Iowa and onwards
I know that many of you opted out of watching media coverage of the Iowa caucus results. I appeared on Scripps News last night to react to Donald Trump’s victory, and what it means for the 2024 election versus President Biden.
Here are some of my thoughts:
And this:
The evolution of news media in the United States since the advent of 24-hour news in the 1970s has had a profound impact on our lives and political perspectives, revealing a clear division among Americans. A striking example of this is the current coverage of the Iowa caucus, a stark departure from how it was reported in the past. In the 1970s, the Iowa caucus merited a modest place on page two of the NY Times, reflecting its limited significance. Iowa, a state with a population of 3.1 million and just over 2 million registered voters, predominantly Christian with 28% being evangelicals, hardly represents a microcosm of the diverse American electorate. The disproportionate attention given to this small state in recent times is questionable. Contrastingly, since 2000, only one candidate, Barack Obama, who won the Iowa caucus, went on to become president, emphasizing the limited predictive value of this event. Despite this, the media amplifies the caucus results as if they signal the end of the presidential election. The recent Iowa caucus, with its 110,000 voters (not even one-hundredth of a tenth of U.S. voters), reflects a minuscule fraction of the electorate. With only 30% of Iowa voters participating, the hype surrounding this event appears disproportionate. Pre-event polls projecting Trump's win at 74% starkly contrasted with the actual outcome of 51%, highlighting the uncertainty and unreliability of such predictions.
The media's fixation on this relatively inconsequential event raises questions about the priorities of news outlets. Instead of providing substantive analysis, the airwaves are saturated with sensational coverage. It would be more valuable for media pundits to focus on examining the unbalanced perspectives within the Republican voter base, shedding light on the intricacies of their political views, rather than inflating the importance of a minor primary. This shift in focus could contribute to a more informed and nuanced public discourse.
If anyone was surprised by the results of the Iowa caucus they haven't been paying attention to the past 8 years. Republicans do not want a future, they want to live in the past. Republicans want to live in a world that resembles the TV depiction of 1950's America. Even if time travel were possible at this time, they would not be satisfied. They would still complain and want to live in a time that resembles the 1920s. This is the problem when you blame others for the world we live in without looking at yourself in the mirror to see your part in the making of this society. Republicans should stop blaming others if they are not satisfied with the direction our country is on. They should get off their obstructionist asses and work with democrats to solve problems. This is the way you make a difference by reaching across the aisle and doing what is best for the country not just your political party. Political power is good but only if you can make a positive change that will benefit everyone.