Category Archives: General

Iowa Schmiowa

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As a political junkie, I’m excited about tonight’s Iowa caucuses. But it’s a totally ridiculous system. As Gail Collins writes, “the sturdy Iowa voters will pull on their parkas and go out to fulfill their historic destiny. Perhaps as many as 15 percent of them!” Even David Broder, who is increasingly senescent, is on target here.

Not only will an incredibly small percentage of voters be choosing delegates in a process that doesn’t even allow a secret ballot; they’re not even choosing that many delegates. For instance, on the Democratic side, of the more than 4,000 delegates who will attend the Democratic Convention in August, how many delegates are Iowa Democrats choosing?

Fifty-six [whoops] Forty-five.

Yeah, 56 45 out of more than 4,000. That’s less than 2 percent of all delegates.

And yet the media will be hysterical and breathless tonight and tomorrow, and candidates will drop out either after Iowa or after New Hampshire next week.

It’s ridiculous.

I suggest a compromise. Let Iowa and New Hampshire be the first states to elect delegates (if they must), but make the results secret. No state should reveal the results of its primary or caucus until all 50 states have voted. That way, Iowa and New Hampshire can still go first, but they won’t have undue influence over any other state.

It’ll never happen, of course. Congress can’t make rules for state-by-state elections, let alone intra-party elections. And media companies will never forego their exit polls. And in our hypersaturated media age, the results would inevitably leak out somehow.

Our system sucks.

Happy 2008

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Happy New Year!

Tomorrow I go back to work after an 11-day vacation. I haven’t been at work since December 21. For my own future reference, here’s what I’ve done on my vacation:

Fri. 12/21 – left work early; met up with Luke to see “Michael Clayton,” followed by dinner at the Popover Cafe.

Sat. 12/22 – I saw “Atonement” by myself. At night, Matt and I saw a preview performance of November, David Mamet’s new play about the White House, starring Nathan Lane as the president. It sucked. Big disappointment.

Sun. 12/23 – Matt and I saw “Sweeney Todd.” We were invited to gathering at a Brooklyn bar but it was rainy and gross out so we just went home.

Mon. 12/24 – During the day, watched “Ratatouille” on DVD. At night, we had dinner with my parents and my brother and sister-in-law at Docks, a seafood restaurant on the Upper West Side. Christmas Eve and it was hopping, as was the West Side. Afterwards, Matt and I and my parents walked down Broadway and passed Al Franken and a woman (his wife?) walking in the opposite direction.

Tues. 12/25 – I went for a Christmas Day walk through Central Park by myself. Crowded. I walked from the northwestern to the southwestern corner. Then I met up with Luke and we saw “No Country For Old Men” at the AMC on 42nd Street. Afterwards, he came over to our apartment, and Matt and Luke and I ordered in Chinese food and played with the Wii.

Wed. 12/26 – Took the subway down to the Village. Got a haircut, went bookstore hopping, bought The Nine at the Strand. At night, we saw The Receptionist. Creepy! Then we came home and I watched the Kennedy Center Honors on TV. I’d never watched this before — it’s quite fun. I’ll have to watch it next year too.

Thurs. 12/27 – My birthday! I went to the movies by myself; I saw “The Savages.” Excellent, excellent movie. At night I had a birthday gathering at the Xth Avenue Lounge. Got drunk. Matt shepherded me home.

Fri. 12/28 – I can’t remember what I did during the day. At night, met Mike, Luke, Jim, and Jim’s friend at the Duplex for Mostly Sondheim. It was pouring when I left the Duplex. Got home at almost 4 in the morning. Trip home involved subway and taxi due to my impatience.

Sat. 12/29 – Watched “Zodiac” on DVD and fell in love with it. Struggled with the hardest NYT crossword puzzle ever. At night, went to Jim’s birthday party in the way East Village. Luke and Mike were there too. Got home late again.

Sun. 12/30 – Curled up with the Sunday paper, watched “Meet the Press.” Around 3:45 in the afternoon, I went out for another walk around Central Park — I desperately needed to get some daylight in before sunset. Walked around the northern end of the park, then partway down the east side, then took a crosstown bus home. At night, Matt and I saw “National Treasure: Book of Secrets.” Still in love with Justin Bartha.

Mon. 12/31 – Went for yet another long walk through Central Park. Popped into Barnes & Noble by Lincoln Center. Came home, read some more of my book. At night we went to a New Year’s Eve party at a swanky floor-through apartment in the Village along with Mike and our friend Dan. Got drunk. We got home at 2 a.m. and then watched Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin celebrate New Year’s in Times Square, which we’d TiVo’d. Gayest CNN New Year’s Eve ever?

Tues. 1/1 – Happy New Year. It looks crappy outside today. I’ll read more of my book and relax. Maybe see a movie? Who knows.

I tend to get sad about the passage of time. Happy moments occur, and then they end. But there are always more happy moments just over the horizon. The happiest moments often come unexpectedly. This vacation — heck, this month — was filled with them. Performing at the Big Apple Corps holiday concert on December 1 (it felt ridiculously early to be singing holiday songs), having our own chorus concert the following weekend, going up to sing at Vassar the weekend after that (well, I had awful laryngitis so I merely watched, but road trips are great).

Going on a road trip to a new place, curling up on the couch with a great movie: happy moments can be found anywhere.

May your 2008, and mine, be filled with such happy little moments.

Happy New Year.