2016 elections - because it's never too early

[DGuller]

Was double-checking the location of my caucus site and procedures for changing party affiliation night-of, and learned that Republicans now vote secretly.  That's changed since I last went in 08.  Democrats still vote openly, by standing in herds.

Sounds like good news for my bet. 

[Berkut]

And here's Ivanka telling you everything you need to know.  Cal should watch.

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/01/ivanka_trump_teaches_iowa_how.html

Wow. Was she talking? I can't remember.

[DGuller]

She definitely has her dad's sense of subtlety when it comes to plastic surgery.

[alfred russel]

Was double-checking the location of my caucus site and procedures for changing party affiliation night-of, and learned that Republicans now vote secretly.  That's changed since I last went in 08.  Democrats still vote openly, by standing in herds.

Let our democracy be an example to the world, except for the part about how we apparently don't use secret ballots for one of our major parties.

[Eddie Teach]

I don't think the primary process should be held according to the same rules as the general election. I'm not sure what's the point of holding a caucus instead of a primary if people are voting in secret. 

[Admiral Yi]

I don't think the primary process should be held according to the same rules as the general election. I'm not sure what's the point of holding a caucus instead of a primary if people are voting in secret. 

Unless something else has changed, you still vote in rounds until one candidate has a majority of the votes in each district.

It's interactive!

[alfred russel]

I don't think the primary process should be held according to the same rules as the general election. I'm not sure what's the point of holding a caucus instead of a primary if people are voting in secret. 

I'm not sure the purpose of a caucus in any event, but I think secret ballots are fundamental to a fair election.

[alfred russel]

Think about it this way....

We work in a union shop, and the union heavily supports Hillary. I want to support Sanders. Do I do that with the union watching?

You work for me, and I am a co chair of Hillary's campaign in Iowa County. I frequently talk about how important it is that Hillary win for the country and for the future of our company. Would you be deterred from caucusing for Sanders?

[Eddie Teach]

Some primaries only let party members vote and some let everyone. And that's OK, because the democratic election is the one in November. How the parties want to select candidates is their business, we are free to vote for them or for unaffiliated candidates.

[alfred russel]

Some primaries only let party members vote and some let everyone. And that's OK, because the democratic election is the one in November. How the parties want to select candidates is their business, we are free to vote for them or for unaffiliated candidates.

While I agree that the parties control the process of choosing their nominees, I also think they should adhere to basic principles of democracy, and the public should insist on it so long as the process is publicly subsidized.

[alfred russel]

And here's Ivanka telling you everything you need to know.  Cal should watch.

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/01/ivanka_trump_teaches_iowa_how.html

Wow. Was she talking? I can't remember.

This prompted me to check out her wikipedia page:

In 2007, Trump donated $1,000 to the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton.[21] In 2012, Trump endorsed Mitt Romney for president.[22] In 2013, Trump and her husband hosted a fundraiser for Cory Booker. The couple bundled more than $40,000 for Booker's U.S. Senate campaign.[23]

In July 2009, after studying with Rabbi Elie Weinstock from the Modern Orthodox Ramaz School, Trump had an Orthodox conversion to Judaism[32][33] and took the name Yael.[34][35] She attests to keeping a kosher diet and observing the Jewish Sabbath, saying in 2015: "We're pretty observant... It's been such a great life decision for me... I really find that with Judaism, it creates an amazing blueprint for family connectivity. From Friday to Saturday we don't do anything but hang out with one another. We don't make phone calls."[36]

Trump meditates twice daily, and has gifted a meditation course led by her friend Bob Roth to the members of "Team Ivanka".[37]

She is a close friend of Chelsea Clinton, who says of her: "There's nothing skin-deep about Ivanka. And I think that's a real tribute to her because certainly anyone as gorgeous as she is could have probably gone quite far being skin-deep."[36]

And then on her husband's wikipedia page:

Kushner is a contributor to the Democratic Party. He has contributed over $100,000 to various campaigns between 1992 and 2006.[24]

That the Trump campaign is getting so much conservative and evangelical support is simultaneously hilarious and sad.

[Phillip V]

Bush is showing signs of life in New Hampshire.  NH is a free-for-all when it comes to second place.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/nh/new_hampshire_republican_presidential_primary-3350.html

[jimmy olsen]

Keep an eye on the turnout. The higher it is the better Trump's chances.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/ted-cruz-magic-number-218501

[alfred russel]

Keep an eye on the turnout. The higher it is the better Trump's chances.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/ted-cruz-magic-number-218501

Why, I mean, the caucus results and turnout results will be known roughly simultaneously--why not just pay attention to the results at that point? 

[Phillip V]

With final polls released this morning, there suddenly could even be a Rubio upset in Iowa:  http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/ia/iowa_republican_presidential_caucus-3194.html