Criticism of Iowa’s caucuses is narrow-minded

Presidential candidate Julian Castro has stated that it doesn't make sense for the Iowa Democrat caucuses to go first because of Iowa's lack of diversity. This is a narrow-minded attitude. Iowa is a politically diverse purple state. This gives value to its first in the nation status, which began in 1972 when Iowa Democrats moved their caucus to first in the nation. Republicans followed suit in 1976. Iowans have made our first-in-the-nation status matter. In a sense, the status belongs to Iowa because Iowa took it when it was available and made it important. It is wrong to take that status away from Iowa and reallocate it to another state because of some concept of fairness. First in the nation is Iowa's property, period.

A more fair system would be for every state to have caucuses, where neighbors could gather - in person or virtually - to hash out their political preferences. The outcome of each state's caucuses would be determining which two Democrats and which two Republicans get put on a non-partisan ranked choice primary ballot. Then, during primary season, all voters could choose one, two, three, and four from both political parties; out of all of the state primaries the top two contenders - regardless of party - would go on the November ballot. And blending the parties together during primary season makes sense because they are both two sides of the same coin anyhow.

David Sheets

Marion