My little town in rural Missouri had an election tonight (all of Missouri held local elections). I voted before going to work, somewhat early (not often, only once!), and at 8:15 I was number 31 to vote. The election results are very positive for a place I always worry is going to turn more Republican than it already is (while we have a state rep who is a Dem, our US-rep is a crazy winger and there wasn't even someone to challenge him this year!
But I feel as if I might live in a Democratic town right now. (yay) (happy feet) (WOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!!!!)
I was most concerned with a local tax increase on the ballot. My state and county vote against tobacco tax increases (general election 2006) and I am really outside the mainstream. My candidates don't win, my ballot issues don't win, and so on. I went into this election feeling very low. I wanted us to raise our own taxes, and why would anyone but me and a few of my friends vote to do that sort of crazy thing?
Aside from the fact I generally think taxes are absurdly low in town (resulting in poor streets and sidewalks and no curbs in much of town, and frighteningly low salaries for police and firefighters, etc.), and I believe that taxes should be collected and spent for the common good, and I really REALLY think that sometimes raising taxes to remind people that they live in a community is a social good in and of itself, the taxes we were voting on were to raise money to actually repair our water drainage system, a very serious problem for storm water.
So my town, which is not good with raising its own taxes had to face this head on. And you know what? WE PASSED IT!!!!! It wasn't just me, and my wet basement, or my friends I saw at the grocery store this evening, who said "We are socialists -- of course we voted to raise taxes." It had to be a lot more people. Because it passed almost 2 to 1.
And what is just as good? Our crazy right wing conservative guy on the city council who has voted against rental ordinances in general, and who voted in favour of allowing landlords to discriminate against gays and lesbians in renting, who was running for reelection -- there were three candidates for two positions -- he also lost. BY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT. He had less than half the votes of each of the top candidates.