Kids, I've decided to break up my endorsements into three rounds this year because I want to take my time on the BIG ONE (President) and I probably won't decide that until the very last minute (November) and go from there. This election seems big enough and given the commentary I read on Facebook after each and every debate, mind-blowingly, life-alteringly, apocalyptically important to people so I'll keep you waiting on the BIG ONE for a little longer.
Endorsements:
ME-Senate Angus King: An independent candidate? Running for Senate? In the great state of Maine where he was an independent Governor back in the 90s? Kids, this is a no brainer: YES PLEASE.
MN-01 Tim Walz: I was an intern for Congressman Walz in 2008 the same semester I was prepping for comps for my Master's and getting married. I was the worst intern ever. So the least I can do is give him a thumbs up. (Bonus: He helped push legislation banning members of Congress from insider trading.) (Double Bonus: He taught Social Studies at Mankato West High School before he ran for Congress- where I worked and where Gopher Freshman QB Phillip Nelson played his high school ball. I couldn't pick Nelson out of a lineup if I tried- which given the fact I was a Security Guard/Hall Monitor meant that he was way off my radar.)
MN-06 Jim Graves: Can this be the year we retire Michelle Bachmann? Pretty please? If we can retire Steve King AND Michelle Bachmann that'd be one hell of a sweet spot.
MN-Senate Amy Klobuchar: I knew a guy once who made a deal with one of his friends that if Bruce Springsteen and Rick Springfield ever toured together they'd quit school and go be roadies for them. If Senator Klobuchar ever runs for President (and needs a roadie) I'm totally there. Sane, sensible and generally awesome, if she ever wants to run for Governor for a term or two and does a good job (which I assume she would) it'd help her chances but a public servant as dedicated and competent as she is would stand a good chance with some name recognition and the right buzz.
MO-Senate Claire McCaskill: The 'legitimate rape' douchebag she's running against made me seriously consider giving money to her campaign. And if doing so wouldn't have increased my junk mail exponentially, I might have. Missouri, please don't send a man who believes that uteri have magical rape fighting abilities to the US Senate. Please prove to the other 49 states that you're not a horrible caricature of a Red State and don't bring national disgrace down upon this country by voting for such repellant views.
Senate: A little known fact of the campaign is that the Democrat-controlled Senate hasn't passed a budget in three years. So needless to say I'm not crazy about maintaining the status quo- I mean, are we paying 100 Senators to sit on their asses and gather dust? I don't think so. But if Mittens wins the election, I'm not crazy about the idea of handing the Republicans all the keys to the car either. To be honest I can't support the idea of one party being in control of Congress until Congress actually fulfills its Constitutional obligation to be a check on the Executive Branch. I don't see that happening anytime soon. So: either full divided Government or status quo- depends on which candidate wins the White House.
House: I think the status quo is even more likely to stay here unless there's something very wrong with the polls or the bottom falls out of the Republican Party in the next two weeks. The larger problem of extremists at either end of the political spectrum making it impossible to get things done is a task for another day. So: same thing as above... either full divided Government or the status quo.
Things to Keep An Eye On:
Marijuana Legalization: Washington, Oregon and Colorado are taking a run at this issue this time around. One of those times it's going to break through and open up a whole new can of worms but keep in mind that these things tend to go big in the polls and fall very flat in the voting booth. I'd be surprised if this is the year, though given the disaster that the Drug War has been success of one of these initiatives would change the conversation which could only be good.
Same Sex Marriage: Busy year for the forces of marriage equality as well! Minnesota, Maine and Maryland have ballot initiatives while Washington State has an initiative affirming their legislature's action legalizing same sex marriage. (Another initiative to overturn the decision and limit it to one man, one woman didn't make it to the ballot. Of this fearsome foursome, Minnesota will be the interesting one to watch. If the last weekend of the Minnesota State Fair is anything to judge by, the pro-marriage equality people looked well organized and enthusiastic. I think it'll be close in Minnesota but it could sneak through.
California: Proposition 30 is the big one to watch here- Governor Jerry Brown is asking for tax increases and if he doesn't get them, things could get a wee bit ugly in the Golden State, especially where education in concerned.
It's exactly two weeks until our long national nightmare comes to an end- one way or the other. I don't know about you, kids, but I'm ready for it. This one hasn't been nearly as enjoyable as it was the last time around.
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