Naturally Optimistic

Of course I voted. I vote in all the elections. Even the primaries. I feel it's important. I read up on candidates (although sometimes not enough - who in the heck are all these judges?!?). I try to come up with my own feelings about whose running - regardless of what party they are affiliated with. I don't watch TV so I've been saved from the bevy of political mud-slinging and search out alternate sources for researching the candidates online. It's not perfect, they're not perfect. I am NOT perfect in my research, but it works for me. I voted for several different parties tonight....I sometimes feel like I'm "wasting" my vote by voting for some of the "littler guys/gals" but at the same time, if enough people step back & look at whose running & what they're running for, maybe things will change. I think a 2-party system is arcane & is not representational of the citizens of our country. I put up my flag this morning, I voted,...

Need I say more?

Don Ness is our new mayor - whohooo!

Today is election day. I hope if you have local elections happening you've gotten out to vote! Or will before the polls close tonight. We have a big race in Duluth this year. Mayor. The candidates are 33 year old Don Ness who is energetic, young (duh), progressive, endorsed DFL candidate, a HUGE doer in the city - organizing many arts events, young professional organizations and tons of side projects. He's also been on the City Council for the past 8 years. I did some video editing for his campaign website and well, you can guess who I voted for. The other candidate is Charlie Bell - a business man in his 50's who ran for mayor last time 'round and lost. He's very pro-business and has a lot of ideas about that but never seems to have any answers in debates or concrete plans. He's a nice enough person (or so it appears) but not a lot of umph, in my opinion. He's the Republican in the race. There is also a City Council at Large race, a couple of amendments to...