Something about Iowa...

Okay, so aside from "first in the country caucus/primary", what makes Iowa so important that candidates are willing to spend millions advertising only in that state?

Latest polls show Ron Paul gaining traction in Iowa, and his campaign has outspent all other campaigns in that state, but how is Iowa indicative of the rest of the country?

In case you ever need to find it any other time but an election year...

Is the importance of Iowa overblown by the preponderance of media attention there? It seems to be the case more and more, that many allow the media to pick candidates by the use of language (front-runner, also-ran, or top-tier), and as the first nominating event in the country, the media loves to focus on Iowa. But is the opinion of a mostly rural state the best way to determine political trends in national elections?

Is Iowa important because the "middle-American" voters see more than anyone else in the country, or is it important because the media have told us it is? Who is really selecting our national candidates?

Those in "fly-over country", whose opinions are dismissed in virtually every other way? Those in the media, who see their role as more "kingmaker" than impartial observer? Those who think the "first is best, simply because it's first"?

Or do we decide, as a NATION who should lead us? Back in 2008, events were manipulated so that the only "reasonable" answers to the question of "Who should be president?" were a known liberal from the Chicago political machine and a "maverick" career politician who was known for "reaching across the aisle".

Aside from the caricatures, there's no reason to put this here. But Wow. You really can find almost anything on the 'net...

Now we have a political field of 8 Republicans, three of which are hanging on out of sheer orneriness (Santorum, Bachmann and Perry), and once again, all eyes are on Iowa, as though the answers can be found in the farmlands.

But are we focusing on what matters, or on what we are being told matters?

There is still a LOT of campaigning to do before the primary season gets underway. If you are one of my Republican friends, don't focus overmuch on how the politicos will try and shmooze those who in almost any other situation they consider rubes, and instead keep an eye on how they will treat the nation as a whole.

The US is more than just Iowa. Seeing candidates play along with the media-driven, over-importance of Iowa is no way to gauge how a man or woman will govern as a president over a nation.