Love and Civic Responsibility

Love without action is meaningless, and social justice demands our participation in becoming the change we desire in the world. That sometimes means political work, speaking out for justice, marching in the face of bigotry, and using the instruments available in society to bring about that change. This year especially, the choices are abundantly clear, and while neither party embodies my vision for a just world, one does so more than the other. In addition, people are organizing against justice and are attempting to enshrine bigotry in our institutions. The vote is a one power we still can exercise to rebuff such efforts in our part of the world at least and work for a better world.

It was interesting today as I began to research the various candidates that are appearing on my ballot. Views of some down ballot were driven by extremism political and religious from which I recoiled. Guessing on those votes seems most unwise. I thought it might be interesting to share the choices I made in my election ballot, and why I made those particular choices. So here they are, race by race:

President of the United States and VP of the United States

I am voting for Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

I had to remember that while I sometimes have disapproved of their actions the past four years, a third party candidacy is designed to fail in our system and I vehemently disapprove of the Ayn Rand model of government proposed by the Republicans.

U.S. Senator

Amy Klobuchar for the same logic offered for president.

U.S. Representative

Keith Ellison. He’s a progressive candidate who more than any other in the field embodies my own vision of good government and justice.

State Senator

Kari Dziedzick is the DFL candidate. I tend to vote DFL most of the time in these races because the DFL embodies my philosophy most of the two major parties.

State Representative Diane Loeffler, DFL has done a good job in the past and will continue to so I presume.

Constitutional Amendments

Amendment 1: Recognition of marriage solely between one man and one woman. I shall cast a RESOUNDING NO! to this amendment. It enshrines bigotry and attacks my own marriage along with many others. Hate has no place in our constitution.

Amendment 2: Photo identification required for voting. Again a RESOUNDING NO! Repeated studies show such an amendment would disenfranchise literally thousands of voters who otherwise would be eligible, despite the fact NO valid study has shown there to be any rampant voter fraud. Heaven knows they looked in the recent Franken/Coleman Senate race but despite that election being put under the microscope, no fraud was found at all. Not one single case.

County Offices:

Commissioner District 2: Blong Yang. Both seem to be qualified, but Yang seems more a man of the people while Linda Higgins seems more tied to business concerns. Furthermore Yang is Hmong and it would be nice to see our elected officials reflect the diversity in our county.

Soil and Water District Supervisor

District 1: Eleanore Wesserle. She is committed to environmentalism and sustainability which is exactly who we need in such a position. Frankly nothing is available on line for her opponent, and I don’t vote for someone I know nothing about and who does not make that information available. These positions have so much to do with the fate of the wetlands and and ag policy in our county and state, so who we choose is important.

District 3: Brian Peterson was my choice. He seems qualified, and his opponent is a known tea party extremist sort who would likely serve interests other than the environment.

District 4: Richard Strong is my choice. He seems qualified and again, no information was available on his opponent.

District 5: Danny Nadeu is unopposed.

School Board

At Large District 1: I am going with DFL’er, Carla Bates. Doug Mann would be okay too, but I just think Carla Bates would be more effective.

Judicial Offices

Chief Justice: Lorie Skjerven Gildea, incumbent. Her opponent Dan Griffith is allied with the right wing efforts to grab judgeships and doesn’t represent my philosophy.

Associate Judge 1: Barry Anderson has done fine. Dean Barkley is a mixed bag. An independent, he has come out opposed to requirements to hiring equity for women and other minorities in the past.

Associate Judge 4: David Stras is well qualified, while his opponent Tim Tingelstad is another religious extremist.

Court of Appeals

Judge 6 and 7 unopposed.

4th District Court

Judge 22: I chose Steven Antolak based on his AFL-CIO endorsement, but his opponent Elizabeth V. Cutter seems likewise to be a good choice.

Judge 44: Mark Berris was my choice. His opponent Lois Conroy has a somewhat checkered history when it comes to civil rights. That’s not a good prospect for a judge.

Judges 33, 35, 40, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, and 59 are all unopposed.

I always cast a vote in unopposed candidacies unless I have information the candidate is particularly offensive. In down race ballots, a stealth write in campaign could render results I would not like.

So that is how I selected my candidates this year. I’ll be voting absentee in the next few days. I urge everyone, learn about your down ballot candidates. Who gets those offices in many ways affect our day to day lives more than some of the big races. Also, another thought. I learned in my search that the more extreme tea party folks have already done their research and it is readily available on the web. It could be a huge mistake if the progressives of our state do not do the same. Ignorance in voting can be detrimental to all of us. In standing on the side of love, it is our obligation to know who we are voting for. Happy election everyone!