Oh yeah, about tomorrow

The Iowa caucus is tomorrow, kicking off the 2008 campaign in fine, completely non-democratic style. For those unaware, this is nothing like a primary, where you vote in private, by secret ballot and everyone's ballot counts the same. In a caucus, your required to spend up to several hours arguing your point, moving into designated parts of the room to show your support, and if your candidate falls under 15% in your district, you have to choose someone else. James Kirchick on this lunacy:

Of course the secret ballot -- fundamental to any democratic process -- is absent in the caucus, replaced by a bizarre, Midwestern public shaming ritual straight out of a Garrison Keillor novel, pretty much all that's needed to render the Iowa primary illegitimate

For an amazing, in-depth instructional check out all eight parts of this series by MyDD blogger desmoinesdem.

Yes, the fact that it takes eight parts is all you really need to know about the Iowa caucus