FALLON CHALLENGES VALUES FUND NUMBERS
As the
Legislature prepares for a special session on September 7, State
Representative Ed Fallon (D-Des Moines) criticized the content of a
recent press release promoting the Iowa Values Fund. Specifically,
Fallon contends that the numbers given for job growth over the past
year grossly misrepresent the available data. In
fact, information readily available from officials at the Iowa
Workforce Development office shows a net loss of 7,000 jobs over the
past 12 months, not a gain of 11,000, as the press release implies.
Calling
the past year “a record year of economic growth,” a press release
mailed from the Governor’s office dated August 24, states: “Together,
we must maintain the economic momentum evident since the Values Fund
was originally proposed. Iowa has enjoyed the best year ever in
economic development with over 11,000 jobs created or retained.”
The
release goes on to say: “After original passage of the Values Fund, 142
companies received assistance. These companies pledged to hire over
7,000 new workers and retain over 4,000 workers.”
Fallon
responded, saying: “If an Iowa high school or college student were to
throw out these kinds of distorted numbers in a term paper, they’d get
a failing grade. To call this past year ‘a record year of economic
growth’ and imply that Iowa is 11,000 jobs richer, when in fact we now
have 7,000 jobs less than we did a year ago, is downright deceptive.”
“Furthermore,
the August 24 press release strongly implies that all 11,000 jobs
created or retained happened because of the Iowa Values Fund,”
continued Fallon. “Yet the Iowa Department of Economic Development’s
own numbers make it clear that 4,000 of these jobs are related to
subsidies from other programs, including Community Economic Betterment
Account (CEBA), Value Added Agricultural Products and Processes
Financial Assistance Program (VAAPFAP), Targeted Small Business Program
(TSB), New Jobs and Income Program (NJIP), Enterprise Zones and many
others.”
“Also,
taxpayers ought to pay close attention to the words ‘created or
retained’,” concluded Fallon. “Understand that Values Fund jobs are
merely ‘promised,’ and while the corporations receiving Values Fund
subsidies may create the promised number of jobs, they also may not.
And with regards to retaining jobs that may or may not have moved out
of state – or out of the country altogether – that is almost impossible
to determine.”
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Thursday, September 2
FALLON CHALLENGES VALUES FUND NUMBERS
by
Linda Thieman
on Thu 02 Sep 2004 05:57 PM CDT
Des Moines Showing Outfoxed and Uncovered September 3 and 4
by
Linda Thieman
on Thu 02 Sep 2004 03:37 PM CDT
Des Moines Showing 'Outfoxed' and 'Uncovered' September 3 & 4
Due to the tremendous success of the free screenings of these two Robert Greenwald films last weekend at the Vaudeville Mews (212 4th ST in downtown Des Moines), the films are going to be shown again this weekend: Friday, Sept. 3 - 'Uncovered' will be shown at 7 pm; 'Outfoxed' at 8:15 pm Saturday, Sept. 4 - 'Uncovered' will be shown at 1 pm; 'Outfoxed' at 3 pm All shows are free. Bring your friends. For more information, contact: Jeff Jensen Vaudeville Mews 971 - 9191 jetjensen@mchsi.com NOTE: The Vaudeville Mews will also be the exclusive venue for the Iowa premier of yet another hard-hitting Robert Greenwald film --"Unconstitutional." TO BE SHOWN ON TUESDAY, SEPT. 14 AT 7 PM. More details later.... 'Outfoxed': A Unique Sleeper Hit Wired.com Robert Greenwald's latest film, 'Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism,' went straight to video. But this documentary, which attacks Fox News' purported fair and balanced reporting, is no summer sleeper. ...Outfoxed has been one of the three most popular DVDs on Amazon.com's best-seller list since July 13, said Kristin Mariani, a company spokeswoman. "It's a real-time barometer," she said, adding that Amazon updates its top-seller lists every hour. "The fact that it has remained in the top three indicates a high level of customer demand." ...The film was produced with the intention that it be available to liberal-oriented groups and their members. (The DVDs cost only $10.) Wes Boyd, MoveOn.org's co-founder, said the progressive political group screened 'Outfoxed' at its house parties to organize supporters to sign petitions asking the Federal Trade Commission to prevent Fox News from using its trademarked slogan, "Fair and Balanced." (more) 'Uncovered': A Strong Case Against the Iraq Invasion Washington Post At a time when political documentaries have become all the rage, Robert Greenwald is emerging as the form's Joyce Carol Oates, pumping out film after film about timely controversies, from the 2000 election ("Unprecedented") to Fox News Channel ("Outfoxed"), and from the Bush administration's run-up to the war in Iraq ("Uncovered: The War on Iraq") to the implications for civil liberties of the Patriot Act (the upcoming "Unconstitutional"). Greenwald's films don't break any formal ground - they're prose, not poetry, hewing to a conventional clips-and-talking-heads format. But they are quick, efficient polemic, the cinematic equivalent of a good op-ed piece. In "Uncovered" - a shorter version of which was shown last year in a series of house parties sponsored by the anti-Bush organizations MoveOn.org and the Center for American Progress - Greenwald marshals dozens of impeccably credentialed witnesses to debunk the case made for going to war. We hear from former CIA, State Department, Pentagon and military officials whose arguments have been given added steam recently by major news institutions, this one among them, admitting that their prewar coverage was insufficiently skeptical. Whether "Uncovered" will change any minds - whether, as Greenwald obviously desires, it will contribute to voting George W. Bush out of office in November - is less than clear in a season when political energy seems increasingly to be directed at showing up at the multiplex, if not the polls. (more)
Bush in Cedar Rapids on September 3rd
by
Linda Thieman
on Thu 02 Sep 2004 11:13 AM CDT
Bush in Cedar Rapids on September 3rd
I mean, really - why do we have to keep fumigating the state? Tell Bush What's on Your Mind ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, George W. Bush is traveling to Cedar Rapids for a Victory 2004 Rally. (Isn't the timing a little off for a Victory Rally? Maybe it's a "Hey, We Finally Got The Election Rigged!" Rally.) Local organizers are encouraging people to make their voices heard outside his event and would like folks who are interested in participating to contact the America Coming Together office, (319) 365-1660 or (319) 573-1548. Organizers will be meeting to head over to the event at 3:30 p.m. at the ACT office, 1117 1st Avenue, SE, Cedar Rapids. Victory 2004 Rally with George W. Bush Noel Ridge Park 5:45 p.m. Friday, September 3 In America, you can still share your views with the pseudo-pResident and the national propaganda outlets traveling with him. Stay safe, stay legal and express your right to speak out.
Watching The Fake News
by
Linda Thieman
on Thu 02 Sep 2004 04:46 AM CDT
Watching The Fake News
By Linda Thieman Somewhere – two or three different places, to be more precise – I read that a large number of Americans get their news from The Daily Show on the cable channel Comedy Central. This is an amazing “factoid” since Comedy Central actually advertises their nightly newscast as “Fake News,” as opposed to Fox News, which pretends they are telling the truth. So, taking my responsibility to Blog for Iowa readers very seriously, I decided to do a little investigation – to go into it with my eyes wide open, as it were – and subject myself to convention coverage from several different media outlets. First, I watched the convention coverage on Headline News. It lasted two minutes and then switched to something even more gory and disgusting, so I turned it off. I considered watching further coverage on another network, to really get the lay of the land and give my investigation a fair shake, but decided to have some cheese and crackers instead. Then, I watched The Daily Show for a full ten minutes. Hands down, the coverage on Comedy Central far surpassed that of all the other channels... I mean, that one other channel I watched. Here are some of the highlights from the first night’s convention coverage, called “Indecision 2004,” on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Jon Stewart, Anchor: What did you make of [Monday night’s] focus on September 11th? Stephen Colbert, Senior Convention Analyst: Well, remember, Jon, 9/11 and its aftermath bring to mind a time of unprecedented national unity when, from the crucible of an unthinkable national tragedy, there arose a steely patriotism transcending ideology and partisanship. That stuff kills in the swing states. Those NASCAR dads suck it down in a feeding tube. Stewart: So, you had no problem with it. Colbert: Jon, I found it “crass-tastic.” The message was delivered by Republicans’ most popular figures, John McCain and Rudolph Giuliani, two men of bravery and leadership, qualities the pResident would very much like associated with him. Stewart: Well, Stephen, let me ask you this. What is [Tuesday night’s] theme? Colbert: [Tuesday night], Jon, they took [Monday night’s] theme, a Bush victory would bring closure to the 9/11 families, and built on it with a theme of compassion. We heard from widows, orphans, the enfeebled, the limbless – all raising their voice in support of the pResident, whose compassion, like the Olympics, triumphantly springs forth every four years. You see, it all goes with the overall theme of this convention: a time for unmitigated gall. Stewart: But Stephen, to be perfectly fair, aren’t all political conventions manipulative? Colbert: No, Jon, to call this convention “manipulative” is to call Marcel Marceau “a little quiet.” These people are artists, operating at the peak of their abilities. For example, take Thursday night’s theme: f--- you, what are you going to do about it? |
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