Glad to see Obama win in Iowa, or rather, glad to see Hillary take 3rd there. I was hoping my man Ron Paul would perform better than 10%, but double digits is nice and at least he beat Rudy…

With all Democratic precincts reporting, Obama had the support of 38 percent of voters, compared to 30 percent for John Edwards and 29 percent for Hillary Clinton.

[...]Iowa delivered fatal blows to the campaigns of Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware. Both have decided to abandon their White House runs. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who finished fourth, said his campaign plans to “take the fight to New Hampshire.”

[...] With 92 percent of Republican precincts reporting, Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas, had the support of 34 percent of voters, compared to 25 percent for Romney. Fred Thompson had 13 percent, McCain had 13 percent and Ron Paul had 10 percent. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has turned the focus of his campaign to the February 5 “Super Tuesday” primaries, trailed with 4 percent.

[...]With such a close race on both sides, voter turnout was key. The Iowa Democratic Party reported seeing record turnout. The party said there were at least 227,000 caucus attendees. The Iowa GOP projected that 120,000 people took part in the Republican caucuses.

I’ve been fortunate enough to get a couple generous raises over the past two years and my girlfriend has graduated from school and is working full time, so our household has seen a healthy increase in income. And as I become wealthier, I find myself moving further and further to the left politically. I’d like to say with age and wisdom comes leftism, or maybe five years in the welfare state has brought me closer to the left - but it’s all about the Benjamin$…

Beginning today, the Finnish state has banned discounts on alcohol, significantly increasing the price of 12-packs of beer. And I love beer! So I should be upset, right? But I’m not. I make a decent salary, I can afford it. Now a few years ago I’d be furious, my love of beer remained the same but I was much poorer, so this leftist move would have hurt me much harder.

During the current U.S. Presidential campaign, socialized healthcare is an important issue to me, I support the left when I say I want every American to have free healthcare - Because I know if I ever return to the states, my employer will fund my private healthcare. Now if I were a poorer man, there’s no way in hell I’d want something as important as my personal health in the hands of some idiot like George W. Bush!

I supported the Nurse’s raise even though taxes will increase even further, cause I got $$. I’m a much bigger environmentalist now that I have more money to afford the higher costs it requires. Go ahead and make the leftist move of raising the prices on such basic necessities as fuel, electricity, bus fare, food, and drink - I live, work, and shop in Espoo, I never have to see the negative effects of poverty in Finland.

You know how much political debate goes on in the lunch rooms and water coolers of my employer? None! We all got $$, these little Mickey Mouse moves by the Finnish politicians hardly affect us. Doubling the price of beer really hurts a poor Finns’ wallet, but does little damage to ours. So why not support the left? It’s much more cool and hip than the right. And that’s what I’m really missing as I get older and wealthier…coolness.

Pictured right, the wise and majestic President of Finland, Ms. Tarja Halonen.