Who Cares?

Just exactly why are Iowa residents important? Or New Hampshire folks, what do they know that one common sense Oklahoman doesn't know?
What's happening is that Iowa has a caucus (popularity contest) where anyone can show up and cast a vote (registered to vote or not) to express their opinions. And in New Hampshire anyone can vote for anyone in an open caucus.
So these states make a decision and the rest of the nation makes note and perhaps---perhaps decides for those other political activists who wins the primary sweepstakes.
Does it make sense? Every state wants to think they are important, and these early states do make a significant change in perception for the rest of us.
These states get to influence thousands and perhaps hundreds of millions of voters before the real test of a primary where registered democrats vote ONLY for democrats and registered republicans vote ONLY for republicans.
Does it help? Perhaps it does. And while these are expensive, they do show a tenacity to the political process and after all, we want someone to be president who wants to be president, don't we?