Democrats in Iowa’s 2nd District may gloat today because we have re-elected Dave Loebsack for a 5th term in Congrss. In a year of an unfathomable Republican coup brought on by corporate money and corporate media, Dave has been able to persevere because he has built a solid connection with his constituents through his hard work for Iowans week in and week out.

Dave is proof that Democracy still lives, even if it has had mud thrown all over it by the corporate media and corruption.

A Democratic activist I know commented that while she was knocking on doors yesterday she was shocked at how many young people said they were not voting because it didn’t matter because both sides are the same.  If you are guilty of repeating this defeatist, nonsensical attitude,  regardless of what prominent intellectual espouses it, please stop saying it out loud. Because it is not helpful and nothing could be further from the truth, as you can witness in Iowa’s 2nd District.

Another activist said, “if young people want things to be different, they’d better get their asses out there and get involved and vote.”

Yesterday, Iowans sent a person to represent us in the U.S. Senate who has stated publicly that she would use her personal weapon to defend herself against government; she would have anyone implementing the Affordaable Care Act, the law of the land,  arrested; she refused to answer questions by Iowa’s newspapers; she referred to the President of the United States as a tyrant.

Yep, Iowans gave Tom Harkin’s senate seat to that person.  Take a moment and let that sink in.

Today is a dark day – no doubt about it – as our own Mr. Smith in Washington, Dave Loebsack might say. But we should not give into despair. Representatives like Dave Loebsack are proof that Democracy still lives.

We have to press on with the fight.