Author Archive
Grassley: Dead Kids, NO! Dead Presidents, YES!
That is the message I take away from Grassley’s vote against very weak tea gun control legislation Wednesday. I can almost hear him thinking “Let’s see which side can pony up the big bucks for my vote.”
And now Grassley is all over the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing
“Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley says the attacks raise questions like how to beef up security checks on people who wish to enter the U.S.”
Seriously, the suspects were kids when they came to the United States. People’s beliefs change over time and by influence. For instance, today’s Republican party would probably not let Ronald Reagan in the door. After all he did raise taxes and practiced Keynsian economics. Don’t believe me?
Look it up.
This Captures The NRA
Let me pass on a description I saw that truly captures the spirit of the NRA. Unfortunately the link where I saw it is no longer available, but here it is anyway:
The North American Man-Gun Love Association
In case you don’t recognize it this is a word play off of the the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), that most disgusting of organizations. In both cases they are out of the norm and alter perceptions.
Bradstad Doesn’t Understand How To Count Jobs
His administration once again can’t seem to understand the concept of subtracting jobs when they go away. Branstad claims another 1,600 jobs added whereas the true bean counters saw a decrease of 5,500 jobs. Since taking office, Branstad claims a stellar 70,000+ jobs created while the Iowa Workforce Development count a rather dismal 15,500. Maybe the state needs a ‘truth spokesperson.’
A Couple Of Observations On Boston
1) I am so glad there weren’t any self-appointed vigilantes ready to open up with their AR15 or even a shotgun. In a crowd like Boston had, some goofball popping out shots and hitting innocent bystanders would have turned a totally chaotic situation into a bloodbath of monumental proportions. In the real world the guy with the gun seldom stops the evil doer and usually just adds to the confusion and casualties.
2) Who pays the bills for those who do not have health insurance? I have asked around among friends and most seem to believe that if you get hurt and can’t pay, well good luck. So to add to the pain of injury or death, one can probably look forward to bankruptcy and a meager existence.
I know in some cases hospital bills have been forgiven. But I can’t imagine hospitals can do too much of that. They are businesses. Beyond that many victims are often disabled from their experience, so working may be out of the question.
I am less concerned about a Boston style incident, but more wondering about the one person shootings where an individual survives, but has no money to pay the bills and has been disabled for life. I wish someone could tell me that there is some victims fund that helps with this, but I am not holding my breath. And if there is a fund, I would bet it is woefully inadequate.
3) Late addition to say well done to the good citizens of the Boston area and their public servants. When Republicans start crying about how much public servants make and how bad it is that they have unions, remember these folks. Well done.
3rd ‘Storm Of The Century’ In 2 Decades.
“Storms of the century” seem to be coming around quite a bit more often than before. Actually what we had last Wednesday and Thursday was not termed by anyone a storm of the century. But it does seem the big flooding rains come much more frequently than before. It actually seems like some part of the country is under the gun every year. Starting to look like this may be our turn after a couple of very dry years. The weather is a-changin’.
Tags: Boston bombing, Branstad and Jobs, NRA | 
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Dick Fallow Dies
Richard Fallow
Dick Fallow may be a name unfamiliar to many reading this. But to those who knew Dick, he was one hell of a person. His love for the Labor movement and his knowledge of it were incredible.
My encounter with Dick came when he gave a speech on Labor issues in West Liberty. He talked about current issues and past, relating some of his personal memories. His passion in discussing labor and labor issues was quite apparent. We then had a little dinner where he continued with his stories. We were left with a new found understanding and appreciation for Labor issues.
That was about 10 years ago. I saw him at an occasional function when we would go to the Quad Cities. Last I saw him was about a year ago at a labor breakfast for candidates. He was taking pictures. But every candidate knew him well and made sure to pay respects.
I am so glad I had a chance to have met Dick. My life is richer for it. Our condolences to his family.
Union Activists Richard Fallow celebration of Life
Richard “Dick” Fallow, 92, of Davenport died Saturday April 13. He was active in politics and the labor movement in the Quad City area. He was awarded the first ever, Lifetime Achievement Award from the East Central Iowa-Northwestern Illinois AFL-CIO Hall of Fame.
There will be celebration of life service at 2:30 Pm on Saturday April 27 at the Plumbers & Pipefitters Hall, 4600 46th Ave, Rock Island, IL.
Sunday Funday – What Happened Last Week?
Let’s do it again. Last week was kind of fun, so let’s see if we paid a little more attention this week. This was quite a week so there was lots to pay attention to. So here we go one more time.
1) The dominant event of the week was the bombs blasting at the Boston Marathon. How long has the Boston Marathon been run?
2) Someone slipped a little extra into a letter to Sen. Roger Wicker of Miss. this week. What was it?
3) Senator Ted Cruz of Texas voted not to give any relief to victims of Hurricane Sandy. But he is having different thoughts now and wants federal aid to help what group of victims?
4) Based on recent planetary findings an estimate has been made that there are how many earth-like planets in the universe?
5) The CO2 reading in the atmosphere was taken in March. Within 5PPM (parts per million) what is the current CO2 PPM reading? (Hint: below 350PPM is the reading for climate safety)
6) This former beer baron resigned from the board of the NRA following the Senate vote Wednesday. Can you name him?
7) Senators representing what percentage of the US population voted for gun control measures Wednesday?
8) In a Texas case an older teacher is accused of fondling a black first grader. What is the teacher’s unique defense against this charge?
9) Iowa state senator Dennis Guth in giving a point of personal privilege speech compared the effect of gay marriage to the health effects of what?
10) This week New Zealand became the 13th nation to approve what?
11) This former Governor and now congressional candidate in South Carolina was caught breaking into his ex-wife’s house in February. Still half of his district will vote for him. Who has strayed from the old Appalachian Trail?
12) Governor Branstad claims over 70,000 jobs have been added in Iowa since his administration took over. Iowa Work Force Development claims the number is closer to 15,000. Who should we believe?
13) Iowa SoS Matt Schultz claimed in a speech last week that Democrats win by cheating. How many illegal voters have been exposed by his office so far?
14) Does Mr. Schultz have an opponent yet?
15) Steve King (the scary one, not the writer) is using the Boston Marathon bombing to beat on what current issue?
Bonus) If the final score is 54 – 46, who wins?
Man oh man, what a news week. This keeps up and I am going to need my cat to help me out on this blog. But he is a Republican. He seems to be quite selfish and doesn’t seem to care what happens to others as long as he gets what he wants.
But unlike him, I will give answers. You will not have to pay for them, as my cat has suggested.
1) It began in April, 1897. By my count that is 117 years total.
2) Some poisonous ricin. This is a highly toxic poison derived from the castor bean.
3) the explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas. See it is different when it happens to you.
4) 100 billion. Or for the science geeks that is 10^11
5) 397.4 PPM, or way beyond the safety point
6) August Busch IV. He stated the NRA is not listening to its members.
7) 70% or @ 210 million. (source: Make It Plain radio show)
8) She claims she is racist and hates black people. A truly unique defense.
9) second hand smoke. He claimed that being around gays affected a person’s health
10) Marriage equality. Take New Zealand off Dennis Guth’s travel plans.
11) Mark Sanford.
12) trust the bean counters. A paltry 15,500. Last month Branstad said 1,600; IWD -5,500 – quite a difference.
13) pretty sure the number is 0.
14) Yes, Brad Anderson
15) Immigration reform. I think he wants to send those here less than 4 generations back to their old country.
BONUS) The team scoring 46 wins, according to Senate rules. It is sort of magic. Ever wonder why our kids can’t count?
Well Done Boston
We would like to say to the police, the political leadership of Boston “well done.” At a time when many folks want to act like dime novel superheroes, those faced with with the actual crisis used cool heads and proven methods to deal with an incredible situation.
Thanks not only to them, but also to their predecessors who helped develop the fine police forces and methods which were used. I hope theirs becomes the example to follow, not something from a movie.
The good people of the Boston area, especially Watertown, acted as real citizens should act in such a crisis, not as vigilantes or single superheroes. This averted much more bloodshed and confusion.
Once more, well done.
The Biggest Reason For Medicaid Expansion
There are some legislators in Iowa that seem to think that they are invulnerable to whatever sickness or illness that may be unleashed on the populace. As long as they have access to medical aid they will be OK. There concern about medicine ends at their own nose and their own wallet. They deride the idea of helping anyone else out through public funds is derided as “welfare.”
This is a truly ignorant and selfish idea. When it comes to matters that involve the whole public we need to think of the welfare of the entire citizenry first. Withholding medical care from the poor is not only ignorant and selfish, but it may bomerang on those who feel they are somehow innoculated by their money.
In recent years we have seen the rising of new bacteria and viruses that are resistant to our ability to treat them. Giving these strains of diseases what is basically a laboratory of poor people to grow and develop in is really a foolish course. Yet we have legislators who are much more tied to some short term stand on taxes than the long term good of the whole.
Once more we have a warning that there may be an evolved strain of an old bug that may cause havoc among humanity soon. If not this one there will be another and another ad infinitum. Yet if we have our doctors and clinics open only to the wealthy, you have to know medicine will not be able to hold back the ravages for long. When a fourth of our population is allowed to access only the most expensive form of health care and then only at a time of dire emergency it is like opening up the banquet hall to diseases.
In short, the question before the Iowa legislature is public health versus what exactly the other side is fighting for is a mystery. We will all be paying taxes for services we won’t be getting. So they are not saving anyone a nickel. Seems like all they are trying to do is keep an underclass of Americans who can’t access health care now as an underclass in perpetuity. I guess keeping some segment of the populace in a form of poverty must be important – we do it all the time.
If public funding were such a scourge we would be limiting access to public roads, public buildings, public parks, public schools and on down the line to those who can pay. Maybe that is the way we should conduct our society – you don’t pay, you get no access. Sound like democracy to you?
Or said another way, this can be seen as a selfish vote. In order to save money covering the use of the most expensive health care by the poor, in order to save myself and my family from epidemics or pandemics, the smart vote would be to let all people have access to preventative medical care. Besides, this is Walmart’s health care plan. Got to take care of Walmart.
Just to let you know that diseases continue a ceaseless onslaught on humans, read this story from very conservative magazine Forbes magazine.
The Thatcher Legacy
Reaction to the death of Margaret Thatcher in Britain has been among the most mixed I have ever seen for any public figure in my lifetime. American media has painted Mrs. Thatcher as some sort of unquestioned leader who took a country deep in the throes of economic woes and returned them to their rightful place among nations.
But the British who had to live through her reign have an entirely different view. I had never heard of “death parties” before, but now I have. Parties celebrating the death of Margaret Thatcher broke out all over the British islands. It appears that Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland had special reasons to celebrate her death. She can no longer harm them.
Thatcher’s reign included such little reported in America items as taking milk from poor children in school, major union busting and a form of a poll tax. In other words she would fit right in with America’s current crop of crazy tea baggers who see poverty as a sin which much be punished with even more government sponsored deprivation and wealth should be rewarded with government sponsored treasury transfers.
The 1980s are a blur for me due to personal problems. I was aware of some of Thatcher’s problems but never really understood the effect she was having on her country. Apparently not many in America were listening because America voted for Bush 2 in such numbers that his group could have the SCOTUS steal the Presidency for him. Then we found out what an out of control leader can do to their own country. Thatcher has been out of power for nearly 25 years and the pain and the problems linger. We can easily expect the Bush legacy to haunt America at least that long.
I have a couple of major take-aways from the death of Margaret Thatcher.
First her reign shows just how necessary a truly free press is in a democracy. My memory is that, especially in America, coverage of Thatcher was fairly one-sided and favorable. This was at a time when competiton in the press was on the way out and most media was in the process of being consolidated into corporations.
And second,especially in right leaning governments there needs to be viable opposition against the corruption of wealth and corporations working with those in power. Viable opposition does not mean just another party, but opposition in the media and from other organized groups. Probably the best check against out of control government entanglement with the monied interests are workers unions. Notice that breaking unions has been one of the trademark processes that right wing governments employ to destroy opposition. Even at the state level we see politicians like Terry Branstad and Scott Walker aiming at busting unions in what seems to be obeisance to the wealthy and corporate powers.
Branstad’s Alternate to Medicaid Expansion
Branstad appears to be so proud of his alternate proposal to Medicaid Expansion that he slipped it in in the middle of the night. It is hard to find any analysis of it. Basically all I have heard is that it covers far less people and they will have to pay something. Lack of money is the reason that most of these people are not covered now. Think about it, Mister Branstad. Plus we still pay taxes for Medicaid we won’t get. Heck of a bargain you drive there, Terry.
My representative, Tom Sands, says medicaid Expansion is welfare. I say it is a matter of health policy. Having a substantial bloc of people unable to access health care is bad policy and leaves us open for epidemics. Somehow, I will bet Mr. Sands doesn’t see things like tax abatements and free utilities for businesses as welfare. I do.
Mr. Branstad, you have carried the water big time for the corporations and wealthy in your return. How about thinking of the people of Iowa for once?
Is Vander Plaats 15 minutes up yet?
I see he was crying over one of his underlings (Robert Cramer) being kicked off the Board of Regents. My question is why would any reputable news agency give Vander Plaats any time at all. His 15 minutes of fame is long gone and his claim as a king maker in Iowa is believed only by him. Here is hoping Iowa’s news media decides to cover news from now on. Like, just what is in Branstad’s medicaid proposal?
Sunday Funday – I Read The News Today, Oh, Boy!
Many of you may have the same short memory problems I have been having recently. I can read something and 2 minutes later can’t remember a thing. So let’s see what you can remember that you most likely read last week and tucked someplace in that head of yours.
1) What old song was thrust into the top 5 for downloaded song due to the death of Margaret Thatcher?
2) What caused spontaneous parties to break out all over Britain last week?
3) Name of the town in Arkansas where Exxon’s pipe leaked a huge amount of oil?
4) In Obama’s proposed budget was the well-known chained CPI social security cuts. There were also cuts to Medicare and what other social safety net program?
5) “Celebrities die in 3s.” Which 3 famous people died within days of each other last week?
6) What state’s Republican Party chair was fired after she changed the locks on the party headquarters and left the state?
7) In an attempt at outreach where did Rand Paul go to make a speech?
8) Paul Ryan still wants to put SS into what?
9) Name of the Colorado governor who signed gun legislation?
10) Name of the Connecticut governor who signed gun legislation
11) Which senators have reached compromise and proposed legislation on gun control?
12) Which senator introduced a bill to break up “too big to fail banks?”
13) This guy promised that if Obama were re-elected, he would be dead or in jail by this spring. Who is breaking his promise as usual?
14) This group will begin grading elected officials on their gun control voting record. What is the group?
15) During the Thatcher regime, a member of the Irish Republican Army died from a hunger strike. Can you remember who that was? (1981)
16) What is the correct name of the current North Korean leader?
17) This rock star said this week that he is “F—ing embarrassed to be a Republican.”
18) What then could he do?
19) What state had a bill introduced into their House to designate a state religion?
20) This week one of the scientists (Robert Edwards) who helped create in vitro fertilization died. Can you remember the name of the first test tube baby?
Well, have you been paying attention?
Here we go! Hang on tight!
1) “Ding Dong The Witch is Dead” from the 1939 “Wizard of Oz” – up to #1 Saturday.
2) Spontaneous death parties that is. The death of Maggie Thatcher.
3) The Americana named town of Mayflower, Arkansas.
4) LIHEAP was cut also
5) Margaret Thatcher, Roger Ebert, Annette Funicello
6) Alaska
7) Howard University – it went about as well as you could imagine.
8) Wall Street
9) John Hickenlooper
10) Dan Malloy
11) Pat Toomey of Pa. and Joe Manchin of West Va.
12) Bernie Sanders
13) Ted Nugent (we are waiting, Ted)
14) Mayors Against Illegal Guns
15) Bobby Sands
16) Kim Jung Un (Kim is the family name)
17) Kid Rock
18) not sure – I don’t think we want him.
19) North Carolina
20) Louise Brown born 7/25/1978
The Courtney Report
I support the Governor’s goal to make Iowa the healthiest state in the nation by focusing on improving health outcomes and rewarding healthy behaviors. That is why the Senate has incorporated those ideas into SF 296, which would expand Medicaid and make affordable health care available to 150,000 low-income Iowans who are currently uninsured.
The Governor’s new health care proposal, on the other hand, would not do enough to help Iowa achieve the goal of becoming the healthiest state in the nation. In fact, we would fall behind other states if the Governor’s plan were adopted.
The Governor’s proposal (House Study Bill 232) covers fewer Iowans and offers fewer medical services. On top of that, his plan would raise local property taxes and cost the state $150 million more than the Senate plan that I voted for.
I will continue to work with the House and the Governor to improve the health care legislation that we have already passed in the Senate. The Iowa Catholic Conference, AARP, the Iowa Hospital Association and at least 75 other Iowa organizations are in favor of the Senate bill because it would move Iowa in the direction of becoming the healthiest state in the nation.
We’re on the right track with SF 296.
ENSURING MORE IOWANS HAVE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
The Legislature is continuing its bipartisan efforts to expand access to affordable health care.
Your address should not determine the health care available to you. That is why the Legislature has worked in recent years to make mental health and disability services more consistent across the state. We recently took another step toward implementing a regional mental health and disability services system that will give Iowans access to critical services, regardless of where they live.
The Senate plan (SF 415) is based on recommendations of an interim committee tasked with analyzing the fiscal viability of the mental health and disability services redesign provisions the Legislature enacted in 2012. The bill, which has now received the stamp of approved from the Senate Appropriations Committee, would:
• Authorize regions to provide mental health and disability services that research shows to be effective and efficient.
• Ensure those currently eligible for county services remain eligible after the regions are formed.
• Allow county services to continue this year while the new regions develop their service plans.
• Establish new technology standards to improve reporting and make information more available to the public online.
• Create a panel to recommend improvements for mental health and other programs for children.
The Senate plan invests $29.8 million over the next year to support local services and ensure Iowans get the care they need as we move through the transition to a regional system.
Senate File1 415 now goes to the full Senate for debate.
BUDGETING FOR BETTER PUBLIC SAFETY
We want our state to be the safest possible place for Iowans. The Justice System Budget (SSB 1249) has been approved by a Senate Appropriations subcommittee with that goal in mind.
Corrections experts and health professionals have told us that the offenders in our prisons and community-based corrections facilities are changing. Incidence of mental illness has increased, with offenders requiring more supervision and treatment. SSB 1249 provides resources to the Department of Corrections to hire the staff to meet those needs and enhance safety at our institutions.
The bill also helps Community Based Corrections Districts open facilities that have already been built but are not yet in use. This is a smart move that will help limit the wait for those in need of critical mental health services. Funding for community-based corrections also provides for efforts to deter future crime and help offenders become contributing members of their communities.
Victims’ assistance grants will see an increase in funding. These grants go to local programs that provide housing and other help to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Additional resources will allow survivors to stay away from dangerous living situations, get the skills they need to hold down a job and deal with the trauma they’ve experienced.
We also increase the number of troopers on Iowa’s roads. More officers on patrol will allow them to more quickly respond to accidents and other problems—ultimately improving safety and saving lives.
SENATE CONFIRMS GOVERNOR’S APPOINTEES
So far this year, the Iowa Senate has confirmed 214 of Governor Branstad’s 216 appointees to Iowa’s statewide boards and commissions.
The Governor appoints members to more than 160 boards and commissions as openings become available. These panels are responsible for advising the Governor, the Legislature and state agencies.
The Senate must confirm the Governor’s appointees, and we take the job seriously. We review their qualifications, talk with them about their background and goals, and listen to input from Iowans. That’s the same kind of due diligence we give to every piece of legislation that comes before us.
Historically, the Senate confirms more than 99 percent of the appointees nominated by Iowa’s Governors. That trend continues as we conclude the confirmation process for the third year of Governor Branstad’s current term.
The few appointees that have failed to be confirmed over the years received serious, substantial consideration. Their non-confirmation came after concerns are addressed in a professional manner.
Learn more about Iowa’s statewide boards and commissions, the work they do and how you can serve at https://openup.iowa.gov.
ENCOURAGING OUR NEXT GENERATION OF FARMERS
Iowa’s strong agricultural heritage will continue as long as we ensure farming is a viable career for our young people. Two bills currently under consideration in the Legislature could help.
House File 599 would expand a tax credit program in which retiring farmers lease or rent land to beginning farmers. The state now provides $6 million in tax credits to retiring farmers who lease land to those starting out. HF 599 calls for doubling that amount so that beginning farmers will be eligible for tax credits if they make improvements to the farm.
This effort is supported by such organizations as the Iowa Agricultural Development Authority, which gives financial help to farmers buying land, equipment or livestock. HF 599 is now in the Senate Ways & Means Committee for further review.
Another bill, House File 457, directs the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to give preference to qualified beginning farmers when current leases for DNR-managed agricultural land expire. Land may be available for crops and for grazing. The DNR must use rental history, market factors and conservation practices—instead of a competitive bid process—to determine the lease amount.
HF 457 was approved unanimously by the Senate on April 10 and will hopefully receive the Governor’s signature in the near future.
CARE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE IOWANS
This year and every year, we want to honor our commitment to help the most vulnerable Iowans, including those in need of critical health care, older Iowans at risk for abuse and fraud, and veterans coping with medical concerns.
The Health and Human Services Budget aims to do that by:
• Providing vital legal and other decision-making assistance to older Iowans with dementia or Alzheimer’s to ensure they are protected from abuse.
• Improving long-term care by hiring more ombudsmen to meet the needs of patients and their families.
• Expanding mental health and other statewide for young children.
• Cutting the number of uninsured Iowans in half.
• Expanding access to high-quality childcare.
• Implementing programs to reduce juvenile crime and long-term crime rates.
The legislation is now being reviewed by the Senate Appropriations Committee. To read the full bill, go to www.legis.iowa.gov/DOCS/LSA/SC_MaterialsDist/2013/SDJRB039.PDF.
NEWS YOU CAN USE
Empowering students to adopt healthy lifestyles
Through April 30, Iowa schools can apply for private funding to participate in the Presidential Youth Fitness Program. General Mills Foundation and other partners are offering public schools this chance to acquire assessment tools, professional development and education for physical educators, and awards and recognition for students. To learn more, go to www.presidentialyouthfitnessprogram.org and click on “Funding Opportunity.”
Submit work for Agriculture Art Award
Iowa artists of all ages are invited to participate in the second annual Celebration of Iowa: Agricultural Art Award. The theme for this year’s exhibit is “Cultivating Change.”
The Agriculture Art Award is a juried art exhibit that highlights our state’s role as a global leader in agriculture. Art work will be judged on innovation of concept, execution of contest theme, and the aesthetic and technical quality of the work.
The exhibit, which features $5,000 in cash prizes in youth and adult divisions, is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.
The submission deadline is July 1. Full details are available at www.iowaagriculture.gov/press/pdfs/2013/AgArtAward2013.pdf.
Contact Tom
CAPITOL:
Iowa Statehouse
Des Moines, IA 50319
515-281-3371
HOME:
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Burlington, IA 52601
319-759-5334
tom.courtney@legis.iowa.gov
www.senate.iowa.gov/senator/courtney
I Saw A Picture Of A Child Today
Early morning, before the sun came up. I was beginning the day with the usual checking of news and blogs. One post had a story of how one mother from Newtown was grieving the loss her son. Her son was 6 years old. 6 years old. Now his ashes were in an urn on the mantle. An urn that she would pick up and kiss each morning on waking and would kiss each night before retiring.
I just went cold. There was a picture of her son. As you can imagine, the picture was a little boy in a red shirt with tousled hair and a smile that could melt an iceberg. I looked at this picture and just thought to myself that this boy, this bundle of energy, this youngster with a huge future was no more.
I do not know why today, but it just shook me to the very core of my being. Then came the thoughts that no one ever wants to think: what if something like that happened to some one close to you. What if your grandson’s life was snuffed out like a candle in the rain? Or what about the children of your friends in the small town you live in? Nothing, absolutely nothing could be as devastating as a parent losing a child.
Losing a child so young in a way that is so unexpected and so violent and so preventable. To die in a car accident or a fire would be horrible. We as a society actually spend much time, effort and money trying to prevent loss of life by things like car accidents and house fires and other things like drowning. Over the past half century we have forced manufacturers to engineer safety into dangerous things like cars, houses, bathrooms, boats, ladders etc. to make these and many other products much safer. Think of cars in the past half century. We can start with safety belts, air bags and then move to design where energy is dissipated away from the passenger compartment. We can also see that despite the fact that everyone would like to think that personal transportation is a right, who gets a license to drive is highly regulated. You can’t get a license if you have been caught drinking and driving too often, if your eyesight is bad or if you are getting too old. While all this has not stopped automobile deaths, they have surely been curtailed.
In housing we now use materials that are fire resistant. In much housing sprinklers and smoke detectors are required and escape routes are mandatory. And one other check in both cars and houses are the cost and availability of insurance. If you live in a firetrap, if you are driving a car without brakes, insurance may be hard or expensive to get.
So as I am sitting there just cold inside thinking that living in America, our grandson has a much greater chance of dying young than in any other industrialized society, I start to think about how we can stop the total waste of life. The first thing that makes sense is to limit access to weapons that are designed almost specifically for the killing of other humans. Many say that buts up against the second amendment to the constitution. I disagree – taken as a whole the amendment talks about a militia being necessary for the security of a free state. Seems to me that all weapons not being used as part of a well-regulated militia are not necessary.
Secondly, America needs to put effort into engineering in safety. As it were, we need an “Apollo-type” program to create the gun that can only be shot by one person. Finally, I believe that all gun owners should carry liability insurance just like we are required to do for automobiles. When a person is maimed by gunfire, who pays the medical bills? I believe it should be the shooter in cases where there is no criminal activity that the gun owner is responding to..
A guy can dream, can’t he? I am tired of seeing the maimed and lifeless bodies of children in the news. I can’t imagine what the parents, brothers and sisters and other family members must be going through.This is a scene that simply doesn’t belong in a modern America. It is time, well past time to make these pictures relics of a time that America needs to put behind us forever. It is time that Americans have the real freedom to work, play, live and raise their families without being fearful that some nut has obtained a gun and plans on killing a few folks on his way out.
Assessing Our Heterosexual Marriage
It is time for our annual assessment of our heterosexual marriage. We have been doing so for the past four years, looking for the signs that legalized gay marriage in Iowa is causing our marriage to crumble. We have survived 2 children, a near death and lifelong complications from that, some drinking problems and now the slow march toward old age. We had survived quite a bit together. But we heard the warnings from the learned Christians that marriages across the state could not survive the incredible onslaught of gay, or gayety or gayness or however one describes it.
Four years on April 3rd here in Iowa. I don’t know how we have been able to hold together. Seems like the onslaught just never stops. Well, actually we really haven’t seen anything ourselves, but we’ve heard it is out there and we are ready. Thanks to that inspirational leader Bob Vander Plaats whose predictions on this has been every bit as wrong as anything he has ever said.
Fighting Henry Fest?
It is almost time for the Fighting Bob Fest up in Wisconsin. I keep thinking that Iowa should have a similar event. We could name it after one of Iowa’s progressive leaders who truly stood for his values despite the times. My thoughts would be a “Fighting Henry Fest” named after Henry Wallace former Vice-President and true progressive. I would think that Iowa City or Des Moines would be the best spots for such an event. I would choose Iowa City since it is more centrally located to cities such as Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Dubuque, Davenport, Clinton, Burlington and Muscatine.
Seems like a good old hot as a firecracker July weekend would be a good time for progressives to gather, celebrate accomplishments and fortify themselves for the future. I do not mean this as a dis to Tom Harkin – he already has his affair in Indianola every year.
About Those Hiring Numbers, Mr. Branstad.
We haven’t heard about them for a couple of months. I was wondering if you were still putting out those fantasy numbers you were a couple of months ago or if you have decided maybe Iowans can actually handle the truth? Remember, you stated that Iowa’s employment was up something like 125,000 since your were sworn in, but those that actually count things said it was more like 18,000. You were only off by about 100,000. In Iowa, that is a big lie.
And most of those jobs were due to Obama policies, not yours. So, are you still pulling numbers out of the air?
ALEC Trying To Kill “Sick Day” Pay
By golly, the group that owns Republican state legislators around the country is ready to flex its muscle and push new legislation that will once more put the screws to American workers. ALEC is working to end local sick day pay for workers. Losing wages, losing pensions, busting unions, ALEC has been the real leader in crushing workers across the country. Be sure to ask your legislator is a member of ALEC. Then you will know where he really stands on issues.
Mr. Obama? Why Social Security?
One of my great concerns with the proposal the President will make next Wednesday – using chained CPI for Social Security – is that once Social Security or Medicare have been offered as negotiating pieces, they will always be negotiating pieces. There is some smell of blood in the water. Republicans will pick up on that and they will pursue their prey until it (social security) is dead. And once it has been offered, Republicans will use it as a campaign issue claiming that Democrats were the ones who tried to dismantle Social Security.
Tags: fighting Henry fest, social security | 2 Comments »
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