Mariner attended his democrat caucus tonight. After each voter selected their favorite candidate, the votes were counted for each candidate. Of 76 voters in attendance, 29 voters had their choice rejected. Either switch their vote to a ‘viable’ candidate or go home. (Viability meant a candidate had at least 12 votes) Votes for Klobuchar, Steyer, Warren, and Sanders were disallowed. Only Buttigieg and Biden had enough votes to be considered viable. If a voter were disallowed of their first vote, they could switch, if they chose, to another candidate’s group. Given this chance, Steyer voters chose to change their votes to Klobuchar – which made Klobuchar’s group a third viable candidate.
Mariner is reminded of voter suppression in Dixie. The only difference is there are not many blacks in Iowa; however, the suppression is the same.
Mariner watched MSNBC to learn the outcome of the Iowa Caucus. At ten past midnight, results still were not available. Interestingly, the pundits had two opinions about the caucus procedures: Coverage had shown caucus voters being friendly and collegial in renegotiating their preferred candidates. Some pundits warmed to the collegiality saying the examples are how democracy should work; two other pundits called for one person, one private vote – a typical primary.
Lawrence O’Donnell described the caucus correctly. “It isn’t democracy,” he said. “It’s politics; it’s how the Senate works to negotiate legislation. Swap and trade ideas and language until you have enough votes.” He further clarified that the Iowa caucus was designed for rural Iowa elections and was never intended as a platform for national politics.
Mariner accepts Lawrence’s wise interpretation but still does not understand how one person, one vote – the bedrock act of democracy – is served by disallowing that very act.
Ancient Mariner