FD went to the Iowa off-year caucus today. FD feels lucky to live in Iowa, where the caucus system gives every member of a political party the opportunity to be directly involved. Alas, the off-year caucuses don’t attract much interest.
In 2008, when the presidential nominees were being chosen, more than 500 people attended the caucus in FD’s precinct, one of more than two dozen in this town. Today, in a non-presidential year, there was still stuff to do at the caucus, and an opportunity to influence politics here and, by extension, throughout the country. But only TWO people, FD and a woman who had volunteered to chair the precinct caucus, showed up. Throughout the middle school where the caucuses were being held it was similar — other precincts were represented by 4 or 5 or 6 people.
Neither FD nor the other person who attended in our precinct are “party activists.” We’re just people who appreciate the opportunity, and feel a responsibility, to be a part of the governance of our state and the country.
It’s just another sad event in a sad week for US politics.