Cat Fight in Iowa Caucuses

As many of you have already heard, the Iowa Caucuses have just concluded, deciding once and for all who the Republican nominee for president is going to be. Just like the Iowa Straw Poll predicted the winner of the Iowa Caucus a few months ago. (JK! Michele Bachmann took dead last and announced her presidential campaign suspended.) Since 1972, the Granite State (Iowa) has been the first in the nation to hold its caucus where voters of the state are supposed to set the tone for rest of the nation on how successful a presidential candidate will be. So how many times has it been an accurate indicator that the winner will go on to win the presidency? Just once in the entire 40 years that it's been running!

There are several reasons to suspect the Iowa caucus of being a faulty guide for the entire county's view on a single candidate. One reason could be that of the 313 million members that make up our melting pot, it's not nearly as white as the 91% white population of Iowa. It could also be that of all of our counties in the nation, 88% aren't classified as rural like Iowa. Or to put it more bluntly, I'll turn to the delicate words of Iowan resident, Professor Stephen Bloom. In an article he wrote on this very topic he said that, "Iowa isn't a place that's representative of America and why then should it be the spring board for the national presidential election?"

So why then do I believe in my heart of hearts that this time it got it right? Because, Mitt Romney is the candidate that everyone seems to fall back on. Even after sampling every flavor of the week, including "Black Walnut," he has consistently been a GOP front runner after every debate. This clearly being summed up with his 8 vote "Landslide win" declared by John McCain over the Frothy Senator from Pennsylvania, Rick Santorum. (Another flavor of the week, just not a taste you want in your mouth.)

Though this early primary process is somewhat absurd, it does enlighten the uninformed voter to some of the individual candidates ideas on issues. It also gives the out of office political party exposure that it would not normally have had, maintaining a somewhat civil discourse that many other countries are lacking. However, with the addition of so many debates by the Republican Party, each of the rival candidates have effectively hung out  everyone's dirty laundry. In my mind this is not an effective tactic for a party that justifies itself on a moral platform based on conservative principles. (How much did all of those debates cost anyway?)

But, after sampling each and every member of the GOP it comes right down to the designated driver. He's nothing special, but he's who you're going home with. Yes that man time and time again is Mitt Romney. Though I don't believe the Iowa Caucus really decided this outcome, I firmly believe that Mitt Romney will be the Republican nominee. I'll bet you $10,000.