On the Ground in Iowa
Iowa is in the spotlight again as America’s first presidential caucus on January 3 nears. Coincidentally, my day job found me traveling across various portions of President Herbert Hoover’s home state on a bi-weekly basis the past four months, and I was able to gather views from a diverse group of people while making these treks.
In January 2008, Mike Huckabee won the state’s Republican caucus, and Barack Obama took the Democratic caucus. Ten months later in the general election, the former Illinois senator prevailed by ten points over John McCain. Though that was the same margin as traditionally liberal Minnesota, the Hawkeye State has a more regional voting bloc. The rural west toward the Missouri River is more conservative, while the larger cities and Mississippi River towns to the east lean Democrat.
Dubuque Town Clock
Amanda Lawson is a 23-year-old copywriter/media specialist in scenic Dubuque (home to a strong economy), which sits along the border with Illinois and Wisconsin in a county Obama won by 17 points in the general election. But Amanda, a Wisconsin native who graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, actually moved right in college, tiring of liberal bias. She’s now a registered Iowa Republican who supported McCain last time around and prefers Newt Gingrich on January 3:
Many of Gingrich’s ideas align with mine in relevance of importance. His recognition of President Reagan as someone who told the truth and went above and beyond to do what’s right, rather than what’s easiest, builds my confidence in him as a strong leader for our country.
Lawson can also see how “a more conservative view” might have greater success among Republicans in 2012:
Rick Perry’s very open views on the importance of religion in our country’s survival may draw individuals ready to see an extreme change from what the Obama administration provided.
Freedom Rock in Western Iowa
Tony Nelson is also 23, and hails from a large Christian family in Council Bluffs, a western Iowa town bordering the Missouri River and Nebraska. This is Pottawattamie County, a growing area closing in on being the sixth Iowa county with more than 100,000 residents. McCain prevailed here by two points over Obama.
Nelson, a loss mitigation specialist, has a business degree from Bob Jones University in South Carolina, where he received a Baptist education. He likes Ron Paul, but will support Gingrich next month. Begrudgingly, he believes Mitt Romney has the best shot to unseat Obama:
Though Ron Paul’s foreign policy views trouble me, he’s the only one with the guts to get the country out of debt, even if by drastic measures. But Paul lacks support, so by default I hope Romney is the choice. Newt has too much baggage.
State Capitol Building, Des Moines
Tom Lindaman is a 42-year-old mortgage specialist in Des Moines, which sits in Polk County, Iowa’s largest. Expectedly, Obama triumphed here in 2008 by 14 points. Lindaman is politically active, having spoken at his local caucus last primary season. He doesn’t like “moderates” such as Romney, Huntsman, or Gingrich, echoing some voices from a recent Ron Radosh PJM piece:
A moderate Republican puts the party in the same position as under George W. Bush and John McCain. Although this would please the centrists, fewer conservatives want to settle for the lesser of two evils. They want a leader, not a plate of Jello.
Lindaman supported Herman Cain before the businessman dropped out December 3. Additionally, he believes Michele Bachmann would have “no trouble beating Obama if she were given a fair chance by the RNC.” Lindaman also prefers Rick Santorum over the aforementioned “moderate” Republicans.
Mitt Romney said during the December 10 debate that he sees tons of Ron Paul signs around the state, which I can confirm from my travels. As recently as December 13, polls had Rep. Paul possibly winning Iowa, though in 2004 we saw how greatly polls fluctuate in caucuses. And though New York Times columnist Ross Douthat recently reported more statistics to support the claim of Paul rising, from my discussions and historical review, the Texas congressman’s followers are the proverbial “vocal minority” we often see with unorthodox presidential candidates like Strom Thurmond or Henry Wallace in 1948. Lindaman concurs:
Paul’s supporters are very loud, but not nearly as widespread as they’d have us believe. This was evident in 2008 when he got a lot of attention, but wound up in single digits and way out of the top tier. His organizers had a real problem getting people out to support him when it counted, and I don’t see that being any different this year. Like “Occupy,” the buzz is bigger than the actual numbers.
Burlington
Bruce Atterbury is a retired commercial truck driver from Burlington, a blue-collar town of 25,000 along the Mississippi in the southeastern part of the state. He, like many Midwesterners, has socially conservative views, but doesn’t necessarily trust the GOP fiscally. A registered independent, Atterbury is in his 60s with two children and three grandchildren. Des Moines County, which houses Burlington, has seen a steady decrease in population due to the economic downturn. It now has just over 40,000 residents. Obama won by 23 points there due to support from independents, but as we’ve seen across America, this tide seems to be changing:
I’ve been following it closely, and the Republicans I’d support over Obama are Huntsman, Santorum, Bachmann, and maybe Perry. … Romney’s a phony, but I feel I can trust some of the others, though not Ron Paul. Newt’s really smart, but I wouldn’t vote for him.
Trevor LeCroix is a 33-year-old civil engineer in Pella, a charming town of 10,000 between Des Moines and Burlington. LeCroix was raised in Davenport, a city ten times that size along the Mississippi in the Quad Cities region; his parents were union railroaders who voted Democrat despite being devout Catholics. LeCroix, who runs his own construction company and has three young children, has voted Republican in every election since his first opportunity in 1996. He’s simple: anyone but Obama:
I loved Cain, and it was a tragedy what they did to him. Now Perry and Bachmann are my people, but I just want Obama out.
Though he’s not enamored with the former Massachusetts governor, LeCroix firmly believes Romney is the most electable:
Yeah, I can see him winning easily. Polls show that he’s besting Obama in the swing states. Whatever it takes, man. I’m tired of the president’s class warfare.
Three other heavily populated areas are worth following in January, as well as next November.
Linn County is home of Iowa’s second largest city, Cedar Rapids, with over 200,000 residents. Obama won there by more than 20 points in 2008.
Blackhawk County is home to Waterloo and Cedar Falls. The county has over 100,000 people, and the latter city contains the University of Northern Iowa, with nearly 15,000 (92 percent in-state) students. Obama bested McCain in this area by 22 points last election.
Woodbury County, in the northwestern part of the state where the highly watched December 15 debate occurred, has over 100,000 residents. But unlike other counties we’ve explored, it borders deep red Nebraska and South Dakota, and thus leaned McCain’s way. Sioux City, population 85,000, is the county seat.
Johnson County, in the east-central part of the state, is heavily populated, but not a factor in January nor November, as it is home to the University of Iowa. Once called the “Berkeley of the Midwest,” Iowa City is as left-wing as they come. The area saw one of Obama’s largest wins anywhere in 2008, as he received over 70% of the vote.
Iowa polls and trends have been as fluid as any in recent memory. Whatever happens that Tuesday in the heartland will likely have been unpredictable.
It is preposterous to allow a state that voted for Obama by 10 percentage points to have any say in picking the Republican nominee. It would be like letting Oklahoma pick the Democrat nominee
They did not pick it last time. It will be dumb luck if they do this time. South Carolina is the one you need to win.
Only registered Republicans participate in the Caucuses.
Who cares what 18 obese farmers in a trailer park in Iowa have to say about the election? Who gave these old fat white farmers in a trailer park the right to tell me who’s going to be the next President? I feel like I’m living in another country – where these old, fat farmers in a trailer park are deciding who’s gonna be the next President, and I have no vote.
This is unconstitutional. It is a new invention that Iowa has first say in the nominating process for President. It is only since 1972 that Iowa has been first in the nominating process for President. Only about 1% of the nation’s delegates are chosen by the Iowa State Convention. Iowa is irrelevant.
It isn’t 1846. Iowa doesn’t reflect America. The demographics have changed a little since then. Old, fat, white, male farmers. That is not reflective of America.
The Republicans are going to have to reconcile themselves to the candidacy of Mitt Romney — unless they want Barrack Obama to get another 4 years. The Evangelical and Fundamentalist Christians are going to have to get over their anti-Mormon bigotry.
Ron Paul is the Adlai Stevenson of the Republican Party. Brilliant man, some wonderful ideas, some terrible ideas. He is unelectable. Period. End of story.
Wow, you Romney people really know how to present your position with reasoned logic and unassailable facts. Just like Obama people.
I don’t know what to be ashamed of the most… that I’m old, that I’m fat, or that I’m white. At least I’m not a farmer. I mean, how embarrassing would that be (other than the growing food part)? And, I sold the double-wide and bought a house on the lake. Damned my affluence! As penance for my sins, and in order to be more “reflective of America” I shall vote for Mitt Romney. To do otherwise would be… Uncouth?
You really don’t know much do you? Obviously you’ve never been to Iowa and know less than nothing about farmers or farming. Very few farmers live in double wides, most are fairly well off and a lot smarter, harder-working and wealthier than you I bet. Besides that, ag interests tend to vote Democrat because that’s where the money for subsidies comes from. Take your ignorant bigotry somewhere else.
Did you read the article? How many of the interviewees were farmers, fat or skinny? Anti Mormon bigotry has nothing to do with it. What has Romney done to promote the conservative movement? When is the last time you read of Romney standing up for a conservative issue? He’s a Rino usurper.
It can’t be unconstitutional for the simple reason that the Constitution does not recognize the existence of political parties. Primary elections are internal matters within a party, and parties are free to establish their own rules (provided they comply with State laws).
This is either Michael “Savage” the radio personality, or some guy who did a bang up job recreating his point by point opinion on the Iowa caucus. Savage has been grumbling about it for weeks now.
Fine article. Great photos. Good vignettes. But I agree with Savage that it is completely inappropriate for Iowa to decide (or NH or SC) the outocme of the nominating process. These states are irrelelvant to what is happending in the rest of the country and clearly do not reflect the new demographics of the US. Only the opinions in CA and FL and NY and TX count becaause that is where the US gets its ideas and culture in the 21st Century. Los Angeles, for example, despite its myriad of problems, would be the true test of the strength of a candidate. The country revolves around diversity and cosmopolitanism and ideas/technology, not Applebees.
Actually the country revolves around farming, the military and transportation — most of which are centered in the Heartland (places like Iowa). Diversity of…?
LA as an ideal is bull. LA imports 70% of it’s water from across the state. LA generates only half of its electrical usage. California has 1/3 of the nations welfare cases and most of them are in LA.
We transport water and power hundreds of miles at great expense to the giant ghetto that is LA. This giant ghetto is funded by federal deficit spending.
Iowa can feed it’s self and stand on it’s own two feet. LA is a ghetto, a very expensive ghetto.
I’m a native Angeleno, there is no diversity of political thought here. Just politically correct dogma. The relatively few conservatives keep their mouth shut. I’ve worked in the film business for 12 years on commercials and you wouldn’t believe the nonsense that is continually espoused on set, and during meal breaks. Thank God for farmers, whatever color they come in. I doubt how fat they are, because they actually do manual labor. I thought stereotyping or profiling was very un-cosmopolitan.
Wow, the ignorance on display here about Iowa is incredible. Be assured, people in the midwest have little regard for the elitist wannabes on both coasts. But at least most of us have a real awareness of what life is like on the coasts, unlike the idiots bashing Iowa here.
Living on the coasts obviously makes a lot of people stupid and bigoted. I prefer my midwestern values, thank you.
Just the idea that Iowa doesn’t deserve a say in who gets nominated for president speaks volumes for your fascist mentality. You need to find a country better suited to your political leanings. It sure isn’t the USA.
I do not live in Iowa, but have visited many parts of it many times. Seems we have folks hear relying on media stereotypes. This is like Democrat class warfare. Spend time in downtown Des Moines or suburban mall in Iowa City, Des Moines, Ames or Council Bluffs and you will see a diverse culture like any other in America — for better or worse.
That said, good article. Very anecdotal and explorative. I do agree Paul’s fans are loud but not effective. I think that, while Romney may not win Iowa, he will prevail in the end…which is good since he has the best chance to stop Obama from having 4 more years to ruin America.
People in the northeast are very rude…and very liberal. They would never understand Iowa…or Applebees.
To me diversity is German and Swedish farmers living in harmony.
No. “Diversity” is only “minorities” and Third Worlders. Mexicans, Central Americans, Africans, Muslims, Pakistanis, Somalis, Yemenis… You get the picture. “Diversity” and “minority” = non-European.
What about Polish? We get no multiculural points for the Polish?
I don’t know how many times I heard of people on coasts make jokes about Midwesterners still fighting Indians like we’re in The Bush or something.
And anytime I’ve talked to people from the Northeast, they’ve invariably been rude know-it-all scabs, while people from the South and southwest, while occasionally ignorant (ignorance can be overcome with education), at least were polite.
Just to let the seaboards know the contempt goes both ways. And they’ve more than earned it
“Just to let the seaboards know the contempt goes both ways.” Amen, brother. And they wonder why nobody outside the Peoples Socialist Republic of the Northeast wants anything to do with their boy.
I would like some clarification on a few things.
Since when did personal opinion become unconstitutional?
Since when were old and fat farmers unable to vote?
Savage, at what point in your life did old and fat farmers prevent you from voting?
When did a states voting process become irrelevant to an election?
I’m pretty sure there are more than 18 obese white farmers that will be voting in Iowa and most of them don’t live in trailer parks. I’m also utterly amazed that anyone would consider Las Angeles to be a display of conservative values. Presidents don’t win elections without votes from small states. The backbone of the united states is its agriculture and the idea that our country revolves around cosmopolitanism is outrageous. Furthermore, Applebees is an example of cosmopolitanism and I have no idea where you were going with that comment.
Oh, before I forget, Savage, It is not a new invention for a single state to have the “first say” in the nomination process for a presidential candidate. Furthermore, Iowa being first, having been the first caucus state for the past 40 years, is definitely not a new idea considering our election process is only 224 years old.
It’s refreshing to read an article comprised of random citizens giving their opinions that is not crafted by biased media. The pictures are a nice touch!
Where in the Constitution does it say that Iowa should go first (and they get to decide who our next President will be), and that the entire nominating process should drag on and on and on and on for 1-2 years?
The entire nominating process is set up by the media (for ratings), and the establishment elites (to ensure that their candidate is [s]elected i.e. money).
All the states should vote on the same day and then it should be over. This endless nominating process is sickening. It’s a waste of time and it’s nauseating.
Iowa doesn’t reflect America. It isn’t 1846. Old, fat, white, male farmers aren’t reflective of America. The demographics have changed a little…
Iowa is a small state. There are 3 million people living in Iowa — less than 1% of America’s population, of about 310 million people.
The country has changed a lot over the last century — especially over the last 50 years.
Who gives Iowans the right to decide who our next President will be — while the rest of the country, over 99% of the population is shut out of the process?
while the rest of the country, over 99% of the population is shut out of the process?
Well that’s just ignorant right there. Every state has a primary, and the nominee is selected by cumulative appointed delegates. Iowa’s delegation is dwarfed by that of Texas and Florida.
Who the hell gave Iowa the first say in choosing our next President? There is is no reason or logic to it. It is unconstitutional.
The old, fat, white, male farmers get first say – while over 99% of the country is shut out. How is that fair? It is a disgrace. Those fat schmucks living in trailer parks in Iowa should be ashamed of themselves for how selfish and “entitled” they come across. Good riddance. I can’t wait til after Jan.3 – so we don’t have to hear from these old, obese farmers anymore.
Iowas has a population of 3 million – out of America’s 310 million = less than 1%. And Iowa’s demographics don’t reflect America’s demographics. Who Iowa votes for is irrelevant.
Well that’s just ignorant right there. Every state has a primary, and the nominee is selected by cumulative appointed delegates.
To quote you: that’s just ignorant right there – x 10.
Yeah, every state has a primary, but some of them don’t have their primaries until May or even later. I happen to live in one of those states and every single election the candidate has been decided before I ever even got the chance to step into the voting booth. And I’ve been voting since 1976. Do the math, how many years is that where MY STATE HAS NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO DECIDE WHO THE GOP NOMINEE IS?
I agree with other posters — we should have ONE primary date like we have ONE election date. PERIOD.
It should also be federal law where no one who is NOT a registered Republican may vote in a Republican caucus and vice versa. Only Republicans should be picking Republicans and only Democrats should be picking Democrats. These open primaries are simply a means for one party to try and pick the other party’s candidates. Screw that. Just my 2 cents.
Agreed. What’s so frustrating about my 12-year sentence in Beltwayland (parole is next summer-w00t!) is that people are quite contemptuous about flyover country people, but in general are completely clueless about how things work in the Real World. Oh, and of course, there’s the “your money is mine except what I say you can have” mentality.
Iowa typically does not pick the eventual nominee of either party. What happens in Iowa is that the field gets narrowed and thus the race tightens in NH. BTW, I live in Iowa. I am white, I’m not obese, and I’m not a farmer although I grew up on a farm. These stereotypes invented by the media are ridiculous.
“Just to let the seaboards know the contempt goes both ways. And they’ve more than earned it.”
Yep, flyover country is perfectly content to be flown over. We don’t want you to land.
Iowa typically does not pick the eventual nominee of either party.
Except in 2008, 2004, 2000 (both parties), and 1996.
I agree with the rest of your comment, but your first sentence is incorrect, no matter how much people wish it to be true.
Not that much difference between “flyover country” (I grew up in Iowa and have spent most of my adult live in Wisconsin and Indiana) and the coasts when it comes to grubbing for federal handouts, is there?
1996 and 2000, were the only two times since 1980 that Iowa’s pick coincided with the eventual Republican nominee in a contested race. In ’08 Iowa went Huckabee, and in 2004 Bush was uncontested in the primary – you can’t count that. Sorry.
I grew up in New York and went to college in Florida. And for my entire post-college adult life, I lived in the Midwest – 3 decades in Illinois and Indiana. I also sent my children to college in Iowa and Indiana.
There is NO way that I would ever want to live in New York or Florida again. Rude, dirty and full of brain-dead Liberals.
Decent article on the horse race. Bad commentary. Next subject.
LOVE the pictures. My favorite was Burlington…
This is the difference between the midwest and the coasts…find me two LA/NY bred 23 year old’s who are gainfully employed family men who have articulate and well-thought out views about politics…kinda hard I’d imagine…
Excuse me for living in such a backwater, uninformed, obese state. Iowa, like the US itself has the “important” population centers and then there’s cornfields (fly over).
The major population centers all combined are a little over a half million people people out of the three million population. Those areas make up around seven or eight of the 99 counties in Iowa. If you look at a red/blue map of Iowa, the only blue counties are these population/education centers. Also, the population centers contain over 90% of the minority population in Iowa, are home to the major university centers, and most of Iowa’s liberal population. There’s still a large Republican voting base out here, they’re just less concentrated and vocal.
Iowa still has a Democrat tilt, but it’s less monolithic than it was 40 years ago. Much of the lingering Democrat base comes from the aging Roosevent Democrats who wouldn’t vote for a Republican on threat of death. Interestingly, we have a Republican governor again, thanks to 12 years of Democratic misfeasance in the top position, including that of political wannabe Tom Vilsack (currently Obama’s USDA Secretary)
Despite the cracks by other less informed contributers here on PJM, Iowa still is one of the best educated and highest literate states in the US. The people here are mostly pragmatic and skeptical. The community leadership and media, however, are filled by green-eyed liberal lapdogs, who want so desperately to be as cosmopolitan as Minneapolis.
That said, traditionally, the Iowa caucus is a strong predicter for the Democratic presidential picks. Probably because Iowa Democrats take their cues directly from the DNC, so are more aligned with national thinking. Compared to the Iowa Republicans they are a much more cohesive and organized group.
The Republican base is far more diverse in Iowa. There are elements of Libertarianism, conservative Christians, farmers (who are more likely to vote Republican now, since the market is far out performing subsidies), and small businessmen. Generally, Iowa Republicans are loathe to choose a candidate based on electability over core values. That’s one reason why Iowa’s Republican caucus picks seldom get the nomination.
The good thing about Iowa caucuses for Republicans is that the winner gets national attention early on. So if Ron Paul wins (so help me God). He will be vetted hard early, identified as a loon, and hopefully will drop out. Instead of hanging in the wings to be seen as an alternate to the front runner later on.
As savage did not answer any of my questions and continues with his rash of insults towards Iowans, I am going to write him off as unintelligible. Iowa has no greater say in who becomes our president than anybody else. If presidential candidates are chosen after the caucus and other states vote the same way, it means that is who the people want to run. Not that Iowa chose.
Making claims that the nomination process is unconstitutional is downright wrong. People claiming things are unconstitutional should probably read the constitution before making such claims. The constitution does not make any mention of how a primary is to be run, besides stating that nobody can be denied the right to vote at them for failure to pay a poll tax, let alone a caucus, which is run by a specific political party. The constitution ensures the freedom for political parties to run their organization how they see fit.
The political playing field in 1846 was not all that different than it is today. The elections of 1846 resulted in a house majority of the Whig party, a freshman of which was Abraham Lincoln. The main election point was the Mexican-American War and slavery. The two main parties where the Whigs and the Democrats. The house was divided by 6 representatives out of the 230 that were seated and little compromise between the two parties was achieved.
In 2010, republicans regained control of the house of representatives due to opposition to President Obama’s healthcare bill and the weak economy. The house was divided by 49 seats out of 435 and little compromise has been achieved between the two parties.
Money is power, hence the establishments will always be able to sway voter sympathy. I wish we lived in a world where that wasn’t the case. As long as there is a two party rule, the only way to make a difference is to make a researched decision on who you will vote for. In many cases it may become an issue of voting for the lesser of two evils.
I have lived on both coasts, the Midwest, and several foreign countries in the first 20 years of my life. I can tell you that the people in the Midwest are some of the most polite people I have ever met.
But believe me, they are not stupid. Don’t ever think they are. If I could sell my house in California, I would be moving out there tomorrow. I have never been so out of my element as I have been since I wound up through various mis-steps in the so-called Golden State.
Don’t kid yourself. If we go with the political preferences of the two coasts, the country is going down the toilet right after Greece.
While all of you pro-Iowa intellectuals are undeoubtedly correct that the folks in thee Mid-west are more polite, have more real world wisdom, have better moral values, and are seriously and almost grotesquely underrated/ridiculed for their insularity by the folks on the Coasts (I have lived on both the Pcific and the Atlantic coasts), nevertheless there is a serious issue that California–the state with the most diverse geography and population and industry (the largest agricultural state in the Union by the way)is completley shut out of the political process because of the absurdity of the Iowa caucuses. As much as the pro Iowa crowd is justified in defeinding itself, let us be real–ideas and culture for the 21st century do not derive from Iowa. Our place in the wiorld derives form ideas coming from Boston, NY, Washington, DC, Houston, Miami, Los Angeles/SanFrancisco and Seatltle/Portland. Sorry about that folks. The “best and brightest”–with all their liberal biases–either are born or emigrate to the coasts and comprise our political/diplomatic/literary/technological/entertainment/business international brains. Further, the world is not white–it is brown and yellow and we cannot compete with China and India, et. al., if we maintain our provincial midwestern Babbitt like attitudes.
California is 48th in literacy. Iowa is #7, Nebraska #8, New Hampshire #6, Utah #5, Montana #4 and so on:
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GRTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-_box_head_nbr=R1401&-ds_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_&-format=US-30
We’ve strayed from the topic. Iowa has more ideological diversity than most states, as does NH, which is one of many reasons they go first. And they don’t determine that much actually. Super Tuesday determines the most.
California is neutralized, thankfully, by the electoral college (a great invention that only the ignorant seek to eradicate). There is no ideological diversity in the Golden State, as there is very little in New York. Florida has a lot, and yes, Texas has some too. But CA, like NY, Mass, Conn, Maryland, even Illinois, is just a segregated big govt states where conservative have limited rights and money is stolen by Uncle Sam to be wasted on “social programs” that make liberals feel good. Think Google, Facebook or the LA teachers union has a lot of deep debates with both sides represented.
Do we want states that re-elect Barbra Boxer and Jerry Browne (or Pelosi, Schumer, Hillary, Rangel, Cuomo, Spitzer, Obama et al) to decide anything? California had their chance many times; people have left that oasis/disaster for better lives in the mountains, Heartland and deep south–thankfully. They are better and happier for it. So much anger in the large left-wing states.
Myron, you should hear what people think of the coasts in “real America.” I have lived in 14 states in just 26 years. Unlike your sheltered people out there, at least middle Americans have been around the nation. Most Californians have never left the state. I know from experience. Most east coasters/northeasterners are afraid to leave their comfort zone – unless it’s Europe.
And yes, Applebees IS America. Think I’ll go there tonight!
Mr. Kaufman–Lots of conclusory statements in your well-crafted reply. No proof though. And it is almost ludicrous to say Iowa has more ideological diversity than California. Calfornia is America and it is the world–for better or worse. Iowa is farms and insurance. Is there at hi-tech industry there? Or is Iowa still stuck in the horse and buggy era? The world moves by technology/entertainment (although I do admit it eats Iowa farm produce). America is known world wide because of California/NY financial/tecnhological/entertainment values whether you acknowledge that or not. Have you heard of Apple???? Is that company located in Iowa? Do you think the smartest Brits/Germans/Pakis/Chinese/Koreans move to Iowa? Please.
Steve Jobs did not create the constitution. Our country is rural America, despite what the arrogant narcissistic Californians believe. “America” is made up of diverse cultural backgrounds, inalienable rights and the idea of limited government. Don’t tell me that a tiny minority of self indulgent egoists on the West Coast represent the entire makeup of our country. That may be true of small european countries, but America is anything but that. I think the rest of the country would cringe at the idea of letting California represent America’s makeup.
Also, the iPad will come and go with the rise of new technology, as has other inventions through the years. The world will always rely on farms and farmers to sustain them and that will never change. I know a lot of foreigners who think of steak and corn when they think of America.
Wow, again I see so much stupidity on display. Yes, Myron, there are high-tech companies in Iowa. I’m in IT and work in medical research. And diverse? I’m white and I’m in the minority in my department. I work with people from China, India, Nepal, and Israel. You’d also be surprised to learn that there is a large manufacturing base in Iowa.
We here in the midwest are pretty embarrassed of you liberal elitists on the coast. We certainly don’t consider you to be representative of the average American. And gee, no, there isn’t much of an entertainment industry here. Most of us here live in the real world, not a make-believe world like you apparently live in.
People like you should just be quiet and keep your ignorant biases to yourself.
Too much bigotry to reply. California lacks ideological diversity. That’s the point of the comment.
And there are vitally important companies, military installations and so on in every state, not just CA. Just that elites don’t leave their comfort zones to find them, so they espouse as you do.
You overrated the tech and “global” stuff, especially for purposes of a political article.
To the fine upstanding people of Iowa, please ignore the more abusive comments in this section. The views expressed by Savages do not reflect the majority here.
In fact, there is no state I love more than Iowa. I love running my car on Iowa corn. I love the fine agricultural produce from Iowa. The people of Iowa are wise as well as being the kindest people of any state in America.
Iowa is the best choice for an early state in these proceedings. The fact that the population of the Great State of Iowa is smaller than New York or California allows candidates to be known by the brilliant people of the state. The fact that televison advertising rates are lower than they are in larger states allows candidates with a strong message and a weak pocketbook to be heard.
Although there are many smaller states that could be first, Iowa combines their natural intelligence with the finest qualities of America. The heartland. Home and family. Bravery on the battlefield and peace in the streets. Yes, Iowa is America and God’s favorite state.
The only way I could love Iowa more would be if they turned their backs on the RINOs and the weirdos and picked a candidate who best expresses America. A candidate who can fight Obama with every breath in her body. A candidate who has never flip/flopped nor has a sexual skeleton in her closet. If Iowa could find a woman running in this race and supported her I would be thrilled to proclaim Iowa to be the part of America that is closest to Heaven.
If only the wise and brilliant (not to mention good looking) could find a woman to vote for.
Full Disclosure: I support Michele Bachmann.
I know she would never patronize the gorgeous brilliant people of Iowa by sucking up to them.
Who gives a damn about Iowa?
Less than 1% of Americans live in Iowa. 3 million out of about 310 million. Iowa is irrelevant. It is not reflective of America. Who gives a damn what 18 obese farmers living in a trailer park think about who’s gonna be the next President? Who gave them the power to decide who our next President will be?
A handful of old, fat, white, male farmers in a coffee shop are deciding who the Republican nominee will be. Who gives a damn what they think? They are less than 1% of America.
I’m so sick of this endless nominating process. Let’s get this election over with already. Romney vs. Obama — and let me vote already. I don’t give a damn what 18 obese farmers living in a trailer park think. They are not reflective of America in 2012. What is it 1846? It is 2012. Iowa is irrelevant.
Wow… your dumb!
Savage, you are a first-class idiot. How in the world did you get the idea that Iowans have the power to decide who our next President will be? You need to educate yourself about our election process before you embarrass yourself further.
Oh, and by the way, it’s still 2011. Not 2012. You don’t even know the year, and you think you can proclaim that Iowa is irrelevant? Ha! You are a joke!
“Who gives a damn what 18 obese farmers living in a trailer park think about who’s gonna be the next President? Who gave them the power to decide who our next President will be?”
Swaggering mannish boy, you are as ignorant as a rotten cottonwood stump on the muddy bank of a tiny creek in Iowa that has no name. BTW, obese farmers don’t live in trailer parks… they live in obese farm houses.
Iowa voted for George HW Bush over Ronald Reagan, that says it all.
Maromo–you write exceedingly well. I am sorry though that you are so defensive about the wonders of Iowa. The mere fact that you are the minority white person in IT says it all–our education system is a disaster and nobody can find white people who have the intelligence to deal with the complicated areas of IT. Why? Because they are all listening to the “make believe” Hollywood entertainment oligarchy. That is what non-immigrant individuals do in this country. They play music all day long and/or listen to moronic Hollywood TV shows. So corporations hire people from all over the world who do have an education system that prepares people for the “real world”. Maybe if we didn’t have god-fearing Christian fundamentalists dominating our rural school boards with the lunacy that evolution is a false science or have our urban school boards dominated by affirmative action, ESL loving Latino-African-American-secular liberal nitwits(along with overpaid and underworked and undereducated union school teachers), we would get a first class sytem like they have in France, Germany, Finland, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, India etc. Where does the USA fit on the education scale–near Botswana.
I’m not sure how this little rant of yours about education explains your ignorant biases about people who choose to live in a place other than the coasts. And good job stereotyping educational systems in non-coastal states. You should do yourself a favor and use this thing called Google that they have on computers now and compare test scores among the states. It may open up your narrow little mind a bit.
We’ve thrown ungodly amounts of money at the Department of Eduaction over the years and test scores remain flat. You can find that on the internet, too.
Man, I’m really glad I didn’t grow up on a coast and turn out stupid like a lot of commenters here. I’m done trying to educate you about people different from you. I think I’ve lost some IQ points just reading all these arrogant and inane comments. Enjoy your pitiful lives.
As a card carrying member of the Eastern Intellectual Establishment I must say Myron that while it is indisputably true that the costal cities and a few other areas are the only places anything resembling intelligence and culture exist, it is impolitic to say so directly. It upsets the rubes unnecessarily.
Ah yes, Lorenz Gude is another elitist snob POS wallowing in his own self-importance.
I’ve lived in 15 states in all areas of the nation — liberal, conservative, rural, urban, etc. The overeducated elites, mainly on the coasts and in places like Chicago, are nowhere near as wise as the middle Americans. Period. That is valid and from evidence. Most coastalites do not travel and have limited common sense, hence they live in overcrowded, overtaxed hellholes run by liberals like Pelosi, Boxer, Schumer, et al. End of discussion
Hey SAVAGE, what’s your problem with whitey?
A substantial minority here in flyover country rooted for the monster in Cloverdale and wished the movie “Volcano!” was non-fiction.
Lived on both coasts (NYC and the Bay Area) and much prefer the Old Northwest – although a stray monster created by nuclear accident trampling over Chicagoland might improve the neighborhood. “Oh, no! There goes Chi-ca-go!”
“Man, I’m really glad I didn’t grow up on a coast and turn out stupid like a lot of commenters here.”
I’m a little concerned. I was born in the People’s Republic of Berkeley and, come to think of it, I’ve always lived close to a coast, even in Texas (Freeport).
I hope it didn’t cause brain damage.
I live in New England. I think I’d like Iowa–it sounds like sane people live there.
True. I grew up in DC and LA, now live in Nebraska. It’s so nice. Don’t just think about it, do it. You’ll enjoy the freedom from elites, low cost of living, intelligent folks, lack of traffic, etc.