to the door. It is everything we can do to get a few people to sign up as delegates/alternates to the convention. By the time the dust clears, there are ten people in the room, who are faced with doing the cleanup. We end up simply forwarding all platform planks on to the platform committee. An important party building opportunity is lost.
*A friend made what I think is a fantastic analogy: the Iowa Caucus = 6-on-6 girls’ basketball. Both are quintessentially Iowan. Both are quaint, but with nonsensical rules. Neither is the best method for playing the game. Both need to be mothballed.
(Opponents of change will not that fan interest and player participation both went down after Iowa dropped 6-on-6. This could be the fate of a future Iowa primary. But just like in basketball, I think anything that is lost is offset by gains in fairness.)
(Opponents of change will not that fan interest and player participation both went down after Iowa dropped 6-on-6. This could be the fate of a future Iowa primary. But just like in basketball, I think anything that is lost is offset by gains in fairness.)
*Caucus versus Primary and First in the Nation are very different topics, but they are also deeply intertwined. New Hampshire has a state law that requires them to hold the first primary. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has long agreed to this arrangement. They have also been under pressure to allow other states to go first.
*There is certainly a reason for other states to argue that they ought to go first. But I do have some significant concerns. Take California. Home to 40 million people versus Iowa’s 3 million. There are ten media markets in California larger than Des Moines. The only way a candidate can become known in California is money. There is no path for a Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, or Barack Obama if California goes first. And I would argue that each of those 3, plus George W. Bush, are the types of empathetic leaders that voters like. So be careful what you wish for, unless our plan is simply to let the billionaires take turns serving as President.
*Where do we go from here? First, I hope folks will take a breath. Spend some time with your kids. Call an old friend. Read a book. Get some exercise. Remember that there is more to life than politics.
Second? Dust yourself off and prepare to participate in the June primary. You get to select candidates for US Senate, US House, County Supervisor, County Sheriff, and County Auditor.
Third? Prepare to work your tail off in the November General Election! Donald Trump and Joni Ernst need to go!
*Democratic Party Unity
I am with the Democratic nominee, whoever she or he might be. I hope you are, too! I plan on talking about this a LOT between now and November, so bear with me!
*Bowl For Kid’s Sake
The Sullivan for Supervisor team is once again raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County by Bowling For Kids’ Sake on Saturday, February 22.
Bowl for Kids' Sake is Big Brothers Big Sisters largest national fundraiser, raising over $20 million annually for children in need across the country. Because of Bowl for Kids' Sake, more Bigs and Littles can be paired up, more friendships can be created and improved outlooks on life can be started.
To donate, see: https://e-activist.com/page/12455/donate/1
*DID YOU KNOW? In 2008, all 5 Johnson County Supervisors caucused for different candidates: Pat Harney for Chris Dodd, Larry Meyers for Joe Biden, Sally Stutsman for Hilary Clinton, Terrence Neuzil for John Edwards, and myself for Barack Obama. In 2020, all 5 Supervisors caucused for Elizabeth Warren.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
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---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 5:23 PM
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