Establishing our Progressive Iowa Network (PIN) – Mark the Date!

On Saturday, June 9th, progressive leaders, activists and legislators from across the state will converge on Iowa City for our first 2007 Democracy for Iowa Organizing Summit.  We are still working out the details on the venue (forthcoming) but we will be meeting from 9am to 3pm (the last hour will be reserved for DFA-IA members to discuss administrative business so it will not be necessary for everyone to stay for that segment).

The purpose of this gathering is to establish the Progressive Iowa Network (PIN). This network will serve to better unite progressive organizations, legislators, and leaders across the state so we can support each other’s efforts around progressive issues in Iowa.

Currently, we have an unprecedented opportunity to get progressive legislation passed in our state. However, in order to achieve legislative victories on the issues that we care about, we must establish an effective framework that allows us to better organize our efforts, clarify our message, mobilize our base, educate the public and influence our state officials.

We have identified the following 5 issues as requiring urgent action:

1. VOICE (Voter-Owned Iowa Clean Elections)
2. CAFO regulations / Farm Bill
3. Fair Share
4. Healthcare
5. Media

Please note: we want ALL progressive organizations to attend this meeting and become part of this network even if we may not be focusing on your specific issues at this time.

The Summit Agenda will cover the following:

I. Why is PIN important?

The first part of this summit will discuss why PIN is important. Groups/Individuals will be asked to introduce themselves and identify their main areas and issues of focus:

• Policy/Research
• Lobbying
• Media/Public Relations (including bloggers)
• Grassroots Organizing

This will NOT be an informational meeting about the issues, but rather a strategy session on how we can support each other moving forward.

II. Update & Evaluation of the recent Iowa Legislative Session

• What went well?
• What would we do differently?

III. Break-Out Sessions by Issue

• Strategize with other progressives around the state that are working on the same issue.
• What kind of help do you need from other organizations/leaders who may not be directly involved in your issue.

Lunch

IV. Report back to larger group identifying specific needs

• What do you need from PIN?

We will not have time to hear specific plans but rather will want to hear your list of needs on how other organizations/leaders can help you make progress around your issue.

V. Where does PIN go from here?

We will discuss logistics, network structure and set a date and time for our next meeting(s).

VI. DFA-Iowa Administrative Planning Session (for DFA-IA members)

This last segment will be for DFA-IA members to discuss by-laws, how we can better support Blog for Iowa, and other administrative details.

Outreach around this summit has been underway for awhile -- many progressive organizations/individuals in Iowa have already been notified. However, if you have not yet heard from us directly, please email Caroline Vernon ASAP: carolina1961@gmail.com. We need every progressive organization, leader and legislator in Iowa to participate in order to achieve maximum effectiveness as a network.

ICCI Voter Owned Lobby Day in Des Moines

By Caroline Vernon

Progressive Action for the Common Good (PACG) has reserved a passenger van to transport Quad City activists to Des Moines next Monday, January 29th. We will be joining other progressive activists across Iowa in order to lobby our state legislators on the importance of clean elections and public financing of campaigns. Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (ICCI) is the main organizer of this event and has already laid a lot of groundwork around this issue. This is a price-less (pun intended) opportunity to make a difference in the fight to reclaim our democracy.

We will leave from the NE corner of the Northpark Mall parking lot (near Sears) at 8:00am. This van seats 12. We have 6 open seats available and will be stopping at the Perkins restaturant in Iowa City to pick up a couple more folks so if you live in the QC area or in Iowa City and would like to join us, please contact Caroline ASAP to reserve a seat: 563-676-7580, carolina1961@gmail.com. Others from the QC area will also be carpooling to Des Moines.

Please wear a green shirt (representing money) and if possible, bring a dozen or more home-made cookies along. Currently, lobbyists are allowed to spend a maximum of $2.99 on each legislator so we would like to bring home-made cookies to share, to represent home-made elections. If you are willing to contribute goodies for the cause please let me know. If you are unable to attend, but would be willing to bake some cookies, that would be terrific! Finally, to help defray some of the cost of renting the bus, we are asking for a $10 donation from each participant.

CCI is expecting an estimated turnout of close to 150 activists from around the state. I am hopeful that we can fill the remaining seats in the van. We expect to have a bill number to lobby around by next week.

Iowans shouldn't have to wonder.

Tell your legislators to support Voter Owned Iowa Clean Elections!

The Clean Elections Act will help restore fairness to our elections by allowing everyday Iowans the opportunity to run for office, regardless of how much money they can access.  Voters won't have to wonder if large contributors are gaining unbalanced access to OUR representatives.

The Clean Elections Act would provide a limited amount of public financing for candidates who:

Pledge to not raise any private money for their campaigns.
Pledge to not use any of their own money for their campaigns.
Collect a set number of signatures and $5 contributions from within their own district to prove they are viable.

It Can Work!
Maine and Arizona have been effectively using the system for four election cycles and the results have been good for democracy.
More people are running for office.
More people are turning out to vote.
Candidates report spending more time talking to voters.
9 of 11 statewide officeholders in Arizona, including the Governor and Attorney General, have been elected without taking money from PACs and big money contributors, spending only a fraction of what is used in conventional races like Iowa's.


We Need it Now!
Voter-Owned Elections help ensure a healthy democracy by:

Freeing candidates from the money chase and allowing them to spend all their campaign time talking with voters.

Creating a fair playing field by reducing the need to raise large amounts of money to win.

Giving more Iowans the chance to run for office – regardless of their access to big money or their willingness to accept PAC contributions.

Creating a system where Iowans won't have to wonder if big contributions are influencing votes at the capitol with their campaign contributions.

The Clean Elections Act = Voter Owned Iowa Clean Elections

Background:

A Clean Elections Act would create voluntary public financing for state elections.  Candidates would qualify for public funding if they vowed to raise no private money, vowed to not use any of their own money, and collected a set number of signatures and $5 contributions from within their district.

In a contested general election, eligible candidates who chose to use the system would receive:

$3 million for a team running for governor and lieutenant governor.
$200,000 for a candidate for attorney general.
$125,000 for a candidate for a statewide office other than governor, lieutenant governor, or attorney general.
$40,000 for a candidate for the Iowa senate.
$30,000 for a candidate for the Iowa house or representatives.

Summary:

Voter Owned Iowa Clean Elections is a system that would free candidates from the money chase and allow them to spend more time with voters and constituents.  The same system has been used in Maine and Arizona for four full election cycles and has proven to be an effective way of reducing the influence of big money on elections.  6 of 8 statewide office holders in Arizona were elected without using any special interest money.  Voter turnout has increased by over 20%.  The number of people running for office has increased. And in the Nov 2006 Election, Governor Janet Napolitano won re-election, combining with her challenger to spend only $2 million, compared to the combined $18 million spent by candidates in the Iowa gubernatorial race.

A Clean Elections Act will allow every day Iowans to run for office without having to worry about raising large amounts of money.  Phase I of CCI's "Money and Elections in Iowa" study shows that the majority of money given to candidates is coming from PACs.  Challengers are at a huge disadvantage, needing to raise $65,000 to be competitive in a race for the house and $100,000 to be competitive for the senate. And as campaign spending has gotten out of control, campaigns have gone south. The Clean Elections Act would limit unnecessary spending by placing contribution limits on donors. The Clean Elections Act would also require Media outlets to file reports outlining who is paying for political advertisements, curbing the explosion of negative advertising.

For the cost of $5 per voter, Iowans could know for certain that their elected officials are working to address the needs of all Iowans, and not have to wonder about where all the money comes from. For around $10 million a year, our state elected officials would have the chance to focus on ideas and meeting their constituents, not chasing down the combined $32 million spent in the Nov. 2006 elections. Tell your legislator today: "Iowans want Voter Owned Clean Elections!"

Voting Raises Concerns Before Election Day

By Iowans for Voting Integrity

Dear Iowa Voter,

Reports from early voting in Texas and Florida remind us of why we are so concerned about unaccountable, paperless voting machines.

Please call 1-866-OURVOTE (http://ourvote.org) on election day to report voting machine problems or abusive challenges to voter eligibility. Iowans for Voting Integrity will be sending you more information about how you can help protect the integrity of the 2006 election. Now a couple of reports from early voting...

From Jefferson County, TX:

"Friday night, KFDM reported about people who had cast straight Democratic ticket ballots, but the touch-screen machines indicated they had voted a straight Republican ticket.

Stopher said, "There's something in these machines, in this equipment, that's showing Republican votes when you vote for Democrats, and I know Ms. Guidry's a nice lady, and she's working hard, but her theory that my fingernail was somehow over the Republican button is just unrealistic, my fingernail was not. The equipment is not working properly as far as I can tell." "

From Broward County, Florida:

"Several South Florida voters say the choices they touched on the electronic screens were not the ones that appeared on the review screen -- the final voting step.

Election officials say they aren't aware of any serious voting issues. But in Broward County, for example, they don't know how widespread the machine problems are because there's no process for poll workers to quickly report minor issues and no central database of machine problems."

Mauricio Raponi wanted to vote for Democrats across the board at the Lemon City Library in Miami on Thursday. But each time he hit the button next to the candidate, the Republican choice showed up. Raponi, 53, persevered until the machine worked. Then he alerted a poll worker."

Regards,
Iowans for Voting Integrity
"Working for voting systems worthy of the public trust"