CAUCUS: Left out and left wondering

I read The Press’s article of Feb. 12, “Republican presidential caucus March 2: What to expect,” and hardly know where to begin in response.

First of all, Mr. Regan said he believes “few voters will be disenfranchised by the lack of absentee voting.” Really? As I sit, I know I will be disenfranchised because I will not be in Idaho on March 2 nor will a great many others (we’re called snowbirds). 

And then, I gather from the article that caucus doors open at 11 a.m. and check-in closes at 12:30 p.m. Mr. Regan says voters need not “listen to the five minute candidate presentations” but, if you have to show up between 11 and 12:30 and voting takes place after the presentations, how does that work? 

In addition, after you’ve already shown ID and been hand-stamped and the doors are closed, you have to receive a second hand stamp (but the whole process “could take as little as a few minutes,” again according to Mr. Regan). 

Finally, the article states that, due to ID House Bill 138, presidential primaries were “apparently unintentionally” eliminated. Like coincidences, unintentional consequences are suspect. 

The whole issue smacks of a cattle branding squeeze chute process much like the process that emplaced the present NIC trustees and apparently is not subject to being reversed.

PATRICK TEBO

Hayden Lake