In 1976, Jimmy Carter won the Iowa Democratic caucuses and overnight parlayed that into the lead for the Democratic presidential nomination. Until that moment, few political analysts, let alone average Americans, had paid one whit's attention to this obscure event that ultimately took on major significance as the first test in the obstacle course to the White House.
If ultraconservative Republicans have their way, the ultimate GOP presidential nominee in 2012 will come out of the Iowa experience with an agenda that has little relevance in solving the nation's major problems, including the economy. That outcome probably is the best thing President Barack Obama can hope for in his bid for re-election. Worries about the economy and the national debt in any rational election trumps concerns about same-sex marriage by a wide margin.
But rationality isn't what U.S. Rep. Steve King appears to be all about. For the five-term Republican from the state's 5th Congressional District, the path is clear: only candidates who understand the importance of putting Christian values -- as he sees them -- first need apply for the Iowa endorsement. That pretty much excludes the likes of Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who has called for a moratorium on debating social issues until solutions are found for such problems as the soaring deficit, immigration and joblessness.
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Complete article at Scripps News : http://bit.ly/f4Vy7O
