Caroline:
what a great post. good reporting. Mikey G is not the party builder he should be, and its too bad that there's no tough challenger his way on the left. There's no need for that kind of language, and there's no need for this kind of backroom dealing. I'm always sickened, and less and less surprised, by the state Democratic leadership's attitude towards downticket candidates and across the board supporters. This is a good bill that should have been passed, people are working hard to get it done, and Mike's not very appreciative. Perhaps its time for a change at the top?

sam.

Sam,

My sentiments exactly. Enough of the political wrangling. If we don't get BIG MONEY out of politics, it will always be about the political end-game and never really about the people of this state. Public Campaign financing is part of the Democratic platform - folks sacrificed time with their families to work on that platform, I was one of them - and for what? Lip service? I mean what exactly is the point again?

caroline

Did you actually witness this? The arrogance of small time politicians is amazing. The past few months has made me much more fiscally conservative, trusting a politican is naive.

Yes Eric, I was there - standing right next to Gronstal at the time. There were between 15 and 20 people engaging him on VOICE. We were pushing him hard on the issue but we were civil and respectful. I can understand the pressure he must have been feeling - for every point he raised, we countered three-fold, at least from my perspective. A man in his position should be used to dealing with advocates across the spectrum. There is no excuse for his outburst... he could have just said that he was done talking and he had to go.

Caroline

Gronstal is no small time politician. Sure, he ran away from the governor's race as fast as he could, but he's still got a lot of power here, and Democrats he must be very afraid to rock the boat. After all, he got them this far, right? I'm thinking it's time to reach across the isle and find out who in the GOP supports this, because its really a non-partisan issue. and our party is laying down on the job.

I was at the VOICE, Voter Owned Iowa Clean Elections, Rally at the Iowa Capitol in Des Moines, IA on April 18th. My name is Rachel Griffiths and I am a member of Progressive Action for the Common Good: Election Reform forum. I was with the group of citizens talking with Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal about the fate of the VOICE Bill. We were out in the actual rotunda of the Capital. Visitors and school groups were touring. I was stunned when Senator Gronstal told one of the VOICE supporters to "Kiss My Ass." Senator Gronstal then left the group and walked about 15 feet away, he looked up to the top of the rotunda and SHOUTED "F*UCK YOU!" It was awful. I was shocked and actually embarrassed for him. Most of all his actions made clear to me just how much is at stake with Publicly financed Elections. "Big Money" stands to lose the ability to "buy" votes and top Party Fund-raisers stand to lose their power over legislatures who rely on campaign money from them! The incident also affirmed the need for Voters to join the push for Publicly financed elections so that we can take the influence of "Big Money" out of the decision making at the Iowa Capital.

Thanks for the confirmation that this was a first hand account. I have been involved with VOICE through Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and working on it has definitely been educational. It has made me much more conservative fiscally because I don't trust politicians and am confident the vast majority are self-serving. That trait is apparent in national politics and in large areas such as Chicago, where I have lived, but is sad to see in a small state like Iowa. We have a little state with major problems where a real political leader could do great things, instead we get small politicians with small ideas, mostly about themselves. VOICE would be a great start in getting some new people into the system. Fortunately some in the legislature are able to see beyond their jobs and care enough to keep important issues alive.

It is sad that Gronstal can behave that way and not be called to account by the mainstream media. This is a well written story so congrats, wasn't sure it was first person. If we hold strong eventually, someday, things will change.

I hope VOICE is not considered a Democratic issue, as in Democrats versus Republicans, it is more an incumbent politican versus normal people issue. My understanding is that the retired politicans Leach and Vilsack both support it now. I do favor the Democratic platform on many issues but both parties clearly have some level of corruption and dishonesty.

So why hasn't the media covered this? Seems news worthy to me.

My guess is media does not cover VOICE because they make a lot of money based on political advertising. This would reduce the amount of money spent on campaigns.

Erich:
I think that's partially true. Id like to see just how much money they make from campaigns. I bet tv and radio - sinclair, clear channell, - the big ones, they make a bunch on the caucus. id like to see the newjournalist.org folks do some reasearch into just how much.
until then, im kind of up in the air on just how much the media makes or doesnt.
sam.

Public companies such as Gannett, owner of the Des Moines Register, generally outline the revenue from political advertising because it is such an important and predictable revenue stream.

From the Feb 2007 earnings report (which covers quarter including November 2006): "Broadcasting revenue rose 30.3% to $270.6 million for the quarter, driven by political ads from the tumultuous congressional elections in November." Of course, this is broadcasting only.

Lobbyist positions on legislation is listed on the legislative web site, the newspaper association in Iowa opposes VOICE. I can understand why the paper ignores VOICE rather than actively opposes it, it would be hard to rationally oppose it and they would appear hypocritical.

Erich:
that's very interesting!
30% is a huge jump in revenue.
i dont know if political ads are cheaper or more expensive than other ads, but the revenue numbers make a bad smell.

do you know who the newspaper lobyist is in Iowa?

Political advertising on radio and TV is stricly regulated by the FCC. Broadcasters can only charge political advertisers their lowest unit rate. Private enterprise, newspapers, have no such regulation and are free to charge whatever they want.

Does anyone out there want to check into just how much money these stations receive from candidates?
Id be interested in seeing that, for sure..

This is Christina Butts, moderator for the Democracy for Iowa Yahoo Group and in as much as the VOICE needs to get put through the system here to be made into policy, it also sounded like those at the rally were equally uncivil and rude and combative to Sen. Granstal because I've worked as an intern there to see the fights he and other Democratic senators put up against the constant onslaught of Repugnican and extreme conservatives. To be called a FRIGGIN' Republican to your face is NOT arrogance to defend yourself. Being said and throw out by 'an innocent' old man gives that person NO RIGHT to demean and accuse without proof or justification. Gronstal has repeated made mention of strong support for key liberal and Democratic issue, and jsut because he hasn't gotten fully around this new one doesn't justify calling out a lynching squad. The same can be said about some of the behaviors of Culver towards LGBT issues but after 'resonable' and cooled debating and DIALOGUE and COMMON basic ethics were found, he has been the biggest supporter and will take some more once votes by the rest of the state's voters (YOU) get them to resend DOMA and inact some basic legal protections for LGBT couples. VOICE didn't happen first for other states to pass civil unions, marriage or domestic partnerships.

The facts are true that there would not be enough floor votes for VOICE to get passed and THERE ARE Republicans on the subcommttiee who can also keep it from getting on the floor. VOICE is another larger social issue that NEEDS education and marketing, not attacking people who have the position to make it happen because we aren't getting our way at the moment.

As an LGBT progressive, I've known the crap put up with and efforts Gronstal HAS put forth to get stuff passed this session that would NEVER have gotten a chance to see the light of day before. Many of us in the progressive community ARE acting like children hoping things wish waltz on through like butter. I accuse MYSELF when things were first happening back in 2005 about LGBT issues.

As great as the Democratic majority is that we've acheived IT IS NOT a clean sweep and moderate GOP and badgering of conservative Democrats are needed. Just look at the passage of the Iowa Civil Rights code change that has been in the works FOR YEARS now and still possibly wouldn't have passed. The results and proof of the VOICE systems made into law in less than a handful of other states has just started and Iowa HAS NEVER been a VANGUARD and this is the first time VOICE has even been written up and put into the legislative system.

I have posted many articles and statements by policy groups about the need of VOICE and the growing evidence but I'm not an as unaware and think that this is a one first run homerun win for such a major change to something as disgusting and ingrained as the money and privilege it represents is, like any public discourse it must be built up and convincing and not a bunch of people badgering an offical calling him names and then going off in a huff, when he breaksdown and behaves like the HUMAN BEING HE IS that YOU YOURSELF want to be treated like.

The objectivity of the 'reported' account cannot be telling ALL of the sequence of comments & their tone with in the story for Gronstal has been prodded, badgered, screwed over, screamed at and disrespected by the best of them, for him to turn around an do something as stupid as engage the crowd in returning namecalling and insults and then scream an obscenity 'without' deep emotional hurt from the accusations and taunts being thrown and corned like a neocon. It takes two to tango and I have been in the rotunda many times to lobby and haranguing and harrassment by a crowd isn't fun and many of us in the movement want to be leaders ourselves and should think not to treat others that way. And KNOWING the rabid conservatism that is the norm in District 5 and he has held and keep the island of liberal urban Democrats with US Rep. Steve King as his rep is something to be respected AND hard to find anyone of similar or more liberal democratic credentials to run and replace him.

Becoming overly self righteous like the religious right was within the Republican party makes the progressive movement lose the moral high ground of saying our stances are reasonable and can be debated. No knowing the reality of how change in government happens and wanting our pie now without taking the time to bake it is unrealistic. Like in the LGBT community the Progress wing needs to push constant education public discourse and public opinion change in media and other venues. We have gotten a GREAT start with Verified Elections and Same day voting passed. It can only get better.

Unacceptable behavior from a legislator. My organization purchased the video of the newscast. Click on the link below to view:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRRS3tzCmUA

Unacceptable behavior by the Liberal Democrats as well...If you can't take it, don't dish it out. The problem with you people is that you are so good at pointing out others fallicies that you don't recognize your own. Name calling is name calling...whether it's the "f" word, or calling someone a crook. If you can't handle vulgarity and harsh words, you have no business in or involved in politics. It's part of human nature. I want to see ANY of you react differently if being attacked by many on one. I think he reacted humanly. I don't believe for one moment that this group didn't have people in it behaving strongly towards this man. Too bad he reacted in the way he did, but I am sure of this: you all would have reacted just as you did had he just called you stupid and morons.

I think some of these recent comments are missing some factual points.

I wasn't there, but my reading of it is that Gronstal was told he is acting like a Republican, and he got upset, swore, and said he did so because he was called a crook. He inferred being a Republican means one is a crook, or something, as I said I wasn't there. That itself is remarkable.

Regarding one comment that public financing of campaigns is a new issue, that is factually wrong. The issue and this bill has come up several times over many years.

I personally think Gronstal is a good person who likes his power as do most politicians. The power should be with the voters and the politicans with the best ideas, not the best bank account.