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Liz Eisen - Thu 09 Oct 2008 02:12 PM CDT
Tojo8817 - Fri 03 Oct 2008 08:35 PM CDT
Marilyn Walker - Fri 03 Oct 2008 12:51 PM CDT
Brent - Mon 29 Sep 2008 02:55 PM CDT
audiored - Sat 27 Sep 2008 10:34 PM CDT
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Saturday, April 22
Iowa Blog Roundup
by
Sam Garchik
on Sat 22 Apr 2006 06:40 AM CDT
 Iowa Blog Roundup
By Sam Garchik
I just figured out how to subscribe to Feedblitz's blog email. I enter the blog urls that I want to read, and then every morning, I get an email with updates from those blogs. This save's a lot of time net surfing. Plus, I can pass on the morsels to you. Here's what happened last week in the Iowa blogosphere:
Wilentz Slams Shrub in Stone
Sean Wilentz, author of Chants Democratic and most recently, The Rise of American Democracy, claims shrub could be the worst president ever in a recent article in Rolling Stone. The article is well written, and of course, true in every word. I was pointed to the article by Left Coast of Iowa Blog and Woodbury Democrat. Woodbury also pointed out this hilarious poster, reminding you all to get your vote on in 2006.
Left Coast's Support Peace magnet was stolen by some unknown bandit. Apparently, some cry babies have nothing better to do than point out that their side isn't getting enough attention.
High Cost of TV
Krusty Konservative had an interesting post about the high cost of TV ads. Apparently, it costs about $8,000 a day to run ads on one TV station, KWQC. That's a ton of money to run ads statewide for a week, and getting all that money requires a lot of phone calls and a lot of promises. BFIA already believes in fair elections, and this just proves why more reform is needed.
Schedules and Happenings
Thanks to Political Forecast for telling us that two gubernatorial forums were announced. One will be Tuesday, April 25th in Cedar Rapids, and the other on Saturday May 6th in Des Moines.
Russ Feingold is coming to Cedar Rapids and Iowa City on April 28th.
Meanwhile, Mark Warner is making the blog rounds. Political Forecast, Who's Makin Bacon (site currently down), and DrewMiller.net say Warner's campaign is doing some serious reaching out. To date, Warner has not contacted BFIA, but he's welcome to pay me a visit anytime.
Elesha Gayman is looking to get 20 volunteers to help her canvass on May 13. If you are available, to help her campaign hit 1,000 doors, meet up with her at 9:30 on May 13 at the North Scott High School parking lot in Eldridge. RSVP at http://www.dfalink.com/invitation.php?id=834364
That's it for this week. Keep the emails and the blogging going. And come back next week for another round of Iowa Blog Roundup at the same blog time and same blog address.
Thursday, April 20
Change the Course Campaign!
by
Sam Garchik
on Thu 20 Apr 2006 07:55 AM CDT
Change the Course Campaign
by Sam Garchik
This just in from Michelle Vanderhoff on the "Change the Course" campaign:
We are trying to get a debate on House floor on Iraq. Quad Cities and Progressive Action for the Common Good are going to send out a joint e-mail to their members very soon, and will also organize an office visit to Jim Nussle. (Lane Evans is going to sign, so he's fine.)
The run-down on Change the Course:
DCFD has spearheaded this campaign, with DFA's help, to gather 218 signatures (we have 95 so far) for the Discharge Petition for H Res 543, which:
- will force 17 hours of general debate on the current situation in Iraq for the first time since 2002.
and
- provide a period in which any and every proposed amendment must be considered and voted upon. (This is because it is under 'open rules' many aides are not aware of this.)
We are coordinating DFA groups in several states across the country. We are asking constituents to visit and call your reps during the recess; recess being almost over, we still want to get people to call their Member's office.
We are only asking for a full and open debate, REGARDLESS of where they stood or stand on the war.
The ONLY Iowan to sign on has been Leach. Boswell signed a long time ago, and then withdrew his signature.
We want ALL Members in Iowa. Just for your reference, our Web site and some of my previous postings (with more extensive details on this) on this on Daily Kos.
Links:
www.dcfordemocracy.org/change-the-course
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/29/15444/4065
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/4/4/135732/9021
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/4/6/112744/9812(in this last one, several of the targets listed have signed and some have committed to, and Iowa is still a target.)
Thanks for the Heads Up. It's time to get to work.
Wednesday, April 19
Working Toward Economic Justice in the QC
by
Caroline Vernon
on Wed 19 Apr 2006 05:26 PM CDT
 Working Toward Economic Justice in the QC:
By Caroline Vernon
"Tax-Day" Leadership planning session and Wake-Up Walmart Demonstration
We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day to "get active". Over a dozen community leaders and concerned citizens started the day with a leadership planning session with Working Families Win at the offices of Communities United to Strengthen America. We discussed various economic issues such as fair trade, workers rights, a living wage, education, healthcare, corporate responsibility and the environment.
As a group, we ascertained the need to put our thoughts on these issues into a concise statement of economic priorities/principles to present to candidates for public office; we set a deadline of May 1st to draft language for a Quad Cities statement, and to meet again at Communities United on May 6 at 1:00 PM; please join us!
Considering it was a holiday weekend, we still had 33 people participate in the Wake-Up Walmart demonstration which was organized to raise awareness about the Fair Share For Health Care Bill; currently stalled in the Iowa Senate. We actually received very good press on the event from the Rock Island Argus/Dispatch. Afterward, many of us met for lunch at the Village Inn to thank them for letting us park in their lot during the rally. Thanks to ALL of you who participated on a holiday week-end!
ACTION: Please contact your State Senators and Governor Vilsack, asking them to support this common sense bill to hold Wal-Mart and other large corporations accountable.
For more information on this event go to: www.qcprogressiveaction.org
To learn more about why Wal-Mart needs to change, go to www.wakeupwalmart.com
Thursday, April 13
Tax-Day Wal-Mart Demonstration in the Quad Cities
by
Caroline Vernon
on Thu 13 Apr 2006 07:19 PM CDT
 Tax Day Walmart Demonstration
by Caroline Vernon
Tax- Day Walmart Demonstration - in the Quad CitiesMaking a push for the Fair Share For Health Care Bill
Saturday, April
15th
12:30pm - 1:30pm
Northeast corner of 53rd & Elmore
(parking at
Staples)
Davenport
Friends,
Iowa needs our help. Please
stand with us this day - We are asking for corporate accountability and
demanding that the largest corporation, Walmart, pay their fair share for health
care, particularly at a time when we are seeing budget cuts to the very
assistance programs that are subsidizing Walmart's employee health benefits.
Your tax dollars pay for Walmart's greed - The staff of the House
Committee on Education and Workforce estimates Walmart costs federal taxpayers
up to $2.5 billion a year in the form of federal public assistance programs
because Walmart's low wage and poor benefits.
Walmart cost Iowa
taxpayers $10,059,698.00 (state & federal) in 2005 alone. This amount
doesn't even reflect the TIFs or other subsidies Walmart gets when they move to
town. Walmart is looking to open yet another store in the Quad Cities
(Silvis)... We can't afford to let Walmart continue doing "business as usual".
As fate would have it, the Fair Share For Health Care Bill has been
introduced into the Iowa legislature by Senator Joe Bolkcom, but leadership
won't let it come to the floor for a vote. We know there is bi-partisan support
for the bill because the PACG Health Care forum lobbied for it in February. This
is a common sense bill that will require (very) large corporations to either
provide affordable benefits to their workers, or pay a fixed rate to the State
to offset the cost to Medicaid.
If ALOT of
US participate in the demonstration, we can make a greater impact,
bring attention to this issue, raise public awareness, and encourage the
community to contact their representatives as well as the governor.
We
need volunteers... if you can give just 1 hour of your valuable time to this
very worthy cause, and know of others who may also be interested in
participating in the demonstration (holding a small sign for 1 hour) please let
me know ASAP! carolina1961@gmail.com.
We will display a 9 foot long
"check" made out to Walmart in the amount of $10,059,698, signed by Iowa Tax
Payers, with a big red stamp on it that says "Stop Payment On This Check". We
also have 100 smaller (4" by 10") checks for every one to hold. We need
YOU to hold them.
We are "aiming" for a large turnout so please
contact me ASAP if you can help us move this bill to the floor by standing with
us; (563) 676-7580 or carolina1961@gmail.com, or simply RSVP
to the following link:
http://wakeupwalmart.com/ucp/findevents.html
In
addition to the Walmart Demonstration, Working Families Win and Communities
United will be hosting a leadership planning session earlier that day, also
around economic justice issues:
10am to Noon
Communities United to
Strengthen America
2850 Eastern Ave, Suite 200
(in the Annie Wittenmeyer
complex, Davenport)
Our hope
is that citizens will participate in the leadership planning and then head over
to the demonstration immediately thereafter.
With your help, April 15th
will be a big day toward achieving economic justice in the Quad Cities!
Thanks for all you are doing!
In Solidarity,
Caroline
Vernon
carolina1961@gmail.com
563-676-7580
Tuesday, April 11
Upcoming Events and Happenings
by
Sam Garchik
on Tue 11 Apr 2006 01:20 PM CDT
 Upcoming Events and Happenings
DFA NIGHT SCHOOL STARTS TUESDAY
This
spring, you can join four online sessions of DFA Night School that will
teach you the basics in campaign tactics: message, volunteer
recruitment, canvassing and phoning. The Night School sessions will
cover the key skills that will help you become a more effective
volunteer and leader. The programs are short, and very specific. You
have to be or become a DFA member. Membership's free and so is Night
School. The first session is on April 11. Each session will begin at
7:30 p.m. CST and last one hour. DFA Night School is free of cost for
all DFA members. Each session will include a web presentation and a
conference call. You can find out more about and RSVP online at: http://www.dfalink.com/nightschool.
CENSURE GW BUSH
Sign the Petition for Bush Censure on Tom Harkin's Web site: http://www.tomharkin.com/nl/CensurePetition.htm.
PROGRESSIVE RADIO IN EASTERN IOWA
Progressive Radio in Eastern Iowa wants at least 500 signatures on their online petition: http://new.petitiononline.com/icradio/petition.html. Second,
they need people to contact ClearChannel offices and respectfully ask
them to consider changing KXIC to progressive talk. Contact
ClearChannel management in Cedar Rapids: John Laton (general manager),
email:
johnlaton@clearchannel.com. JJ Cook (program director),
email: jjcook@clearchannel.com, Or mail either: c/o WMT Radio, 600 Old
Marion Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402. PHONE: 319-305-0530. Also, if
you want, join the yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PREIA/
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