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Thursday, June 22

Iowa Blog Roundup (and other things also)
by
Sam Garchik
on Thu 22 Jun 2006 03:57 PM CDT
Iowa Blog Roundup (and other things also)
By Sam Garchik
It's been a very hectic week with the convention and all, but I wanted to bring you up to speed on a bunch of different issues and happenings.
Courtesy of The Left Coast of Iowa Blog, I posted Joyce Schulte's response to King's comments on Thomas. I encourage you all to read what she said, as she speaks for all of us.
Also, Chris at Political Forecast is doing a great job of keeping tabs on what's going on in this state. He pointed two things out to me that I want to pass on to you. The Eminem Domain issue keeps popping up, and it has the gov in a bind.
Wait, sorry. That's State 29.
Seriously, Chris linked to this article in City Pages which tries to sum up all the arguments made by which rich and famous Iowans about eminent domain. I still can't figure out why the Johnson County state reps voted against the bill, which isn't to say I am accusing them of something. It's just to say I'm looking to find out why. Chris also covered the Iowans for Sensible Priorities bloggers press conference. They had a good showing at the state convention as well, so look for them to get more traction in Iowa.
On the Trail of the Contender
Villsack was written up in the American Prospect, who teases the interview here. I got to hear the old guv talk 3 times in one day at the convention. I don't want to comment any further, and I still don't know if I am going to caucus for him, but $600,000 for Culver buys him some good will in this state.
We are starting to get a lot of event notices. It's hard to keep them all straight, and this is a statewide blog, so I'll mention these, and then encourage you all to check out our calendar:
District 1
Bill Gluba endorsed Braley, saying, "the fundamental principles and positions we share are more numerous than the few issues on which we disagree." Also, DFQC is planning an Iraq War Forum on Tuesday, June 27. You can join the group and RSVP at DFA-Link.
District 2
The Johnson County Democrats will have their grand opening this Saturday in Iowa City. Ag. Secretary Judge will be there representing the Culver-Judge ticket. That's at 535 E. College, June 24, from 1 - 3 PM.
Sunday, June 25th, from 1 - 3 PM, Dave Loebsack is having a yard sign party across the district. They are serving food, and you can find one near you:
Iowa City - City Park Burlington - Perkins Park Ottumwa - Central Park (between City Hall and the Library) Cedar Rapids - Ellis Park - Harborview Pavilion
Dave Bradley got us Air America, and I'm loving every second of it. Dave reminds us that we should "follow up with KXIC and ClearChannel with positive notes on the addition of AirAmerica programming. And remember since this is a business decision for ClearChannel, they need to know that we will support advertisers of Air America programming. We will get a list of advertisers out after a couple of weeks. And it would really help to stop by the business and say "Thanks" directly to them. I am sure that Right Wingers will be vocal in their opposition. Don't let them intimidate advertisers." You can email the folks at KXIC (I used to work there, in the interest of full disclosure, but didn't know any of these folks):
Contact: joenugent@clearchannel.com (KXIC program manager) cc to: johnlaton@clearchannel.com (regional GM) telephone: 319-354-9500 (KXIC)
District 3
Time to get your walking shoes on. It's Polk County Fourth of July parade time!
Call Tamyra at 515-285-1800 to join a parade and get details* Grimes Funtastic days - June 24th - 10 AM Bondurant - June 27th - 6:00 PM Urbandale - July 4th - 10:00 AM West Des Moines - July 3rd - 6:30 PM Windsor Heights - July 4th - 1:00 PM Ankeny Summerfest - July 8th - 10:00 AM
District 4
Thanks to Christina of the Yahoo Group Democracy for Iowa, we now know of a big human rights showdown in Fort Dodge. If you live in Fort Dodge, make sure you let the council know that it should stand up to the right wing.
District 5
Denise O'Brien is celebrating her victory in Atlantic on Friday, June 30, from 6 - 10 PM. They will have music.
In-State, Out of State, and Out of Sight!
Did you wish you could go to Florida and recount hanging chads? Black Box Voting is giving you the chance to register for the National Hand County Registry. Have good eyes, will travel! Or not, as hand counts may come to an election near you.
Selden Spencer is in the running as a Map Changer on Warner's PAC, and Culver is up for some help from Feingold's PPF.
Fighting Bob Fest is in Baraboo this September. Mary Bichell is looking for folks to go with her to this event, which is 1 1/2 hours from Dubuque. Here's the lineup so far includes Amy Goodman, Jim Hightower, and Doris “Granny D” Haddock Their theme is perfect for the moment: “Hold Them Accountable”. They are also looking forward to the return of Congresswomen Tammy Baldwin and Gwen Moore, Senator Russ Feingold, the Progressive magazine’s Matthew Rothschild, the People’s Legislature, and the largest enthusiastic crowd of progressives in the Midwest insisting that those who seem oblivious to political corruption be held accountable!"
Finally, Lewis Lapham is coming to Des Moines for the ICCI State Convention. He's the long-time editor at Harper's Magazine, and his trip is sponsored by ICCI. He'll be at the Hotel Fort Des Moines on Friday, July 14 at 8:00 PM. He will also sign copies of his book, Gag Order: on the Suppression of Dissent and the Stifling of Democracy. Tix are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. You can call ICCI at 515-282-0484 for more info.
Tuesday, June 20

Progressive Promise
by
Sam Garchik
on Tue 20 Jun 2006 12:01 PM CDT
Progressive Promise
I got this from the Progressive Caucus website in the House of Reps. We can modify it to make it more specific to Iowa. Later today, I'll post something I was working on for Alta and a possible Democracy for Iowa statewide group. Feel free to comment on that here as well.
The Progressive Promise: Fairness For all
Update: Check out the latest, revised Progressive Promise!
The Congressional Progressive Caucus offers the Progressive Promise for all. We believe in government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Our fairness plan is rooted in our core principles. It also embodies national priorities that are consistent with the values, needs, and hopes of all our people, not just the powerful and the privileged. We pledge our unwavering commitment to these legislative priorities and we will not rest until they become law.
1. Fighting for Economic Justice and Security in the U.S. and Global Economies
» To uphold the right to universal access to affordable, high quality healthcare for all.
» To preserve guaranteed Social Security benefits for all Americans, protect private pensions, and require corporate accountability.
» To invest in America and create new jobs in the U.S. by building more affordable housing, re-building America’s schools and physical infrastructure, cleaning up our environment, and improving homeland security.
» To export more American products and not more American jobs and demand fair trade.
» To reaffirm freedom of association and enforce the right to organize.
» To ensure working families can live above the poverty line and with dignity by raising and indexing the minimum wage. 2. Protecting and Preserving Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
» To sunset expiring provisions of the Patriot Act and bring remaining provisions into line with the U. S. Constitution.
» To protect the personal privacy of all Americans from unbridled police powers and unchecked government intrusion.
» To extend the Voting Rights Act and reform our electoral processes.
» To fight corporate consolidation of the media and ensure opportunity for all voices to be heard.
» To ensure enforcement of all legal rights in the workplace.
» To eliminate all forms of discrimination based upon color, race, religion, gender, creed, disability, or sexual orientation. 3. Promoting Global Peace and Security
» To honor and help our overburdened international public servants – both military and civilian.
» To bring U. S. troops home from Iraq as soon as possible.
» To re-build U.S. alliances around the world, restore international respect for American power and influence, and reaffirm our nation’s constructive engagement in the United Nations and other multilateral organizations.
» To enhance international cooperation to reduce the threats posed by nuclear proliferation and weapons of mass destruction.
» To increase efforts to combat hunger and the scourge of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other infectious diseases.
» To encourage debt relief for poor countries and support efforts to reach the UN’s Millennium Goals for Developing Countries. 4. Environmental Protection & Energy Independence
» To free ourselves and our economy from dependence upon imported oil and shift to growing reliance upon renewable energy supplies and technologies, thus creating at least three million new jobs, cleansing our environment, and enhancing our nation’s security.
» To promote environmental justice in affirmation that all people have an inherent right to a healthy environment, clean air, and clean water wherever we live, work, and relax.
» To change incentives in federal tax, procurement, and appropriation policies to:
(A) Speed commercialization of solar, biomass, and wind power generation, while encouraging state and local policy innovation to link clean energy and job creation;
(B) Convert domestic assembly lines to manufacture highly efficient vehicles, enhance global competitiveness of U.S. auto industry, and expand consumer choice;
(C) Increase investment in construction of “green buildings” and more energy-efficient homes and workplaces;
(D) Link higher energy efficiency standards in appliances to consumer and manufacturing incentives that increase demand for new durable goods and increase investment in U.S. factories;
» To eliminate environmental threat posed by global warming and ensuring that America does our part to advance an effective global problem-solving approach.
» To expand energy-efficient transportation choices by increasing investment in synthesized networks, including bicycle, local bus and rail transit, regional high-speed rail and magnetic levitation rail projects.
» To preserve prudent public interest regulations that encourage sustainable growth and investment, ensure energy diversity and system reliability, protect workers and the environment, reward consumer conservation, and support an expanding marketplace that rewards the commercialization of energy-efficient technologies.
Sunday, June 18

Convention Wrap Up; Thoughts for 08
by
Sam Garchik
on Sun 18 Jun 2006 08:17 PM CDT
Convention Wrap Up;
Thoughts for 08
By Sam Garchik
We need to elect Joyce Schulte. Thanks to the Johnson County Republican Blog, we get this from Steve King at the Republican State Convention:
"There are probably not 72 virgins in the hell Al-Zarqawi is in. If there are, the probably all look like Helen Thomas."
What the heck is that? I'd hate for someone to say that about your mother, Steve.
Oh yeah. He also prayed that "Justice Ginsberg and Justice Kennedy fall madly in love with each other and elope to Cuba, giving President Bush two more appointments to the Supreme Court."
Hey, Hey, Ho Ho, Steve King has GOT TO GO!
Now time to organize.
Holly Berkowitz, bless her soul, taped the convention. She says she can burn a DVD for me, and I can post the Fallon speech on this blog sometime in the next few days. Also, if anyone has a report from the meeting after the convention, email to me here and I'll post it.
I talked to Polk County activist Christina Butts, who runs the Yahoo group, Democracy for Iowa. Look forward to possibly more collaborative efforts between us and them.
And check this out! Alta Price has created the Quad Cities Democratic Gun Club. Their motto should be, "Peace By Any Means Necessary!"
Lastly and most importantly, the third amendment on the agenda, the addition of a Progressive Caucus (page 39 Convention Book) was written by a woman named Cathy Ferguson (sp?) who I tried to reach in the afternoon. Unfortunately, she had already left, so if anyone knows Cathy, please let her know I am interested in contacting her.
So, the amendment went down 294 - 194, but NO ONE IN JOHNSON COUNTY VOTED because we were all somewhere else (talking to Harkin, I think, or not yet seated?. More details on this are found at Political Forecast, who bless his heart, blogged the whole convention.
So, here's a plan to get this passed.
1. Work together to come up with an amendment which we think might pass.
2. We can win if we pay attention to what's going on, look for our amendment, contact county chairs and the folks who voted against it, hit delegates with a cheap direct mail piece and an add in the convention book (as the two winning DNC electors did), and get 50 of the nay votes. No problem.
3. Only 740 or so of the possible 1500 delegates showed up. In 2004, I understand, about 3,000 delegates were eligible to be seated. If progressives descend on the convention with enough votes, fill in vacant seats and alternate seats, we can win the amendment by a landslide. No problem.
4. There's no Labor caucus. We can write an ammendment that ads both a Labor and a Progressive Caucus, and work with Labor to get the backing for the whole deal. Everyone wins. No problem.
So I'm totally interested in pursuing this. We have the tools, the outreach, and the passion. Let's get to work.
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