Who Would Wellstone Caucus For?
By Ed Fallon

A hearty thank you to Lynn Fox (whoÂ’s with Fox Insurance Agency in Dallas
Center) for mailing me a recent article from The Minneapolis Star Tribune.  The article is about the late Senator Paul Wellstone (In The Name Of His Father, August 28), and it discusses Democrats who refer to themselves as “Wellstone Democrats.”  In fact, IÂ’m mentioned in the piece as “small-town Iowa state Rep. Ed Fallon.”  (Des Moines, a small town?  Who knew?)

After questioning claims to the Wellstone mantel by Howard Dean, Chris Dodd and Dennis Kucinich, the article goes on to quote Bill Lofy.  Bill was a Senate intern for Wellstone years ago and a former campaign staffer. He wrote a biography about Wellstone and is currently the communications director for Wellstone Action.  In the Trib article, Lofy is quoted as saying, “Whether you call yourself a Wellstone Democrat or not, are you speaking to the issues that he spent a career fighting for ?  What it really comes down to is fundamental messages.  In reality, those are reflected by John Edwards.”

The article goes on to say, “Indeed, some of EdwardsÂ’ policies and actions seem to mirror those of Wellstone.  Wellstone embarked on a poverty tour in 1998 that followed the model of Robert F. KennedyÂ’s in 1968.  Edwards did the same this year.  The former North Carolina senator also has made mental health parity a part of his campaign, something for which Wellstonians still fight ardently in Congress.”


CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

On Wednesday, September 26 at 6:30 p.m., Common Cause and Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement are hosting an event featuring former U.S. congressmen Berkley Bedell (D-Iowa) and Bob Edgar (D-Pennsylvania).  The event will be at the Des Moines Public Library, 1000 Grand Avenue in downtown Des Moines. 

Common Cause is working to build a statewide, grassroots effort to raise the profile o f campaign finance reform legislation at both the state and national levels.  TheyÂ’re helping organize volunteers to quiz presidential candidates on their stance on the issue.  If youÂ’d like to sign-on to help, go to www.commoncause.org/askthequestion.

A NEW OIL REFINERY??
Also on September 26, at 7:00 p.m. in the lower-level meeting room of the American Legion Building, 103 E. Main Street in Elk Point, Nebraska (across the river from Sioux City), Karen Hall will lead a public awareness workshop regarding a proposed oil refinery in Elk Point.  Karen is an environmental engineer who worked at the Flint Hills oil refinery in Rosemount, Minnesota.  She is also a novelist.   The event is sponsored by the Save Union County Committee in association with the Sierra Club and the Coalition Opposing Oil Pollution. 
 
Recently, Iowa Governor Chet Culver attended a news conference with the refineryÂ’s developers, along with the gover nors of Nebraska and South Dakota.  Culver was quoted in The Des Moines Register, saying “Any time you can talk about creating thousands of jobs, that gets my attention” (Oil executive promotes possible refinery site, August 22). 

Well, if you want to talk jobs, letÂ’s talk about wind, solar, biofuels, geothermal, and (most important) conservation.  But there is simply no way that a new oil refinery near Sioux City – or new coal plants in Waterloo and Marshalltown – are compatible with making Iowa the renewable energy capital of the world.  Culver and other policy leaders need to hear from us on this.

STEP IT UP, PART III
Last April, Lynn and I helped coordinate IowaÂ’s participation in the National Day of Climate Action.  We also helped promote the March to Re-energize Iowa from Ames to Des Moines in August.  The next step in the campaign is a set of local actions across the country scheduled for November 3.  Now is the time to get on board to help organize an event in your community.  Global warming is probably the most serious challenge weÂ’ve ever faced, and we all need to do more than change light bulbs.  For more information, visit StepItUp2007.org.

GREEN BIKE TOUR
WeÂ’re going to join the 2007 Green Bike Tour at the Center for Energy and Environmental Education on the UNI campus in Cedar Falls.  The group will bike from UNI to Wartburg College in Waverly to call attention to the need for new energy initiatives.  ItÂ’s again being organized by the Iowa Policy Project, and you can contact Kristi at klohmeier@iowapolicyproject.org for more information.


PEACE FAIR, DES MOINES
This Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., the Des Moines Peace Fair will take place on the Court Avenue Bridge in downtown Des Moines.  Organizers are expecting over 500 people, and there will be a wide range of activities for the whole family.   Contact Kathleen at (515) 274-4851 (x22) for more information.

As always, thanks for reading, and keep in touch.

Ed Fallon