Elections '06

Well, elections are over for the year. I know the boys will join me in saying one of the things we are most appreciative of is now we don't have to listen/watch political ads on TV anymore! I think this year they were worse than ever before - even counting presidential election years. My friend Calandria and I are scheming to start "Citizens for Civility" to challenge people to remember their manners when talking politics. Hopefully the time for this idea has come, and a groundswell of citizens tired of attack ads and hatred will make an impact on campaign leaders in upcoming elections.

I have mixed reactions to the results of the voting. On the one hand I am so pleased that both the House and the Senate now have Democrat majorities. On the other hand I cannot believe my beloved blue state of Minnesota elected Michelle Bachman. I guess I can understand now how conservative Minnesotans felt when Paul Wellstone was elected. Could there exist a person who is LESS like me and all I believe in than Michelle Bachman?!?

Then there is Amy Klobuchar. I believe she is going to make a difference for this country. I feel so good about sending her to Washington.

I am sorely disappointed that eight states chose to add constitutional amendments about gay marriage. My belief is that a legal option needs to exist for two adults to commit to a permanent relationship, and that churches can each individually make their own choices about whether to perform religious marriage ceremonies or not for any group of people. But legally, two adults who understand and accept the implications of committing to one another and building their lives together should have the right to do so.

So. Things to be happy about and things to be unhappy about. Last night was quite emotional for me, as I sat here at the computer hitting "refresh" every few minutes to see what the latest news was. Surprisingly the Hatch-Pawlenty race is not that important to me. Hatch wasn't a great Democratic candidate, in my opinion, and Pawlenty wasn't a terrible Republican. So I can live with another term of Pawlenty in office, no problem.

Oh - one more race, I really don't know a whole lot about it, but I am excited that Tim Walz beat Gil Gutknecht. Not so much because it's a Democrat replacing a Republican, but because Walz is a veteran of the Iraq war, and I really want people who KNOW what that's all about to be in positions of leadership. We'll see if my hopes are met.