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Sam Garchik - Mon 02 Jun 2008 10:10 AM CDT
atomburke - Fri 23 May 2008 03:49 PM CDT
salman - Fri 23 May 2008 06:28 AM CDT
megelso - Sun 11 May 2008 09:10 AM CDT
no4gman - Tue 29 Apr 2008 01:07 AM CDT
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Tuesday, January 31
REPRESENTATIVE CINDY WINCKLER OF DAVENPORT AT THE FORUM
by
Molly Regan
on Tue 31 Jan 2006 01:02 PM CST
 REPRESENTATIVE CINDY WINCKLER OF DAVENPORT AT THE FORUM
On the last Saturday of the month for the first 4 months of the year, there is a Legislative Forum held in Scott County.
This past Saturday, January 28th, 2006, was the first for this
legislative session. 8 of the 9 Senators and Representatives from
Scott County and parts of Clinton County were in attendance.
Questions from the audience of about 80 covered many topics. They
came to see DEMOCRACY IN ACTION at St. Ambrose University. One
query was about state employee health coverage, another about whether
or not the death penalty would be brought up again for
consideration. Another asked if the state could help fund early
childhood facilities. Also, a Scott County farmer asked whether
or not the IDNR (IOWA Department Of Natural Resources) or the ERC
(Environmental Regulatory Commission) would be reigned in and not be
allowed to site livestock facilities as they see fit.
But, by far, one of the most contentious subjects was the
first question out of the gate. It concerned TAXING OR NOT TAXING
A PERSON’S PENSION. Some people feel that IOWA loses many retired
folks to other states, including Illinois, because there is too
high a tax on pensions. While a couple of the Republicans spoke
about their belief that the tax should be stopped so that retirees will
stay in the state, REPRESENTATIVE CINDY WINCKLER, DAVENPORT, CHOSE TO
DISAGREE.
Rep. Winckler, (an avid DEAN supporter) said it is too early in the
session to put this one into play. She says there are many myths
about this subject including the myth that retirement pensions are
taxed twice. This is not true, Rep. Winckler explained, since money
is put into a person’s chosen fund without being taxed, then is taxed
later when taken out as a pension.
Much discussion that cold, rainy morning was about PAY FOR IOWA’S
TEACHERS. Where the money was coming from and when an
increase could go into effect were addressed. There is a movement
afoot to get IOWA back to being 25th in the nation on teachers’ pay as
opposed to being 42nd in the country, as we are now. But Senator
Maggie Tinsman (R-Bettendorf) said, “Anytime you talk about going
back, that’s not going forward. But, yes, do I think teachers have
slipped in what they are getting for pay, yes, I do.” This was a
quote from the local news at 10pm/channel 6 KWQC.
Well, Senator Tinsman, it is obvious that going back to the 1978 ranking
of 25th in the nation, would only be a HUGE, INTELLIGENT STEP AHEAD IN
THE RIGHT DIRECTION. You are just confusing the issue and not
making a very good assessment of the situation. Plus, you have
just been so ingrained by the Repubs that any suggestion made by
Democrats should be opposed, no matter how unreasonable you may sound.
So, the games have begun again. Will IOWANS be benefactors this
year after the current legislative session ends? Time will
tell. If you have a favorite topic you are keeping an eye on,
don’t forget to contact your Iowa Senator or Representative and voice your
opinion. Do your homework and make your call, write your letter,
or send your email. Or get your buddies together and take a
road trip to the capitol. It is a beautiful building, and good
changes can be made there. Go to www.legis.state.ia.us to find
out more about who represents you.
And by the way…Remember to CPR… CONSERVE/PARTICIPATE/RECYCLE
Monday, January 30
YOU Can Bring Air America Radio to Iowa!
by
Trish Nelson
on Mon 30 Jan 2006 04:00 AM CST
 YOU Can Bring Air America Radio to Iowa!
Air America Radio is coming to Iowa! Well, that is, if you follow this easy recipe.
There are just a few ingredients you need to bring progressive talk
radio to your town and your local station. Why let Rush Limbaugh
have the last (or only) word on everything? Davenport
was the first in Iowa to pick up Air America at WKBF-AM 1270 –
and the popular liberal talk-radio format is working for them, so why not have Air America Radio all across Iowa?
Progressive radio is just good business. According to the Portland Tribune,
since KPOJ switched from oldies music to the new Air America network in
March, 2004, the progressive format has made the station one of the
most
listened-to in Portland. The number of listeners jumped from an
average of 33,000 with the old format to almost 127,000 in the first
six months with Air America. “We got advertisers who don’t
normally
advertise,” says Mike Lulich, national sales manager for Clear Channel
Radio Portland, KPOJ’s parent. “In the end, advertisers come to
the station because they know their customers like the format.”
And, of course, because there are so many more of them.
So click here
or click on Blog for Iowa's Fight Media Bias sidebar (on the left) to download
the flyer called "How to Bring Air America Radio to Your Local
Community" and get started! [in Word doc format]
Click here for the original post on Daily Kos. Scroll down for additional comments and ideas that can help you in your quest.
Saturday, January 28
U of Iowa Students/Faculty Dismayed by Regents' Power Grab; Event on Monday
by
Linda Thieman
on Sat 28 Jan 2006 04:00 PM CST
 U of Iowa Students/Faculty Dismayed by Regents' Power Grab
by Linda Thieman
Iowa
City faculty/staff/student event planned for this Monday, January 30,
at 3:30pm, Terrace Room (Room 166) of the Iowa Memorial Union to share
their commitment to self-determination
With
University of Iowa president David Skorton leaving to take the post of
president at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, U of I faculty and staff
are faced with the long hunt for a new leader. At least, they
thought they were.
Come to
find out, according to a statement released on Friday by the University
of Iowa Student Government (UISG), how Skorton will be replaced is
fraught with controversy. For more than 40 years, any search for
a new president at the U of I has been led by faculty through a UI
search committee with input from “a sufficiently diverse array of UI
students, faculty and staff.” According to Radio Iowa, Skorton was actually chosen from the UI medical faculty just three years ago to fill the head position.
One
of the main concerns, the UISG message states, is that since the UI
“tradition of shared self-governance and engagement is strong and
getting stronger, [w]e deserve a leader who will continue these
traditions.”
According to the Des Moines Register, Michael Gartner, president of the Iowa
Board of Regents, intends to bypass the traditional UI system of
self-selection in favor of hiring an outside headhunting firm. It
is believed in some circles that this will cement the Board of Regents'
power grab as they are also at this time hiring out to replace
University of Northern Iowa president Robert Koob.
Once the universities go, it’s all over.
Wednesday, January 25
Legislation to Deregulate Cable TV, Reduce Consumer Rights, and Eliminate Free Access
by
Trish Nelson
on Wed 25 Jan 2006 08:54 AM CST
 Action Alert: Stop Legislation to Deregulate Cable TV, Reduce Consumer Rights, and Eliminate Free Access
Contributed by Drew Shaffer, Cable TV Administrator
There are lobbying efforts in many state legislatures and in Congress right now that intend to completely deregulate cable TV and phone companies. Several bills have already been introduced in Congress and one is on it's way to the Iowa State legislature.
If successful, these bills would effectively:
eliminate any operational support for all public access cable tv channels in the US;
eliminate local franchising authority;
eliminate the ability of cities to regulate any rates of cable tv or phone companies and
eliminate the ability of cities to protect their citizens, by
eliminating
the ability of cities to deal with citizen complaints about their cable
tv/phone companies, and to the largest extent possible,
eliminate franchise fees.
These
lobbying efforts are largely being carried out by Verizon and Southern
Bell (which will shortly become AT&T through a merger/buyout),
although some cable companies are assisting their efforts. The phone
companies argument is that local franchising is a barrier to entry -
they will not be able to roll out their tv offerings fast enough to
compete with cable tv. The cable companies are arguing they should not
have to supply all the offerings they now make to cities (including
such things as operational funding for access channels, franchise fees,
pass through funds, etc.).
The
Congressional representatives that have been approached by cities over
the last six months indicate that there will be a bill passed this year
and that it will NOT be public access channel/city/citizen friendly (although
they might not put it quite like that - that will be the effect).
If you
are concerned about these developments, please contact your
Congressional and state reps and let them know you do not want this to
happen - that phone companies and cable companies should not be de-regulated. In fact, there should be further regulation to protect citizens, cities and public access channels.
Click here to find and contact your state legislators
Click here to find and contact your Congressman and US Senators
E-mail,
fax and phone are the best ways to contact our Washington reps.
If you send a snail-mail, send it to their district office rather than
DC. (All congressional mail sent to DC is screened for anthrax
and therefore it will take much longer to get there).
Drew
Shaffer, is the Cable TV Administrator in Iowa City. This issue
was discussed with Nick Johnson on Ch.
18, Iowa City’s Public Access Channel on the "Live & Local”
program. For more information, IC residents can watch for this
program to be rebroadcast - check the PATV schedule here.
If you would like to be part of organized media reform efforts in Iowa, please consider joining Iowans for Better Local TV.
To find out more, click here
Monday, January 23
Tobacco, Beer and Pay Day Loans Finance Iowa Conservative PAC
by
Trish Nelson
on Mon 23 Jan 2006 04:00 AM CST
 Tobacco, Beer and Pay Day Loans Finance Iowa Conservative PAC
The Des Moines Register
According
to House Speaker Christopher Rants, the Iowa Leadership Council is
"organized to promote conservative principles in Iowa."
By JANE NORMAN
Washington, D.C.
- A new conservative political organization has sprouted up in Iowa, financed with
corporate contributions from tobacco firms, a giant beer manufacturer and the
management company of payday lender LoanMax, according to records on file with
the Internal Revenue Service."
Iowa House Speaker Christopher Rants, a Republican who
loaned the council $1,000 for its startup, said the Iowa Leadership Council
will serve as the first conservative counter to liberal national organizations
such as MoveOn.org that have been active in the state.
The council shares the same legal counsel as the
congressional campaign committee for U.S. Rep. Jim Nussle, R-Ia., a candidate
for governor, as well as his political action committee, the Iowa Priorities
PAC.
The law firm, Holtzman Vogel PLLC of Warrenton, Va., has only two other political clients, according to
Federal Election Commission records - a congressional campaign in Nebraska and the
Republican National Committee. But Maria Comella, a spokeswoman for Nussle,
said there is no connection between the organization and the Nussle campaign,
and aides to Nussle know nothing about the council or its purpose. "We are
not in any way affiliated with it or associated with it," said Comella.
(click here to read the entire article)
Thursday, January 19
Iowa Caucus Results Look Good for Fallon
by
Linda Thieman
on Thu 19 Jan 2006 04:00 AM CST
 Iowa Caucus Results Look Good for Fallon
State Representative and gubernatorial candidate Ed Fallon
(D-Des Moines) announced during a Wednesday afternoon press conference
that he expects to send over 1,300 delegates to county party
conventions on March 4 and 11.
"These
results are very encouraging," Fallon said. "For caucuses, we were able
to have an organizational presence in over 500 precincts, and 408
Iowans came forward to be precinct captains. Rank and file Iowans are
going to be the key to my grassroots campaign, and their passion for
the bread and butter issues like clean elections, fully funded
education, universal health care, and better environmental protection
are what will take this campaign to the next level."
Fallon's
organization covered over 75% of Polk county precincts, but also had a
presence in 68 counties. Over 150 Fallon supporters had contacted the
campaign as of 11:30 Wednesday morning to report their results.
Seventeen of those caucuses reported Fallon had swept their delegates.
"We're
in a really good position to do well at county conventions, if it comes
to that," Fallon said. "I'm also really excited about our new
volunteers. Seventy-one of my precinct captains were former Republicans
and Independents and registered as Democrats for the first time last
night so they could support me at their caucuses. I'm finding more and
more that Iowans from all political ideologies share a lot of passion
and believe in my core message. They're not as interested in partisan
politics as they are in candidates that present a common-sense message.
I would challenge any other candidate to find that level of Republican
and Independent support."
With
campaign disclosure reports due tomorrow, Fallon took the opportunity
to showcase the strengths he says will limit his need for money.
"Other
candidates will certainly raise more money than I have, but none of
them can claim the grassroots structure that I'm building," Fallon
said. "Iowans are not sheep. Rank and file Iowans will follow the
candidate that is the strongest on the issues they care about, not the
candidate with the most money or the biggest endorsements."
Visit Fallon for Governor here.
Monday, January 16
Homelessness on the Rise in Iowa, Families Affected Most
by
Trish Nelson
on Mon 16 Jan 2006 04:00 AM CST
 Homelessness on the Rise in Iowa, Families Affected Most
Iowa Policy Project
Just over 21,000 Iowans were homeless during 2005, an
increase of 2,688 people since 1999. Families with children now make up the
majority of all homeless households in Iowa.
In Polk County, which had the largest homeless population, about 6,000 Iowans
were living in shelters, transitional housing, on the streets or in other
places not designed for human habitation.
Click here to read the Full Report
http://www.iowapolicyproject.org/
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