| August 2005 |
| Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
Tuesday, August 30
First DFA/Democracy for Iowa Statewide Meeting September 10
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 30 Aug 2005 04:00 AM CDT
 First DFA/Democracy for Iowa Statewide Meeting September 10
by Dennis Roseman, Iowa City DFA Organizer
Preliminary Agenda for a Statewide Meeting of Democracy for Iowa
September 10
Iowa Room, Iowa Memorial Union
Iowa City Iowa
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
This will be the first such statewide DFA meeting for Iowa. At this meeting we will:
- Have direct communication between DFIA grassroots and national leaders of DFA
- Provide opportunity for members of local groups to meet each other and share ideas
- Plan specific coordinated actions for the next several months
- Develop communications for sharing practices, coordinating campaigns, and working on issues
- Decide what goals and state-wide structure DFIA will have
There is a $15 registration fee
(includes lunch)
For further information contact Dennis Roseman
roseman@math.uiowa.edu
(319)-337-4925
TOPICS
Focus on actions: Focus on Iowa
In relation to the general goals of DFA, what are the issues, problems and opportunities that we have that are unique to our state? What are the primary goals of DFIA?
What DFIA actions should we take in the next three months beyond those implicit in the general goals of all DFA groups?
What State and local issues might we focus on? How can we use our (probable) first caucus status to promote DFA values?
How do we implement the DFA plans?
Candidate endorsement process, when and how?
Getting referenda on the ballot.
DFA membership expansion.
Media and communications - tools and techniques.
Working with the Democratic party, unions, and other progressive groups.
What state-wide organization/coordination should we have?
Preliminary Agenda
Note: We
hope to get one more Iowa speaker for the Morning Session. If so,
times and lengths of presentations will have to be adjusted. We
should know in a few days.
9:00 - 9:30 Registration and coffee
9:30 - 9:50 Welcome and Introductions of groups and individuals by Dennis Roseman (Iowa City DFA Organizer)
9:50 - 10:35 Keynote Address by Jim Dean, Chair DFA
10:35 - 10:50 Recap of 2005 activities from each local DFA group
10:50 - 11:10 DFA's Field Plan by Chris Warshaw, Field/Political Director DFA
11:10 - 11:20 Break
11:20 -
12:00 Open Discussion and Roundtable with local candidates: David
Loebsack, Candidate for Congress in the 2nd District and others TBD
12:00 -
1:00 Lunch and Keynote Speech by Sarah Swisher, Second Vice-Chair Iowa
Democratic Party, Secretary and Political Director SEIU Local 199,
Chair Johnson County Democrats
Lunch - included with the ($15) registration
1:00 - 1:30 Facilitated Discussion to determine the top 3-4 goals for DFA in Iowa
1:45 - 2:30 Breakout sessions on each goal to determine action plan
2:30 - 3:00 Develop consensus on action plans and next steps
3:00 - 3:30 Overview of Day and Next Steps
Our thanks to Dennis Roseman for putting this event together.
Sunday, August 28
IOWA'S NEW BOHEMIA SOLAR PROJECT
by
Molly Regan
on Sun 28 Aug 2005 11:00 AM CDT
 Iowa's New Bohemia Solar Project
by Cliff Day
A group of enthusiastic volunteers recently completed installation of
the LARGEST PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAY EVER CONSTRUCTED IN IOWA (7,200 Watt) in
the New Bohemia neighborhood of Cedar Rapids (3rd Street and 10th
Avenue SE). This project was made possible by collaboration between the
Iowa Renewable Energy Association (I-RENEW), Alliant Energy, The City
of Cedar Rapids, the Thorland Company, Plan B, and the Iowa Department
of Natural Resources. Funding was provided by the U.S. Department of
Energy. This new photovoltaic array will provide power to Alliant
Energy's Second Nature renewable energy program customers and serve as
an educational resource on renewable energy for the community.
The New Bohemia Solar Project in Cedar Rapids. (Look at the
chem trails criss-crossing the sky in the background!)
The New Bohemia Solar Project was completed under the technical
guidance of Dennis Pottratz of Go Solar. Mr. Pottratz is one of Iowa's
foremost experts on installation of solar and wind energy equipment.
The project manager is Rich Dana of Plan B. Mr. Dana is a renewable
energy consultant who is currently serving as the Iowa renewable energy
outreach coordinator for the Union of Concerned Scientists. The project
was organized as two three-day workshops that provided the volunteers
both classroom instruction on photovoltaic design and actual hands-on
installation experience. For more information on the project, you may
contact Mr. Dana at: (319) 530-6051 or by e-mail at rich@gotoplanb.net.
The project will be formally dedicated on Friday, September 9, by Peter
Dreyfuss, Director of the Chicago Region of the U.S. Department of
Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency andRenewable Energy. On
Saturday, September 10, Mr. Dreyfus will be keynote speaker at
I-RENEW's Energy Expo 2005 at the Prairiewoods Franciscan Center in
Hiawatha, Iowa just north of Cedar Rapids. Mr. Pottratz will also be hosting introductory
photovoltaic workshops at Energy Expo 2005.
The following links provide more information on the New Bohemia Solar Project and Energy Expo 2005:
Plan B (Rich Dana): http://www.gotoplanb.net/
New Bohemia Solar Project photos: http://www.gotoplanb.net/solarpix/
Go Solar (Dennis Pottratz): gosolar@oneota.net
I-RENEW: http://www.irenew.org
I-RENEW Energy Expo 2005 Speakers and Workshops (Sep 10 & 11): http://www.irenew.org/expo.html
Monday, August 22
LOUISE HARRISON COMES BACK TO IOWA
by
Molly Regan
on Mon 22 Aug 2005 07:08 AM CDT
 LOUISE HARRISON COMES BACK TO IOWA
Ten days ago LOUISE HARRISON, sister of GEORGE HARRISON (above), one of THE
BEATLES, was back in Scott County. She is manager of a great
group called LIVERPOOL LEDGENDS. These 4 young men look, dress,
and SOUND like The Beatles.
Ms. Harrison helps bring their sound and her brother George's message of tolerance and peace to others. She is a gracious, soft
spoken woman with stories of George's evolution from being a 20 year
old who was tossed into near-instant fame to the peace-loving man of
later years.
I first met Louise during the recent presidential
campaign. She was an avid Dean supporter and came to Davenport on a
cold Sunday in January, 2004, to hear GOVERNOR HOWARD DEAN
speak at West High
School. (The photo on the right was taken of Louise (right) and
me on August 12, 2005, at Kernan's Restaurant in Princeton, Iowa.)
In 1992, Louise created a non-profit environmental organization called
DROP IN (as opposed to the "drop out" suggestions of the 1970's era).
Lou made 170 GOOD EARTH-KEEPING TIPS. These public service
announcements were heard around the country on nearly 9,200 radio
stations. Someone here locally is looking into obtaining
the use of them on radio again. Would be a great thing if it
happens.
For more information on the Liverpool Legends go to
www.liverpoollegends.com They will be coming back to Davenport
Saturday, October 29th, at the Col Ballroom on 4th Street. Come
see and experience them. It will be Halloween weekend, so dress
up.
That is the day before the next QC Progressive Action for the Common
Good (PAGC) Summit II at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL.
Our speaker for the Sunday, October 30th, event will be (one of my
favorite people) DAVID OSTERBERG. David is the founder of the
IOWA POLICY PROJECT. Plan to come to the Quad Cities for both
events. Will be great fun.
Don't forget…CPR: CONSERVE/PARTICIPATE/RECYCLE
Thursday, August 18
Peace Vigil Gets Wide News Coverage; Spin Goes Against Bush
by
Linda Thieman
on Thu 18 Aug 2005 04:00 AM CDT
 Peace Vigil Gets Wide News Coverage; Spin Goes Against Bush
The Iowa Channel almost spins it correctly, calling Cindy Sheehan "Peace Mom." That's a far cry better than other media who have been smearing her this past week.
Anti-War Vigils Held In Support Of Peace Mom
According to The Daily Iowan, Iowa City saw 150 peaceful protestors.
Locals Rally to Back Sheehan
From the Quad-City Times, the added local slant about QC resident Caryn Unsicker, who traveled to Crawford to join Cindy.
From the Heart
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel covers it locally.
Hundreds Join Vigil for Peace
National
news actually covers the story. Looks like Cindy is striking such a
nerve with middle America that the spin is turning against the
cold-hearted Bush.
The San Francisco Chronicle spins it Cindy's way.
She reopened debate about war, and, boy, is she hearing about it
In the
Minneapolis Star Tribune, David Sarasohn says that last week, Cindy was
a California mother. This week, she's a movement. Wonder
if ignoring Cindy really looks like the best tactic now? [The link
below seems to only work occasionally - sorry about that.]
David Sarasohn: Staying away from a mother and a question
If you
choose to read just one story, I recommend a great piece, very
reflective, in the Washington Post by columnist Peter Beinert. See the excerpt below.
Why has Cindy Sheehan - the bereaved mother camped outside [Bush's] Crawford ranch - transfixed the nation?
...Sheehan's
vigil says ... something
important about [Bush]. Sheehan, after all, has only one
demand: She wants to confront [Bush] face to face. The demand is
so provocative because one of George W. Bush's defining qualities is
his aversion to exactly this sort of challenge.
...[H]e
dislikes being challenged by his political competitors - as the
country learned during last year's first presidential debate, when Bush
repeatedly scowled during John Kerry's answers. In fact, Bush aides
were so scrupulous in shielding him from criticism during the campaign
that they routinely expelled people wearing Kerry paraphernalia from
ostensibly public rallies.
...When
Cindy Sheehan first met with Bush, and tried to discuss her slain son,
she encountered this self-protective filter firsthand. "He didn't want
to hear anything about Casey," she told CNN. "He wouldn't even call him
'him' or 'he.' He called him 'your loved one.' Every time we tried to
talk about Casey and how much we missed him, he would change the
subject."
Wednesday, August 17
Tonight, Vigils for Cindy Sheehan Across Iowa
by
Linda Thieman
on Wed 17 Aug 2005 04:00 AM CDT
 Tonight, Vigils for Cindy Sheehan Across Iowa
It's a coming together of three of the biggest and most active progressive groups in the country. Democracy for America, MoveOn.org, and TrueMajority are teaming up to sponsor/organize tonight's Vigils for Cindy Sheehan.
The vigils for Cindy Sheehan will be simple and dignified. Folks will gather tonight at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, August 17,
and stand in a circle, silently, for 45 minutes or so, holding candles.
The point is to acknowledge the sacrifices made by Cindy Sheehan, her
son, Casey, and the more than 1,800 American men and women who
have lost their lives in Iraq.
At last count, it looks like Iowans will be holding vigils in the following towns:
Ames,
Burlington, Carroll, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Decorah, Des
Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Marshalltown, and West Des Moines.
Click here to find the location closest to you.
Tuesday, August 9
Iowa State Fair: JOIN ICAN AS A VOLUNTEER IN THE “IOWANS FOR SUSTAINABLE FAMILY FARMS” BOOTH
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 09 Aug 2005 05:11 AM CDT
 Iowa State Fair: JOIN ICAN AS A VOLUNTEER IN THE “IOWANS FOR SUSTAINABLE FAMILY FARMS” BOOTH
Spend a day at the Iowa State Fair, volunteer for 3 hours in the agriculture building, and get your admission paid for by ICAN.
Six
organizations will collectively present fair goers with a sustainable
vision of what rural Iowa can be. These six include Iowa Citizen
Action Network, Iowa Farmers Union, National Catholic Rural Life
Conference, League of Rural Voters, Women Food and Agriculture Network,
and Iowa Network for Community Agriculture. Our organizations
work together throughout the year, so it makes sense for us to join
forces during the 10 days of the Iowa State Fair, August 11-21.
ICAN
will be providing fairgoers with the opportunity to send elected
leaders Social Security and Medicaid birthday cards. Social
Security turns 70 this year and Medicaid turns 40. These two
programs are vitally important to a sustainable rural Iowa.
Please contact Matt Russell 515-277-5077 ext. 15 or mrussell@iowacan.org as soon as possible. Available times to volunteer are quickly being filled by all six organizations.
Have a
corn dog, see the Butter Cow, rub elbows with your fellow Iowans from
across the state, and know that you helped make Iowa a better place for
you and your family by volunteering with ICAN at the Fair.
Matt Russell, Organizer
Iowa Citizen Action Network
515-277-5077 ext. 15
MRussell@IowaCAN.org
www.iowacan.org
Sunday, August 7
Second Suit Filed Against Iowa City Over Wal-Mart
by
Trish Nelson
on Sun 07 Aug 2005 04:00 AM CDT
 Second Suit Filed Against Iowa City Over Wal-Mart Supercenter
Cedar Rapids Gazette
By Frank Gluck
IOWA CITY — Opponents of a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter in Iowa City
filed a second lawsuit against the city Thursday, this time calling the
City Council’s land rezoning for the retail giant ‘‘illegal’’ and ‘‘an
abuse of discretion.’’
The [plaintiffs] sued the Iowa City Board of Adjustment last week for
its June 8 approval of a special exception for a drive-through pharmacy
and gas station that would be included with the Supercenter.
In this latest lawsuit, they argue that the council had a
responsibility to protect the community from the likes of Wal-Mart. The
company offers low wages and benefits, buys its merchandise
predominantly from China and works to kill off local businesses,
according to its critics.
The rezoning itself was also improper because the city, which applied
for that rezoning, had a vested financial interest in its passage, the
lawsuit argues.
The Iowa City City Attorney’s Office declined comment Thursday.
(click here to read the entire story)
_________________
You can help stop media bias right here in the Hawkeye state!
 Click here to receive action alerts from
Saturday, August 6
The Iowa Second District Democratic Workshop - August 13, 2005
by
Trish Nelson
on Sat 06 Aug 2005 11:00 AM CDT
 The Iowa Second District Democratic Workshop - Saturday, August 13th
IDP2nd.Org
The Iowa Second District Democratic Workshop will be on Saturday, August 13, 2005 in West
Liberty, Iowa, at the West
Liberty Community Center.
The program starts just before 11 AM,
to allow sufficient travel time, and concludes with a reception.
District 2 will have two major elections in
2006 - one for Governor and one for Congress.
Not only do we have great candidates for these races, we have the
opportunity to possibly have the only chance to meet, hear, and compare all the
candidates in one place and time at a dinner to be held at the same location as
this workshop.
The workshop and dinner combined present a full day of the gamut
of Iowa Democratic politics, both
educational and fun. I hope you join us
by sending in your reservations to DJ Arnold at 1483
Council Street NE, Cedar Rapids IA
52402 or e-mail it to webmaster@idp2nd.org. If you have any questions, contact Second District Chair Al Bohanan at
319.643.5600 or go to IDP2ND.org.
Workshop Agenda:
• 10:00 a.m.
REGISTRATION
• 10:45 a.m.
WELCOME : by Alan Bohanan, Second District Chair
• 11:00 a.m.
SHOWING OF DVD : Framing the Issues : by George Lakoff “How Democrats and Progressives Can Win” with commentary to
follow
• 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. WORKING
LUNCHEON : (Muscatine County
Democrats) Local Resource Presentations, IPP, DAWN, RAPID RESPONSE,
DFA, PDA
T R A C K 1 Money
1:00-2:20
Raising funds
- Events, party
building, fundraiser planning. Concepts and traps, effective techniques, and
nontraditional activities.
- Sponsors and heavy
hitters, e.g. two-tiered activities.
- Framing Issues to Win the Language Gap
2:40 – 4:00
Fundraising and Budgeting
- How to make
effective connections between campaign goals, budget requirements, and
fundraising targets.
By Jason and Melanie Friedman, Johnson
County
T R A C K 2 Outreach
1:00-2:20
- More discussion on
the ideas of George Lakoff.
By David Helman, Henry County Chair, Dick Stater, Linn
County Chair, and Harvey Ross, Linn County
2:40 – 4:00
Voter Activation Network (VAN)
- Using the VAN to
determine whom to target, particularly the non-energized voter.
By Sandy Dockendorff, Des Moines
County
T R A C K 3 Candidates
1:00-2:20
Recruiting
- Finding candidates
using grass-roots exploration.
By Jeff Fields and James Moody, Johnson
County
2:40 – 4:00
Scheduling/Time Management
- Fundraising (how to
ask)
- Volunteer
recruitment
- Targeting
- Becoming a targeted
campaign
- Mistakes to avoid
-
Reporting/Disclosure
- Message formation
• 4:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m. CLOSING : Q & A FORUM. All Presenters.
• 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. RECEPTION:
Second District Dem’s Social Hour
• 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. BUFFET DINNER : (Served by Cedar
County Dems)
• 7:15 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. INTRODUCTION OF OFFICIALS & CANDIDATES PRESENT
• 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. MEET THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF IOWA
Secretary of State – Chet Culver
Secretary of Agriculture – Patty Judge
Senator Mike Gronstal
Representative
Ed Fallon
Former Congressman Michael Blouin
Sal Mohamed
idp2nd.org/
|
|
