By Jodi Kantor New York Times 2 January 2008 -
Caucuses Bring Power Only to Some in Iowa

DES MOINES -- Jason Huffman has lived in Iowa his whole life. Lately he has been watching presidential debates on the Internet, discussing what he sees with friends and relatives. But when fellow Iowans choose among presidential candidates on Thursday night, he will not be able to vote, because he is serving with the National Guard in western Afghanistan.

"Shouldn't we at least have as much influence in this as any other citizen?" Captain Huffman wrote in an e-mail interview.

He is far from the only Iowan who will not be able to participate. Because the caucuses, held in the early evening, do not allow absentee voting, they tend to leave out nearly entire categories of voters: the infirm, soldiers on active duty, medical personnel who cannot leave their patients, parents who do not have baby sitters, restaurant employees on the dinner shift, and many others who work in retail, at gas stations and in other jobs that require evening duty.

As in years past, voters must present themselves in person, at a specified hour, and stay for as long as two. And if these caucuses are anything like prior ones, only a tiny percentage of Iowans will participate. In 2000, the last year in which both parties held caucuses, 59,000 Democrats and 87,000 Republicans voted, in a state with 2.9 million people. In 2004, when the Republicans did not caucus, 124,000 people turned out for the Democratic caucuses.

The rules are so demanding that even Ray Hoffman, chairman of the Iowa Republican Party and a resident of Sioux City, cannot caucus on Thursday night, because he has to be in Des Moines on party business.

Iowans begin the presidential selection process, making choices among the candidates that can heavily influence how the race unfolds. Now some are starting to ask why the first, crucial step in that process is also one that discourages so many people, especially working-class people, from participating.

Clinton leads among registered Democrats who are likely caucus goers by 6 points in the DMR poll, 33-27. And if the turnout demographic is the same as in 2004, Clinton wins by 31-29. (This explains the discrepancy between the DMR poll and other polls, who are now scramblng to align themselves with the DMR turnout model.)

So it comes down to that - will the non-Dems come to decide the Iowa Democratic caucus.

Who is Barack Obama? You've got to read this.

 Now a U. S. Presidential candidate, Barack
Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu , Hawaii ,

 To Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black MUSLIM from
Nyangoma-Kogel, Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white
ATHIEST from Wichita , Kansas .

 Obama's parents met at the University of
Hawaii .
When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced.
His father returned to Kenya His mother then
Married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from
Indonesia.

 When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocated to
Indonesia . Obama attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta

He also spent two years in a Catholic school.

Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he
Is a Muslim. He is quick to point out that, "He was once

A Muslim, but that he also attended Catholic school."

 Obama's political handlers are attempting to make
It appear that Obama's introduction to Islam came

 Via his father, and that this influence was
Temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama
Returned to Kenya soon after the
Divorce,

And never again had any direct influence
Over his son's education.

 Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama's mother,
Ann Dunham, introduced his stepson to Islam.

 Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta.

 Wahabism is the RADICAL teaching that is followed
By the Muslim terrorists who re now waging Jihad

Against the western world.

 Since it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN
When seeking major public office in the United States ,

Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United

 Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his

 Muslim background.

 Let us all remain alert concerning
Obama's
Presidential candidacy.

The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the
US from the inside out. What better way to start

Than at the highest level---through the President

 Of the United States, one of their own!!!!

 ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn into
His current office - he DID NOT use the
Holy Bible, but instead the Kuran (Their equivalent
To our Bible, but very different beliefs)