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Craig Crawford

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Top 10 Reasons to Ignore Iowa

Posted: 01/02/12 09:55 PM ET

Why Iowa shouldn't matter:

1. Caucuses don't even pick binding convention delegates.

2. The winner's raw vote total would fill one fourth of an NFL stadium.

3. Only 100,000 of the state's 3 million residents participate.

4. Presidents Gephardt, Huckabee, Harkin, Robertson.

5. Saying its worth is "winnowing" the field is like the family dog eating table scraps.

6. The winner gets maybe six unbound delegates out of more than 1,100 needed for the nomination.

7. Iowa has five times more hogs than people.

8. Iowa ranks 30th in population and 22nd in obesity.

9. At 96.14-percent Caucasian, Iowa is whiter than a Justin Bieber Christmas-in-Norway Special (courtesy of Will Durst).

10. After all this, 41 percent still can't make up their minds?!

Craig blogs daily at craigcrawford.com.

 
 
 

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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
WSWatchdog
citizen
12:55 AM on 01/04/2012
What happened in Iowa manifest are larger problem in this country - the ignorant , un-educated and brainwashed voter. The MEDIA is most to blame for this , but as we know, all the major media is controlled by Big Business and Big Business wants more war and less liberty in this country. Look what one of CNN's crack reporters said tonight about Ron Paul. Shameful !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zQKtslBonM
09:30 PM on 01/03/2012
"8. Iowa ranks 30th in population and 22nd in obesity."

... equating mental capacity with a person's weight seems a big backward, and completely counter-productive to me. Being fat, or being white -- #9 -- (or ANY color for that matter!) does not, or at least should not have any bearing on whether or not your opinion matters or counts, and I am a bit disappointed at a blogger insinuating, even tongue-in-cheak, that it should otherwise.

Though I do think #1, #6, and especially #3 are at least interesting to know.
10:12 PM on 01/03/2012
*seems a bit backward.
*that it should be otherwise.

Sorry, silly typos! =)
07:58 PM on 01/04/2012
Besides, the blogger's point is barely made -- 30th and 22nd = average state.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Kirk Allen
Stupid is the new Smart
07:43 PM on 01/03/2012
The Dems are so scared they are actually attacking Iowa now.

Oh nooooo I might not get my government handout.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
AbsoluteTruthiness
After the Rapture, can I have your car?
08:34 PM on 01/03/2012
Scared? Iowa is just a big ole joke no matter who's running and when. Buncha corn-feds? Really?
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
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09:04 PM on 01/03/2012
Who are you talking to all by yourself?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cruisedoc
Physician, centrist, independent (x-dem)
05:31 PM on 01/03/2012
While many of his 10 pts. are valid, and some comical, Iowa is still very important. It can easily end a candidacy, and can propel one foward. Ask Obama, who unexpectedly won Iowa. Prior to Iowa it was Barack Who? ....and it's hapened before, remember 'Jimmy Who'? Iowa gave Obama the momentum to win big on super Tuesday. He lost that momentum soon, but Hillary never did catch up - even though she was winning most states after Obama's momentum wained and the battle went on to June.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
WSWatchdog
citizen
12:58 AM on 01/04/2012
Ya look who they picked instead. That Corp Media brainwashing really paid off.

http://www.citizensforethics.org/index.php/press/entry/crew-releases-second-annual-most-corrupt-members-of-congress-report/
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
jibhank
04:21 PM on 01/03/2012
Quite simply put, Iowa is not representative of the demographics of our country. The WASP-ish image they portray is 100% at odds with the majority of the population that lives in or near big cities. I object to and reject the notion that they think they are protecting our social values. They haven't the foggiest notion of the effect of unwanted children on inner city youths. I'd like to take a few of them out of their town meetings and drop them into an emergency room or high school classroom in the South Bronx or Brooklyn.
08:01 PM on 01/03/2012
What is sad is that you think unwanted children, life in the inner cities, emergency rooms, and what goes on in a high school classroom in the south Bronx is normal.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
AbsoluteTruthiness
After the Rapture, can I have your car?
08:35 PM on 01/03/2012
Agree with you. They're in la - la land in Iowa.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
garylinn
Disabled USAF Veteran (God bless America)
04:06 PM on 01/03/2012
THE MUSIC MAN takes place in Iowa...I know they have trouble right there in River City with a capital T and and rymes with P and it stands for pool. That's all I know about IOWAAAAAA
03:25 PM on 01/03/2012
Iowa is really just the begining of a debate for a GOP presidential candidate. It helps to narrow down the issues that people think are important. I will vote for Obama, but think the Iowa caucus and those that follow will certainly influence Obama's priorities should he be elected.
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undaunted8
Proud American, Father, Veteran, Democrat..
03:25 PM on 01/03/2012
Well there's something I don't understand. You have this little state being divided up by who knows how many candidates and whoever gets declared the "winner" will call it a victory? Guess what? OBAMA 2012.....CRYIN WON'T HELP YOU, PRAYIN WON'T DO YOU NO GOOD..
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Hector L Soto
Read the Article, then Post!
03:18 PM on 01/03/2012
Iowa does matter, because the winner benefits from all the media coverage leading into New Hampshire, where the one person one vote through a Primary is more democratic than a caucus, thus giving the Nation a better idea of the willl of the voters and who they prefer.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
AbsoluteTruthiness
After the Rapture, can I have your car?
05:07 PM on 01/03/2012
Benefits? These people have exposed themselves for the fools they are. There isn't just ONE stupid comment a day from this group - there are NUMEROUS stupid statements, speeches and comments every single day for months.

What I find appalling is the Iowans - they are just slurping it all up and feeling very self-important. Really?
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gonealreb
Our Constitution is just fine, thanks anyway.
03:17 PM on 01/03/2012
Great Fun. Please send a check for stealing my "President Huckabee" line.
03:16 PM on 01/03/2012
The two enemies of the people are criminals and
government, so let us tie the second down with the
chains of the Constitution so the second will not
become the legalized version of the first.
-- Thomas Jefferson --
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
T Hennessey
03:15 PM on 01/03/2012
Graig the next time you come to Iowa come to the eastern half, we shipped all the red necks to southwest Iowa and the religious right to the Northwest part.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
praymondc
praymondc
03:01 PM on 01/03/2012
If Ron Paul wins, sanity wins and America wins... I doubt there's enough sanity left in the American people to understand this... and I'm sure there's no sanity at all remaining in the Republican Party.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
AbsoluteTruthiness
After the Rapture, can I have your car?
03:48 PM on 01/03/2012
If Paul and the Paulians win, it's a very sad day for America. Racism, homophobia, hate, greed - all will trump reason and goodness in this country.
10:58 AM on 01/04/2012
We are all praying that you get well soon.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Kirk Allen
Stupid is the new Smart
07:29 PM on 01/03/2012
f & f
fworfe
Registered Independent; Writer; Thinker.
02:47 PM on 01/03/2012
Yes, in the general scheme of practical political things, the Iowa Republican caucus is not much more than noise.
But, hey, think of the entertainment value!
It's hilarious! Better than any reality show.
When you mix Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, Republican/Tea Party values, the NRA and Iowa evangelicals, what could be more interesting than that?
The State of Iowa deserves some kind of entertainment award for this level of unreality!
02:40 PM on 01/03/2012
Why should what Iowa says or does influence me and my opinion? It doesn't. Its Iowa! Even my grandparents left Iowa in the 1890s!
03:23 PM on 01/03/2012
Iowa on its own means nothing but it is the first real test for the candidates and will weed the crop some. Any state could go first and the result would go the same way. It should not make your decisions but should give you access to the thoughts (both good and bad) of each candidate allowing you more info to make your choice.
04:20 PM on 01/03/2012
We need to limit a campaign to 90 days prior to an election, force candidates to actually publish thier platforms, and then hold a primary 30 days before the election. Iowa is not showing me anything exept how much money and time we can waste for years on presidential election. The entire process is crap and Iowa and what comes from it matters not to me. they don't make me think anything except how vapid the entire process is.
05:51 PM on 01/03/2012
Part of the beauty of it has to do with the CAUCUS, not primary. Iowa is a caucus and that alone makes it different than all the primary states. Maybe you should look up what a caucus is.