Many states are jealous of Iowa’s #1 status and question their lack of minorities: According to the 2014 United States Census Bureau, 92.1% of Iowans are white vs. the USA percent of 77.4.

In 1972, due to scheduling conflicts, the Democratic National Party innocently moved its Iowa caucus earlier than the New Hampshire primary. Since the caucus wasn’t considered to be in the same league as a primary, nobody paid much attention.

Here’s how the caucus works: There are no voting polls at all. Instead, registered Iowan voters assemble in a public place, town hall style, to review the candidates and choose who should get the primary nomination. The Republicans write their choice on a piece of paper and are counted by hand. The Democrats physically move into clusters based on the candidate they support, and the size of each group is manually tallied.

And while a caucus isn’t considered to be in the same league as a primary, Iowa’s ability to be the first state to weigh in during the presidential campaign has become the envy of most others.

The fluke change in timing in 1972 forever supplanted New Hampshire as the first contest.

That year, Jimmy Carter, after winning Iowa, won the presidency. The Republican response was to immediately move their Iowa caucus earlier as well.

There you have it—Numero Uno status for Iowa.

And until both parties make a fundamental change in their rules, Iowa will continue to remain first out of the gate.

Additionally, in 1972, New Hampshire took legal steps to protect its “first primary in the nation” status by passing a law that gives its secretary of state the power to change the date to precede any other primary by one week. A genius political move on their part.

Even though both the Democrats and the Republicans have it in their rules that Iowa goes first, it’s not legally binding. But if a state holds their primaries earlier than Iowa, the number of delegates the state can send to the national convention is reduced, a punishment wielded by both parties as a huge disincentive. No state wants to cut back on delegates.

The 2016 National Conventions: Republicans will meet in Cleveland, Ohio from July 18-21, and Democrats will meet in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from July 26-28.

Two days after a knife attack in a London subway left a 56-year-old man seriously injured, all attention has been on the reaction of a bystander who shouted to the Muslim attacker: “You ain’t no Muslim, bruv.”

Ms. Tashfeen Malik, with a degree in pharmacology, could have taken advantage of the “American Dream.” But that wasn’t why she came here. Malik’s sole purpose for coming to the U.S. was to destroy the American dream.

And Malik took advantage of a relatively easy way into the U.S.

She was granted a K-1 visa, also known as a “90-day-fiance’ visa,” which has long been considered a questionable and often fraudulent way for foreigners to gain entry into the U.S.

Everyone, including the FBI, is investigating the “why.” The answer to the “why” is simple: Radical Islam believes that Muslims are destined to rule the world and that the West must be confronted and dealt with.

“The two killers were radicals for a long time,” the FBI was quoted as saying yesterday.

So you tell me. Their families were unaware that they were radicalized?

Tashfeen Malik’s mother lived with them. She never noticed the arsenal of weapons in the couple’s two-bedroom townhouse?

Where was Malik’s mother when Malik and Farook donned black masks and tactical gear, grabbed tons of weapons, and ran out to kill 14 people and wound 21 others?

According to news reports, Malik’s mother was in the townhouse watching the couple’s 6-month-old daughter.

Now most of what Trump has to say has me shaking my head in wonderment. But I have to agree with him when he says “We are now at war.”

And here is what I have to say to all Muslims living in the United States:

You need to stand up for Americans and the American dream or go to some other country where you like the people and/or their government better.

If Muslims can’t be proactive and do the right thing, you are simply and frankly Un-American.

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.

I was going to title this blog “Bush Got Trumped,” but let’s be real here, Jeb has pretty much become a bush-league player. Pun intended.

One measly ex-Governor? No—that’s not Trump’s style. In all his trumped up glory, the Donald has taken on the entire Republican Party.

Some say that Trump is running to ensure the presidential win for Hillary. He’s acting as her apprentice so to speak. The theory is it’s a win-win for Trump. He gets the Republican nomination and is a hero. Hillary becomes the first woman President of the United States and the Donald? Well, he’s a hero.

I don’t buy that theory. Because that’s not how Trump rolls. He actually believes he can win this “thing.”

Now, I don’t believe that Trump will become the 45^th President of the United States. But I do believe that a Trump nomination could possibly undo many of the gains Republicans have made in the recent State and local elections. And then there goes the Republican majority in the Senate.

According to a Wikipedia page on the 1964 Congressional elections, Lyndon Johnson’s landslide victory over Barry Goldwater allowed his Democratic Party to gain a net of 36 seats from the Republican Party, giving them a two-thirds majority in the House. This was the largest House majority held by either party since 1936.

Many of the highest-ranking and wealthiest Republicans want Trump out. But who needs to publicly bicker and scrap with the insult-spewing Donald?

We all know that Trump loves to belittle and berate his critics 24/7. That’s been his game plan since day one, and it seems to be working well for him.

And let’s be honest, it doesn’t look like Trump is getting fired anytime soon.

I wasn’t a fan of Trump’s reality game show The Apprentice, but this is one reality show I’m not going to miss.

The New York Times has become a real Debbie Downer lately. My usual routine of brewing me up some liquid energy and enjoying a little morning news has become a real kill joy.

I need to find a better way to wake myself up in the morning because there is zero enjoyment to be had as my eyes glaze over the front page of my revered paper lately.

ISIS is badder than ever, Brussels is shut down, France is brutally enforcing their emergency edict, there is mass hysteria in the U.S. over the relocating of Syrian refugees to the various American suburbs, and Governor Chris Christie cries while remembering the family friends he lost on September 11, 2001.

Who needs this crap first thing in the morning?

It didn’t surprise me that yesterday the State Department issued a rare worldwide travel alert for American citizens during the 2015 holiday season—and through February 24, 2016.  We didn’t need the SD to tell us we are in dangerous times.

What surprised me was their following one-liner explanation for why the alert: “Members of the Islamic State are returning from Iraq and Syria.”

RETURNING?

Is the State Department trying to give us a clue that they’re on their way HERE?  I mean really, can they be a little more specific?

Not that I wanted to read on, but I was hoping for a little clarity.

Here was their follow-up: “Islamic State, Al Qaeda and other extremist groups continue to plan terrorist attacks in multiple regions.”

REGIONS LIKE WHERE? Please State Department, give me a hint.

“U.S. citizens should exercise vigilance when in public places or using transportation,” the alert said. “Be aware of immediate surroundings and avoid large crowds or crowded places. Exercise particular caution during the holiday season and at holiday festivals or events.”

Well, call me stupid, but this pretty much confines me to my house.

I really wanted to rip up the paper right there, or stab my eyes out with a hot poker, but I couldn’t stop myself from reading on.

As I tried to keep the coffee down, I came upon another tidbit:

According to the United States military, this past Saturday they destroyed 283 Islamic State tanker trucks transporting oil out of eastern Syria.

Here’s the kicker: The strikes near Deir el-Zour and Hasaka Syria are part of a NEW campaign to cripple the ISIS oil revenue.

NEW CAMPAIGN?

Our U.S. military hasn’t been worried about ISIS oil revenue before this?

Okay, I decided enough reading was enough when I skimmed through a few other joyless missives like:

“Iraq and Syria as we know them are gone.”

Call me naïve, but I didn’t think things could get any worse.

While the U.S. says Iraq and Syria are goners, the Russian-Iranian axis vision, along with their proxies, Hezbollah, Bashar al-Assad, and Tehran-backed Baghdad seeks to restore Iraqi and Syrian borders and governments.

Good luck with that.   And what a dream team, huh?

Oh, and Putin seeks to dominate the Syrian government with or without Assad. Putin is not interested in targeting ISIS but aims to establish a solid strategic base for Russia in the Middle East.

Should this surprise anyone? I mean come on, the man has a super inferiority and Napoleon complex.

By this time, I needed more than a cup of Joe. I needed a valium. But I couldn’t stop reading.

Iran is ensuring FULL protection for Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria.

Oh, terrific. Let’s throw in an Israeli-Hezbollah war for good measure.

And last but certainly not least, this final bit of news caused me to throw my much-needed coffee down the kitchen sink and shove the paper deep into the garbage can:

“American ground combat forces will have to be deployed to provide cohesion and leadership.”

DEPLOYED WHERE?

U.S. boots on the ground. Joy to the world.