Democracy in Action: Thanks, Eric

My friend, Eric, decided to run for State Representative.  This made me happy; the bonus was that he would be MY State Representative!  Aside from the local school board, you are most certainly required to declare a party affiliation--that is, if you want to stand a chance of winning.  I could go on and on about the idiocy of partisan politics at the city council level, but I will save that for another time.
Eric chose to run in the Democratic Primary; at the time, he did not know he would face a primary opponent; most of the time, the Democratic Party in this county has trouble fielding even one candidate for an office, let alone two.
And, in most years, there aren't many contested races on the Republican side either.  This year, when the Republican car is driven by the clowns, a "Tea Party"-supported candidate ran against an elder statesman for Senate (again, more about this in another blog).  Many of my friends were therefore motivated to cross party lines and vote in the Republican primary--either to show support for the elder statesman, or to make sure the election in November goes to the Democrat.
It was, unfortunately, a perfect storm for my friend Eric.  He lost--he got 41% of the vote, with just 913 votes cast.  Just 913 votes cast.  
Eric did not just go down to the courthouse on a whim to file his papers.  He did not quit when he saw he had a challenger.  And, most importantly, he did not sell his soul to get elected.
He asked for money--but only from people in his district, and he limited those donations to $50.  He would be beholden to nobody.  He asked for help; he held strategy meetings.  He went to every event he was invited to, and answered, via his website, every questionnaire he received (wisely, he determined that not every question can logically be answered with a simple "yes" or "no"--he gave very thoughtful, detailed answers).  And, he printed one of the most thoughtful, honest, kick-ass brochures I have ever seen.  And I've seen, and generated, quite a few campaign brochures in my time.

He was a real breath of fresh air in a political system that stinks to high heaven.

This district, this state missed a great opportunity by not electing Eric:

• Because he ran for the right reasons.  He ran because he wanted to make a difference.
• Because he had real opinions and real reasons to support those ideas.
• Because he was not going to be the typical "party man".  He was really going to try to represent people.
• Because he was going to be a smart, and thoughtful, officeholder.  Therefore, he would be able to understand the issue, AND reflect on what would be the right thing to do, not just the politically expedient one. 
• Because he truly respects women.
• Because he is different, and for god sakes, this country needs a whole lot more officeholders who have actually lived--worked, loved, nurtured children, and at the end of the day thought, "How can we make this planet better?"
• Because Eric cared enough to put himself out there.  

Most people will not understand that last statement, but for those of us who have run for office, it's a very, very scary thing to do.  You open yourself up--you put the target on your chest yourself.  Not only that, you immediately find yourself tempted to do it the easy way--you know, give in on some things in return for a few extra votes.  I have seen people run for office, get elected, and immediately get swallowed by the party machine--voting for "Right to Work" legislation or for a "Marriage Amendment" even though a majority of their constituents are against it.  It's sad, and it makes this country a little scarier, more depressing place to live.
So, thank you, Eric.  Thank you for caring enough about all of us to run for office.
You are a good man.

    

Another Opinion--Mine (of Course)

Yesterday was historic--for the first time, a sitting president stated, "Gay couples should be able to get married."   I am providing a link to this interview, because if I still have this blog in 5 or 10 years, I hope someone reading it will be surprised that it took THAT LONG for a president of the United States to say he believes in marriage equality.  Because really, it's a ridiculous argument to make--saying only 1 man and 1 woman should be allowed to marry--in this republic of ours.
Yes, it was a moment to remember, but then the media took it and ran with it.  Within hours, the interviewed had been aired, analyzed, aired again, commented on, aired again, and dissected.  By the end of the day some people were hoping a war would break out or something, so that the newshounds would bark after
something--anything--else.
But then something else did happen--a little piece of someone's personal history was revealed--but I will get to that in a moment.

  Imagine for a moment that you're a kid, living in small town America.  You are different, but are able to hide your secret from everyone you know.  It's hard, because you go to a church that condemns homosexuality, you listen to your friends badmouth "the gays" they don't even know, and your parents were Rick Santorum supporters--because he was such a good, "moral" man.  It seems that everywhere you look, everyone you listen to--they all hate gays.  They don't know it, but they hate you.  You got that message, loud and clear.  So today, you're surfing the internet--your teacher requires you to bring in one current event story a week, and today's the day.  You click on the ABC News link, and there he is--the President of the United States.  He's saying, very quietly, very eloquently, but make no mistake about--he's saying he thinks someone like YOU--yes, YOU--should be able to get married.  He thinks you're OK.  He thinks you're N.O.R.M.A.L.
Today started out just as bad as any other day, but now you feel like your president has just reached out and given you a hug.
That's what Barack Obama did yesterday.  That's what we should remember--he spoke out.  Someone, somewhere really needed to hear that.
He could just as easily have continued to state he was still "evolving" on the issue.  He could have taken any number of easy ways out.  But he didn't.
He stood up and spoke out, and as President of the United States, what he said carried weight.  Maybe not to you or me, but to someone.  Someone who needed that virtual hug.
Contrast that with his opponent in the November elections--Mitt Romney.  Not only has he completely changed his mind on this issue, but he's out there, making it VERY clear that he will not stand up for "the gays".  Remember this moment during a GOP Presidential debate? Mitt Romney, in all his "I want to be president" glory, did NOT take issue with the booing of this soldier in Iraq (who, by the way, was gay).  That, in itself, shows me what kind of man Mitt Romney is.

But now, it gets worse for Mr. Romney, and if we allow him anywhere near the White House, I daresay it will get worse for us.  Today, it was revealed, by FIVE of Mitt Romney's former classmates, that Romney was a bully.  No other word for it--a bully.  He was part of a gang of boys who attacked a classmate--pinning him down and cutting his hair.  It really doesn't matter why he did it, does it?  He did it.  He was a bully, and he's apparently not a "reformed" bully either--his assbackwards "apology" isn't.  "Back in high school I did some dumb things" [italics mine]....really?  Holding someone down and cutting their hair is a "dumb thing"?  I think I would call it assault.  I would call it mean.  Hateful.  A severe act of bullying to put it mildly.
Yes, folks, the difference between two men who want to be President of the United States is pretty clear at the moment.  One is standing up, in front of the nation and declaring their support of a minority group in this country.  Supporting a group who some find very easy to hate and harm.  The other?  He's part of the group, and for all accounts he always has been, who's doing the hating.  And the bullying.
My vote is for the good guy.  Duh.