A brief note about conscience.

I was asked to identify a signatory to the petitions we circulated, but I'm not getting into that, and here is why.

For one thing, I didn't personally gather all 250+ signatures, did not review the entire list, and could not give a definitive answer without looking at the copies.

If I did, I still wouldn't.

Most importantly, whether or not the petition is an open record subject to request (I don't know either way), we've already seen in Jeffersonville that the Democratic Party there seems intent on targeting certain signatories of a petition for reprisal.

It is my position that ultimately, petitions and ballots are matters of personal conscience, and I've neither the desire, nor any solid reason, to tamper with such.

Moreover, I think that lots of voters who ordinarily choose a side based on factors beyond the actual issues (family, habit, compulsion at work, etc) will choose to preserve the outward appearance of "this or that" conformity, while resolving internally to opt out of politics as usual and vote differently in 2015.

If so, and conscience is their guide ... well, that's why the ballots are secret. No one should be looking over your shoulder.

As for the petitions, they're finished now. If the local machine wishes to be spiteful and vindictive, it's the machine's problem, and not ours.

We just want to accomplish something.