WRITERS CIRCLE: Republican presidential race

Last month, members of The Gazette Writers Circle met to discuss the Republican presidential campaign and the logistical challenges posed by this extra-large field of contenders.

Among the questions they discussed were: How can voters choose, or even get the information they need to choose between the candidates? How can the Republican Party and media help? Does the size of the pool affect the way candidates campaign?

VOTERS MUST DO THE HEAVY LIFTING

Steve Chamberlin, Writers Circle

Groucho Marx said, 'I don't want to belong to any club that would have me as a member.”

That's how I have typically felt about political parties, as I never quite fit in. Although I have been registered with both major political parties at various times, at no time in my life have I ever said, 'I am a Republican” or 'I am a Democrat.”

I've always been a bit envious of those with strong party convictions. I spend time before Election Day researching candidates and positions, and usually feel like I am voting for the lesser of two evils. It must be much easier to know that you are going to vote for the person with the 'R” or 'D” after their name. Sometimes I encounter people who are actually excited about their candidate, which has never happened to me.

Now Republicans have the challenge of sorting through 16 candidates to determine which one to support. Where can voters gather information to understand the merits of so many candidates, especially when television seems to focus much of its time on the latest utterances from Donald Trump? In such a large field, being the loudest appears to be a successful strategy for Trump so far.

I think voters bear some responsibility for the horse-race mentality that the national media applies to presidential elections. Understanding issues like Social Security, Medicare, immigration policy, foreign policy and the economy requires some mental effort. News coverage is driven by ratings, and voters haven't demonstrated the attention span required for detailed analysis of candidates' positions on important issues.

I always find documents like the Voter's Guide published by The Gazette before general elections to be helpful in analyzing candidates, as you can review their responses to a common set of questions. Although I tend to eliminate candidates that ignore these requests, national campaigns have become less willing to respond to such questionnaires. Consequently, I'm not optimistic that this type of information will be available closer to caucus time.

Instead, I think that voters will have to do much of their own research. First they should determine what issues are of most importance to them, and then seek to find candidates that align with their interests. I think that candidate websites can be helpful in this area, not only in the information they provide on positions, but also on which issues they choose to emphasize.

I often save every piece of direct mail that I get from candidates for review before voting. My wife doesn't like the clutter, but it can be a good way to determine what issues candidates find to be important. My review of direct mail is usually more helpful in finding candidates to rule out than it is in finding candidates to support.

With several months to go before the caucuses, there are also opportunities to attend candidate appearances in person. There are candidates in our area almost every day, and most of the country doesn't get that opportunity to see presidential candidates.

I did not grow up in Iowa, and I think many native Iowans don't appreciate the unique place that this state holds in the presidential election process. I encourage everyone to do their own research, find a candidate to support and participate in the process. The caucuses are a fascinating exercise in grass roots politics, even if your candidate drops out the next day.

' Steve Chamberlin has spent most of his adult life in Iowa, and has attended both Republican and Democratic caucuses. Comments: editorial@thegazette.com

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WINNOW, WE WILL!

Craig Harwood, Writers Circle

We Iowans are being tested this year, possibly beyond our limits, in the run-up to the caucuses in early 2016. Our first test is our ability to withstand political campaign ads set to Ravel's 'Bolero” music (the climax will be in late January) and second, to remember all of the names of the presidential hopefuls. I hope we are up to it!

Setting aside the first test, how do we make sense of the second test? Can one really make an informed decision among a field of 16 (for the GOPers)? This is a high bar to clear. Due to Iowa's first in the nation status, we will get the benefit(?) of nearly continuous streams of messaging directed at us, telling us mostly what is wrong with every other candidate. Out of this cacophony of negativity, we must then attempt to extract a sense of what each candidate actually does stand for, no small feat!

This is made more difficult this election cycle, with the rich real estate developer who seems to have every microphone and camera in the nation turned to his podium. How can even a motivated voter find truthful and straightforward statements about all of the candidates by which to judge? I, for one, am not sure this is possible, especially with the malleability of truth in politics and the ever-shifting positions on such inflammatory issues as immigration, the economy and Email servers.

Compound this with the fact that way too many Iowans will simply not bother to vote at the caucuses or in the general elections. If the larger population of eligible voters do not turn out for the caucuses then the decision is left to the rest of us (feel the pressure yet?). But the central question still begs an answer. How to make this decision? Let's explore a couple of options:

1. Use a dart board, roulette wheel or some other game of chance. I don't personally recommend this.

2. Spend hours, possibly days, attempting to find the truth about each candidate. Be sure to also get sworn affidavits from them about their positions on all of the issues. This is by far the most thorough approach, but not likely to succeed.

3. Select your personal top two or three issues and establish each of the candidates' positions are on those issues. This seems a reasonable method, but will still be time-consuming.

I am sure there are even more creative and possibly thrilling ways to select your candidate. Should you discover a better way, please let The Gazette readers know of your methods, it could save a lot of long nights and headaches.

Be sure to call or write your friends and families in other states and remind them you have the toughest electoral job in the nation, making sense of this circus we call presidential elections. Iowa is the first to winnow, and winnow we will! We will send a shorter list of candidates off to New Hampshire and the rest of the country.

And finally, please remember, the man or woman we put in the White House will almost assuredly have to make some very tough decisions that we will all have to live with. Think carefully about who you want in the Oval Office.

' Craig Harwood lives and works in Cedar Rapids with his wife and family. He believes in advocating for those who cannot advocate for themselves. Comments: Optionsadvocate@gmail.com

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IS 16 JUST TOO MANY?

Robert Mershon, Writers Circle

The Republican primary voter is confronted with almost as many presidential hopefuls as Baskin Robins has flavors. The curious thing is that though we all want more choices, too many choices can overwhelm our ability to make decisions.

Viewers of the National Geographic Channel's show 'Brain Games” may remember a segment regarding people's ability to make decisions when presented with many choices. First, respondents were asked whether they preferred an ice cream shop with three flavors or one with 20. Almost unanimously, respondents chose the shop with 20 flavors. Who wants only three choices of anything, including presidential candidates? After all, more is better, isn't it?

But when asked to pick one flavor from the shop with three flavors and the one with 20, the researches found people decided quicker and expressed greater satisfaction with their decision from the shop with only three flavors. We get overwhelmed when presented with a lot of choices. It takes longer to make a choice and we aren't as confident we chose correctly. After all, you might love Rocky Road but do you love it more than Praline Pecan or Mocha Fudge?

I remember an episode of the 1970s television series 'Connections” in which host James Burke noted that, in an increasingly complex world, when the average person doesn't have the background to understand the issue, decisions become based on things other than the issue; things like patriotism, pride, freedom, or emotion.

Wearing or not wearing U.S. flag pin on your lapel proves you are or aren't a patriot. The candidate best able to tap into a basic emotion ultimately becomes the winner because, while we aren't capable of knowing which idea will work, we do know which we connect with.

Considering these two factors, it isn't hard to understand the effectiveness of Donald Trump's message, 'Your leaders are stupid.” 'I will be tough on those taking advantage of the U.S.” Nuance not required. The world is black and white. The solutions are simple. All that is missing is the strength of will and character to do them.

When confronted with many complex issues that calm, rational, thoughtful people aren't able to resolve and a surplus of candidates attempting to appear calm, rational and thoughtful; isn't in-your-face simplicity compelling?

' Robert was born and raised in Cedar Rapids and spent 30 years in several successful and not so successful businesses. Comments: robert.mershon@sbcglobal.net