Fight ignorance: Vote Democrat

I cast my first presidential vote in Lucas County few days ago, odd for someone who always has considered himself a Lucas Countyan. But I left at 18 and always studied, served, lived and worked elsewhere --- until recently. It's been good to be home.

The hope now --- that a majority will vote as I did in several instances. The includes turning the ballot over and voting "yes" to retain Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins, as well as other judges on the retention ballot. It's not wise to politicize the judiciary. All sensible people, regardless of party, know that --- or should. The drive by Bob Vander Plaats and others to unseat Wiggins, party to the unanimous 2009 pro-equality ruling in Varnum v. Brien, represents manipulation of the ignorant by clever politicians and corrupt preachers. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Elsewere, the vote should be Democrat --- from the top down. Mitt Romney is a hollow man with neither plan nor principle. President Obama resuscitated an economy that had been driven into the ground during the previous Republican administration and instituted needed changes, including Obamacare, despite unprecedented GOP  obstructionism. Because of that we are moving forward economically. He has been a firm advocate for the rights of women, including the right to govern their own bodies, and of LGBT people. Social advances continue.

We need a Congressional majority, too.

At state level, the Republican Party is a creature of the past in which sensible, thoughtful people have been overpowered by religious zealots and buffoons who have the potential to turn our Legislature into a laughingstock. Vote for sensible, progressive Democrats.

I'm hopeful for marriage equality in Maine, Washington and Maryland --- and that Minnesotans will reject a proposed amendment to build marriage inequality into their constitution. I want all of my LGBT friends, virtual and otherwise, to have the right to marry the man or women they love and to build constructive, productive lives together. I want today's LBGT kids to have the rights and privileges I didn't.

I want Christians to stop lying about us, too, but that would require a miracle beyond the scope of politics --- and I am not a believer in that variety of snake oil.

Having said all of this, it's important to affirm that the world will not end whatever the outcome of the 2012 election is. The sun will come up Wednesday, and in the long run we'll be fine. Democrat victories have the potential to move us forward now; Republican victories, the potential to stall progress and do considerable damage --- but instill new determination in those who will continue to work toward freedom, equality, justice, sustainability and the conservation and renewal of our mother, the earth.

When you hear, read or see predictions involving collapse of the economy, destruction of marriage, the crumbling of the nation's moral foundation and the end of the world as we know it if this or that candidate is elected, you're attending to a fool or a charlatan or both.

In 20 years, the travesty we currently mislabel "conservative" will be disgraced and dead. It may well take the church as we know it with it. Good riddance. Progress will win. Love will win. But nobody ever said it was going to be easy.