Cody Staub

As a follow up to my post on Thursday and as a precursor to Super Tuesday tomorrow, I wanted to try and explain the difference between a primary election and a caucus. It turns out in speaking with our county clerk since Thursday that Idaho (where I live) utilizes both a Democratic caucus and a Republican primary. The caucus is tomorrow (February 5th) and the primary is May 27th, so it looks like I won’t be voting until May.

So what’s the difference? And why the two voting dates?

To answer the first question, a primary election is run much like the general election in November. Each person is given a ballot and that ballot is cast in secret. A caucus is usually where members of the political party gather into groups according to their candidate preference. I’m a little sketchy on the caucus process, but my understanding is that this is not a private ballot, nor is it very accurate, but merely to get an idea of who the delegates should support. The state laws usually govern whether the voting process is opened or closed, meaning that if you vote in one election/caucus you cannot vote in another (closed).

Each party can choose to have either a caucus or a primary election and when it takes place. In Idaho, the democratic party has chosen a caucus to be held on February 5th and the republicans have chosen a primary election to be held May 27th. Both of these elections are open in Idaho, meaning I could go to the democratic caucus tomorrow and also vote in the primary on May 27th.

I still encourage everyone to get out and vote. This is going to be a very charged election.

Next to election day in November, this Tuesday is the most important single day in the 2008 presidential elections. Super Tuesday is when the majority of states across the U.S. hold their respective caucuses and primaries to decide which candidate from both the Republican and Democratic parties will be on your ballot come November.

Now whether you’re Democrat or Republican or even Green party, you have to admit that the United States is in sad shape. We are not well-liked by a majority of the world right now, the value of our once all-mighty USD is now paling in contrast to other currencies, health care and social security are in crisis, and our personal liberties are becoming fewer and fewer. Which one of our candidates do you think is going to address all of these problems?

The few (or maybe many) of you who have heard of the man already know what I’m leading up to, and don’t click away before you read the rest of this article…but I’m talking of course about Congressman Ron Paul (M.D. by the way), who is one of four Republican hopefuls left in the race. Unlike the other candidates (including on the Democrat side), Dr. Paul has worked his entire career to end the ever-growing power of our federal government and restore our country to what the Founders envisioned, a nation conceived in personal liberty. Also, unlike the other candidates, Ron Paul is probably the most qualified presidential candidate to run for office when you review the facts:

1. Ron Paul has served (and is currently serving) in congress for 10 terms, leaving a legacy of arguably the most solid voting record in politics.
2. Ron Paul was raised in an average family and used his own money and grades to pay his way through medical school at Duke University. He is not the legacy of a wealthy American super-power family, but comes from average roots, just like the rest of us.
3. Ron Paul served as a Captain in the US Air Force as a flight surgeon. After the Air Force he specialized in obstetrics and gynecology, delivering over 4,000 babies in his 30 years of medical practice.
4. Ron Paul has taken a special interest in economics for several decades. Some of his writings on economics have been published by the Ludwig von Mises “Ultimate Foundation on Economics” as well as others.
5. Ron Paul has served on the House Banking committee, House Committee on Financial Services, and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

And from his very own website…

He has never voted to raise taxes.
He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
He has never taken a government-paid junket.
He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.

He voted against the Patriot Act.
He voted against regulating the Internet.
He voted against the Iraq war.

He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.

If you want to learn more about the President our country needs, then check out a few of these sites (only the first one is affiliated officially with his campaign):

• Ron Paul for President 2008
• Intro to Ron Paul
• The Ron Paul DVD
• YouTube
• MySpace
• Facebook

Whomever you support though, make sure you get out and vote on February 5th, 2008 at your local precinct!