Subject: the Iowa Republicans’ Straw Poll
To: Des Moines Register
National Public Radio
New York Times
Wall Street Journal
14 August, 2011
I love you all and rely on you for news and information. I write today because, as an Iowan, I know that you have put the Straw Poll in a completely incorrect perspective. So I ask you to rely on me for a change for news and information about the Straw Poll to which you have all given too much attention.
First, it is a fund raiser. Second, there is nothing democratic about it. Therefore, and third, it is not important. Like the scouting report on the new recruits for the football team which declared them all to be small, but slow, this event is meaningless, but insignificant. And irrelevant.
So please quick treating it like a big deal!
16,683 ballots were cast over the course of several hours during a party in Ames, Iowa on Saturday afternoon. Those who voted either paid $30 for an admission ticket or, as was probably even more common, received a ticket as a gift from one of the candidates. Some drove a long way to attend this party. All went to far more trouble to attend than would be involved in participating in a normal election. So while the participants may represent someone or something, it is neither Iowa nor the USA, and certainly not the typical Iowa or US citizen or voter.
Iowa Republicans should discontinue this event even though it raises money. It does Republicans a disservice because it fails to represent them, and it does Iowa a disservice by undermining Iowa’s reputation as a credible host of the nation’s earliest election cycle caucuses.
Being realistic, we should not count on Republicans to discontinue the Straw Poll. You, however, could quit making such a big fuss over it. It happens. Every four years. Please leave it at that.
