The political process in America is simple.
They express what they can do, we investigate and then we act based on facts, service record and action.
There is a caucus today.
Iowa is smaller than most states, and there are few minorities living there. We must be observant with this evening's process. There is a HUGE difference between a caucus and an election. With a caucus:
- They gather (around 6pm central tonight I believe) And discuss each candidate.
- Arguments are made for each candidate. Spirited ones, so this should be good.
- If a candidate does not get 15% support, he/she is dropped from discussion.
- After the lower tier candidates are dropped, reshuffling of top tier ones occur.
- The REAL arguments begin and some folk will change their stance (via group vote)
- Final arguments are had, then (about 200,000 from what I believe) there is a final vote.
- The votes are hand counted, and a winner is declared.
I hope that folks take this electoral process seriously and remember that the American political process is one that requires active participation from both sides. The politician isn't the only one who is required to put in work. We have an unalienable right to question folk on their shit and I hope we do so. We also have what's called required rights to question, investigate, veto, impeach and form a militia when things aren't going our way because we are constituents. Don't ever forget that.
Our last president did not have the required electoral votes or popular vote to be qualified to hold office and the supreme court appointed him amidst election nigh chaos.
And we sat there and watched.
The wife and I saw Katt Williams in concert over the weekend and brother man was calling Bush an idiot. I love and respect Katt and all of y'all but I must say that we are the idiots because we sat there and did nothing when we could have been just as scandalous as the various administrations over the years. Note that I said administrations instead of G. Dubya. All he did was delegate authority, took credit and give most of his people work during his two terms. One man (or woman) can't fuck all of this up.
Especially when 30 million registered voters with unalienable rights are watching.
It makes no sense to me how someone could sit there and watch and complain and never question his or her senator or congressman. Some of these cats have been in office for years, so how does the previous administrations get away with anything when congress outnumbers the executive branch and can strike down a veto with a two thirds vote?
We don't hold any one's foot to the fire. From precinct captians to the supreme court if a person made a phone call, wrote a letter, marched, got on TV or used this incredible medium called the intetrnet to do some work and not spread rumors, lies and gossip, we would be free in some respects.
Pakistani folk can't vote like this - Candidates get shot an blown up.
Over 2000 Kenyans came to a church and killed more than 400 folks because of an election.
Our current administration refused to intervene with oil prices by releasing reserves, keeping it near $100 a barrel instead of down near $60. Would have meant gas going near $2. Remember a fill-up under 40 bux??
Funny how text messages in 2007 surpassed emails and telephone calls as the preferred method of communication in the US. Funny how I got more hits with my post on an anonymous blogger than any post I've had in the past couple of months. The internet, viral videos, texting and chat could be used to get that next revolution off the ground, but...
I'm sure we have better things to do than to watch or pay attention to a caucus. From Iowa. With limited brown skinned participation.
If the reincarnation of Adolph Hitler gets in this November, remember... No participation, no complaining.
You have been warned.
Now, back to trifling bullshit, internet scandal and pics of stuff you would never hang on your cubicle walls.
Seacrest, out.
14 comments:
Not to delight in your family drama, but I sure wish I had seen those anon comments, lol. They must have been something.
L
I agree with this post so much. We should be ashamed as Americans because Bush should have been impeached a long time ago. The stuff that we have allowed him to do is ridiculous. I hope we make better decisions this year.
I've been one of those cussing and talking bad about GWB, especially after getting screwed royally during and after katrina, and that's about all I did.
I'm going to try to tune it, see what this caucus is all about. Good post.
One can not use the tools of the folks they fighting to revolt anything. Namely snail mail, phones, ANY electronic media and so on and so fourth. You know the rules bruh.
Then I guess it's back to the underground... Panther style.
Where do I start?
First let me say that I am in the boat that says that the Iowa Caucus isn’t a barometer for any damn thing. It just starts the political process ball rolling. As you mentioned, it’s not even close to a cross-section of America. But, they take this shit seriously around those parts and they show up.
Second, unless you have traveled the world and seen what it is to be denied the right to choose your leaders I don’t think what’s going to happen this year really sinks in. We have a tremendous right and opportunity in this country that is often squandered away. People have literally died to give us this right and most of our population ignores it. To add fuel to the fire, we then sit and complain after we have not even participated in the process.
Third, despite popular belief, we can still change things in our country, and this year is a good way to do it. We need to take advantage of the opportunity and mobilize. Forget the doom and gloom it can happen. History is dotted with political campaigns that came to fruition because people decided to do something. Take the first Catholic ever voted into the White House, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. In the beginning, no one thought he had a chance.
This is our time, and we need to seize it!
VOTE!
Sorry for blogging on your blog Hassan, it’s just that you tend to bring the devil out sometimes.
I love this place!
i'm glad someone still believes in exhorting the people. what happened in 2000 and 2004 has made me an unbeliever in my countrymen.
Roland Martin's commentary today said that the Iowa Caucus is completely useless because of it's antiquated process.
At some point we have to admit that a large population of people still vote based on the opinions of others. There are those of us who will read the morning paper, see who the leader is, and vote accordingly without knowing anything substantial about them. So yes....that makes the Iowa Caucus IMPORTANT!
the path to the white house just got uglier for barack. you know hilliary is going to get down in the mud.
and i also agree with diva in demand. the majority of the world are followers. whoever the "experts" say should win, will get votes.
Oh c'mon. People won't walk the length of themselves unless something impacts them. Until there's a sense that folks are gonna lose their flat screens unless they say something, frankly they won't. Comfortably numb indeed.
I watched the caucus from 7 all the way to the end. I find it to be an interesting process. It does get really really intense.
I kind of wish all the primaries were held on one day. It makes the candidates focus on all the states equally.
I wasn't old enough to vote for Bush during either of the previous elections, but as I sit and watch people complain about how Bush did this, and how Bush did that. Yet, these are the same folk that DID NOT VOTE AT ALL IN THE LAST ELECTION. If they had that much to say about Bush, then why the hell didn't they take a stand against him when he was elected for the 2nd go round? IMO it all starts on the local level. The congresspersons are our voice and at the same time our most under utilized utility...
30 million voters...that is a lot of folks.
I don't understand why people will write three pages of comments on what color a dress is, where it was bought, or whose weaves have taken their toll on their hairline, all while letting crickets go at it when people mention the p-word (politics). But hey, that's just me.
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