As the intensity builds toward the Iowa caucus in just a few days, it feels appropriate to question why this Midwestern state has such a disproportionate control over who our next president will be every election cycle.
As New York Times columnist Gail Collins wrote on Thursday, the contest will be decided by a "small group of people who are older, wealthier and whiter than American voters in general, and more politically extreme than the average Iowa Republican."
Because Iowa (and New Hampshire) have such undue influence, it certainly makes sense that a large, diverse and important state like Florida should have more of a say in who the nominee will be.
The problem, however, is that regardless of how ludicrous the rules established by both the Democratic and Republican parties, they do have the right to schedule that calendar as they see fit, and penalize those they say have violated their rules.
Republicans outside of Florida weren't pleased that the Sunshine State violated the RNC rules in 2008 and again in 2012. And many don't think the penalties imposed on them for their transgressions have had any real impact.
This article appears in Dec 22-28, 2011.