You wanna know who I’m voting for?

OK, I’ll tell ya. If you promise to believe me that these are not recommendations for you. Shoot, I might change before morning!

For Iowa 2nd District U.S. House of Representatives:

I’m going with Jim Leach, the Republican incumbent. Why? I think the biggest problem that faces American government is big money. Money is why America goes to war, most of the time. Money is why legislators fall, most of the time (think Tom DeLay). Corporate money is why we are in Iraq, why global warming is not a priority, why the war on poverty fizzled.

Leach doesn’t take big money. That’s huge, to me. And he has been more consistent on Iraq than anyone in Iowa, Republican or Democrat, as far as I know.

For Governor/Lt. Governor of Iowa:

Call me stupid (no doubt some will), but as of tonight, I’m voting for Wendy Barth and Richard Johnson of the Green Party. Greens are seriously green. I’m not convinced many others are (big money links, see?). Global warming will roast us. As to the big boys:

Jim Nussle just presided over the development of the largest deficit in House of Representatives history. No thanks.

Chet Culver seems to be shedding his ultra-politico persona, but it’s too little, too late for my taste. I’m not convinced.
Won’t voting for Barth mean Nussle might beat Culver? Yup. And it would serve us right. And give us a chance to see where the neo-conservative agenda takes us. Iowans wouldn’t like it. The next election would be different. Both parties could benefit from noting that some voters were not satisfied enough with their candidates to keep them from wasting their votes (as they say) on the Greens.

What about values? If I’m not mistaken, abortions often go down under Democrats and up under Republicans. Shall we shake our pom-poms or make a difference?

For Secretary of Agriculture:

Denise O’Brien, the Democrat. O’Brien looks seriously to the future of Iowa – and, once again, has fewer ties to big money.

Friends, it is heresy to say it, but corn-and-beans industrial farming isn’t good for land, for small farmers, or for communities. It won’t last forever. Let’s get on with the transition into diverse crops, liveable small farms, and healthy communities.

For Washington County Attorney:

Ah, a write-in independent: Brooke Chesney. A little lean on experience, but Brooke brings an awareness that justice really does boil down to people talking to people. Washington County has suffered from a couple of decades of a “I win-you lose” prosecutor. Neither justice nor peace have resulted. Give me light on experience over compassion anorexia any day.

We’ve got a community to build. Everybody counts, especially the people with whom we disagree. Brooke will listen.

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