My take on the Iowa Thing

[genxlib]

The Media: We have a lot riding on this, we need it immediately.

The Candidates: We have a lot riding on this, we need it fast.

The Voters: We have a lot riding on this, take your time and get it right.

The Universe: Get over it, in the grand scheme of things you can wait a fucking day for results.

[HarlanPepper]

1. I think we're past that now

This would have been a good assessment about 12-14 hours ago. Sometimes criticism is justified even if we don’t want to hear it. Its officially a clusterfuck now.

[Sherman A1]

3. Precisely

It is exactly as you described.

[genxlib]

5. Not disputing it is a mess

Not disputing that people should get criticism. Including changing the whole damn system.

I just think that it is being made out to be worst than it is because the people most offended are the ones with a microphone.

[The Mouth]

29. It's news

Drama gets eyeballs and clicks. Suspense sells.

[genxlib]

35. Can't disagree with you

The narrative stinks more than the reality. And it is driven by the Media not getting their everlasting gobstopper exactly when they need it.

We have been sunk by the narrative too many times.

[HarlanPepper]

37. I'm offended and I don't have a microphone

It doesn’t look like I’m alone in that view.

[genxlib]

39. Your objection is noted

Please proceed to speak out and blame whomever you want.

I will wait calmly for the results and choose to be more offended by the media casting this as a catastrophe of biblical proportions.

[HarlanPepper]

40. Media gonna media.

The best play is not to provide grist for their mill.

[Tweedy]

46. Agreed

Patience is a virtue.

[KPN]

30. Only because of No. 1, and some of No. 2. Not because of 3 or 4.

This is a media created problem now being fed on and hyped by Democrats who aren't smart enough to do what Warren and Klobuchar did (and I mean all Dems, not just the candidates), and worse, tRump and the GOP message machine. We all know what to expect from those quarters ... I can hear a couple of phrases right now which I will not state publicly here or anywhere.

Everybody chill out is the best thing we can do ...

Followed by supporting the rationale behind No. 3: Things go awry. We can't change that, but we can damn sure get the results right as well as make sure the same exact problem doesn't happen again!

Be positive! Project positive!

[beastie boy]

2. Since you put it this way, I am taking sides.

I am on the side of the Universe.

[RobertDevereaux]

6. And so am I. :)

[KPN]

31. Me too! I'm with you!

[sagesnow]

4. Iowa should not be this big a deal to any candidate.

Give them time to correctly count the votes. What's the rush??

[Politicub]

8. The "rush" doesn't matter so much now. The focus is now the

shitshow that was Iowa yesterday.

Every negative thing about Iowa has already been said, so I’m not going to repeat it.

I’m just disappointed. And angry. And frustrated that the Iowa mess has become the narrative when the focus should have been on the impeachment today. Or who the front runner is.

[lark]

7. I just can't believe how spectacularly the Democratic party failed.

They had a new app which precinct managers have not only not tested, but didn't even have it downloaded. WTF, that is just patently ridiculous. They should have downloaded and been testing this for a month, but to wait until the day of the caucus is just staggering incompetence or malfeasance. The Chair of the Party and the IT person in charge need to be resign in disgrace or be fired as soon as we have the results!

[genxlib]

9. When you say "Democratic Party"

This is primarily the state party correct? (honest question)

All the more reason changes are needed. Not first and not a caucus.

[lark]

12. Yes, I did mean the Democratic party of Iowa - sorry I wasn't more clear.

Jut wondering if this was a sabotage job from the get go? Anything else is too crazy to really consider. I worked in business for 20 years at 1 gigantic corporation with hundreds of thousands of ee and 2 medium sized ones with 200-20000 ee and in one of these would an app ever even be considered to be installed on the day it was necessary. NEVER! We'd install them months ahead of time and test like crazy until we had valid results = that is the way things are done. This is just so far outside the norm, it cant be by accident, IMO.

[BlueIdaho]

14. Not sabotage, incompetence.

If the party never had a state wide “dry run” with their volunteer workforce, then they got what they deserve. Sadly, the candidates really took it in the neck. Someone should have had a great night last night. Instead they all got a big fat zero. Now the next bright shiny object - New Hampshire - is in view and Iowa fades into the sunset.

[genxlib]

15. There is certainly a lot of criticism to be had

But I suspect that the answer is fairly simple

An organization the size of a state party looks big but likely is relatively small compared to the task at hand. I don't know the numbers but I suspect they have limited full time staff. At election time, that likely balloons with a lot of temporary staff cobbled together with consultants. On caucus day, it balloons further to include thousands of volunteers managing a quarter million participants.

It should go well but there are a lot of things that can go wrong with that model. I suspect that the app was tested but I doubt it was adequately tested with that kind of heavy use.

I am less inclined to cut slack for the consultants and contractors but shit happens.

Hopefully, there will be lessons learned and some positive changes made.

[Pacifist Patriot]

16. Never ascribe to malice what can easily be explained by incompetence.

Unless it's Republicans. Malice and Incompetence are joined at the hip there.

[Tweedy]

47. Blaming volunteers who work their bottoms off

Seems a bit extreme.

These are not paid poll workers. These are volunteers.

Thank goodness for the volunteers and all of their hard work.

[lark]

53. Go back and re-read my reply - they weren't who I was referencing at all.

I specifically called out the state campaign manager - who I would assume is paid - so no I wasn't talking about volunteers.
Are you kidding me? I worked a lot of 2018 as a 20+ hour a week unpaid volunteer for the FL Democratic Party - so that would be totally ludicrous for me to blame volunteers, who have no responsibility at all for data reporting, for this mess. Whoever bought this app and only had it tested against cyber threats with no real site testing is a total moron. I can't believe the folks in charge didn't realize how stupid this is and make sure there was a real test.

[Tweedy]

55. Mistakes happen

Glad you are not blaming the volunteers. Thank you for volunteering!

Yet, everybody makes mistakes. This one will be resolved with a very small passage of time.

We don't need a pound of anyone's flesh for a short delay. Anyway, there is little doubt that those in charge are already self flagellating. This is the Democratic Party after all. Do not see how it helps that we pick up the whip.

Today's GOP is the party that never accepts blame and is always on the look out for the next scapegoat.

That is not the Democratic way & for that I am grateful.

[Skidmore]

10. There was a time when

results weren't reported out same day. No one remembers it apparently.

[Pacifist Patriot]

17. I've been saying that over and over and over this morning.

My forehead is pounding!

[Skidmore]

22. This is largely a media

tantrum being whipped by campaign panic and Trump pot stirrers. Forget an impeachment trial is going on. People need to get a grip.

[Pacifist Patriot]

25. Amen to that!

[lindalou65]

21. I agree

Yes, indeed I recall the time when the results took a day or two. Now everyone expects 'same day delivery'---I am so thankful there is a paper trail and we need to have some patience. Yes, we all know that computer systems and apps go down and/or don't work properly and then we have to go back to the old standby which is paper. I worked in emergency management and we always had a backup plan for when computers go down (as we know they often do)---you always need a Plan B! There is nothing wrong with a little patience and having a paper trail!

[Tweedy]

48. I remember

And it still takes time with primaries in large states, too.

[redqueen]

11. Agreed

I'm also on the side of the universe.

Reading all this hullabaloo this morning with Taylor Swift's 'You Need to Calm Down' playing in my head.

[LisaM]

13. You're right.

There is no rush at all.

[joost5]

18. "We may have just witnessed the last Iowa caucus."

Link to tweet

[calimary]

20. I can't help it. I keep going back to one word: Russia.

If it’s in any way electronic, then Russia can fuck with it.

[Tweedy]

23. Absolutely

In the way back, folks just had to wait for results.

It isn't skin off our noses unless we choose to cut some off.

My sympathy goes to the Iowa democrats making certain they get it right. Right now, they seem to be getting it from all sides.

[Bettie]

32. Oh, we're very aware that the rest of the country

thinks we are the worst humans who have ever lived, worse than all the Trumps put together, share one tooth among the entire state, and can't read or write.

Fact is, we do put a lot of work into this whole thing and frankly, I'm tired of the hate, tired of the daily diatribes against us for living in a rural (farm based) state.

I'd personally prefer a primary, but I don't make the decision on that, nor do any of the Caucus Chairs (well, maybe a few are among the decision makers) who are getting shit on by everyone. We all worked our butts off and most of us sat on hold for two hours or more to phone in our results, which has worked well in the past.

Now, county chairs are working to get all of the paper forms entered and verified against the call in numbers to ensure accuracy.

Taking extra time to avoid incorrect results is worth a wait.

And yes, the technology failed. Again, not the fault of those of us on the ground doing the work.

[Tweedy]

50. Bless you and all like you for what you do!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Family farmers are the salt of the earth. Without you, the rest of us would starve. I wish there were more states like you!

Today some people are so anxious they cannot see straight.

Yet, underneath that distress, we DO know how important you are!

And if more understood you all are volunteers working above and beyond to get this right, folks would calm down.

Iowa is a beautiful state full of wonderful, kind, generous people.

We all need to remember this Great Experiment works best when we have faith in all of U.S., wherever we may live.

Thank you again!

E pluribus unum

[Bettie]

51. Thanks. I get a little cranky

during this season every four years when people seem to enjoy hating on one state.

Why does NH never get anything other than a shrug? LOL.

Now, I get to sit back and watch the rest of the show.

So, thanks for some kind words.

[Tweedy]

52. Your crankiness is sooo understandable

Dividing us is the only way the GOP can win. It is the only way anybody can beat our Great Experiment.

My words may be kind; more importantly, they are true.

Thank you again. Hang in there & keep up the good fight!

[h2ebits]

24. Thank you!!!

[ancianita]

26. I go with your Universe take. Let's stay fair and clear. Let's not push and shove about this.

[gab13by13]

27. Let's not forget

Iowa called the state for Romney, then a day or 2 later called for Santorum. So when Trumpers jump me about Iowa this is how I respond.

Iowa voting for Santorum should tell us all we need to know about its relevance. Not disparaging the Democrat who wins this.

[Bettie]

33. Iowa Republicans and Iowa Democrats are

very different people.

[DEbluedude]

28. With the Universe adding,

“And realistically Iowa hasn’t been a reliable predicate of the Nominee for ages”

[Beringia]

34. Get run over by a truck, the universe says, no biggie in the scheme of things

[IndyOp]

36. EXCELLENT !! (nt)

[MarcA]

38. The get-over-it, you-can-wait, your-wanting-instant-gratification meme

and excuse being propagated is diverting from analysis of the failed system.

[genxlib]

41. It's not a meme

And no one is advocating for ignoring problems.

I am advocating for not ringing alarm bells that cast an entire party as incompetent because of a delay to get the results. If anything that is the meme that needs to be curtailed.

[MarcA]

44. Accusing people who want results as casting an entire party as incompetent,

ringing alarm bells, telling them to get over it and wait a f****** day is not only
a meme but false and disrespectful.

[genxlib]

45. My apologies

I do not mean to offend.

But i will make you this offer.

Fast forward for 2 months and reconsider all of this. Ask yourself if you still believe that it had any significance beyond the lingering stench of the media narrative that has surrounded it. If you still feel strongly about it, come back and post. I promise to be deferential and apologetic.

My suspicion (and my point) is that the outrage will pass and will have little impact on the race. But the media will have done their damage in the meantime.

[gldstwmn]

42. We can wait, that;s fine. My question is,

is that really the issue here?

[genxlib]

43. No it isn't

There is the wisdom of the caucus system...which we have 4 years to discuss. And the very real motivation to kill.

There is the competence of the state party leaders and consultants...which we can debate at length over the next four years as well.

There is the absence of the "winners" taking their victory lap and getting the Iowa bounce. Which most of us think shouldn't be a thing in the first place.

I am most concerned by the immediate reaction of the hair-on-fire, Democrats-in-disarray BS that has filled the media in the last 24 hours. That is really the issue for me.

[Music Man]

49. I thought similar things last night.

I do think it's unfortunate that the eventual winner will lose out on some of the spoils of a clear, early victory: Momentum going into New Hampshire, fundraising and social media benefits, etc.

However, I think the concerns about making the party look bad or that this will influence the election against Trump are not worth stressing over. Yes, it's embarrassing, but come October/November, no one will even remember this happened, let alone factor into their decision. They'll remember what was said the night before in the debates or what the last TV ad said. It's hard to remember what happened in the news last week, let alone several months ago.

So, it's more detrimental to a particular candidate than our general chances for the fall. Too bad it happened at all.

[pansypoo53219]

54. ONLY THE MEDIA NEED THE TALLY RIGHT AWAY. patience is a fucking virtue.