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Friday, June 11
Meet Mike Owen, Democratic Candidate for Iowa State Representative, District 79
by
Linda Thieman
on Fri 11 Jun 2004 04:13 PM CDT
Meet Mike Owen
Democratic Candidate
Iowa House District 79
Cedar, Johnson, Muscatine Counties
Greetings, Democracy for Iowa Members,
My name
is Mike Owen, and I am a native Iowan. Eleven years ago, my wife, Deb,
and I returned home to Iowa to run a small business and raise our
family. I know our state can offer our children a great place to see
their future and pursue their dreams. I also have an appreciation for
elected officials who will deal with the facts and their constituents
honestly, because that gives us a chance to produce sound policy for
our state.
As a
candidate for state representative in Iowa House District 79, I bring
that foundation of confidence and hope. Over two decades in journalism
have shown me how government can work at every level, and how it should
work. The current Iowa Legislature does not measure up. After 12 years
of control, the leadership in the current Republican majority is so
driven by arrogance and partisanship that it will not listen to anyone
outside its closed-minded circle. We need a change, and this race
offers the best opportunity for that change for residents of our
district.
Iowans
want a voice in their Legislature, and they deserve it. Two years ago,
we called for an Iowa Legislature that would focus squarely on an
agenda for good schools, good jobs and attention to our seniors'
needs. We didn't get it, and that's why we're back in 2004.
Our
children need tools and opportunities to succeed here, in Iowa, and
that begins with reversing legislative indifference to the pursuit of
excellence in our public schools, colleges and universities. We will
put protection of household budgets ahead of the corporate giveaways
and tax cuts for the rich that have undermined critical public services
at both the state and local level. We will reach across the aisle to
achieve this, and I will push that effort. Iowans need to see we won't
allow partisan bickering to stand in the way of progress on the issues
that hold the key to our future. We must restore confidence among our
friends and neighbors that we all can make a difference.
This is
our call for a New Iowa Statesmanship in Iowa. It is a call to the best
in us. It is a call for stewardship that honors the legacy of our
ancestors, and prepares our state for our children. It is a call for
access to our government for everyone, not as spectators, but as
participants. Our Legislature should offer a place for that to happen.
Let's turn the concept of grass-roots campaigns into grass-roots
government - open-door, open-minded and even-handed government.
Please, be in touch! And join us!
Mike Owen
Democratic Candidate for State Representative
District 79 - Cedar, Johnson, Muscatine counties
Call Mike at 319-643-5714, or send an e-mail to owen4iowans@Lcom.net.
Mike Owen has been chosen as one of Citizen Whip's Top Ten
- those most likely to win this fall, with proper funding, and help
take back control of the Iowa Legislature. To read more about
Mike Owen or to contribute to his campaign online through Citizen Whip,
go here.
Howard Dean: A Problem We Must Not Ignore
by
Linda Thieman
on Fri 11 Jun 2004 01:38 PM CDT
Howard Dean: A Problem We Must Not Ignore
Here is an excerpt from Gov. Dean's syndicated column for this week:
There
are over 43 million Americans who do not have health insurance and the
problem is getting worse. Put another way, you could sell out every
single game at Yankee Stadium for the next five seasons with only
uninsured Americans in attendance.
In the
richest, most advanced country in the world, we have to do better. It's
simply wrong for sick children to go without seeing a doctor because
their parents cannot afford it. It is wrong for a woman to find out she
has late-stage breast cancer, because she couldn't afford a mammogram.
It is wrong for seniors to have to choose between prescriptions they
need and putting food on the table. Above all, it is wrong for America
to be the only industrialized country in the world that does not
guarantee in one way or another, that all Americans can afford adequate
healthcare.
(more)
Global Warming: Please Sign This Petition
by
Linda Thieman
on Fri 11 Jun 2004 08:26 AM CDT
Global Warming:
Please Sign This Petition
When the
new disaster movie, "The Day After Tomorrow", opened two weeks ago,
over 8,000 environmental activists were outside theaters in 622 cities,
talking to moviegoers about the real danger of a climate crisis.
The
Senate will soon consider a bill sponsored by Senators John McCain and
Joe Lieberman that would commit the United States to taking concrete
actions to reduce global warming. You can help by signing MoveOn.org's
petition supporting the McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act, at:
http://www.moveon.org/climatecrisis/
The
Senate is expected to vote on this bill within the next two weeks, and
your Senators need to hear that you care. The MoveOn.org petition
carries a powerful message to the Bush regime and members of Congress
-- that we can't wait any longer to take action.
Here are some favorite moments from activists who passed out information about global warming outside the movie theaters:
"A mom
walking out with her teenage daughter and just lighting up when I
handed her the flyer, turning to her daughter and saying, 'See, we can
do something about this.'"
"When a 20-something said 'I didn't think anyone your age would care anymore' (I'm 60)."
"When we
all began to arrive and there were so many of us and we could connect
from the heart about our concern for our world and the comfort that
came from the sense of belonging to a kind of community!"
"When a
theater security guard went in and explained to theater management that
we were not only promoting the movie, we were trying to save the
world!"
Four years ago,
candidate Bush promised to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Once he
stole office, he broke that promise, consistently siding with his
campaign contributors from the energy and automobile industries to
block new policies that would help prevent a climate crisis.
Scientists
are now telling us that the earth is heating up faster than at any time
in its history. Now is the time for our leaders to act, before it's too
late.
Please sign the petition today, and please ask your friends to sign as well, at:
http://www.moveon.org/climatecrisis/
Thanks for your help.
And don't forget the Davenport
Global Warming Discussion
This Sunday!
Sunday, June 13th: Global Warming Discussion.
The discussion will be held from 3-5pm at the Unitarian Church in
Davenport, 3707 Eastern Ave. The guest speaker will be Dr. Laura
Hechtel, a biology instructor from Rivermont Collegiate in Bettendorf.
This will hopefully open a much needed discussion about this world-wide
problem and how each one of us contributes to it. The discussion is
sponsored by DFIA Environmentalist Molly Regan's environmental group,
IECAN (Independent Environmental Conservation & Activism Network),
QC Action and Democracy for Iowa (that's us!). Please contact
Molly at IOWAvolunteer@mchsi.com for further information.
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