There is the sense of a primal level of ineptitude in America that, I think, is partly behind the unease and anger that some Americans feel and are evincing in their politics.
Second time for that too, huh? Can we conduct a fair election?
Editorial: Something smells in the Democratic Party-Des Moines Register
Once again the world is laughing at Iowa. Late-night comedians and social media mavens are having afield day with jokes about missing caucusgoers and coin flips.
That’s fine. We can take ribbing over our quirky process. But what we can’t stomach is even the whiff of impropriety or error.
What happened Monday night at the Democratic caucuses was a debacle, period. Democracy, particularly at the local party level, can be slow, messy and obscure. But the refusal to undergo scrutiny or allow for an appeal reeks of autocracy.
The Iowa Democratic Party must act quickly to assure the accuracy of the caucus results, beyond a shadow of a doubt.
...the results were too close not to do a complete audit of results.
Now, this is the second time in four years. Last round it was the Republicans. Mitt Romney won...No!, our bad, Rick Santorum.
Can we not count? Can we not conduct even an election anymore? Is our level of ineptitude that profound?
Editorial: Cruz's campaign of deceit should worry voters-Des Moines Register.
Just two days before Monday’s caucus, a number of carefully targeted Iowans received mailers from the Ted Cruz campaign. At the top of the letter, in a bright red box, were the words “VOTING VIOLATION.” The mailer explained:
“You are receiving this election notice because of low expected voter turnout in your area. Your individual voting history, as well as your neighbors’, are public record. Their scores are published below, and many of them will see your score, as well. CAUCUS ON MONDAY TO IMPROVE YOUR SCORE and please encourage your neighbors to caucus as well. A follow-up notice may be issued following Monday’s caucuses.”
All of that was pure, unadulterated fiction.
...
The Cruz campaign wasn’t the first to use such tactics. In fact, the liberal organization MoveOn.org used a similarly deceptive mailer in its support of Barack Obama's 2012 bid for re-election.
But what’s most instructive about the Cruz mailer is the way in which the candidate responded to criticism of it: He characterized it as some sort of civic-minded “get out the vote” campaign that he fully supported.
...
Frankly, it’s hard to square the dishonest campaign tactics of Ted Cruz with his oft-stated support for Christian values. Then again, it’s hard to square Cruz himself with such values.
This is the easy stuff. If America can't do the easy stuff America is not working.
