Listen to what they say

With the Iowa Caucus on January 3rd this year we have been inundated with phone calls about events with the candidates and who we will be supporting. Oprah Winfrey was in Cedar Rapids yesterday and after getting home late from my niece’s wedding last night, we had a message that Bill Clinton will be in Iowa City On December 5th. It seems every day one of the candidates are in the area on both sides of the political spectrum. Living in Iowa all my life, it seems kind of funny, I haven't ever had the desire to participate in the Iowa Caucus before. It just seemed a little intimidating to me. I always felt you had to be a hard core political member to attend the event. This year I'm thinking that my voting in the main election isn't enough. We have seen that frightening people to the polls is all it takes for a fundamentalist nut bag want-to-be dictator to be elected to two terms as president. What will it take for us to wake up?

I have always been politically aware, but apathetic when participating in any political events other than voting. I am a registered Democrat. This has not always been the case. For many years I had the Independent label. I didn’t vote for President Clinton the first term. Of course, I am glad that Bill Clinton was elected. The first Bush was a totally different president than the current Bush. At least he had the common sence that we didn't need to invade the country to change its government. With the fundamentalist Christens taking over the Republican Party, I found that my home was on the side of the Democrats. It just seemed that I was more represented and welcomed.

Clinton and Obama are my two top picks. I was disappointed that I couldn't attend this last Oprah/Obama event, but family always comes first. I have been to a Clinton rally and I am impressed by her. I think she would be a good president if she is able to get elected. Well, who wouldn't after what we have? The only problem I have is all this anti-Clinton crap that will be rehashed again. I don’t really understand the right wing hate mongering fest they have with her, but it is a fact that we have to deal with. If Obama could clear the air and bring back some rational debate about moving the country into a sane path without rehashing all this red state verses blue state shit, I for one would welcome the change. I’m tired of feeling that I am some evil person for wanting the same rights as other Americans and that being gay means that we are not moral people and have no value in our country. Romney and Huckabee are the two Republican candidates that disturb me the most on that side. A president should represent all Americans not just Christians. It perplexes me that Christan's who have a overwhelmingly majority in this country somehow feel that they are under some an assault is beyond my comprehension. Fear, fear, fear. We are frightened of everything and most of it is just ignorance and prejudice .

Last week I was watching a program about the presidential libraries on PBS. Bill Clinton made a statement that really kind of made me think. He said that he believed that most people running for office are honest people that want to change government for the better as to their idea of better. If you listen to them they will tell you what kind of government policies they will try to implement and they do what they say they will do. We need to listen to them even if we get tired of all the commercials and phone calls. It may be a pain, but the consequence of elections are real. Hopefully,we have learned this lesson with this current President.