It's been a couple of days now but I've had enough time to digest what happened and here's my rundown on what happened:
Mississippi: That idiotic Personhood thing went down. I was extremely happy about this- by all accounts, this, had it passed, would have made abortion, most, if not all forms of birth control illegal as well as IVF. The concept remains disgusting to me not only on a philosophical level but a moral and theological one as well. My biggest issue with the pro-life movement remains their conflicted and frankly immoral stance on the issue of birth control. You can't yell and shout about a genocide of the unborn and then not use every weapon you have at hand to combat such a moral evil. That means, Plan B, Condoms, whatever it takes- yet there's this moral equivalence and insistence on forcing procreation on people who do not want it. If you're not willing to take care of and love a child, you should not be bringing one into the world! And if the government takes away your ability to responsibly plan a family, then that government is guilty of a great moral evil indeed. If it ain't going to work in Mississippi, then it ain't going to work anywhere else. Hopefully this idea dies. Forever. (And as someone who's trying to start a family, the idea that the government might restrict something like IVF and take away- potentially anyway- my right to have a family is disgusting.)
Ohio: Hmmmm... the anti-union thing failed. But I don't think this is the end of it- I think Republicans will convene again after the New Year and take it one piece at a time and probably get a lot of it through- especially the parts about public employees contributing more towards their pensions and health care. So I don't think this is the titanic victory that Democrats want this to be.
Iowa: Senate District 18, however, was a big victory. Liz Mathis blew out Cindy Golding up in Marion last night, despite a last minute, disgusting robo-call informing voters that Mathis endorsed homosexual acts and they should ask her which specific ones she was down with-- it's hysterically funny to me that when Kim Kardashian can spend 10 million on a wedding and get divorced after 71 days, that Republicans are worried about gay marriage. Get some perspective, Republicans. Quickly please.
Iowa City/Johnson County: Hayek and Payne, Dobyns and Throgmorton all got in- though Payne clipped Patel (whom I voted for) by a mere 232 votes. Chicken Man Mitchell was a distant 4th out of the at-large candidates. I stand by my votes- I didn't bother to vote for District A or C- and was kind of surprised that was an option and didn't want to risk spoiling my ballot by doing so. By all accounts Throgmorton is a solid choice. Dobyns seems to be the lesser of two evils in District A.
But anyway- I stand by my votes. Hayek has done nothing particularly to offend me- he's a young, competent guy who has made an impressive commitment to the community. Patel had similar credentials, but it was his age more than anything else that sold me. In a community where large amounts of young people play an integral part in community life and contribute to the economy we need someone young on the Council- his potential perspective was what I valued the most. Payne was too much of an insider and Mitchell... well... was way too out there for my liking.
What bugged me though, was the damn hippies in College Green Park. What the hell is this Occupy thing worth if they can't make any meaningful impact on local politics? Hell, even electing Mitchell would have been something- campaigning for voter turnout sure would have been nice. When University Heights can muster 59% of its eligible voters to the polls and Iowa City can't even crack 20% it's time for Occupy to get off it's ass and do something- quit occupying College Green Park and try a voting booth on for size. It'd be warmer at least... Cease killing grass and wasting space and produce a tangible result- otherwise, what's the point? The old maxim- All Politics Is Local holds true- if they want to change the world, they have to start right here in Iowa City. The lack of local agenda, the lack of any effort on their part to give a shit about this City exposes the local bunch of Occupiers for what I've long expected them to be: posers.
However- it's not just their fault! Iowa City as a whole has shown an impressive lack of connection to local politics yet wonders why downtown and the City as a whole works the way it does... I hate to sound preachy and liberal, but maybe some Aaron Sorkin might actually get through to the denizens of the People's Republic of Iowa City: decisions are made by those who show up.
We get the Council we deserve and as a result our local apathy will get us the town we deserve. On the whole, I believe that Iowa City can and should strive to do better.
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