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View Article  Paper Ballots are Best
Paper Ballots are Best


By Sean Flaherty, IVI


Iowa legislators are taking steps to make paper ballots the statewide standard for our elections.  We need your help to keep the momentum going. A sample letter is at the end of this alert.

Touchscreen voting machines are now the primary method of voting in 18 counties and are in partial use in 60 counties. Senate Study Bill 1104 and House Study Bill 178 would gradually replace touchscreen voting machines with paper ballots for all voters. Voters with disabilities could use a touchscreen device to help mark a ballot, but the new touchscreen would not record or tabulate votes.

The current touchscreens, which do record and tabulate the votes, have been prone to vote-flipping, and are associated with the still-unexplained loss of 18,000 votes in a Florida election last year.

Before the new equipment is phased in, the vote-recording touchscreens would still be used and would have paper printers added that offer the voters a chance to check their votes.

We need to skip this interim step.  The paper printers use flimsy, thermal paper, have all the votes on a continuous paper roll, are prone to printer jams, and are at best cumbersome to recount by hand. What's more, new federal legislation could ban the flimsy paper printers.

Legislators are aware of these flaws, which is why SSB 1104 and HSB 178 phase out the vote-recording touchscreens altogether and would replace them with ballot-marking devices for voters with disabilities. Note: the amended text of these bills is not yet online at the General Assembly web site. Click here to see the amendment from which the legislators are now working.

Legislators in both parties would prefer to switch out the touchscreens now. The issue is cost. To replace the touchscreens with paper ballot systems now could cost as much as $8-10 million.  Adding the very inadequate paper trail printers would cost over $1 million.  So they are leaning toward the cheaper option for the short run, and slowly phasing in the real solution.  We believe that when the state has a budget surplus in the hundreds of millions of dollars, $8-10 million is a good value for reliable voting systems.

That's where you can help. Contact your legislator, members of the House and Senate State Government Committees, and Governor Culver. Tell them that  investing now in paper ballots is the wisest choice for Iowa.  Urge them to provide full funding to phase out touchscreen voting.

A sample letter and contact information for key legislators and the Governor are below.

Thank you for helping Iowa move toward verified voting!

Best regards,
Sean Flaherty
Co-Chair, Iowans for Voting Integrity
www.IowansForVotingIntegrity.org

Sample Letter for Legislators and the Governor:

Dear [Representative/Senator/Governor Culver]

It is time for Iowa to make voter-marked paper ballots the standard for our elections. Paper ballots are inherently verified by the voter, and in the event of a recount, offer the strongest evidence of the voter's intent.  Continuous vote reels and flimsy paper are not a solution to the problem of unverifiable, paperless voting machines.

Voting systems worthy of public confidence are always a wise investment for the state, but when Iowa enjoys the financial health it does today, spending a small portion of our budget surplus to purchase the best equipment is not a difficult choice. I urge you to support full funding to replace the current generation of direct-recording electronic voting machines with ballot-marking devices for voters with disabilities. Thank you for attending to the machinery of democracy.


Sincerely,


CONTACT INFORMATION

Governor Culver:

Phone:  515-281-5211
E-mail form: http://www.governor.iowa.gov/administration/contact/

Find Your Legislator:
http://www.legis.state.ia.us/FindLeg/

Target Legislators:

Phone:

Senate Switchboard: (515) 281-3371
House Switchboard: (515) 281-3221

E-mail:

Senate President Jack Kibbie
john.kibbie@legis.state.ia.us

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal
michael.gronstal@legis.state.ia.us

Senate Minority Leader Mary Lundby
mary.lundby@legis.state.ia.us

House Speaker Pat Murphy
Pat.Murphy@legis.state.ia.us

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy
Kevin.McCarthy@legis.state.ia.us

House Minority Leader Christopher Rants
Christopher.Rants@legis.state.ia.us

Senator Mike Connolly, Chair, Senate State Government Committee
mike.connolly@legis.state.ia.us

Senator Mark Zieman, Ranking Member, Senate State Government Committee
mark.zieman@legis.state.ia.us

Senator Jeff Danielson, Member, Senate State Government Committee
jeff.danielson@legis.state.ia.us

Representative Pam Jochum, Chair, House State Government Committee
Pam.Jochum@legis.state.ia.us

Representative Carmine Boal, Ranking Member, House State Government Committee.
Carmine.Boal@legis.state.ia.us

View Article  Sunlight Foundation Update
Sunlight Foundation Update


By The Sunlight Foundation

In this month's Sunlight Foundation/ Congresspedia update we wanted to alert you to a few new tools, prizes and grants, as well as a plea to help us rate members of Congress on how useful their websites are to constituents.


 --Items--

1. New “Money in politics” section in Congresspedia profiles helps illuminate the ties that bind

2. Sunlight Foundation launches OpenCongress

3. Win a $2,000 cash prize for having the best mashup website on Congress!  

4. Rate your member of Congress' website for transparency (or self-promotion)

5. Sunlight Foundation now accepting applications from local groups for mini-grants

 


1.   New “Money in politics” section in Congresspedia profiles helps illuminate the ties that bind

Congresspedia's crack team of interns has just finished installing a new "Money in politics" section in each member of Congress profile. The section provides links to several databases at the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets site that document the campaign contributions, private travel and personal finances of members. We're also linking to a brand new database that will actually show you the former staffers of a member who turned lobbyist (and who they lobby for). What we're most proud of, however, is an innovative new live feed of data from CRP of each member's top 2006 campaign contributors. As soon as the 2008 data comes out we'll be syndicating that as well.

You can find the money-in-politics section on each member's page. Here's the listing by state:



2.   Sunlight Foundation launches OpenCongress

Congresspedia’s co-parent, the Sunlight Foundation, has just launched a new project, OpenCongress.org. The site was envisioned as an actually functional version of the Library of Congress' THOMAS legislative information website combined with what bloggers and mainstream media are saying for all kinds of Web2.0 goodness.

 The site includes:

* Official government information from Thomas, made available by GovTrack.us.

* News and blog coverage of Congress from Google News and Technorati.

* Links to profiles of each Member of Congress on Congresspedia.

* Campaign contribution information from the non-profit OpenSecrets.org.

* The Congress Gossip Blog, written by OpenCongress site editors, a blog that highlights useful news & blog reporting from around the web.



3.   Win a $2,000 cash prize for having the best mashup website on Congress!

To celebrate Sunshine Week (March 12-19th), the Sunlight Foundation is offering a $2,000 prize for the best mashup website that displays information about Congress. Websites will be judged on their creativity, their delightfulness, and how effectively they share information about Congress.

This contest was inspired by the explosion of simple mashups in the last year, and Sunlight’s commitment to using new tools to make Congress more transparent. There are many sources of raw data about Congress, but not all of them (sadly) have open APIs, so we leave it up to you to figure out how to take their data and do something fun and informative with it. Last year, Sunlight Labs mashed up a database of earmarks in the Labor and Health and Human Services Bill with Google Maps, so that people could navigate a map of the United States covered with icons representing earmarks, in the course learning more about those earmarks. We're hoping to see more of that kind of fun and informative project.

Esther Dyson , Craig Newmark and Jimmy Wales have signed up to judge the contest. Deadline is March 12th. More details are available here.



4. Rate your member of Congress' website for transparency (or self-promotion)

The Sunlight Foundation has set up a rating system for constituents to evaluate the websites of their members of Congress to determine whether they're using public funds to create tools for transparency or vehicles for self promotion. So far, citizen journalists have evaluated more than 430 congressional Web sites, determining whether members provide online information on their official acts, from their legally required disclosure forms, or make additional efforts to be transparent and accountable. When the survey is complete we will post the results on the members' Congresspedia pages as a very public report card.

We've only got 100 members left to go. Help put us over the top by taking the survey or by urging your readers to do so. Even if your members have already been evaluated, multiple ratings for every member would help us get a better picture of their efforts. Go here for more information

And thank you!



5. Sunlight Foundation now accepting applications from local groups for mini-grants on increasing citizen power.

For the second year, the Sunlight Foundation is offering grants of $1,000 to $5,000 for local groups that have creative ideas for changing the relationship between elected federal representatives and the people they represent. Successful applicants will receive the grant, consulting and strategic support, and networking opportunities. The goal is to provide that extra element that takes a project from good to great -- server space, a video camera, or access to polling data -- or provide the seed that makes a new project viable. Projects could range from citizen media, to creative use of the internet to engage citizens in watchdogging, to opening up new ways of communicating with federal lawmakers to creative mapping of lawmakers' activities.

Applications are encouraged from existing small local nonprofits and websites, offshoots of national groups, individuals, and informal groups of citizens. Details can be found here
View Article  Great New Tool for Tracking Your Federal Legislator
Great New Tool for Tracking Your Federal Legislator


By Sam Garchik

I apologize for the scarcity of posts over the last few days. Let's just say that I've been battling some serious power issues, as I am sure many of you have been. My Feedblitz totals have also been low, so I imagine that many of you have had some trouble as well.

I've wanted to talk MegaVote for a few days now, and this is the perfect opportunity. Megavote is run by www.congress.org, and what they do is a lot like what the sunlight foundation does. At this site, you can sign up for updates on your legislator, and they will email you their weekly voting record. I've only been registered for it for one week, but the emails are really good. They come in html format, and have links in them that allow you to email your legislator, read their bios, and, most importantly, learn more about the legislation in question.  I'll post a link to the site on the left side of the page for you as well.
View Article  Voter-Owned Iowa Clean Elections (VOICE)
Voter-Owned Iowa Clean Elections (VOICE)


By Ed Falllon

Dear Friends,

In this update, I want to limit our conversation to two things:  (1) my support for John Edwards, and (2) campaign finance reform legislation before the Iowa House.

JOHN EDWARDS

Many if not most of you know that I am supporting John Edwards for president.  We agree substantially on most of the key issues.  He's building a strong grassroots campaign, and I like and trust him personally.  In fact, I have enough confidence in Edwards that I've signed on to help him as a consultant.  That's a first for me, and not a commitment I make lightly.

Confidence in a leader's ability to learn from mistakes and listen to others is increasingly important to me.  Here's an excerpt from a February 19 New York Times piece written by Paul Krugman regarding Edwards' apology for voting for the Iraq war:

"And there's another reason the admission by Mr. Edwards that he was wrong is important. If we want to avoid future quagmires, we need a president who is willing to fight the inside-the-Beltway conventional wisdom on foreign policy, which still -- in spite of all that has happened -- equates hawkishness with seriousness about national security, and treats those who got Iraq right as somehow unsound. By admitting his own error, Mr. Edwards makes it more credible that he would listen to a wider range of views."

Krugman's editorial is worth reading in its entirety, and I've attached it to this message if you'd like to check it out.  If you'd like to dialogue further about the Iowa Caucuses, both Lynn and I are eager to chat.  Contact us here and we can "talk" electronically.  Better yet, let's get together for "coffee" (my word for "tea").

VOTER-OWNED IOWA CLEAN ELECTIONS (VOICE)

It's exciting to see legislation making its way through the Iowa House.  But lawmakers need to hear from us.  I put together this Q & A piece that might prove helpful.  It's also attached to this message, if you'd like a printable version to share with others.

Q:  What is VOICE, and how does it work?

A:  VOICE is a campaign finance system that lets candidates run for office without relying on special-interest money.  VOICE is voluntary, and it gives candidates a choice on how to finance their campaigns.  If a candidate wants to run a conventional campaign, (s)he can still raise money from PACs, lobbyists and big donors.  But in states like Maine and Arizona, more people are choosing to run using the clean elections system, and a majority of them are winning.

Under the proposed Iowa law, participating candidates limit their fundraising to $5 donations from residents of their districts.  If they're a House candidate, they need to raise 100 $5 donations.  For Senate candidates, the requirement is 200 $5 donations.  A candidate for governor must raise 2,500 $5 donations, with 20% coming from each congressional district.  The bill applies to all statewide and legislative offices.

When the candidate raises the required number of $5 donations, the money is deposited in the state's clean elections fund.  The candidate then receives from that fund:

-- for a House candidate, $15,000 for the primary and $30,000 for the general;

-- for a Senate candidate, $22,000 for the primary and $40,000 for the general; and

-- for candidates for governor, $750,000 for the primary, $3 million for the general.

If a VOICE candidate has an opponent who raises money from conventional sources and who exceeds the initial amount of money allotted to the VOICE candidate, the VOICE candidate receives an additional dollar for dollar match.  This allows the VOICE candidate to remain competitive.  And because VOICE candidates no longer incur fundraising expenses, the money they receive from the clean elections fund tends to go a lot further.

Q: Is there a VOICE bill before the Iowa Legislature?

A: Yes.  It's called HSB 105.  The bill is in the House State Government Committee, and there is a companion bill in the Senate.  To read the bill, visit http://www.legis.state.ia.us/ and type "HSB 105" in the upper right hand corner in the box marked "Quick Find:  Bills and Iowa Code."  This web page also allows you to find committee members and to obtain contact information for any representative or senator.

Q:  How much will VOICE cost?

A:  It depends on what elections the bill covers.  If VOICE is available to just legislative candidates, the price tag will be around $3 million per election cycle.  If it also covers all statewide elections, as in Arizona, it will cost around $10 million per election cycle.

Q:  How will VOICE be financed?

A:  This type of legislation is often referred to as "public financing," and to some people that implies raising taxes on the average person to pay for political campaigns.  Under HSB 105, that's not the case.  Most of the money would come from a sales tax on advertising – so corporations and others (like politicians!) who spend a lot on advertising would foot the bill.  Additional revenue for the fund would come from the $5 qualifying contributions, an income tax check-off and other voluntary donations.

Q:  How will VOICE improve the political process?

A:  VOICE lets candidates focus on meeting voters as opposed to wining and dining lobbyists and big donors.  By drastically reducing the role of money in politics, VOICE returns power to the people that government is supposed to represent.  In Maine, State Senator Ed Youngblood, a retired bank executive, wanted to spend time with voters instead of raising money. "I wanted to be able to say 'I'm not accountable to anyone but you, the voter.'"  He defeated a sixteen-year incumbent.

In fact, 83% of Maine legislators were elected using the clean elections system.  In Arizona, nine of eleven statewide office holders were elected using that state's clean elections system, including two-term governor Janet Napolitano.

Ultimately, if lawmakers no longer are beholden to big donors and special interests, they are more likely to focus on issues voters want to see addressed.  For example, in recent years in both Maine and Arizona, significant health care initiatives were enacted, despite opposition from lobbyists in the medical, insurance and pharmaceutical industries.

Q:  What effect would VOICE have on third-party candidates?

A:  In Maine and Arizona, the clean elections law has had no noticeable impact on third party participation in elections.  There are still some third-party candidates who run and qualify for clean elections funds, but with only a couple exceptions, the candidates who win are either Democrat or Republican.

Many prospective candidates don't run for office because they are intimidated by the huge amount of money they need to raise.  Now that candidates in Maine and Arizona have a viable option to big-money campaigns, more people are willing to run, and this is healthy in a democracy.  Yet the threshold for viability in a clean elections system (i.e., lots of small donations from residents of the district) is high enough to discourage truly fringe candidates, but not so onerous to discourage legitimate candidates of any political persuasion.

Thanks for taking the time to be involved in democracy!
View Article  Vilsack Out, Anyone Else Up?
Vilsack Out, Anyone Else Up?


By Sam Garchik

As of 10:30 EST, Vilsack looks to quit the race.


This opens up a lot of possibilitites for people in state, and I wonder who is going to take his spot as the man with the Iowa Connections.

I've been getting a lot of email from Obama that makes me think he's got a lot of former Kerryites on staff, which is either good or bad, depending on how you look at it. 

Anyhow, the Vilsack news conferance is at 11:00, so stay tuned to your local media for more details.
View Article  Adding Up the Minuses for Iowa in Proposed Budget
Adding Up the Minuses for Iowa in Proposed Budget


By Mike Owen

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) today released a report showing estimates of state-by-state cuts proposed in the President’s budget, for the coming year and the next five years. The Iowa Fiscal Partnership has compiled Iowa-specific information into a one-page summary that you may find helpful. It is attached.

Among findings for Iowa:
--  Elementary and secondary education – cut of $19.3 million in 2012 compared with 2007, and $70.8 million from 2008-12.
--  Grants in aid — cut of $99.2 million compared to 2006 (latest figures available) not including Medicaid. Grants in aid are how the federal government provides funding to state and local governments.
--  Supplemental nutrition for elderly – 3,600 Iowans (440,000 nationwide) would lose this assistance from the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for the Elderly, which is targeted for elimination.
--  Supplemental nutrition for women, infants and children (WIC) – 2,700 fewer Iowans (334,000 nationwide) would receive this assistance by 2012 compared with 2007.

The proposal also would cut LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) by $8 million next year, which would affect 16,300 recipients, and by $45.5 million over five years. It also would eliminate the Community Services Block Grant, which provides funding to community action agencies that help people apply for LIHEAP and other assistance.

The full CBPP report, summary and state-by-state tables are available at the following links:

PRESIDENT'S BUDGET WOULD CUT DEEPLY INTO IMPORTANT PUBLIC SERVICES AND ADVERSELY AFFECT STATES by Arloc Sherman, Sharon Parrott and Danilo Trisi

Summary
   
Full Report
   
State-by-State Tables:
   
Pleaselet us know if you have questions.

Thank you.

Mike Owen
Iowa Fiscal Partnership
Assistant Director
The Iowa Policy Project
120 N Dubuque St. #208
Iowa City, IA 52245
(319) 338-0773
ipp@Lcom.net
http://www.iowapolicyproject.org
View Article  Adding Up the Minuses for Iowa in Proposed Budget
Adding Up the Minuses for Iowa in Proposed Budget


By Mike Owen

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) today released a report showing estimates of state-by-state cuts proposed in the President’s budget, for the coming year and the next five years. The Iowa Fiscal Partnership has compiled Iowa-specific information into a one-page summary that you may find helpful. It is attached.

Among findings for Iowa:
--  Elementary and secondary education – cut of $19.3 million in 2012 compared with 2007, and $70.8 million from 2008-12.
--  Grants in aid — cut of $99.2 million compared to 2006 (latest figures available) not including Medicaid. Grants in aid are how the federal government provides funding to state and local governments.
--  Supplemental nutrition for elderly – 3,600 Iowans (440,000 nationwide) would lose this assistance from the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for the Elderly, which is targeted for elimination.
--  Supplemental nutrition for women, infants and children (WIC) – 2,700 fewer Iowans (334,000 nationwide) would receive this assistance by 2012 compared with 2007.

The proposal also would cut LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) by $8 million next year, which would affect 16,300 recipients, and by $45.5 million over five years. It also would eliminate the Community Services Block Grant, which provides funding to community action agencies that help people apply for LIHEAP and other assistance.

The full CBPP report, summary and state-by-state tables are available at the following links:

PRESIDENT'S BUDGET WOULD CUT DEEPLY INTO IMPORTANT PUBLIC SERVICES AND ADVERSELY AFFECT STATES by Arloc Sherman, Sharon Parrott and Danilo Trisi

Summary
   
Full Report
   
State-by-State Tables:
   
Pleaselet us know if you have questions.

Thank you.

Mike Owen
Iowa Fiscal Partnership
Assistant Director
The Iowa Policy Project
120 N Dubuque St. #208
Iowa City, IA 52245
(319) 338-0773
ipp@Lcom.net
http://www.iowapolicyproject.org
View Article  Action Needed on Iowa Senate Ag. Bill
Action Needed on Iowa Senate Ag. Bill


By the IFU

Urgent action is needed to influence members of the Senate Ag Committee to get three bills out of committee and onto the Senate floor where they can be debated and voted on. There is a Senate Ag Committee meeting this afternoon.

Please contact your Senator on the Ag Committee TODAY or as many as you like (include Gronstal) to let them know that you support these bills, which not only will protect the independent hog producer but also work to return the rights of rural families and farmers in Iowa.

THE SENATE SWITCHBOARD NUMBER IS (515) 281-3371. If you can't get through, please leave a short message.

Also contact GOVERNOR CULVER'S OFFICE:  (515) 281-5211.

Bills:
1.) SF 10 (Bio-Security Bill): If passed, this bill will establish firm separation distances between farrowing units and other animal confinements. This bill is important because it will help return an important $1 billion industry to Iowa. Due to the increased number of confinements being built across the state and thus the increased concentration, Iowa has become an epicenter of disease in the livestock (especially hog) industry.

In a recent interview, the newly elected President of the Iowa Pork Producers Association openly admitted that it is hard to establish farrow hogs in Iowa because of the density of nearby large confinements that spread disease. Now their lobbyists are actively
working against a bill that would protect farrowing units and help young farmers get started in raising hogs. We wonder where their true loyalties are?

2.) SSB 1140 (Master Matrix Bill):  This study bill tightens the requirements on confinement operators to fill out all portions of the matrix and also attain a passing score in each of the following three areas: air quality, water quality, and communities.

Tightening the matrix is an important first step to returning clean air, clean water and healthy rural communities back to Iowa, currently those with a D - can get a passing grade (440 out of 880).

3.) SSB 1165 (Supervisor Committee Bill):  This study bill calls for the county board of supervisors to appoint a five-person committee with staggered five-year terms that will review the all applications for the construction of new confinements. The committee is to be made up of the county's environmental health officer, a commissioner of soil and water conservation, a real estate broker, a city/town resident, a farmer engaged in livestock operations.

The board shall make its decision to accept or reject the proposed operation based on the results of the master matrix.

While none of these are perfect bills, we believe that they are a reasonable compromise that can be achieved between the livestock industry and the health and property concerns of rural residents and all Iowans during this legislative session.

We urge you to contact the following Senators who sit on the Senate Ag Committee and help influence them to make the right decision on these important matters. (If you don't a Farm Bureau and Pork Producer lobbyist gladly will.)

 
Democrats
 Senator:  Tom Rielly (Vice Chair of Agriculture Committee)
 Home Town:  Oskaloosa
 Counties:  Iowa, Keokuk, Mahaska, Poweshiek, Tama
 
 Senator: Dennis Black
 Home Town:  Grinnell
 Counties:  Jasper, Polk
 Senator: Thomas Courtney
 Home Town:  Burlington
 Counties:  Des Moines, Louisa, Muscatine

 Senator: Tom Hancock
 Home Town:  Epworth
 Counties:  Delaware, Dubuque, Jones

 Senator: Rich Olive
 Home Town:  Story City
 Counties:  Hamilton, Story, Webster, Wright
 
 Senator: Dr. Joes Seng
 Home Town:  Davenport
 Counties:  Scott

 Senator: Staci Appel
 Home Town:  Ackworth
 Counties:  Dallas, Madison, Warren
 
 Republicans
 Senator:  David Johnson (Ranking Member)
 Occupation:  Hired Hand on a Dairy Farm
 Home Town:  Ocheyedan
 Counties:  Clay, Dickinson, O'Brien, Osceola, Sioux
 
 Senator: Nancy Boettger
 Home Town:  Harlan
 Counties:  Adair, Audubon, Cass, Guthrie, Pottawattamie, Shelby
 
 Senator: Thurman Gaskill
 Home Town:  Corwith
 Counties:  Cerro Gordo, Franklin, Hancock, Winnebago, Worth
 
 Senator: Hubert Houser
  Home Town:  Carson
 Counties:  Fremont, Mills, Paige, Pottawattamie
 
 Senator: Dave Mulder
 Home Town:  Sioux Center
 Counties:  Sioux, Lyon

 Senator: John Putney
 Home Town:  Gladbrook
 Counties:  Emmet, Humboldt, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Webster
 
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