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Monday, August 31
Health Care Reform Vigil to Honor Senator Edward Kennedy - Sept. 1st, Waterloo, Iowa
by
Trish Nelson
on Mon 31 Aug 2009 10:00 AM CDT
Health Care Reform Vigil to Honor Senator Edward Kennedy, Sept. 1st, Waterloo
 "The dream shall never die"
by Chris Schwartz, Working Families Win/Iowa
I am sure that many of you like me are deeply saddened by the passing of Senator Edward Kennedy. Senator Kennedy was the example of how full a life of service to the greater good can be.
I had the privilege of meeting Senator Kennedy in January of 2000, just days before the Iowa Caucus. He was campaigning for Vice President Al Gores presidential bid along with the Jazz Giant Herbie Hancock in the gymnasium at the University of Northern Iowa's Malcolm Price Laboratory School, I am sure that many of you were also at that event.
I had always admired the Kennedys, but believe it or not, I was not politically active at that time. It was Senator Kennedy who inspired me to get active and volunteer on Al Gore's Campaign. It was meeting Senator Kennedy on that cold, January day that set off a series of events that by the end of that year made me choose a life of political activism and service to the greater good.
We must now pick up where Senator Kennedy left off in what he described as the cause of his life, universal health care. We are within reach of Senator Kennedy's dream of achieving universal health care - the dream that health care is treated as a right, and not a privilege of the few.
Please join us Tuesday the 1st of September from 5:30-7pm at the intersection of Kimball and Ridgeway in Waterloo.
This will be a solemn and respectful event. You are encouraged to bring positive signs in support of health care reform and the public insurance option. You are asked not to engage disrespectful hecklers who may try to disrupt the event. The media will be invited, so a strong showing of support is needed.
Thanks for your time and action,
Chris Schwartz
Working Families Win
319-429-0133
chris@wfwin.org
"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." ~ Senator Edward Kennedy, August 1980, Democratic National Convention
Sunday, August 30
Congressman Braley's Town Hall Updates
by
Trish Nelson
on Sun 30 Aug 2009 05:00 PM CDT
Congressman Braley's Town Hall Updates
 Braley.house.gov
Dear Constituent[s],
As I continue my series of town hall meetings on healthcare reform across eastern Iowa, I encourage you to attend and voice your opinion.
Due to high turnout, we have changed some locations in order to accommodate a larger crowd. Please look over the schedule carefully.
For more details, and to RSVP, please click here.
I look forward to seeing you at one of the following meetings:
Monday, August 31
10:00am
Clinton County Healthcare Town Hall
Ashford University, Durgin Center
400 North Bluff Blvd.
Clinton, Iowa
Wednesday, September 2
9:30am
Delaware County Healthcare Town Hall *Please note revised location*
County Fairgrounds, Community Center
200 E. Acers Street
Manchester, Iowa
Thursday, September 3
2:00pm
Jackson County Healthcare Town Hall *Please note revised location*
County Fairgrounds, Pearson Hall
1212 E. Quarry Street
Maquoketa, Iowa
Friday, September 4
1:30pm
Clayton County Healthcare Town Hall
Elkader Community School, Auditorium
400 1st St NW
Elkader, Iowa
Report on Iowa Department of Natural Resources Public Hearing
by
paul deaton
on Sun 30 Aug 2009 05:00 AM CDT
Report on Iowa Department of Natural Resources Public Hearing
 by Paul Deaton
Rich Leopold, Director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, gave Iowa a B minus grade on the environmental report card he presented to 95 members of the public at Lake MacBride State Park on August 27. No one disputed Director Leopold’s statement that the grade may be inflated. What became clear is that the governor’s proposed 2010 operating budget for the department at $18.6 million is unlikely to fund the type of department that will significantly improve the grade, inflated or not.
On the positive side, the challenge of deer and Canadian geese is one of controlling over population: there are plenty, some say too many, of these species. Likewise, he reported that 50 of 132 monitored Iowa lakes have at least 3 feet of clarity. “We know how to fix lakes,” Leopold said. He also reported that the number of hunting and fishing licenses issued in Iowa is stable, while those numbers are declining in the rest of the country. So there was some good news.
Water quality seems to be Iowa’s greatest liability. One person commented that the C minus grade should be lowered to a D minus. The bellwether here is that this year’s budget cuts resulted in eliminating 6 of 13 employees involved with manure management. Combine that with high levels of nutrient runoff, unexpected releases of manure from retention ponds at confined animal feeding operations, and lax enforcement of compliance with community waste water treatment permits, and the problem will continue. One participant said that there is not the will to fix Iowa’s water problems. Leopold’s presentation suggested neither is there the money.
A resident from nearby Cottage Reserve asked about increasing the number of volunteers working to improve state parks, indicating many would volunteer. This caught Leopold off guard and his response was that managing volunteers also took money. This did not make sense, as DNR had to reduce seasonal workers by 110,000 hours this year because of budget constraints. Instead of managing seasonal workers, couldn’t staff turn to volunteers and create a permanent solution to hiring seasonal volunteers, and a permanent reduction in staff expense?
There was a lot that did not make sense in this meeting. Director Leopold is knowledgeable about the DNR and its roles and responsibilities: he was an excellent flak catcher. At the same time, my impression from the meeting was that DNR is unlikely to meet the public’s expectations, and that from ring-necked pheasant management, to water quality, to land use, to air quality, the DNR is between a rock and a hard place in enforcing existing regulations or making positive change. The Iowa DNR is subservient to the market conditions that drive agribusiness. The problems of habitat loss, excessive nutrients in the water system, confined animal feeding operations manure disposal, and mercury emissions, seem unlikely to be addressed in the near future, to the detriment of the people of Iowa.
What may get addressed are issues that get the most public attention and noise. I encourage you to let Director Leopold know what is important to you. Otherwise, we can expect more of the status quo, that is, an environment tolerant to the conditions of agribusiness, and that may not be in the public’s best interests.
Write the Iowa Department of Natural Resources at:
Richard Leopold, Director
richard.leopold@dnr.iowa.gov
(515) 281-5385
Wallace State Office Building
502 East 9th Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
~Paul Deaton is a native Iowan living in rural Johnson County. Check out his blog, Big Grove Garden. E-mail Paul Deaton
Friday, August 28
Democracy for America Public Option Iowa Field Organizer
by
Trish Nelson
on Fri 28 Aug 2009 05:00 AM CDT
Democracy for America Hiring Public Option Iowa Field Organizer
 DemocracyforAmericia.com
Democracy
for America is seeking state level Public Option Field Organizers for
an intense three month pressure campaign to pass the public option as
part of healthcare reform.
Public Option Field Organizers will
be responsible for organizing and leveraging the power of Democracy for
America members and other pro-public option advocates, to publicly and
privately pressure state Congressional Delegations with specific
emphasis on US Senators.
This will be an intense on-the-ground
field organizing effort to pass the Public Option. Field Organizers
will be responsible for traditional organizing tactics such as
volunteer recruitment, member communication, phone-banking,
letters-to-the-editor and also implementing innovative and creative
organizing tactics.
The ability to “hit the ground running,”
solid traditional organizing capabilities, firm knowledge of in-state
politics and other political groups, and an intense desire to help pass
the Public Option as part of healthcare reform are a must for
interested candidates.
You:
• Are ready for an intense three months of grassroots field organizing
• Have the ability to leverage and traditionally organize pro-Public Option advocates from member-based organizations
• Understand the nuances of local politics
• Can speak well to groups and can train activists and volunteers
• Can immediately “hit-the-ground-running”
• Work with coalition partners
• Are a resourceful problem-solver and will not let obstacles slow you down
• Have the ability and flexibility to work long and irregular hours and travel in-state extensively
• Will be a part of Democracy for America’s field team and report to the Field Director
Democracy for America is seeking applicants from: Montana, Iowa, Maine, North Dakota, Florida, Oregon, Virginia, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Georgia, and Arkansas.
These positions will be filled immediately and on a rolling basis. Apply immediately at:
www.DemocracyForAmerica.com/PublicOptionApply
Compensation
will be $2,000 - $2,500 per month, plus healthcare. A cell phone,
travel allowances and reimbursements will also be included. The
positions are scheduled to end no earlier than December 1.
Contact DFA Field Director Adam Quinn at field@democracyforamerica.com or 802-651-3200 with
any questions.
Thursday, August 27
Cedar Rapids Flood Victims Still Struggling
by
Trish Nelson
on Thu 27 Aug 2009 01:00 PM CDT
Cedar Rapids Flood Victims Still Struggling
 submitted by Lisa Kuzela
This week, August 29, marks the 4th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. This summer, June 13, Iowans marked their own disaster anniversary. Over one year after more than 5,000 Cedar Rapids homes were virtually destroyed and thousands were were driven from their homes in Cedar Rapids, flood victims are still struggling with putting their lives back together. Here's a report from Lisa Kuzela, who lost her home in the flood.
by Lisa Kuzela
The background to this very serious issue that faces the flood victims of Cedar Rapids:
1. Iowa state law sets our assessments to be done on odd years. Whatever our assessed value is January 1, 2007, it will be the same January 1, 2008.
2. Our property taxes are paid one year in arrears. The tax bill received and due in September 2009 and March 2010 is for the period of July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009. This is AFTER the flood when thousands of homes were destroyed.
3. NONE of our elected or hired officials from the city, county, or state governments either had the foresight or felt it necessary to fix this problem!
4. By law, the county has the option to abate the properties either at 100%, 50%, or just the structure.
5. The taxing entities that will be hurt the worst from this is the city (receives ~42% of the taxes) and school district (receives ~38%). They will make recommendations to the county.
How this could have been resolved beforehand:
1) I was in regular contact with our officials this last year and during the legislative session. I brought this issue to their attention and pleaded with them to "earmark" CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) money to pay for the lost tax revenue from the flooded properties. (Or ask from FEMA or something!) I was ignored. We are now paying the price and in the 11th hour just before our taxes are due, our officials are FINALLY just now talking about it!
2) Our state legislators could have also changed the law so that properties that sustained damage in disasters could be reassessed on even years. We all have our post-flood (much lower) assessments of January 1, 2009, but the county cannot use them because Iowa State law forbids it.
One should know that flood victims were not allowed to live in their own home post-flood until the City said they could (by getting inspections that approve it). Many lost their home completely and are waiting to be bought out. Most are in more debt than they've ever been while seniors have spent their lifelong savings and retirement either rehabbing or buying a new more costly home, since the affordable housing is now gone from the flood.
Solution: The only legal and moral thing to do is to abate these properties for the entire tax year. For the current fiscal year, the City can use local option funds and the school district has cash reserve funds to cover. In the meantime, our local and state officials should be asking for reimbursements to cover these lost tax revenues, as well as those lost in the upcoming fiscal years. The City alone has spent over five million dollars in consultants, but don't think they should abate our properties?
_____________
From: njdimaggio...
To: J.Prosser@cedar-rapids.org
Sent: Tue, Aug 11, 2009 10:42 pm
Subject: Abate our property taxes
Dear Mr. Prosser,
Thank you for your quick response with the information I requested.
I want to make a very serious proposal to you and the City Council. I attended the County Board of Supervisors' meeting yesterday regarding property taxes. Flood victims have suffered more than you know financially (not to mention physically, mentally, and emotionally). WE are the bread and butter to this community. We need to be taken care of much better than the leadership has done thus far.
I am asking this city to support the abatement of flood-affected properties of those buildings that were uninhabitable for over a month. This excludes those that were only flooded in the basement. Homes that were rehabbed should be included in this, as they put an infinite amount of time and sweat into helping to bring back our community; they should be rewarded, not punished. They are still paying their debt for that, in addition to losing savings and retirement in the process, due to the incompetence of the residential Jumpstart administrator this city hired.
Please utilize this L.O.S.T. money to pay for the estimated $2.5 million (or whatever it may be) that it would take for the city to do this.
1) It falls under both the category of property tax relief, as well as flood-impacted housing needs as listed on the ballot initiative.
2) It is NOT a duplication of benefits, because those taxes have not yet been paid.
3) The value of our properties that we are being charged is not anywhere near accurate to that which it is valued. The property tax bills that we received were based upon the value of the property prior to the flood, even though our (city) assessments have been amended to reflect the estimated value post-flood for the upcoming 2009 year.
4) If we are charged taxes for property values based prior to the flood, it is unconstitutional and a clear example of modern day "taxation without representation."
5) Add to that the further harassment of our flood victims at a time that is most catastrophic for families and individuals.
We should not be punished for the complacency of our local and county officials to lobby for us, specifically for a change in state law to be able to reassess our property values (on even years) after which a disaster of this magnitude has occurred. We should not be punished for the incompetence of our legislators to pass bills that would help us, the residential flood victim.
Please, I beg you to help the average taxpaying flood victim in this community that you have taken charge over. Your efforts in helping us in this matter will be very much appreciated! Thank you.
Lisa Kuzela
Cedar Rapids, Ia
319-364-8999Lisa
Kuzela is a flood victim and community activist. She has been a
passionate advocate for flood victims. Currently on the Cedar Rapids
School Board, she has withdrawn her candidacy for re-election to focus
her efforts on flood relief.
Wednesday, August 26
HCAN Health Care Rally at Iowa STate Fair
by
Caroline Vernon
on Wed 26 Aug 2009 08:38 AM CDT
HCAN "Health Care Can't Wait" Rally at the Iowa State Fair
By Caroline VernonLast Friday on August 21st, Eastern Iowans from Progressive Action for the Common Good, the Quad Cities Federation of Labor, and NAMI of Scott County boarded a bus and traveled to the HCAN "Healthcare Can't Wait" Rally outside of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. We joined others from the area and around the state. Senator Grassley was finishing up his Ambassadorial tour - we were hoping to get his attention somehow, but by dumb luck and a little synchronistic guidance by the Universe, a few of us stumbled right on top of him.
Shortly after we got into the fair, it started to rain so a few of us sought cover in the closest building. It turned out to be WHO radio/TV station. Surpisingly, we could hear Grassley's
voice coming out of the speaker system but we could
not see him anywhere. We finally realized he was inside the small glass
booth at the back of the room - they had been recording live. When he came out of the recording session, I called out to
him, raised my bag full of money and said. "Senator Grassley, I have your money!
Thank you so much for your support!" He immediately came over and started talking
to me as if I were his long lost friend. I actually appreciated his engaging us as his handlers could have swept him off immediately but there were many people around and I imagine he was attempting to save face, or perhaps he was just feeling frisky.
It bears mentioning that I was dressed in black business attire, sporting a lapel pin that read, "Wealth-Mark Insurance CEO." I was carrying a black leather bag stuffed with $100 bills spilling out of the top. A picture of Senator Grassley was taped to the bag, framed by dollar signs.
Dan DeShane accompanied me. Farmer Dan was wearing his bib overalls and chewing on a stalk of grass when he walked up and joined our conversation while Vicki Walters took pictures of the exchange. Dan told the Senator he was
a farmer too and wanted the same health care as the senator -- Dan also
said, "Oh by the way, I get farm subsidies too just like you and your son and your
grandson." This put Grassley on the defensive, somewhat, as he replied, "oh, you don't want to listen."
I mentioned mental health parity and the need for a public option for
so many who have been systematically denied treatment by private insurers for decades. Grassley laid claim to the work he did on the Wellstone/Dominicci legislation (even though it took a Democratic Congress
to pass the bill last October and the provisions have yet to be implemented). Ultimately, Grassley said a public option would be rationed care, to which we replied, "We have rationed care now!" He rushed off right after that. Vicki took pictures of the
whole exchange - I will share them with BFI once they are developed.
Meanwhile, other rally participants were canvassing the neighborhood focusing their efforts on continuing to encourage Congressman Boswell to support Reform and a public option. The rally started at 2pm. I don't know what our final count was but I estimated about 50 of us were holding signs along the 30th St/Grand Ave entrance to the fair. Counter protesters showed up to join us -- approximately 10 of them.
Farmer Dan got into a passionate debate with one of the "teabaggers," who was complaining about the cost of health care reform and asking how we were going to pay for it. Here is a mock transcript of their exchange:
Teabagger: "We're spending too much money - where's it going to end?"
Farmer Dan: "Where were you guys when the Bush administration squandered the huge surplus left by Clinton -- Where was your voice when they invaded and occupied two countries without even declaring war?"
Teabagger: "We are moving toward socialism - where is it going to stop?"
Farmer Dan: "Socialism? We just came out of eight years of fascism."
Teabagger: "What do you mean?"
Farmer Dan: "Bush
fired federal judges for their political leanings, he started illegal wiretapping without an order from the FISA Court, he catered to big business - we
had a president that was basically a fascist."
Teabagger: "That's the president's perogotive."
Farmer Dan: "No. that's fascism, and he is still being investigated for all of his abuses.
I f it weren't for social programs like Medicare which came out of the Johnson administration, my father would not have been able to retire - it gave him peace of mind so he could retire and it kept him on his property. By contrast Grassley is a rich farmer who gets subsidies whether he works the land or not - he's not really a farmer - he's a career politician."
Teabagger: "Well, they all gotta go - Harkin, Grassley, Boswell - they all spend too much."
Farmer Dan: "Our tax dollars pay for the sidewalks your standing on, the street out in front of us, the lights, fresh water, the sewers, our fire dept, public schools, our parks -- all of these things are paid for through our tax dollars that provide us with the standard and quality of life that we enjoy. I don't know about you but I like 'em."
The entire exchange was recorded live by Rob Dillard of Iowa Public Radio. Once we arrived home on the bus, a few of our fellow activists welcomed us back and reported hearing the exchange on NPR - unfortunately, we were unable to find it posted on their website.
Below are photos and some of the press coverage of the event. Thank you ICAN for taking the lead on this! It was well worth traveling across the state to join our voices with all of yours.
ICAN’s photos of HCAN demonstration:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25488300@N07/sets/72157621987700289/
NOTE: Caryn Unsicker asked the reporter for the Register to relay how many of us there were in contrast to the counter protestors - to which he replied,"No! That's not my job -- my job is to report both sides!" Caryn said, "Your job is to report the facts." The numbers went unreported. ACTION: Call the Register and tell them to report ALL of the facts!
Register coverage of HCAN action at the Fair:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090822/STATEFAIR/908220335/-1/BUSINESS04
Iowa Public Radio broadcast a story including a debate
between a health care opponent and a health care advocate (farmer Dan) from the
Quad Cities – but I have not found a link to that online.
There was passing mention of HCAN “protest” in Grassley
state fair interview with Radio Iowa:
http://www.radioiowa.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=3E532D89-5056-B82A-379B482CD706728E
4 Iowa Politics.com photos from HCAN demonstration in their
flickr coverage of the fair:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iowapolitics/sets/72157621980113225/
Advisory on IowaPolitics/com
http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=167684
Media Failing America in Health Care Debate
by
Arron Wings
on Wed 26 Aug 2009 05:00 AM CDT
Media Failing America in Health Care Debate
 Los Angeles Times As we head toward next month's congressional face-off on a national healthcare bill, the news media are infatuated with town hall meetings. Over and over, we see angry citizens screaming about a Big Government takeover of the healthcare system, shouting that they will lose their insurance or be forced to give up their doctors and denouncing "death panels" that will euthanize old people.
Of course, none of this is even remotely true. These are all canards peddled by insurance companies terrified of losing their power and profits, by right-wing militants terrified of a victory for the president they hate and by the Republican Party, which has been commandeered by the insurance industry and the militants. But the lies have obviously had their effect. Recent polls show that support for healthcare reform - reform that would insure more Americans, would force insurance companies to cover preexisting conditions and prevent them from capriciously terminating coverage, and would provide competition to drive down costs - is rapidly eroding.
Maybe Americans should know better. Maybe they shouldn't fall for the latest imbecilic propaganda and scare tactics. Maybe. But a citizenry is only as well-informed as the quality of information it receives.
According to the Pew Research Center, 16% of the stories in its media sample last week were devoted to healthcare, but three-quarters of that coverage was either about legislative politics or the town halls. Tom Rosenstiel, who heads Pew's Center for Excellence in Journalism, said that if the health care debate is a potential teaching moment, that "moment is passing us by."
(click here to read the entire article)
Tuesday, August 25
Grassley Failed to Confront Incitement to Violence at Town Hall in Pocahontas
by
Trish Nelson
on Tue 25 Aug 2009 09:19 PM CDT
Grassley Failed to Confront Incitement to Violence at Town Hall in Pocahontas
Click here for the video on YouTube
Fort Dodge Messenger News
POCAHONTAS
"The
president of the United States, that's who you should be concerned
about. Because he's acting like a little Hitler," said Tom Eisenhower,
a World War II veteran. "I'd take a gun to Washington if enough of you
would go with me." [Italics BFIA's].
Click on the above link for the rest of the story in the Fort Dodge paper. BFIA did not post more of it here because there was no information about health care reform in the article.
Here's a statement about it from Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Tom Fiegen:
Fiegen: Stand up to hate speech against President Obama
Clarence, IA — U.S. Senate candidate Tom Fiegen today said threatening comments against President Obama and other elected officials must stop immediately.
“We don’t threaten the lives of our public officials in America. Period,” Fiegen said in response to an incident at a town hall meeting in Pocahontas hosted by Sen. Chuck Grassley.
At the meeting, one member of the audience took the microphone to denounce and threaten the President. His comments have received widespread publicity today.
“I am appalled at the threat on the life of the President and the intolerance shown by the comments of this person in Pocahontas. All Iowans and all Americans must confront such behavior with the courage and the decency that have made us the great nation that we are. Our leaders must denounce hate speech at every turn, if we are going to solve the many challenges we face. Senator Grassley showed a lack of backbone when he failed to denounce the man's hate speech and instead allowed it to fester in the town hall meeting.
“The future of our children, and our nation, depend on civil, truthful and honest discussions.”
Fiegen, a bankruptcy attorney and former state senator from Clarence, is seeking the Democratic nomination to run against Grassley in the 2010 election.
“I am running for the U.S. Senate because if we are ever going to achieve health care reform or make any of the other necessary changes needed to rebuild our economy, we have to be willing to stand up and do the right thing instead of kowtowing for votes.”
fiegenforussenate.com
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