This might be a dumb question. I know what a caucus is - what the hell is the Iowa Caucus?

[demosincebirth]

How do they decide?

[DURHAM D]

1. A place for white people???? nt

[demosincebirth]

2. Thanks white person

[elleng]

3. Complicated.

Watch MSNBC if you can; they're discussing and explaining.

P.S. CaucusES

[BigmanPigman]

4. Watch this.....

[demosincebirth]

7. Looks whacky to me.

[BigmanPigman]

8. Very whacky!

[bottomofthehill]

5. A non- Democratic way to help pick a nominee

[maynard]

6. We caucus in Nevada

Too time consuming. I did it once and I won't ever do it again. There needs to be a better way. I went to the precinct caucus. That was good because Hillary showed up outside and I got some great pictures. Again, too many people who did not know what they were doing because it is only done every 4 years. Time consuming. By default, I was able to go to the county caucus...on a different day. Too many people who did not know what they were doing. People were impatient and tried to take over. Only one vendor selling food. Line was long and they ran out of food. A lot of people left. People were passionate about their candidates and tempers flared. One whole day of my life that I was never going to get back. Time to go back to primaries. One person, one vote. done and recorded.

[demosincebirth]

9. Can't they change it? Or they won't because it keeps them in the limelight for a year

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

10. I'm glad the Washington State Democratic party has finally given up caucuses for a primary.

I've caucused before and it usually takes two or three Saturdays.

People with children or those who work jobs with unusual shifts find it difficult to attend.

[demosincebirth]

11. What a screwed up process. Who benefits?

[UTUSN]

12. Something that needs abolishing.

[TomSlick]

13. A caucus is certainly not the way I would choose to select a candidate - but -

I don't live in Iowa and don't get a vote.

If the people of Iowa didn't want to keep their caucus system, it would go away. If the people of Iowa like their system and it works for them - that's how democracy works.