Nolte Campaign Decision for 2008

By Mark Nolte

Dear Friends,

I hope this note finds you all well.   This is a tough note to write, but I have decided that I will not be seeking the Democratic nomination for the State House in District 89 in 2008.

I cannot begin to thank you all for your support, kindness and friendship.  I look forward to seeing you all soon and helping candidates I support through this next election cycle.    

Leadership or Reflection?

By Mark Nolte

I’ll admit, as we come to the end of the sixth year of our country being led by President Bush, I still wake up every morning and say… “Really?  How could this happen?”

Since the election in November, I have had much time to ponder how this happened and I have found myself asking a question that begs to be asked: Has America’s government ever led the country or do our elected officials simply mirror the merit of the people at that given point in history?

If you ask most people who our greatest presidents are they will no doubt give you the Mt. Rushmore Four: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt.  Others may throw in FDR and even JFK.   Some would look for what it is about these men that give cause to their accolades.  But, what if we look not at them, but at the will of the American people at the time of their service?

British colonists, appalled by their treatment, taxation and lack of rights, take up arms to fight for their freedom.  Fathers standing shoulder to shoulder with brothers and sons; abdicating their businesses, farms and jobs to fight in unity.  Willing to give their lives so that others may live free.  It is these new Americans who chose Washington and Jefferson to represent their values. 

Again in the 1800’s with Lincoln as their president, citizens so dedicated to principle that they take up arms and fight for their beliefs.  Ultimately concluding that even with our differences, this country must remain whole.   

As our country was growing into a world power about to be challenged in World War One, Roosevelt was holding the Oval Office.   A time when Americans were willing to sacrifice, ration and pull together for the common goal. 

In the face of fascism and depression, the American people again chose to rally their will and fight for change and opportunity.   Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the statesman and mouthpiece guiding the charge. 

I write this not to diminish one iota of the legacy of courage and leadership these men exhibited, but simply to offer this hypothesis:  When the American people are united, selfless and courageous we move forward.  It is during these times that those who hold positions of leadership appear so magnificent. 

By and large we have become a selfish society.  Building fences, hording resources and moving to smaller and smaller sects of isolation.  We live in an immediate, winner take all, no consequences structure.  We spend without saving.  We have chosen our own good above the common good, forsaking the interconnectedness that binds us together and thus together ignoring the long term ramifications of our current choices.  Believing that it is our right as American’s to not have to make sacrifices.  It is only now, during our time of weakness, that someone so inept, someone so bereft of courage, intelligence, compassion and honor, could be “chosen” to represent our great democracy.  The vision in the mirror should come as a stark wake up call to the majority.  Will it be heard?

Our future challenges are mounting and again we will have to fight.  It may be ongoing terrorism stemming from exploitation of resources and a geopolitical environment that has created an angry pool of have not’s.  It may be lack of water, global warming or an insufficient and unsafe supply of food.  It could be something else or a combination of all of these.  

Now is not the time to look towards the horizon, waiting for the next great leader to save us from ourselves.  Now is the time to look in the mirror.  We, as the diverse and powerful American people need to stand up and fight for what we believe in again or we jeopardize losing all that we cherish. 

It is collective sacrifice that created and shaped this country.  It is when this sacrifice is at its highest that our country is at its strongest.  Our choice is to decide if we make modest sacrifices now, or wait until the choice is no longer ours and we are forced to take action. 

I believe in this country and I believe us, its citizens.  My prediction is this: Our next great leader, our next Mt. Rushmore worthy mug, will exist only after the American people have come together and learned that though unification, even if it means change and sacrifice (because it will), can we again prosper. 

The future of our society remains in the simple question posed by John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you: Ask what you can do for your country.”  

What can you do?

   Iowa Blog Roundup

By Sam Garchik

Lots to say. Campaign season is in full swing, so here we go with the events and notes around the state:

District 1

There is a champagne brunch to honor women on July 22nd at the Teutonic retreat formerly known as "Jumers Castle Lodge," in Bettendorf.  It starts at 10:30. Tix are $35, and the money goes to Elesha Gayman. You can email her at elesha@eleshagayman.com to make a reservation. 

Meanwhile, Elesha was interviewed on the DailyKos. Here's what she said out her plans for office:

"A good 75% or more of people I have talked to have been impacted by a young person they know leaving Iowa. So immediately they have found a way to connect with me and my message. But if young people leaving Iowa are the problem our solution is in three major areas.

State House races are heating up in District 2 as well. Mark Nolte (89) is hosting a series of volunteer meetings on Sunday at 5:00 and 7:00 PM. He lives just South West of Iowa City, Off Highway 1, ½ mile west of the 218 overpass.  You can get there by turning north on Kitty Lee Rd and going .75 miles. They are are the green house with the big yard sign on your right.  You can park on the West side of Kittle Lee Rd if the driveway is full.

Clara Olsen (79) is also making waves in the second district. She will join supervisor candidates Esther Dean, Wayne Shoultz and Tom Furlong and our next United States Representative, Dave Loebsack this Sunday when the Muscatine County Democrats ride a trolley in the annual county fair parade. Line up for the parade begins at 1PM at the Muscatine County fairgrounds on the south end of West Liberty. Parade kicks off at 2PM.

Final notes from the second: Hungary on Monday in Iowa City? Eat at Thai Flavors, 340 E. Burlington. 20% of the day's profits go to the JC Dems.

District 3

To RSVP or register, E-mail Committee Chr. Virginia Varce: virv@juno.com  For more information, call David Wilkinson, Chr. at Iowa Partners in Learning (515) 471-8054

25%  = Three Quarters Short of Leadership

By Mark Nolte

Imagine how the course of the world would be different if, standing at the podium at Rice Stadium, John F. Kennedy would have announced that by the end of the 60’s, we would build a rocket that would put a man... in Canada? 

Had our young President proclaimed such a visionless and tepid mission we may well have lost the cold war and would have not allowed Ronald Reagan to dream of his Stars Wars ICBM system.  (You remember, the Dr. Evil “Laser” system) 

But JFK didn’t.  He stood on that podium and proclaimed that we would get there.  Not because he necessarily thought that we could, but he knew that if he made the challenge and offered the government’s full resources, we would.  

I had seen what Jim Nussle thought of Iowa’s renewable energy future from his (9/26/2005) press release when he stated:  "I envision an Iowa where by the year 2020, 20 percent of Iowa's energy consumption will come from renewable sources of energy. With the right leadership, Iowa will be known as an energy state,"

Naturally I assumed that Democrats, as they had in JFK’s day, would take a more ambitions position on the matter.  So, when I read that Governor Vilsack signed a bill this week that pledged 25% of Iowa’s energy would come from renewables by 2020 I was noticeably less than impressed.   

This is the mission to Canada. This is what we have come to accept, lack of vision, lack our courage and (forgive me if you will) lack of cahones. 

We can do better, we can be 100% renewable by 2012 if we commit to it.  Maybe sooner but I like even numbers like that. 

The bill that was signed this week is a waste of ink.  The only positive purpose this bill serves is of reminding voters that we need to elect people who are unafraid to have a bold vision.  Who have the courage to make a claim that challenges and who are not beholden to the corporations that would be negatively affected if Iowan’s owned their own renewable energy production. 

I think we all know who that person is.  The question is, do we have the courage to vote for him?