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January 29, 2016

To Caucus They Go – It’s What Iowans Do

16 Comments/ 2511/ 2

It’s Caucus time in Iowa.  What does that mean?  It means a lot of my Iowa friends are making visits to hear the various presidential candidates speak.  It means there are a lot of selfies being posted on social media with politicians in them.  It means traffic jams and standing room only at events. It means tempers flaring and emotions rising. Everyone has an opinion and most are quite willing to share those opinions regardless of whether they are asked to share it.  I am far from being involved in the political process and should probably care a lot more than I do but I just hate all of the bickering and mud slinging that seems to be common place.

I caught the episode of The Good Wife on television the other night and it was the one where Peter is trying to make a strong showing in the Iowa Caucus .  To be honest I felt like the entire episode was kind of a slam to Iowa and the people that live there.  I suspect there was a bit of exaggeration being used by the writing team in an effort to get some feathers ruffled or maybe more accurately some corn stalks rustled but whatever the reason the show left me feeling a little bit sad about the depiction of Iowa.

When Chris and I moved to Iowa it was at a time when he needed a job and we were grateful for the opportunity that presented itself.  By the time I moved there a year later he was pretty well settled in and it was up to me to begin my own settling in process.  I won’t lie.  It took a long time.  Without having children in school the usual avenues of meeting and making friends were few and far between and our frequent weekend travels meant we did not get as involved in our church (another avenue for making connections) as we had in the past.

Most people that I met had lived in the area for most of their lives. Their kids had grown up together and they already had plenty of friends. They were friendly, most midwesterners are, but there were no coffee and lunch dates like I was used to.  The relationships remained relatively on the surface and it was frustrating to me as I am always one to go out of my way to make someone feel welcome.  So I made it my mission to do that for others that I met that were new to the area.  And I did.

Then I started to meet others through blogging that had similar interests and even though our ages ranged widely from 20’s to 60’s my friendships with those North Iowa Bloggers became vital to my happiness in Iowa.  Everyone needs to feel like they belong and this group did that for me in a way that no other group had.

So when I saw the episode of The Good Wife that pretty much mocked Iowans and what they stand for it got me thinking about how I often lump everyone together into one category. Like the television show lumped together all Iowans.  How wrong is that?  Each person has worth and is unique and deserves to be recognized for that ability to be themselves.  What would the world be like if we were all exactly the same?  Boring.

So while I am breathing a sigh of relief that I do not have deal with the zaniness that often is associated with the Iowa Caucus that will be held on February 1, 2016, I am also watching with interest to see how Iowa is presented in news stories along the way.  Are the news stories showing the Iowa that I know or are they skewing their reports to show it the way that makes the news story more tantalizing?  It is a fascinating process to watch.

Do you get caught up in the political fever?  Do you watch every debate with interest or do you binge on Netflix on debate nights? Would you “caucus” if you could?  Have you “caucused”?  I would love to hear all about it in the comments and remember each comment will garner 50 cents for our Comments for a Cause of January –NFED.

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This short video from 2008 describes the process much better than I ever could hope to describe it. If you are still confused after watching it you will understand why I am glad that I am not still in Iowa where Caucus is the word of the day. Every day.

Another great place for information on the ins and outs of the Iowa Caucus can be found here at The Family Leader.

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16 Comments

Leave a comment
  1. Darlene
    January 29, 2016 at 07:23 am

    We do tend to stereotype people way too quickly. Midwesten US folks are much like prairie folks in Canada, warm, friendly and each one unique. I think it is always hard to build new friendships wherever you move to. I am working on that here in Spain but miss my coffee/lunch buddies back home.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      January 30, 2016 at 08:05 am

      You made a huge move when you left for Spain but I have no doubt you have made some wonderful friendships already. You are a warm and caring person and that just shows in everything you do and write. Thanks for always being a faithful follower of It’s Just Life.

      Reply
  2. josh
    January 29, 2016 at 10:12 am

    Whoa Katie Couric, don’t see her around much anymore… I’m saddened that it will be four more years before I can say caucus without fear of a soapy mouth reprimand.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      January 30, 2016 at 08:04 am

      I know=—-wasn’t that a blast from the past? I thought we all needed that. 🙂 Caucus is a 4 letter word now?? 🙂

      Reply
  3. My Odd Family
    January 29, 2016 at 10:28 am

    I don’t pay much attention unless there is someone that really catches my attention. I can easily vote either party depending on who I feel will best represent the country. My teen (I can say that for about 6 more weeks), has shown a real interest since this will be his first presidential election. As a result, I am paying more attention. But I do delete a lot from my Facebook feed. I find posts that have no chance of changing a mind tiresome.
    I would probably enjoy the excitement of the Iowa caucus, like I enjoy a big storm, for a few days. The media? Don’t get me started. More often than not it is reported: As It Isn’t. Ratings and money rule! With little thought to accuracy, investigation and truth.
    My biggest wish right now is for American’s to stop paying attention and posting about the man with the awful want-a-be hair and loud mouth, worrying about Oscar diversity and sign the petition to hold Michigan in contempt for poisoning the people of Flint’s water.
    I can only imagine that you would be loved and make friends quickly wherever you go. Because I am willing to bet you take the first steps, put forth the effort and add a smiley face whereever you go. 😀

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      January 30, 2016 at 08:03 am

      Amen to all of this. 🙂 I would not be swayed by most of the posts and info I see posted either and I am not sure that I make very educated choices when I vote but I try to do the best that I can. The media is often the biggest problem in these things and they don’t always get the big or correct picture. Thanks for your input my friend!

      Reply
  4. donnahup
    January 29, 2016 at 10:37 am

    I’m finding this whole process exciting. It’s my first Caucus since I moved here. I will say that before I got here I didn’t really know a lot about the people of Iowa, but I am very proud to call Iowa my home 🙂
    P.S. I am so thankful for the North Iowa Bloggers and the friendships from there!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      January 30, 2016 at 08:01 am

      I can see you being very excited about the whole process. It is history in the making for sure and you are in the perfect place to take it all in.

      Reply
  5. C. J. Hartwell
    January 29, 2016 at 12:02 pm

    My husband and I moved to Iowa in 1988, from Arizona to Dubuque, Iowa, so he could get his Master’s. That was my first experience with a caucus system.
    On the one hand, I loved getting a chance to actually meet the candidates (no one ever visited Arizona). I think we only missed a few of them, and it was fascinating seeing the differences. I remember Jesse Jackson’s limo, his guards who looked like they were secret service men, the pep rally atmosphere of his speech. Then I noted the complete contrast to Bob Dole, who arrived in a rented Chrysler, walked congenially through the crowd shaking hands, and who gave a very calm speech where everyone clapped politely at the right moments. Gephart’s speech was similar, as I recall — very straightforward, nothing alarming.
    However the caucus itself? That part I hated. The voting was done in a school, you were told which classroom your group would meet in, and the tension in our room was running high. This was back when the “moral majority” was gaining momentum, and there were several one-issue voters in that room.
    Now my husband? He thoroughly enjoyed the entire process. Me? Not at all.
    We’re back in Arizona now and I appreciate the difference. Just let me walk in a booth with a curtain behind me — no one needs to know how I vote!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      January 30, 2016 at 08:00 am

      I loved reading your experiences! Thanks for sharing them! I never really talked to anyone who had done an actual caucus–well I am sure I have but not talked to them about the experience. We all have different takes on things, don’t we and I suspect my take aligns with yours more than your husband’s. Thanks again for stopping by!

      Reply
  6. Minnesota Prairie Roots
    January 29, 2016 at 02:24 pm

    Only in recent years have my husband and I begun to explore Iowa, although we live, what, an hour from the border. We enjoyed our time with you in Mason City, our visit to Clear Lake and touring towns like Decorah, Marquette, McGregor and Dubuque. You have a way of making your home wherever you might be.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      January 30, 2016 at 07:59 am

      I am glad you have expanded your journeys to Iowa—it really does have a lot to offer and so much of it is right up the alley of things that you love the most. Small towns, farms, good people. Just like Minnesota.

      Reply
  7. Jeni
    January 29, 2016 at 03:45 pm

    Oh Beth, I will forever be grateful for your warm welcome. I felt so overwhelmed and isolated when I moved there because I didn’t know many people and you made me feel at ease. Plus, we both met lots of fun people through the bloggers and had many adventures together:) I do miss the caucus zaniness because it’s so fun to be able to see future presidents in real life. However, all of the bickering and mud slinging, especially online gets annoying.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      January 30, 2016 at 07:57 am

      🙂 I am so glad that we met and became such great friends. It is hard to move and I am glad I made you feel better. Yes—the adventures we had together were amazing and we really have some great memories.

      Reply
  8. Patrick Palmer
    January 30, 2016 at 07:43 pm

    Huh? Hollywood misrepresenting Iowa?? People need to experience a caucus to be able to judge it. I’m so glad Iowa is first as it brings attention and money to our state. Love it!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      January 31, 2016 at 07:12 am

      Hey Pat—thanks for stopping by. It is definitely a great thing that Iowa gets all this attention and the opportunity to meet the candidates first. And I am sure you are right–you have to be there to really understand how it all works.

      Reply

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