Just a short post to remind folks that despite all the press and publicity that the Braley race is getting, there are many lower on the ballot races that really need your votes.

During the last session of the legislature, the Iowa Senate was precariously close to falling into a tie. Since the House was already in Republican hands having the senate in Republican hands or in a tie with a deciding vote to be cast by Republican Lt. Governor would swing all power in the state to Republicans. I believe we can go by what has happened in other states to predict what will happen if that takes place here.

There are a couple of prime examples of what takes place when that happens. One is Wisconsin, where a Scott Walker led takeover signaled harsh policies against unions, an extremely sluggish economy, a veritable war on teachers, unconstitutional voter restrictions, ignoring environmental policies and very special deals for the well connected. Another example is Kansas where Sam Brownback managed to turn a state that was fairly well governed by Kathleen Sebelius into the playground for extreme right wing policies. Results? A government that is totally broke, a school system that is broken and bonds that have been downgraded to just above junk status. In short a true man made disaster.

But Terry Branstad is too nice, too smart to do that in Iowa you say? No he isn’t. He has tried, but that thin edge for Democrats in the Iowa Senate has kept Branstad from being another Walker or Brownback and Iowa from being another experiment at wrecking government with extremist policies. Remember that Branstad is one of the founders of ALEC. ALEC is the group that authors the awful extremist policies that Walker and Brownback (and many others) have pushed into law. The results have been devastating to their states. Branstad is just a couple of votes from joining them.

The smart thing to do is to vote Branstad out. His administration is sloppy, corrupt and incompetent. The jobs increase he claims are much less than Iowa should have gotten just as their share of the recovery in the country. It is also much, much below the promises Branstad made. Jack Hatch would do a much better job just by standing in the way of ALEC legislation without doing anything else. If you listen to Hatch his proposals are quite common sense. He would turn Iowa around. Remember if you vote Branstad in, plan for four years of lawsuits over the corruption during his first administration.

Also vote for Democrats to truly represent you in the legislature. Voting for Republicans is voting for folks who will represent only the richest among us. But you may never realize that since they divert your attention from those votes with talk of pro-life and tax cuts.

Do not forget to vote for Brad Anderson for Secretary of State. The current Republican SOS has turned the office into a tool of voter suppression and a laughing stock across the country. Brad Anderson will make sure every eligible Iowan has the opportunity to vote.

Last do not forget those races for county supervisors and county offices. Remember a couple of years ago when the Koch front organization Americans For Progress tried to buy a city council seat in Coralville? Well, you don’t think they have gone away do you? Unless you want to see billionaire money controlling government from the courthouse to the White House and all levels in between, the smart vote is to vote for Democrats.

If you do vote for Republicans, just look in the mirror for the reason why infrastructure is failing, why your income is falling and why your family can no longer get health care coverage. This is only the beginning of the list things that Republicans want to “reform” so that it no longer works.

Gano holds Branstad accountable