Bleeding Heartland - Mike Denklau

Weekend open thread: Election prediction contest edition

desmoinesdem — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:30:09 GMT

It's time for another Bleeding Heartland election prediction contest. No prizes will be awarded, but winners will get bragging rights. Can anyone dethrone American007, overall winner of our 2008 election contest?

Enter by answering the following questions. To qualify for the contest, your predictions must be posted as a comment in this thread by 7 am on Tuesday, June 8, 2010. This isn't like The Price is Right; the winning answers will be closest to the final results, whether or not they were a little high or low.

1. How many votes will be cast in the Republican primary for Iowa governor? (Hint: about 199,000 Iowans voted in the hard-fought 2002 Republican gubernatorial primary.)

2. What percentages of the vote will Terry Branstad, Bob Vander Plaats and Rod Roberts receive in the Republican primary for governor?

3. What percentages of the vote will Roxanne Conlin, Bob Krause and Tom Fiegen receive in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate?

4. What percentages of the vote will Rob Gettemy, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Steve Rathje and Chris Reed receive in the Republican primary in Iowa's second Congressional district? Remember, if you expect this nomination to be decided at a district convention, make sure your guess has the top vote-getter below 35 percent.

5. Who will be the top four candidates in the Republican primary in Iowa's third Congressional district, and what percentages of the vote will they receive? Again, keep the top vote-getter below 35 percent if you expect this nomination to go to a district convention. Your possible answers are Jim Gibbons, Brad Zaun, Dave Funk, Mark Rees, Scott Batcher, Jason Welch and Pat Bertroche.

6. What percentages of the vote will Mike Denklau and Matt Campbell receive in the Democratic primary in Iowa's fifth Congressional district?

7. What percentages of the vote will Matt Schultz, George Eichhorn and Chris Sanger receive in the Republican primary for secretary of state? (I covered that campaign in this post.)

8. What percentages of the vote will Dave Jamison and Jim Heavens receive in the Republican primary for state treasurer? (The Iowa Republican blog has been covering this race from time to time.)

9. What percentages of the vote will State Representative Ako Abdul-Samad and challenger Clair Rudison receive in the Democratic primary for Iowa House district 66? (Click here for background.)

10. What percentages of the vote will Tom Shaw, Stephen Richards and Alissa Wagner receive in the Republican primary for Iowa House district 8? (Click here and here for background. Keep in mind that although Wagner withdrew from the race and endorsed Shaw, her name will remain on the ballot.)

Don't be afraid to make some wild guesses. You can't win if you don't play!

This is also an open thread, so share whatever's on your mind.

Events coming up this weekend and next week

desmoinesdem — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

With only five days left before the Iowa primaries on June 8, many candidates have a busy weekend ahead. Event details are after the jump. Please post a comment or send an e-mail to desmoinesdem AT yahoo.com if you want to suggest an event for this calendar. Iowa Democratic candidates, please add me to your list for press announcements so that I can include your public appearances and fundraisers on these calendars. Also, let me know where you are having your election night parties if you would like me to add them to this post.

Although most of the competitive primaries this year are on the Republican side, please remind your friends and family to vote in the June 8 election. Democrats across the state have a choice to make in the U.S. Senate race between Roxanne Conlin, Tom Fiegen and Bob Krause. Democrats in 32 counties (the fifth Congressional district) will select either Matt Campbell or Mike Denklau to face Representative Steve "10 Worst" King. A few state legislative districts have multiple Democrats running too. County auditors' offices are open for early voting today, tomorrow, Saturday and Monday.

Stay tuned for a Bleeding Heartland primary election prediction contest. I'll post more details soon. As usual, no prizes will be awarded, but the winner gets bragging rights.

Most of our Democratic incumbents and challengers are out knocking on doors every weekend and often during the week. Please consider getting involved in an Iowa House or Senate race near you. Candidates for the state legislature can always use volunteer help, and summer parades and county fairs are not far off.
Thursday, June 3

U.S. Senate candidate Roxanne Conlin is holding a Story County meeting from 5 pm to 6 pm at Lucullan's Italian Grill, 400 Main Street in Ames. She is holding a Boone County meeting from 6:30 to 7:30 at the Historical Center, 602 Story Street in Boone.

Former First Lady Christie Vilsack will host a fundraiser in support of Anesa Kajtazovic's campaign for Iowa House District 21. The event takes place from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at 3335 Santa Maria Drive in Waterloo.

Friday, June 4

Roxanne Conlin is holding a Cerro Gordo County meeting from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at the Rose Bowl, 15079 Partridge Avenue in Mason City. She is holding a Floyd County meeting from 7:30 to 8:30 pm at the Iowa Title & Realty Office, 101 North Main Street in Charles City.

IA-05 Congressional candidate Matt Campbell will canvass in Spirit Lake before having lunch at noon at the Spirit Lake Pizza Ranch, 2003 18th Street. He will canvass in Milford, Spencer and Storm Lake before having dinner at 7 pm at the Lake Shore Family Restaurant, 1520 Lake Ave in Storm Lake.

IA-05 Congressional candidate Mike Denklau is speaking to the Woodbury Medical Society from 6pm to 8pm at the Sioux City Country Club, 4001 Jackson Street in Sioux City.

Saturday, June 5

Yoga in the Park begins and will continue every Saturday this summer at Gray's Lake in Des Moines. The Des Moines Park and Rec team offer FREE yoga classes at 9:00 AM every Saturday morning at Gray's Lake. No yoga experience is required and no registration is needed, just bring your mat and join in any Saturday June through September 2010. The classes are taught by Yoga Instructors from local yoga studios who have volunteered their time to offer this special opportunity to the community. If you have any questions feel free to call Tim Smith at 515-208-9216.

Roxanne Conlin is holding a Winneshiek County meeting from 9 am to 10 am at the Senior Center, 806 River Street in Decorah. She is holding a Black Hawk County meeting from 3 pm to 4 pm at Jameson's, 310 E 5th Street in Waterloo. She is holding a Johnson County meeting from 6 pm to 7 pm at David's Place, 100 South Linn Street in Iowa City.

Matt Campbell will canvass in Carroll, Denison, Harlan and Manning before having dinner at 6 pm at Cliff's Place, 417 Main Street in Manning.

Sunday, June 6

Roxanne Conlin is holding a Linn County meeting from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm at the IBEW Hall Local 405, 1211 Wiley Boulevard Southwest in Cedar Rapids. She is holding a Scott County meeting from 3:30 to 4:30 at the Scott County Democrats HQ
Midtown Plaza, 1706 Brady Street, Suite 205 in Davenport. She is holding a Lee County meeting from 6:30 to 7:30 at the Ft. Madison Public Library, 1920 Avenue East in Fort Madison.

Matt Campbell is scheduled to have lunch at 12:30 pm at Creston Windrow, 102 West Taylor Street in Creston. After canvassing in Creston, he will have coffee at 3:15 in the Linden Street Coffee House, 104 S Linden Street in Lamoni.

Monday, June 7

Churches, peace organizations and individuals are invited to join a March for Peace and Social Justice at 12:00 noon at Hy-Vee Hall in downtown Des Moines, walking to Nollen Plaza (approximately four blocks). The event will include prayers for the many peace and justice issues impacting our local, national and world community as well as sharing and reflections. Contact Clint Twedt-Ball at clint@hub25.org or Eloise Cranke at ecranke@mchsi.com.

Tuesday, June 8

Primary election day; polls will be open until 9 pm. If you requested an absentee ballot and forgot to mail it in, you can bring it to your regular polling place or your county auditor's office on election day.

Matt Campbell's election results party will be at Buffalo Alice, 1022 4th Street in Sioux City. I will post other Democratic election party locations if campaigns send them to me.

IA-5 Primary, Newspapers Not Publishing Candidate Letters

NWIA Granny — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 21:12:46 GMT

This is a copy of a letter that I wrote to be published in my local newspapers, only to find out that the newspapers have decide they are no longer going to print candidate letters. The reason I was given is that the publishers think that not printing them will increase ad revenue as people who want to express their support will buy ads. It has been sent to the Des Moines Register and the Sioux City Journal in hopes that they will publish it before the election.

I think this policy change will cause less information to be shared with voters. People are going to think twice about spending money to run an ad for a candidate, and a lot fewer people will participate. Issues will not be discussed and the differences between candidates will not be expressed.

What are your thoughts on my local papers not publishing candidate letters? Do you think that letters to the editor are an effective way to communicate with voters? Any other thoughts?

Letter to the Editor

One of the Democratic Candidates running in the Primary for Steve King's office is Mike Denklau. I met Mike last August when he first started his campaign for office, since then he has been working hard to build a grassroots organization and has raised over 35,000 dollars and outraised Matt Campbell in the first quarter of 2010 in contributions from individuals to finance his bid for Congress. I have been following and watching Mike since then and he continues to impress me and I will be supporting him in the Primaries and hopefully in the Fall General Election. For more information to to: http://www.denklauforcongress.com/vision/html

I also met Matt Campbell at the District Convention in Atlantic, although he seems to be a fine man, he was rather vague about his vision for the 5th District and his concentration was on Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, as he says on his website. Iowa has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, and there are lots of other issues that need to be addressed that unfortunately, I was unable to get a satisfactory response from Mr. Campbell about.

I would also like to encourage everyone to vote in the Primary on Tuesday, June 8th or you may vote absenteeat the Auditor's office at anytime they are open between now and then. FYI, the Auditor's office will be open next Saturday from 9 to 5 for the purpose of allowing absentee voting. You do not need a reason to vote absentee; it is now available to make it easier for people to participate.

In closing, whomever you decide to support, please vote and have your voice heard.

Thank you,

NWIA Granny

Funny Steve King Article

Chris Harris — Tue, 18 May 2010 17:36:35 GMT

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/5/14/131930/859

-Funny article and poll on congressman King from dailykos. It could have gone without the inappropriate words, but defentially gets the point across. It would be great if one of the two Democratic candidates could beat him this November.

Fifth District Endorsements

Chris Harris — Mon, 17 May 2010 00:07:57 GMT

In the U.S. House district five Democratic primary race, Matt Campbell has done well at picking up labor endorsements. There is one thing that stands out to me about this race's endorsements. The only endorsements by politicians have gone to Mike Denklau. Two highly regarded former politicians, Roger Wendt and Berkley Bedell, believe Denklau to be the best candidate to represent our district. The only politician endorsements Campbell has are the ones he wants to fool you into thinking he has. Throughout the campaign, a large portion of photos on Campbell's website and on his literature show him with either Vice President Joe Biden or U.S. Senator Tom Harkin. These are misleading as neither politician has endorsed him. This type of political maneuver which can be successful, but also dishonest reminds me of the 2002 Newark, NJ Mayoral race. Incumbent Sharpe James sent out literature with him pictured with Bill Clinton to trick people into believing he had been endorsed. This tactic helped James defeat challenger Cory Booker. I am not fooled by Campbell's tactics. I will be supporting Mike Denklau, the honest candidate, on June 8th.

Iowa Democrats and Republicans holding district conventions tomorrow

desmoinesdem — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:22:49 GMT

This weekend, activists across Iowa have a chance to hear from their party's candidates for Congress, the Iowa legislature, and statewide offices. The Iowa Democratic Party is holding conventions in all five Congressional districts on Saturday, April 24. These events are open to the public as well as the media. In other words, you do not have to be a convention delegate or alternate to attend. Here's a list of Democratic convention locations and some scheduled speakers:

WHAT: 1st District Convention WHEN: 10:00AM WHERE: Northeast Iowa Community College 10250 Sundown Rd. Peosta, IA SPEAKERS: Senate Candidate Roxanne Conlin, Senate Candidate Tom Fiegen, Governor Chet Culver, Candidate for Secretary of Agriculture Francis Thicke, Congressman Bruce Braley
WHAT: 2nd District Convention WHEN:11:00 AM WHERE: Fairfield Arts and Convention Center 200 North Main St. Fairfield, IA SPEAKERS: Senate Candidate Roxanne Conlin, Governor Chet Culver, Candidate for Secretary of Agriculture Francis Thicke, Congressman Dave Loebsack, Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan
WHAT: 3rd District Convention WHEN: 9:00 AM WHERE: Adventureland Inn 3200 Adventureland Dr. Altoona, IA SPEAKERS: Senator Tom Harkin, Senate Candidate Roxanne Conlin, Senate Candidate Tom Fiegen, Governor Chet Culver, Secretary of State Michael Mauro, Candidate for Secretary of Agriculture Francis Thicke, Congressman Leonard Boswell
WHAT: 4th District Convention WHEN: 10:00 AM WHERE: North Iowa Fairgrounds, Olson Building 3700 4th St. SW Mason City, IA SPEAKERS: Senate Candidate Tom Fiegen, Governor Chet Culver, Secretary of State Michael Mauro, Candidate for Congress Bill Maske
WHAT: 5th District Convention WHEN: 9:00 AM WHERE: Atlantic Middle School 1100 Linn St. Atlantic, IA SPEAKERS: Senator Tom Harkin, Senate Candidate Tom Fiegen, Governor Chet Culver, Secretary of State Michael Mauro, Candidate for Congress Matt Campbell, Candidate for Congress Mike Denklau, Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan

The Republican Party of Iowa is holding conventions in the second, third and fifth districts this Saturday, and in the first and fourth districts on Saturday, May 1. (Click here for event details.) GOP conventions are open to the media but not the public.

The second and third district conventions will be well-attended because of the competitive GOP Congressional primaries. If no candidate wins at least 35 percent of the vote in the June 8 primary, district conventions will have to reconvene in June to select the nominee. Seven Republicans are running against Representative Leonard Boswell in the third district, and at least four of them are campaigning actively.

According to Republican blogger David Chung, there is "unprecedented" interest in the second district convention because of the four Republicans running against Representative Dave Loebsack. Chung writes, "For the first time in my memory, Linn County has filled [its] delegation. We have never actually had as many paid delegates as we were allotted." Chung considers it "likely" that a second district convention will need to reconvene to select Loebsack's opponent. Some other people following that race closely expect the contest to be decided on June 8, with only two candidates as serious contenders: Rob Gettemy and Mariannette Miller-Meeks. Gettemmy has the most cash on hand and the support of many influential Linn County Republicans as well as the National Republican Congressional Committee. The 2008 GOP nominee, Miller-Meeks, has spent the most time campaigning around the district. She has more cash on hand than either Steve Rathje or Chris Reed and is likely to do particularly well outside Linn County, where her three Republican rivals are based.

The district conventions will also elect members of the parties' State Central Committees. Former Republican SCC member Chung is seeking that position again and expects a "massive shakeup" on the committee, because "several current members have decided not to run" again.

UPDATE: I've been told that Thicke will be at the fourth district convention as well, and Senate candidate Bob Krause will be at some of these conventions too, but I don't have details.

Events coming up during the next two weeks

desmoinesdem — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMT

This April is shaping up to be a relatively quiet month in Iowa politics, with the legislature already adjourned for the year. However, after the jump you'll find details for many events coming up soon. Please post a comment or send me an e-mail (desmoinesdem AT yahoo.com) if you know of an event I've left out.

I have also posted information about an internship opportunity for women who would like to work on a sustainable farm, as well as a grant opportunity called "Iowa Sun4Schools." It's for Iowa schools that may want to install a solar array: "In addition to supplying electricity to the facility, the solar array will serve as an educational and research tool, and as a symbol of the schools commitment to saving energy and reducing their carbon footprint."

UPDATE: Iowa nonprofit, charitable and government organizations have until April 16 to nominate people for the Governor's Volunteer Award.

SECOND UPDATE: The Fred Phelps freak show is coming back to Des Moines on April 10 to protest a constitutional law symposium on same-sex marriage at Drake University. Click here for details about counter-protests being planned.
Tuesday, April 6:

Health Care for America Now, the Iowa Citizen Action Network and other groups are organizing an event to thank Congressman Leonard Boswell for voting for health insurance reform. "Spokespersons for small business owners, older adults, senior citizens and students will gather with other Iowans at Drake University Law School to thank the Congressman and explain how the new law affects them." The event takes place at 5:30 pm at Drake University Law School, 2621 Carpenter Avenue, Room #205.

From the Iowa Environmental Council newsletter:

The Iowa Food Cooperative would like to invite you to a gathering at The Des Moines Social Club, on Tuesday, April 6 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., to learn how you can get healthy, local food from local Iowa farmers. We'll have delicious samples prepared by local chefs and members, Cynthia and Jason Kapela. Meet some of our producers and Iowa Food Cooperative members and listen as they share their stories and answer questions. For more information: www.iowafood.org. Please RSVP to Lynn Fallon at fallonlynn@gmail.com.

Mike Denklau, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Iowa's fifth district, will be the guest on The Fallon Forum radio program. It's on from 7:00-8:00 pm on 98.3 WOW-FM or live-streamed at http://www.983wowfm.com/. You can call-in at (515) 312-0983 or toll free at (866) 908-TALK.

From I'M for Iowa:

April 6, 7 & 8 - Benefit for Central Iowa Shelter and Services (Des Moines)
CISS is Iowa's largest homeless shelter and houses over 100 men and women each night at no charge. If you dine at Gino's Restaurant any of these nights, 10% of your bill will be donated to CISS, though you need to present a coupon designed for this purpose. Gino's is at 2809 6th Ave. [in Des Moines] Contact Judy Anderson for coupon information at (515) 278-0939 or andrsnjudy@mchsi.com.

Wednesday, April 7:

The three Republican candidates for governor will debate in Sioux City. KTIV will live-stream the debate at 1 pm on the station's website. The debate will be broadcast at 7 pm the same day on KTIV, KWWL in Waterloo, and KTTC in Rochester, Minn. Iowa Public Television will broadcast the debate as well, but I don't know the details on times. KTIV and KTTC will rebroadcast the debate on April 11.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Chris Van Hollen will be the featured guest at a fundraiser for Leonard Boswell's campaign. Congressman Dave Loebsack will be there as well. The reception takes place from 5:30 to 7:00 pm at 11 SW 51st St in Des Moines. Suggested Contribution Levels (per person): Co-Host: $1000, Sponsor: $500, Patron: $250, Guest: $50. Please RSVP to Brian Fritsch at
brian.fritsch AT boswellforcongress.com or (515) 883-2254.

Thursday, April 8:

From the Iowa Environmental Council newsletter:

Lecture: Natural Flows: Water, Flooding, and Nature in Iowa
Connie Mutel will speak at Buena Vista University, Estelle Siebens Science Center Room 126 on the BVU campus in Storm Lake, Iowa on April 8 2010 at 7:00 PM. A reception will follow at 8:00 PM. Connie Mutel is the author of The Emerald Horizon: The History of Nature in Iowa and the editor of A Watershed Year: Anatomy of the Iowa Floods of 2008. She has written extensively about nature, ecosystems, and human effects on Iowa's environment. She will interpret the 2008 floods in Iowa in the context of the natural water flows of the Tallgrass prairie and changes in the landscape, streams and rivers over the past 160 years. She proposes "a vision for the future" to restore functioning ecosystems and ecosystem services, leading to a less flood-prone hydrology. Contact Carolyn Ashbaugh, ashbaugh@bvu.edu for further information about the talk and about a book signing at the Storm Lake Public Library on April 7.

From I'M for Iowa:

Make a Rain Barrel for your Garden (Iowa City)
Join ECO Iowa City to learn how to make a simple rain barrel to improve water quality and reduce the amount of runoff at your home. Presentation by Chant Eicke, environmental scientist and wetland delineator with EarthView Environmental, LLC. The event starts at 7:00 pm at the Iowa City Public Library.

Friday, April 9:

The Madison County Democrats are having their annual dinner starting at 6 pm at the Jackson Community Building, Madison County Fairgrounds (Winterset, IA) State Highway 322. Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate Roxanne Conlin and Tom Fiegen will be there.

From the Sierra Club's Iowa Topics list:

WATER MONITORING CONFERENCE AND IOWATER OPEN FORUM
TO DISCUSS MONITORING FOR THE NEXT DECADE
AMES - Water quality professionals and volunteers can discover how Iowans are improving Iowa's water resources at the DNR's 10-Year Water Monitoring Conference and IOWATER Open Forum. The conference will be held April 9 to 10 at the Scheman Building on the Iowa State University campus in Ames.
This year's conference will address hydrology and water quality, public health, nutrients, community involvement in water quality protection, biological health and stormwater issues.
In addition to concurrent sessions the conference will feature two morning plenary speakers and an evening keynote speaker.
Regional Climate Trends and Observation: Some Hydrologic Implications
Mark Seeley, professor and Extension climatologist, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minn.
Restoring the Water Commons: Smart, Clean, and Green Infrastructure
Valerie Nelson, director, Coalition for Alternative Wastewater Treatment, Massachusetts
Keynote: Natural Flows: A History of Water and Nature in Iowa
Connie Mutel, ecologist and author
Saturday's IOWATER open forum will highlight successes from the program's 10-year history and discuss the future of the program. In 2009, Iowa lead the nation in the number of volunteers participating in World Water Monitoring Day with more than 3,000 participants monitoring nearly 800 sites. For more information on World Water Monitoring Day, visit www.worldwatermonitoringday.org.
Registration for the 10-year Water Monitoring Conference and IOWATER Open Forum is $30 before 5 p.m. April 2 and $35 after. The registration fee will be waived for IOWATER and AWARE volunteers who are not federal, state or county employees.
Registration information and agendas are posted at www.igsb.uiowa.edu/wqm .
MEDIA CONTACT: Mary Pat Heitman at (319) 335-1576 or marypat.heitman@dnr.iowa.gov

Saturday, April 10:

The IOWATER forum in Ames continues (see information above).

Iowa College Democrats are having a convention at the Memorial Union in Iowa City from 1 pm to 4 pm. Senate candidates Tom Fiegen and Bob Krause will be there.

From 4 pm to 5 pm Krause will hold a reception in the Long Branch Hotel in Cedar Rapids, after which he will attend the Linn County Democrats Hall of Fame dinner in the same hotel, beginning at 6 pm. Fiegen will also attend the dinner.

Roxanne Conlin will meet with supporters in Butler County from 11 am to 12 pm in the Allison Public Library, 412 3rd Street in Allison. She will meet with supporters in Floyd County from 1 pm to 2 pm in the Charles City Public Library, 106 Milwaukee Mall in Charles City.

From I'M for Iowa:

Fortieth Anniversary of Earth Day Concert (Sioux City)
Six bands. All ages welcome. Family activities. At Morningside College Outdoor Performance Space (Eppley Auditorium in case of bad weather). Sponsored by Sierra Club, Audubon Society, Friends of Stone Park, Woodbury Co. Conservation Foundation and others. Details at http://iowa.sierraclub.org/nwi...

Tuesday, April 13:

Bob Krause is holding a reception from 5 pm to 6 pm at A&G Steak House in Creston. He'll attend the Page County Central Committee meeting at 7 pm the same day.

Wednesday, April 14:

Bob Krause will be interviewed on the Bradshaw radio program, 98.3 WOW-FM in Des Moines, from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm.

From I'M for Iowa:

Nature's Instructions are Written in Grasslands Lecture (Sioux City)
A lecture by Missoula-based environmental writer Richard Manning (author of "Grassland" and "Rewilding the West: Restoration in a Prairie Landscape"). At St. Francis Center, Briar Cliff University. Event coordinated by BCU's Center for Prairie Studies. Free and open to the public. Contact Gerald Iversen at geraldiversen@yahoo.com.

Thursday, April 15:

Tom Fiegen will attend a STAR-PAC meeting beginning at 7:15 am at Chet Guinn's Fire Station, 1041 8th Street in Des Moines.

Bob Krause is holding an event from 6 pm to 7 pm at the Betsy Mayfield Residence, 3306 Court in Ames.

From the Women, Food and Agriculture Network:

Women Interested in Sustainable Ag Careers Invited to Apply for Iowa On-Farm Work Experience by April 15
WFAN has received funding to place a limited number of women interested in careers in sustainable agriculture on working small-market farms for 8 to 10 weeks of on-farm experience during the 2010 growing season.
We are currently seeking applicants who want to gain on-farm experience with market farming, including raising and harvesting vegetables, marketing, delivery, and possibly livestock or poultry care.
A modest stipend will be paid to interns and host farmers.
If you are a woman interested in a career in sustainable agriculture who would like to explore an on-farm work experience this summer, please send a cover letter and resume to this email address [leigh AT wfan.org] by April 15, 2010.

From I'M for Iowa:

April 15 - Julia Butterfly Hill Talk (Sioux City)
More than ten years ago, Julia Butterfly Hill lived in a giant California redwood tree for 738 days to prevent loggers from cutting it down. She is now an environmental activist, writer and poet. Her talk and dinner are at Morningside College from 5:30 - 7:00 pm in Roadman Hall Formal Dining Room. There is a charge. Contact Gerald Iversen at geraldiversen@yahoo.com.

Friday, April 16:

Bob Krause is holding a rally in Lake Mills to call attention to job losses caused by NAFTA. More details here. Excerpt from March 31 press release:

Four hundred people in Lake Mills are losing their jobs to NAFTA, and Bob Krause, Democratic Candidate for U. S. Senate, would like to do something about it. Krause said today that he will hold an event on April 16 described as a listening and advocacy session to help the 400 employees of the Cummins Filtration manufacturing plant.
The plant is to be closed this spring, and an existing Cummins plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, will be a recipient of the jobs. Krause hopes that people across Iowa who are concerned about the international outsourcing of jobs will join him.
The event will begin at 1:45 p.m. at the Grand Restaurant, 201 West Main Street in Lake Mills, the Winnebago County hometown of former governor Terry Branstad, who is now running for the Republican nomination for that job.
"Instead of getting $14.00 per hour, the new employees in Mexico will get $1.50 per hour," said Krause. "To add insult to injury, Cummins Filtration will receive a half million dollar grant from the Mexican government to train the new workers," he added.

Saturday, April 17:

Bob Krause is holding an event from 12 pm to 1 pm at the Sarah Elliot Residence, 3816 Primrose Ave. in Osage.

From Whiterock Conservancy:

Whiterock Conservancy's NEW Bur Oak Visitor's is now open to the public! Join us in celebration of its official opening on Saturday, April 17th from 1:00-5:00pm. This is a free event.
Come and explore our new 3-mile sustainable trail system that links Coon Rapids to 4,300 acres and 30+ additional miles of dirt trails. Learn about the landscape and its natural history by checking out 29 new interpretive signs.
The afternoon will include:
* Rare bird display and bird release by Kay Neumann of Saving Our Avian Resources (SOAR)
* Guided wetland and savanna walk by WRC ecologist Elizabeth Hill
* Wildlife presentation by ISU Extension wildlife biologist Rebecca Christoffel with local mammal fur display
* Live music by famed Iowa folk musician Dave Moore
So come celebrate with family and friends and help us kick off an exciting recreational season!
The Bur Oak Visitor's Center is located just east of Coon Rapids on Highway 141. Look for road signs to guide you.

From the Iowa Environmental Council newsletter:

Osprey 5K Fun Run/Walk
An Osprey 5K will take place Saturday, April 17, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. (8:00-8:45 a.m. Registration/Packet Pick Up at the Annett Nature Center). The course starts and finishes at the Annett Nature Center, located at 15565 118th Avenue in Indianola. The 3.1 mile route includes Lake Ahquabi State Park. Immediately following the event, snacks and refreshments will be served and prizes will be awarded. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Annett Nature Center Osprey Project. Get your registration form at www.warrenccb.org. For information contact Missy Smith at 515-961-6169 or missysmith@warrenccb.org.

Sunday, April 18:

Earth Day events will take place around the state. One of the biggest in central Iowa is Earth Day in the Junction, in the Valley Junction neighborhood of West Des Moines. More details are available here.

Monday, April 19:

From the National Center for Appropriate Technology:

The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) Midwest Office is happy to announce the release of the Request for Proposals for the "Sun4Schools" program.
NCAT will partner with 5 Iowa schools to install a solar photovoltaic (PV) system at each school and provide additional educational resources (curriculums, workshops) for the school and local community. In addition to supplying electricity to the facility, the solar array will serve as an educational and research tool, and as a symbol of the schools commitment to saving energy and reducing their carbon footprint. The "Iowa Sun4Schools" program is designed to reward schools who have actively pursued energy saving measures in their facilities and selection criteria will be based on the community buy-in in the schools conservation efforts.
The main objective of this project is to demonstrate the benefits of solar energy while providing a unique educational opportunity for students and their communities. NCAT has developed a curriculum for teachers to maximize the educational potential of the solar arrays. The Iowa Sun4Schools project will have the added benefit of providing solar installation experience for local electricians, while helping to grow the market for solar in Iowa. Funding for this project is from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and is managed by the Iowa Office of Energy Independence.
Rather than funding each individual school to design, purchase and install a unique solar array, NCAT will provide each school with a pre-packaged system including solar panels, a grid-tie inverter and a mounting rack. All components will be the same for each system. This will allow NCAT to bulk buy system components and keep equipment prices down, while also building a state network of identical data collection sites to provide consistent monitoring for future research, education and modeling projects. Along with the system components, NCAT will provide an instructor for a free solar workshop for members of each community selected, and a training session for the local science teachers who will be teaching the NCAT solar curriculum.
Please contact mee if you would like a copy of the RFP. Proposals are due by 5pm April 19, 2010. Please feel free to contact me with any questions - we are happy to assist you and look forward to working with you to submit the best possible proposal.
best,
Rich
------------ ------
Rich Dana
Energy Specialist
National Center for Appropriate Technology
richd@ncat.org
319.530.6051
www.ncat.org

Get to know the Democrats running against Steve King

desmoinesdem — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:58:42 GMT

Two Democrats are running for Congress in Iowa's fifth district this year. It's an uphill climb in a Republican-leaning part of the state, but I appreciate their commitment to challenge Steve King. While King's embarrassing antics provide a lot of material for this blog, western Iowa deserves a representative who's not a repeat winner of Keith Olbermann's "worst person of the world" award.

Learn more about the candidates at their websites: Matt Campbell for Congress and Mike Denklau for Congress. Blog for Iowa recently interviewed both candidates about a wide range of issues. Here's part 1 and part 2 of the Campbell interview. Here's part 1, part 2 and part 3 of the Denklau interview.

I don't plan to get involved in this primary, because from what I've read, both Campbell and Denklau seem highly capable, and either would be an enormous improvement over Steve "10 Worst" King. However, I encourage other Bleeding Heartland users to write diaries about the fifth district campaign. Feel free to advocate for your candidate, as NWIA Granny has done, cover a public appearance by either candidate, or compare where Campbell and Denklau stand on the issues.

This Thursday, April 1, from 7 pm to 8 pm, Ed and Lynn Fallon will cover the Steve King "phenomenon" on the Fallon Forum radio show. You can listen at 98.3 WOW-FM and on-line at www.983wowfm.com. If you want to call in to the show, the numbers are (515) 312-0983 or (866) 908-TALK. A podcast will be available later at this site.

Please Help Retire Steve King

NWIA Granny — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 18:58:53 GMT

This is to introduce you to Mike Denklau, who is running to retire Steve King Rep. 5th District Iowa. Mike has a web site at Denklau for Congress. It does a good job of laying out his view and who he is and what he believes in and wants to do to help Iowans in these trying times. He also has an entry on Act Blue. Here is the address to his act blue page, http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/23238. I will do my best to answer your questions in the comments, I have been volunteering for Mike for several months, and he is a young, energetic, intelligent, man who I believe will do a very good job of representing Western Iowa.

Where to begin to describe this man? I think I will let him tell you himself.

A MESSAGE FROM MIKE: I’m running for Congress because I want to make a difference in my state at this critical time in our nation’s history. With so many people struggling, it’s time to move beyond partisanship and political gridlock to reach consensus on the issues that matter most to Iowans. In short, Iowans deserve sensible and pragmatic leadership. As an Iowan born and raised in a small farming community, I understand first-hand the enormous challenges before us. As a leader from the world of global business and economics, I have the experience and understanding necessary to tackle the tough issues we all face. This election is about moving our 5th District community, our state, and our nation forward. It’s time to take advantage of our greatest strengths: Iowa values and the Iowa work ethic. Please join me in my campaign for new leadership and let’s make a difference together!

In order to give you even more information on Mike and his views, this is the link to an interview done by Iowa Guy 2 and posted on Blog for Iowa, to give you a better look at Mike's views. Denklau Interview, http://swiowaguy.blogspot.com/2010/02/talking-with-mike-denklau-part-3.html. There are links to the first two parts of the interview at this location.

Iowa candidate filings deadline thread

desmoinesdem — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:29:02 GMT

The filing deadline for statewide and state legislative offices closed at the end of business today. John Deeth has been covering the highlights at his blog. Click here to download a pdf file from the Secretary of State's office for the full candidate list.

As I mentioned earlier, Governor Chet Culver has no primary challenger. All three remaining Republican gubernatorial candidates qualified for the ballot (Terry Branstad, Rod Roberts, Bob Vander Plaats).

There will be a three-way Democratic primary for U.S. Senate between Roxanne Conlin, Tom Fiegen and Bob Krause.

Republicans have a full slate of candidates for statewide offices. Sadly, Democrats failed to find anyone to take on Auditor David Vaudt.

Four Republicans filed against Bruce Braley in Iowa's first Congressional district, and four Republicans filed against Dave Loebsack in the second district. All seven declared GOP candidates qualified for the ballot in Iowa's third district. I would not be surprised if a district convention ends up selecting Leonard Boswell's opponent.

Bill Maske is the only Democrat running against Tom Latham in Iowa's fourth Congressional district. As expected, we will have a competitive primary in the fifth between Mike Denklau and Matt Campbell.

Most surprising statehouse district left uncontested: House district 16 in northeast Iowa. I had heard rumors that Republicans had no candidate against freshman State Representative John Beard, but I'm still shocked they left him unchallenged. That was a battleground race in 2008. Does anyone know whether a GOP district convention will be able to name a candidate for this race later?

Democrats didn't leave any obviously competitive statehouse districts open. I'm a little disappointed we don't have a candidate in House district 73, from which Republican Jodi Tymeson is retiring. It is a fairly strong GOP district, but I thought a candidate pounding the pavement there might help State Senator Staci Appel in her re-election campaign against Kent Sorenson (Senate district 37).

We found a candidate in House district 51 (Carroll County), which Rod Roberts is vacating to run for governor. Democrat Larry Lesle of Manning will face the winner of a three-way GOP primary.

Yesterday two-term incumbent Elesha Gayman surprised many people by announcing her retirement from House district 84 in Davenport. Gayman indicated that no one had been lined up to replace her, but today Shari Carnahan filed for that seat as a Democrat. She will face Gayman's 2008 opponent, Ross Paustian.

Ruth Ann Gaines ended up being the only Democrat to file in Wayne Ford's district 65 (Des Moines).

Six Democratic Iowa House incumbents have primary challengers. The people running against Dave Jacoby (district 30, Iowa City/Coralville) and Geri Huser (district 42, east side of Des Moines) appear to be backed by organized labor. A socially conservative pastor, Clair Rudison, is running against Ako Abdul-Samad in district 66 (Des Moines). Anesa Kajtazovic stepped up to the plate in House district 21 (Waterloo). Freshman Kerry Burt really should have retired from that seat. I don't know what the deal is with Kenneth Oglesby, who is challenging Chuck Isenhart in district 27 (Dubuque). Likewise, I have no idea why Mike Petersen is running against Mary Gaskill in district 93 (Ottumwa). Please post a comment or e-mail me (desmoinesdem AT yahoo.com) if you know the backstory.

Most surprising retirement: Republican Doug Struyk in district 99. The GOP candidate for secretary of state in 2006, Mary Ann Hanusa, is running for the Council Bluffs-based seat instead. She will face Democrat Kurt Hubler, who nearly defeated Struyk in 2008. Struyk was first elected as a Democrat but switched parties several years ago. His departure will leave only one turncoat in the Iowa House. We failed to field a candidate against Dawn Pettengill (district 39), who switched to the GOP in 2007.

More posts are coming soon on some of the battleground statehouse races. Meanwhile, post any relevant comments in this thread.

UPDATE: Forgot to mention that we will see seven or eight rematches in Iowa House races. Republicans are running Josh Thurston and Stephen Burgmeier and 2009 special election winners Kirsten Running-Marquardt (district 33) and Curt Hanson (district 90). Also, in district 23 first-term Democrat Gene Ficken will face the Republican he beat in 2008, Dan Rasmussen. Republican Jane Jech is taking another shot at incumbent Mark Smith in district 43. The district 89 race may be a rematch as well if Jarad Klein wins the GOP primary to face first-term Democrat Larry Marek. In House district 60, first-term Republican Peter Cownie faces 2008 Democratic candidate Alan Koslow. Not only will Koslow be at a severe financial disadvantage, his endorsement of Jonathan Narcisse for governor won't win him friends among the Democratic base. Democrat Pat VanZante is taking another shot at Jim Van Engelenhoven in district 71 (assuming Van Engelenhoven doesn' lose to his GOP primary challenger). Republican Dave Heaton will face his 2008 opponent, Ron Fedler, in district 91.

SECOND UPDATE: Republicans are crowing that they are fielding candidates in 88 of the 100 Iowa House districts, while Democrats are fielding candidates in only 75 districts. I would like to challenge Republicans everywhere, but it's only natural that Iowa Democrats are going to focus more on defense this year. We already have the majority, and it could be a tough cycle for incumbents at all levels.

Two Democrats have stepped up to challenge Steve King

desmoinesdem — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:25:29 GMT

This week Matt Campbell made the official announcement he's been planning for some time: he will seek the Democratic nomination in Iowa's fifth Congressional district. Bret Hayworth was there for the Sioux City Journal. I agree with Campbell's observation that four-term incumbent Steve King has "no major legislative accomplishments" (unless you count that House resolution recognizing the importance of Christmas in the Christian faith).

Campbell joins Mike Denklau, who announced his candidacy in IA-05 last October. Denklau responded to Campbell's announcement with a press release emphasizing his background in business and finance, as well as his earlier start for this campaign.

You can learn more about both candidates at their campaign websites. Campbell is an attorney specializing in tax-related issues, and Denklau has professional experience in the banking world. Both have deep family roots in Iowa. To learn about the candidates' policy priorities, read the issue pages on Campbell's site and on Denklau's site.

Running for Congress isn't easy. I give full credit to these two Democrats who have stepped up to challenge King. The fifth district is unfortunately safe Republican territory for now; Rob Hubler ran hard for nearly two years and still lost to King by more than 20 points in 2008. However, we should not give any Republican incumbent a pass, especially one as offensive and ineffective as King. Last year King made the list of voices fellow Congressional Republicans said they would most like to "mute," according to a survey by the National Journal. He tends to make the news in embarrassing ways and is proud of things that would make others feel ashamed.

Assuming Campbell and Denklau fight fair this spring and agree to support the eventual winner of the primary, it will help the Democratic Party in western Iowa to have two candidates out there mobilizing moderates as well as liberal voters. I hope both campaigns will work to register new Democratic voters before the primary, and both candidates will stay involved in Iowa politics no matter who goes on to the general election.

UPDATE: On February 2 State Representative Roger Wendt of Sioux City endorsed Denklau.

Year in review: Iowa politics in 2009 (part 2)

desmoinesdem — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:13:59 GMT

Following up on my review of news from the first half of last year, I've posted links to Bleeding Heartland's coverage of Iowa politics from July through December 2009 after the jump.

Hot topics on this blog during the second half of the year included the governor's race, the special election in Iowa House district 90, candidates announcing plans to run for the state legislature next year, the growing number of Republicans ready to challenge Representative Leonard Boswell, state budget constraints, and a scandal involving the tax credit for film-making.
July 2009

I reviewed some of the important laws that went into effect on July 1.

I encouraged Bleeding Heartland readers to get to know Bob Krause, the first Democrat to announce plans to challenge Chuck Grassley in 2010.

Debate raged over whether Governor Culver should call the legislature into special session to amend the fiscal year 2009 budget. Culver said he was "very confident" the budget was balanced.

A video of Chuck Grassley went viral after he told a questioner at a town-hall meeting to "go work for the federal government" if he wanted a health insurance plan like the one Grassley enjoys.

Iowa's smoking rate declined during the first year after the public smoking ban went into effect.

The Iowa Farm Bureau expressed confidence that the climate change bill would die in the Senate. It seems that they were right.

The Iowa Attorney General's office advised the Iowa Department of Public Health that a married lesbian who gives birth cannot list her spouse on the child's birth certificate.

After Christian Fong declared his candidacy for governor, I was struck by the way he borrowed from Barack Obama's playbook. I still wonder whether Fong could have gotten any traction in the GOP primary if Terry Branstad had stayed out of the governor's race.

The parent company of a firm that allegedly exploited mentally disabled workers claimed not to be subject to Iowa labor laws.

Chet Culver hired John Frew to be his new chief of staff and brought on Teresa Vilmain as a senior consultant to his re-election campaign. Meanwhile, a poll commissioned by The Iowa Republican blog found that Culver had decent approval and favorability ratings.

Iowa fully utilized federal stimulus funds aimed at extending unemployment benefits thanks to some steps taken during the 2009 legislative session.

The Government Accountability Office examined how 16 states were handling federal stimulus funds. Iowa got good marks for its "foundation of safeguards to help ensure the funds are being spent in the way that they were intended and to minimize the fraud, waste and abuse."

The Des Moines Register reported on a Mount Vernon grocer's lawsuit against the industry's top two wholesalers, charging they had conspired to keep food prices artificially high.

A Dubuque assisted living center exploited a loophole in order to evade government regulations for care of the elderly.

Bill Northey confirmed that he will not run for governor in 2010, but will run for re-election as Iowa secretary of agriculture.

Health Care for America Now and the Iowa Citizen Action Network created a "job application" for Iowans wanting to take Chuck Grassley's advice to "go work for the federal government" if they want good health insurance coverage.

A poll commissioned by The Iowa Republican blog showed Bob Vander Plaats with a commanding lead over other Republicans running for governor.

Strong investor interest and Iowa's high credit rating drove down the interest rate for the I-JOBS bonds, reducing future repayment costs.

The Des Moines rumor mill said Terry Branstad was thinking about getting back into politics, but I was still skeptical.

A report named State Representative Kerry Burt among a group of parents who didn't pay tuition fees to the University of Northern Iowa's Malcolm Price Laboratory School.

John Whitaker resigned as state representative in Iowa House district 90 in order to take a position with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

A bunch of teenagers got busted for underage drinking at the home of Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Marsha Ternus.

Christian Fong found a politically-correct Republican way to advocate discrimination against same-sex couples while sounding respectful and inclusive.

Governor Culver set September 1 as the date for the special election in Iowa House district 90.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation started looking into allegations that State Representative Kerry Burt failed to pay $37,000 in tuition costs for his children.

State Representative Rod Roberts joined the Republican race for governor.

I compared Chet Culver's and Terry Branstad's records on state budgets and flood recovery. I still think a central event in Branstad's tenure as governor was his 1994 Republican primary battle against then Congressman Fred Grandy.

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy refused to reclassify marijuana as a medication doctors can prescribe, but voted to hold public hearings on the issue.

Democrats and Republicans selected candidates for the special election in Iowa House district 90.

CNBC named Iowa the fourth best state for doing business.

The I-JOBS board awarded the first grants for infrastructure projects amid controversy over how many jobs would be created.

Representatives Bruce Braley, Dave Loebsack and Leonard Boswell helped negotiate new language in the House health care reform bill to change Medicare reimbursements.

Central Iowa business Republicans continued to search for a new candidate to enter the gubernatorial race.

Governor Culver rode a train through eastern Iowa to promote the expansion of passenger rail. Meanwhile, Representative Tom Latham tried but failed to replace $3 billion in high-speed rail funds with more money for roads in a transportation appropriations bill.

The RNC ran radio ads against Leonard Boswell on health care.

The Iowa GOP and Iowa Democratic Party agreed to hold the 2010 caucuses on Saturday, January 23 at 1 pm. I still think the caucus system needs serious reform.

Reports emerged that State Representative Kerry Burt dropped the governor's name in an effort to avoid a drunk-driving arrest.

Paul McKinley complained about Democrats blocking his time-wasting "state sovereignty resolution."

The Iowa Pharmacy Association filed a disclosure report on its February legislative reception five months late.

I dodged a teachable moment when Fred Phelps brought his Westboro Baptist Church clan to protest Jewish sites in central Iowa.

August 2009

Terry Branstad told the Des Moines Register that he was "not ruling out" running for governor in 2010.

The state Environmental Protection Commission considered new rules that would limit public input during the permit approval process for confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

Christian Fong announced ten campus coordinators to help attract the youth vote.

The Iowa GOP outsourced the House district 90 special election campaign to Iowans for Tax Relief and the Iowa Family Policy Center.

The National Republican Congressional Committee included Leonard Boswell (IA-03) on its list of 70 Democratic-held districts to be targeted in 2010.

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement discovered numerous late-filing disclosure violations by lobbyist groups during the 2009 legislative session, indicating that the Iowa legislature is unable or unwilling to enforce its own rules.

Iowa Republicans grew increasingly worried that Chuck Grassley might help Democrats pass health care reform, but I knew he wasn't working to improve the bill or its chances of passing.

The Senate confirmed Leach for that position in August.

I concluded that Iowa atheists have amazing power to make other people act like idiots.

I agreed with Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement about the need to stop subsidizing factory farms and overproduction of meat. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack denied the pork industry's request to buy excess pork in August but allocated money for that purpose later in the year.

Chris Rants bashed the Power Fund and missed the point.

Chuck Grassley played the "pull the plug on grandma" card.

Bleeding Heartland user blueback reminded us of the tv ads corporations funded through the Iowa Leadership Council in 2008. The ads targeted several Iowa House Democrats.

Iowa got the highest marks in the Work Loss Data Institute's 2009 state report cards on workers' compensation.

Bleeding Heartland user iowademocrat attended a Tom Harkin health care forum and declared, "Now I understand why war happens."

Leonard Boswell was vague about what he considered essential elements of a health care reform bill.

Republican Stephen Burgmeier's first tv ad in the House district 90 campaign focused on Governor Chet Culver and the I-JOBS state bonding initiative. The ad repeated the usual misleading Republican talking points against the I-JOBS borrowing.

Bleeding Heartland user iowademocrat posted some ideas on how to "defeat the health care forum bullies".

Bleeding Heartland user hei posted a first-person account from one of Representative Dave Loebsack's town-hall meetings.

The Iowa Democratic Party ran a tv ad in House district 90 focusing on how Republican candidate Stephen Burgmeier voted to raise his pay as a county supervisor four times in six years.

Guest poster Senate Guru advocated drafting Bruce Braley to run against Chuck Grassley, an idea I opposed.

Christian Fong promised that if elected governor, he would balance the budget every year without touching Iowa's reserve fund, prompting this post on the purpose of rainy day funds and the danger of cutting spending too deeply during a recession.

As some Senate Democrats floated regional health insurance co-operatives as an alternative to the public option, the New York Times noted that health insurance co-ops had already failed in Iowa.

Paul McKinley didn't even go through the motions of campaigning for governor.

The Republican Party and its candidate Stephen Burgmeier decided to downplay social issues during the special election campaign in House district 90, prompting an angry social conservative to run as a third-party campaign. A second social conservative also joined the race, and the two fringe candidates received more than 200 votes in the special election, which the Democrat won by 107 votes.

Iowa's budget picture continued to look bleak, with spending cuts increasingly likely to keep the current-year budget in balance.

Bob Vander Plaats bizarrely advocated taking Iowa out of the federal government-run Medicare and Medicaid programs.

The Iowa Civil Rights Commission voted unanimously "to formally support the Iowa Supreme Court's decision allowing gay marriage, and to formally oppose any constitutional amendment that would overturn the decision."

State Representative Kerry Burt received a fine and a year of probation after pleading guilty to drunk driving.

Rumors continued to circulate about a high-profile Democrat joining the race against Chuck Grassley.

Bleeding Heartland user iowavoter posted a first-hand account of a Grassley town-hall meeting.

I never did understand why State Senator Jerry Behn joined the Republican race for governor.

Christian Fong started running a statewide radio ad that made false claims about the I-JOBS bonding program as well as an ill-advised promise to "end the use of taxpayer money to fund lobbyists."

Bleeding Heartland user iowademocrat shared a personal story that fuels his commitment to health care reform.

Guest poster dopper0189 cross-posted a diary from Swing State Project on the concept of "Party Brand Index" applied to Iowa.

IowaPolitics.com published a disappointing "he said she said" piece on the story instead of investigating whether the ad's claims were true.

Anonymous hit pieces attacking Terry Branstad from the right popped up on Des Moines windshields and on YouTube.

Francis Thicke praised legislation in Illinois aimed at increasing local food production.

Steve King finally ruled out running for governor in 2010.

I chose not to attend an Organizing for America rally on health care reform.

Bleeding Heartland user iowademocrat, an early Obama supporter, lost patience with the president: "I refuse to work for his version of health care reform when he has no clear goal other than to pass something - anything - that may get through Congress, regardless of content."

Senator Ted Kennedy passed away, and his friend John Culver (former U.S. Senator, father of Chet Culver) made memorable remarks at the funeral.

The special election campaign in Iowa House district 90 heated up. The National Organization for Marriage spent heavily on television ads to help elect the Republican Burgmeier. Interest groups supporting Curt Hanson relied primarily on the ground game.

Fred Hubbell quickly quashed speculation that he might run against Chuck Grassley next year.

September 2009

Curt Hanson's narrow victory in the Iowa House district 90 special election was a pleasant surprise. When will Iowa Republicans learn how to run an absentee ballot drive?

I-JOBS grants were announced for 16 public shelters.

Survey USA found record low approval numbers for Chet Culver and Chuck Grassley.

The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released a report on how quickly states are turning around stimulus road funds, and Iowa scored quite well.

Attempts by marriage equality opponents to spin the House district 90 election as a success amused me.

I never believed the rumors that social conservatives were considering a primary challenge against Chuck Grassley.

The Iowa Policy Project concluded that "the state of working Iowa" is not good.

The year's school board elections brought no big upsets. I gave readers five reasons to vote in school board elections.

I discussed revised House race ratings by Larry Sabato, which put Iowa's second and third Congressional districts in the "likely Democratic" column.

Francis Thicke announced plans to run for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture in 2010 and responded to Republican name-calling.

Environment Iowa estimated that strong energy efficiency policies would create more than 6,000 jobs in Iowa while saving the average family $282 per year.

Chet Culver hired Andrew Roos to run his re-election campaign and Jesse Harris as deputy campaign manager.

Christian Fong claimed Culver hadn't done enough on flood relief, which struck me as odd since Fong (like fellow Republicans) opposed the I-JOBS infrastructure state bonding program. I-JOBS included $45 million in flood recovery funds for Linn County and about $100 million to help rebuild the University of Iowa campus.

Bob Vander Plaats promised not to balance his ticket with a less-conservative running mate.

Several Republican candidates for governor spoke at the Iowa Family Policy Center's fall event, but Terry Branstad was a no-show.

Tom Harkin held his annual steak fry, featuring Senator Al Franken of Minnesota. Harkin promised that health care reform containing a public option would pass by Christmas.

Jan Bauer, Sandy Opstvedt and Michael Kiernan gained new posts at the Democratic National Committee.

The Iowa Department of Transportation was developing new guidelines on passenger transportation. Meanwhile, the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization moved toward adopting a 25-year plan that, if completed, would increase vehicle miles traveled in our region by 33 percent.

I was disturbed by the failure of any prominent Republican to denounce political rhetoric of armed rebellion.

Ed and Lynn Fallon got a radio show on 98.3 FM in Des Moines.

The Des Moines Register's Iowa poll showed Culver's approval rating at 50 percent, down for the year but still in net positive territory. Terry Branstad had higher favorability ratings, but respondents were mixed on whether he should run for governor again.

The same poll indicated that Iowans are not eager to overturn marriage equality.

I was impressed by Dubuque's commitment to being a "sustainable city."

Iowa Department of Economic Development director Mike Tramontina resigned as news broke of major problems with Iowa's state film tax credit. Within days, Governor Culver fired the manager of the Iowa Film Office and named Fred Hubbell interim director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development.

Republican State Representative Kent Sorenson announced that he will challenge State Senator Staci Appel next year instead of running for re-election in House district 74. The campaign in Iowa Senate district 37 will be a race to watch, but I think Appel has a good chance to win re-election. Side note: Appel's husband, Brent Appel, is one of the Iowa Supreme Court justices who struck down our Defense of Marriage Act in the Varnum v Brien case.

Steve King decided same-sex marriage would lead to a "socialist society."

Rasmussen released an Iowa poll showing Chet Culver trailing Terry Branstad by 20 points and Bob Vander Plaats by 4 points.

The film tax credit scandal continued to make the news.

Iowa Democratic Party chair Michael Kiernan prominsed that a high-profile recruit would give Chuck Grassley "the race of his life" in 2010.

President Obama nominated Stephanie Rose and Nick Klinefeldt for the U.S. attorney positions in Iowa's northern and southern districts.

Asked about the Congressional vote he most regrets, Steve King said he couldn't think of any and pivoted to bragging about what he considers his "best vote": against the $1.5 billion aid package for Hurricane Katrina victims.

The growing questions surrounding Strategic Vision made me wonder whether their 2007 Iowa polls were fabricated.

In the wake of the film tax credit fiasco, I discussed some other bad bills that passed the Iowa legislature with little or no opposition.

Bleeding Heartland user American007 went home for Centerville's pancake day and shook Bob Vander Plaats' hand.

October 2009

Bleeding Heartland user BJazz sized up strong Democratic prospects for holding the Iowa Senate and concluded that "marriage equality is here to stay."

Francis Thicke argued that "we need to look beyond corn for biofuels."

Iowa Independent and ProPublica reported on high-end travel Representative Tom Latham enjoyed on the dime of his For America's Republican Majority PAC.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal said legislators see few benefits from the film tax credit.

I remembered Pope John Paul II's visit to Iowa 30 years ago.

With Terry Branstad looking increasingly likely to run for governor, I examined whether he might choose pro-choice former State Representative Libby Jacobs as his running mate.

Francis Thicke, Democratic candidate for Iowa secretary of agriculture, praised U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for becoming a champion for local foods.

Terry Branstad formed an exploratory committee for his gubernatorial campaign, shaking up the Republican field.

The Iowa Democratic Party responded that "some things should stay in the past."

I discussed the most likely lines of attack Branstad will face during the GOP primary.

Governor Culver ordered a 10 percent cut in fiscal year 2010 spending, and more details about the cuts emerged later in the month.

The Draft Branstad PAC, which is really a 527 group, apparently violated election law by advocating for Branstad after he filed paperwork forming an exploratory committee.

I wondered whether Iowa Republicans would seek out Sarah Palin's endorsement next year.

Dubuque conservative businessman Rod Blum announced plans to run against Bruce Braley in Iowa's first Congressional district (D+5).

Reverend Keith Ratliff, the head of the NAACP in Iowa and Nebraska, endorsed Bob Vander Plaats for governor.

I noted that by failing to pass campaign contribution limits during the past three years, Iowa's Democratic leaders enabled what is likely to be huge fundraising by Terry Branstad.

I was saddened to learn that State Representative Mark Kuhn won't seek re-election in Iowa House district 14.

Terry Branstad filed paperwork to explore a gubernatorial campaign and hired Iowa GOP Executive Director Jeff Boeyink as his campaign manager.

The Community Food Security Coalition held its annual conference in Des Moines for the first time ever, which inspired this post advocating that Governor Culver bring back the Iowa Food Policy Council.

On Blog Action Day I linked to a list of Iowa-based non-profit organizations helping to fight global warming.

Research 2000 polled Iowa for Daily Kos and found Chet Culver slightly trailing Terry Branstad but crushing Chris Rants and Bob Vander Plaats. The same poll showed Chuck Grassley barely above 50 percent against Christie Vilsack, Roxanne Conlin, Bob Krause and Tom Fiegen.

Terry Branstad announced plans to "fully explore" a gubernatorial bid and started hiring staff, as Chet Culver launched the first television commercial of his re-election campaign.

The same week that Steve King joined the right-wing crusade against White House "safe schools" official Kevin Jennings, Mike Denklau became the first Democrat to announce plans to run against King in Iowa's fifth Congressional district in 2010.

Christian Fong was the most prominent speaker at a rally of the Iowa Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.

I previewed the case Bob Vander Plaats will make against Terry Branstad in the GOP gubernatorial primary.

Inspired by ads New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine ran against overweight Republican Chris Christie, Bleeding Heartland user American007 pondered whether Chet Culver might be too big to win re-election.

I took another guess at how the likely Republican presidential candidates will do in the 2012 Iowa caucuses.

Roxanne Conlin told the Des Moines Register that "more likely than not" she will run against Senator Chuck Grassley.

State Senator Dennis Black's weak comments to an opponent of same-sex marriage inspired this post urging Iowa Democrats not to cop out when their conservative constituents press them on the issue.

Christie Vilsack ruled out running for U.S. Senate in 2010. She said, "never doubt I am committed to a life of service and to Iowa," leading me to suspect she plans to run for Congress someday when Leonard Boswell retires.

State Senator Brad Zaun and former Iowa GOP chairman Mike Mahaffey confirmed that they were thinking about running against Congressman Leonard Boswell.

I previewed what is likely to be a highly competitive race in Iowa Senate district 9 next year. First-term incumbent Democrat Bill Heckroth will face former Republican State Representative Bill Dix.

The governor announced more details about his mid-year budget cuts.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources formulated new rules on protecting Iowa's highest-quality waters.

State Representative Dick Taylor, a Democrat, announced his resignation, forcing a special election to be scheduled in Iowa House district 33. Later in the month, Democratic and Republican candidates were selected in special nominating conventions.

The Iowa Christian Alliance faced an FEC complaint over contributions allegedly run through West Hill United Methodist Church of Burlington.

November 2009

Democrats in Iowa and nationwide should not resort to sexist insults when mocking Sarah Palin.

I discussed the persistent rumor that Terry Branstad plans to pick insurance company executive Doug Reichardt as a running mate and analyzed what Reichardt might bring to the ticket.

I argued that it's a waste of time for journalists to speculate on whether Steve King will run for president in 2012.

I argued that Iowa Republicans must make their tent bigger in order to regain ground they've lost statewide and in former GOP strongholds like Scott County (Quad Cities area).

Chet Culver's re-election campaign started running a second television commercial, which I thought was quite good.

I reviewed some reactions to the off-year elections in Iowa, Maine, New Jersey and Virginia. In general it was a tough night for Iowa incumbents.

Some Iowa Republican bloggers talked down Brad Zaun for Congress.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Stephanie Rose and Nick Klinefeldt's nominations for U.S. attorney in Iowa's northern and southern districts.

Iowa Senate minority leader Paul McKinley officially dropped out of the governor's race.

Steve King falsely claimed that the Democrats' proposed health care reform would cancel every private insurance contract in the country. King also missed a House Judiciary Committee hearing in order to participate in Michele Bachmann's Capitol Hill rally against health care reform. In so doing he helped doom several GOP-sponsored amendments to the PATRIOT Act.

The U.S. House narrowly approved a health care reform bill, and Iowa's representatives split on party lines.

Roxanne Conlin started putting together a campaign infrastructure and announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate with a two-minute biographical video.

I posted highlights from the Iowa GOP's big fall fundraiser, featuring an underwhelming debut by candidate Terry Branstad.

Leaders of AFSCME, the largest union representing state employees, reached a tentative deal with Governor Culver on concessions to avoid layoffs. The deal went to a vote of AFSCME members.

The Iowa-based conservative advocacy group American Future Fund asked the Federal Election Commission to overturn state bans on political robocalls.

Republican gubernatorial candidates Chris Rants and Terry Branstad continued to make misleading and hypocritical attacks on the I-JOBS infrastructure bonding initiative.

Republican Ross Paustian announced plans for a rematch against State Representative Elesha Gayman, who defeated him in 2008 in Iowa House district 84.

Iowa got good marks in a report by the Pew Center on the States on state budget problems. You'd never know that from listening to Iowa Republicans, however.

Crisitunity's Swing State Project post about vulnerable Democratic-held House districts suggested to me that the National Republican Congressional Committee is unlikely to invest heavily in Leonard Boswell's GOP opponent next year.

A feature article about Christian Fong got me thinking about ostensibly well-meaning bigotry in the Midwest.

The Des Moines Register's Iowa poll had very bad news for Chet Culver.

The Des Moines Register's Iowa poll indicated that Roxanne Conlin would have an uphill battle against Chuck Grassley.

Democrat Ed O'Neill stepped forward to run in Iowa Senate district 13 after two-term State Senator Roger Stewart announced plans to retire next year.

I viewed the upcoming GOP primary in Iowa's second Congressional district as a sign of the shrinking Republican tent. In a D+7 district long represented by Jim Leach, none of the potential GOP candidates is a social moderate.

Republican hypocrisy regarding the Obama administration's plans to try some terrorism suspects in the U.S. inspired this post.

Former Iowa State wrestling coach Jim Gibbons and State Senator Brad Zaun announced plans to run against Leonard Boswell in Iowa's third Congressional district. I wondered why so many Republicans are interested in this race. Even if a Republican defeats Boswell in 2010, he is likely to be thrown into a 2012 primary against Tom Latham in a redrawn IA-03.

After reading a report from Physicians for Social Responsibility, "Coal's Assault on Human Health," I suggested that it's misguided for some politicians to claim that climate change legislation would be "unfair" to residents of coal-dependent states.

Governor Culver announced more details about the planned review of Iowa's tax credits in the wake of the film tax credit scandal.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Stephanie Rose and Nick Klinefeldt to be the U.S. Attorneys in Iowa's northern and southern districts, respectively.

Several Iowa metro areas improved their rankings in the 2009 Milken Institute/Greenstreet Real Estate Partners Best-Performing Cities Index.

I enjoyed the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson dinner, where Vice President Joe Biden gave the keynote speech. Before dinner I had a chance to meet Bill Maske, candidate for Iowa's fourth Congressional district. The same night I learned that two Democrats have announced plans to run against Steve King in Iowa's heavily Republican fifth district.

The USDA named five Iowa Farm Service Agency committee members, two of whom have strong ties in the sustainable agriculture community.

Bruce Braley said his constituents overwhelmingly support using the Thomson Correctional Center in Illinois to house some former prisoners from Guantanamo Bay. Iowa Republicans continued to hammer Braley on the issue.

Bob Vander Plaats said Terry Branstad shares responsibility for helping Democrats pass health care reform because he backed Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson in his 2000 campaign for U.S. Senate.

Democrat Kirsten Running-Marquardt easily won a special election to replace retiring State Representative Dick Taylor in Iowa House district 33.

State Senator Brad Zaun filed FEC paperwork to run for Congress in Iowa's third district.

Chris Rants and Jonathan Narcisse announced plans to hold a series of public debates around the state in December. It struck me as bad news for Governor Culver, since Narcisse had supported him in the 2006 Democratic primary. The debates didn't receive as much media attention as I had anticipated, however.

Former Iowa Senate Majority Leader Stew Iverson, who is also a former chairman of the Iowa GOP, announced that he may run in Iowa House district 9 next year against two-term Democrat McKinley Bailey. I was intrigued that Iverson doesn't seem to be considering running for his old Iowa Senate seat, which Democrat Rich Olive won by a narrow margin in 2006.

Two of Iowa's RNC members supported the so-called "purity test" designed to cut off GOP support for any candidate who strays too far from conservative dogma.

AFSCME and a smaller labor union representing state employees approved concessions in order to avoid layoff during the current fiscal year.

Democratic State Representative Wes Whitead announced that he will not seek re-election in House district 1. Next November Democrat Rick Mullin will face Republican Jeremy Taylor, who nearly upset Whitead in 2008.

Democratic Senate candidate Bob Krause, who chairs the Iowa Democratic Veterans Caucus, spoke out strongly against escalating the war in Afghanistan, while rival candidate Tom Fiegen called for a series of debates between the three Democrats competing to run against Chuck Grassley.

Mariannette Miller-Meeks announced plans to run against Dave Loebsack again in Iowa's second Congressional district. She faces more conservative Republicans Christopher Reed and Steve Rathje in the GOP primary.

Bruce Braley endorsed Roxanne Conlin in the Democratic primary to face Senator Chuck Grassley.

December 2009

December 1 was a bad day for incumbents as many Iowa cities held runoff local elections.

Christian Fong quit the Republican race for governor, citing "practical financial hurdles."

Andrew Roos departed as campaign manager for Chet Culver.

Governor Culver called for reforms to Iowa's budget process in a speech to the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.

Iowa Senate minority leader Paul McKinley revealed his ignorance about special-needs education.

I previewed next year's campaign in Iowa Senate district 41, where a Republican and a Democrat intend to challenge GOP incumbent Dave Hartsuch.

State Senator Brad Zaun formally announced his candidacy in the GOP primary for Iowa's third Congressional district.

The executive director of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement published a good piece in the Des Moines Register about ending USDA loans that encourage construction of more factory farms.

Jim Gibbons' Congressional campaign's first attack against Leonard Boswell was pathetic, even by the standards of modern Republican campaigns.

Bruce Braley's House Populist Caucus and Tom Harkin advocated new Wall Street transaction fees to increase revenue and discourage "reckless speculation."

I speculated on whether Christian Fong should agree to be Branstad's running mate and whether Branstad should choose him.

I noticed that Iowa RNC Committeewoman Kim Lehman is still heading Iowa Right to Life, even though she promised a year ago to hand over the reins at that organization to someone else.

The Iowa GOP hired a new executive director to replace Jeff Boeyink, who left to manage Branstad's gubernatorial campaign.

The Des Moines metro area was rated the fourth-best U.S. city in terms of "bang for the buck."

Terry Branstad's campaign and its supporters engaged in some ridiculous revisionist history regarding his handling of the state budget.

A group of economists proposed reforms to Iowa's budget process.

Leonard Boswell turned up on a list of 17 House Democrats that the NRCC hopes to pressure into retirement.

I discussed the absurd overreaction by Iowa Republicans to former Lieutenant Governor Joy Corning's support for marriage equality.

I found confirmation of the rumor that ethanol baron Bruce Rastetter was backing Jim Gibbons for Congress in IA-03.

Cedar Rapids attorney Mark Seidl announced that he plans to run in Iowa House district 37, which Republican Renee Schulte carried in 2008 by just 13 votes.

The Iowa Legislature's Administrative Rules Review Committee unanimously approved new rules on regulating abuse and negligence in nursing homes, but I predict an attempt to overturn these rules during next year's legislative session.

Moderate Mark Rees became the fourth GOP candidate in the race against Leonard Boswell. Later in the month conservative Pat Bertroche would bring the GOP primary field to five.

The Obama administration announced its intention to move some prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to the Thomson Correctional Center in Illinois, but it may be years before the plan goes ahead.

Bill Maske declared his candidacy in Iowa's fourth Congressional district. He faces an uphill battle against eight-term Republican incumbent Tom Latham.

Jim Gibbons secured the backing of many heavy-hitter Republican donors in his race for the GOP nomination in IA-03.

Self-styled constitutional historian David Barton, a prominent conservative activist based in Texas, endorsed Bob Vander Plaats for governor.

I noticed that Terry Branstad has a big accountability problem.

After seeing the weak November fundraising numbers from the National Republican Congressional Committee, I predicted the NRCC will not spend heavily in IA-03 next year.

The Des Moines Rotary decided to review its approval process after 11 members rejected an application by a Planned Parenthood employee.

Second-tier candidate Jerry Behn quit the governor's race and endorsed Terry Branstad. I speculated on whether Chris Rants or Rod Roberts would be the next to go.

The National Republican Congressional Committee started a new robocall against Leonard Boswell three days before Christmas.

I launched a holiday haiku contest, and Bleeding Heartland readers submitted some good haikus inspired by the governor's race and the campaign in Iowa's third Congressional district.

A judge ordered a new trial for David Flores, who has spent more than 13 years in prison for murder.

The Census Bureau's last population estimates before the 2010 census confirmed that Iowa will lose a Congressional district during the next reapportionment.

Citing official statements by Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Grassley and Harkin, I previewed next year's campaign messages on health care reform..

Terry Branstad recorded a phone appeal targeting Iowa Democrats.

Steve King kept scaremongering about health care reform and the threat posed by moving terrorist suspects from Guantanamo Bay.

Culver appointed Bret Mills to run the Iowa Department of Economic Development and moved a housing program from IDED to the Iowa Finance Authority.

A review of state tax credits continued ahead of the 2010 legislative session.

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement was named most valuable grassroots advocacy group by John Nichols of The Nation.

I took issue with Environment Iowa giving Tom Harkin and Leonard Boswell perfect scores for their activities during the year.

Year in review: national politics in 2009 (part 2)

desmoinesdem — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:56:38 GMT

Following up on the diary I posted this morning, this post compiles links to Bleeding Heartland's coverage of national politics from July through December 2009. Health care reform was again the number one topic. I wish there had been a happy ending.
July 2009

A video of Chuck Grassley went viral after he told a questioner at a town-hall meeting to "go work for the federal government" if he wanted a health insurance plan like the one Grassley enjoys.

The Iowa Farm Bureau expressed confidence that the climate change bill would die in the Senate. It seems that they were right.

Sarah Palin resigned as governor of Alaska right before the Fourth of July.

The health care reform debate demonstrated that Washington's revolving door between government and lobbying is still running smoothly.

Al Franken started making us proud immediately after being sworn in as the junior U.S. senator from Minnesota.

Steve King was the only House member to vote against placing "a marker acknowledging the role that slave labor played in constructing the Capitol" in a "prominent location in the visitor center's Emancipation Hall."

News emerged that the CIA did withhold "information about a secret counterterrorism program from Congress for eight years on direct orders from former Vice President Dick Cheney." Republicans included Steve King had been bashing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for months after Pelosi claimed the CIA did not reveal its waterboarding policy during a 2002 briefing. RDemocrat posted more reflections on this story.

Guest poster jamess wrote about the insurance industry's rescission practices and which illnesses are most likely to put policy-holders on the "drop list."

Chuck Grassley lectured Judge Sonia Sotomayor and generally didn't distinguish himself during her confirmation hearings, but he did get a laugh out of the room.

There was massive demand for the high-speed rail funding allocated in the stimulus bill.

Representatives Bruce Braley, Dave Loebsack and Leonard Boswell helped negotiate new language in the House health care reform bill to change Medicare reimbursements.

Representative Tom Latham tried but failed to replace $3 billion in high-speed rail funds with more money for roads in a transportation appropriations bill.

Cash for Clunkers went into effect.

Chuck Grassley announced plans to vote against confirming Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court.

The RNC ran radio ads against Leonard Boswell on health care.

Guest blogger RDemocrat called for opposing the compromise House version of health care reform (which would have been a lot better than the final bill we're likely to get).

Amid growing dissatisfaction with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus' handling of the health care reform bill, Tom Harkin suggested having the Democratic caucus vote by secret ballot every two years on whether a chairman should continue in that role.

August 2009

The National Republican Congressional Committee included Leonard Boswell (IA-03) on its list of 70 Democratic-held districts to be targeted in 2010.

The Sunlight Foundation reported on Chuck Grassley's ties to health and insurance PACs.

I still held out hope that Congress might reject Obama's deal with big Pharma.

The Senate confirmed Sonia Sotomayor as associate justice of the Supreme Court.

Iowa Republicans grew increasingly worried that Chuck Grassley might help Democrats pass health care reform, but I knew he wasn't working to improve the bill or its chances of passing.

Congress quickly moved to extend the Cash for Clunkers program in light of huge demand. By the end of the month, President Obama signed a bill allocating another $2 billion to the program.

Sarah Palin's warning about "downright evil" health care rationing inspired this diary about health care rationing that happens already.

Chuck Grassley played the "pull the plug on grandma" card.

Iowa got the highest marks in the Work Loss Data Institute's 2009 state report cards on workers' compensation.

Bleeding Heartland user iowademocrat attended a Tom Harkin health care forum and declared, "Now I understand why war happens."

Leonard Boswell was vague about what he considered essential elements of a health care reform bill.

Democratic candidate for Iowa secretary of agriculture Francis Thicke advocated "ecology as a model for livestock production."

News emerged that in 2003 Chuck Grassley voted to fund end-of-life counseling for the terminally ill.

Bleeding Heartland user iowademocrat posted some ideas on how to "defeat the health care forum bullies".

The White House sent Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius out on tv to make clear that the Obama administration was not insisting that health care reform include a public option.

Bleeding Heartland user hei posted a first-person account from one of Dave Loebsack's town-hall meetings.

Chuck Grassley admitted that he would vote against health care reform even if Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus amended the bill to include all the changes Grassley requested.

As some Senate Democrats floated regional health insurance co-operatives as an alternative to the public option, the New York Times noted that health insurance co-ops had already failed in Iowa.

A coalition of labor unions started running ads against Chuck Grassley on health care reform.

Critics of the public option continued to ignore bigger problems with huge problems with current health insurance industry practices.

Rumors continued to circulate about a high-profile Democrat joining the race against Chuck Grassley.

The Cash for Clunkers program ended, and Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced plans to introduce cash rebates for energy-efficient appliances.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman vowed to shine a light on the health insurance industry's common business practices.

I chose not to attend an Organizing for America rally on health care reform.

Senator Ted Kennedy passed away, and his friend John Culver (former U.S. Senator, father of Chet Culver) made memorable remarks at the funeral.

September 2009

Polls showed Democrats losing the generic Congressional ballot advantage and trailing Republicans in terms of voter intensity.

The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released a report on how quickly states are turning around stimulus road funds, and Iowa scored quite well.

I never believed the rumors that social conservatives were considering a primary challenge against Chuck Grassley.

The Obama administration's negotiating position on the public option irritated me. (That post was written under the assumption that Obama wanted a public option in the health reform bill, which is arguable.)

I maintained that Chuck Grassley is not a knucklehead.

Tom Harkin became chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee after Senator Chris Dodd decided to remain chairman of the Banking Committee.

Barack Obama delivered a speech on health care reform to the House and the Senate. I was disappointed by lines he drew and didn't draw in the sand.

Tom Harkin claimed he had 60 votes to pass the Employee Free Choice Act in July, but Senator Ted Kennedy was too ill to come to the Capitol to vote.

I discussed why Jews are liberals and Norman Podhoretz is asking the wrong question.

Tom Harkin held his annual steak fry, featuring Senator Al Franken of Minnesota. Harkin promised that health care reform containing a public option would pass by Christmas.

BruceMcF described what a real public health insurance option would look like.

I was disturbed by the failure of any prominent Republican to denounce political rhetoric of armed rebellion.

Health insurance co-ops, proposed by some Democrats as a compromise in place of a public option, are designed to fail.

Tom Latham and Steve King voted against the student loan reform bill that passed the House of Representatives. Tom Harkin promised to get the reform through the Senate.

Iowans again split on party lines as the U.S. House extended unemployment benefits.

Steve King decided same-sex marriage would lead to a "socialist society."

Chuck Grassley continued to make the case against health care reform.

The death of census worker Bill Sparkman prompted this post urging conservative politicians to stop demonizing the census.

The growing questions surrounding Strategic Vision made me wonder whether their 2007 Iowa polls were fabricated.

Kentucky-based blogger RDemocrat discussed the widening gap between rich and poor in this guest post.

Conservatives including Steve King targeted the Service Employees International Union as part of the continuing war on ACORN.

The Senate Finance Committee rejected amendments that would have included a public health insurance option, but Tom Harkin continued to insist that Senate Democrats had the votes to pass a public option.

October 2009

During the Senate Finance Committee markup of the health reform bill, Chuck Grassley had the insurance companies' back.

Senator Byron Dorgan vowed to offer an amendment on importing prescription drugs. The Senate eventually voted down that amendment in December, partly because the White House had promised pharmaceutical companies that re-importation would not be part of health care reform.

I became increasingly concerned that health insurance companies would easily evade the new regulations being considered by Congress.

The health care reform battle took a toll on Chuck Grassley's approval rating, according to Survey USA.

Rinku Sen and Billy Parish cross-posted a piece on youth unemployment.

Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Movement toward an "opt-out" public health insurance option concerned me.

I wondered whether Iowa Republicans would seek out Sarah Palin's endorsement next year.

Tom Harkin correctly predicted that a food safety bill would not clear Congress this year.

News that a Colorado insurance company used a breastfeeding infant's "obesity" as an excuse to deny insurance coverage outraged me.

Chuck Grassley capped months of bad-faith negotiating by voting no on the Senate Finance Committee's health reform bill, even though it lacked a public health insurance option.

News of record pay on Wall Street prompted this post on the failures of the bailout policy that George Bush began and Barack Obama continued.

Chuck Grassley whined about Senate Democrats not including Republicans as the health reform bills passed by the HELP and Finance committees were merged. Meanwhile, Grassley suggested an individual mandate to purchase health insurance might be unconstitutional, even though he was on record during the summer supporting that kind of mandate.

I reflected on the good life enjoyed by uninsured apes in America, as opposed to human beings who lack health insurance.

Bleeding Heartland user Runaway Rose analyzed Chuck Grassley's stance on climate change-related issues.

Inspired by ads New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine ran against overweight Republican Chris Christie, Bleeding Heartland user American007 pondered whether Chet Culver might be too big to win re-election.

I took another guess at how the likely Republican presidential candidates will do in the 2012 Iowa caucuses.

House Progressives failed to round up 218 votes for the more robust version of the public health insurance option.

Harry Reid included a very weak opt-out public health insurance option in his merged health reform bill, no thanks to President Obama, who urged Reid to drop the public option in favor of a "trigger."

Tom Harkin predicted that Joe Lieberman would not stand in the way of health care reform, because he has too much to lose.

November 2009

Democrats in Iowa and nationwide should not resort to sexist insults when mocking Sarah Palin.

I argued that it's a waste of time for journalists to speculate on whether Steve King will run for president in 2012.

I reviewed some reactions to the off-year elections in Iowa, Maine, New Jersey and Virginia. In general it was a tough night for Iowa incumbents.

The U.S. House narrowly approved a health care reform bill, and Iowa's representatives split on party lines.

The Iowa-based conservative advocacy group American Future Fund asked the Federal Election Commission to overturn state bans on political robocalls.

Health Care for America Now ran ads thanking a number of House Democrats for supporting health care reform, including Iowa's Leonard Boswell.

The Pew Center on the States released a report on state budget problems, and Iowa got good marks as one of the states "least like California." You'd never know that from listening to Iowa Republicans, however.

The Des Moines Register's Iowa poll indicated that Roxanne Conlin would have an uphill battle against Chuck Grassley.

I argued that we should pull the plug on the climate change bill pending in Congress because Senate Democrats including Tom Harkin are demanding even more concessions to polluting industries.

A report on the AIG bailout released by the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program confirmed my opinion that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner must go.

Republican hypocrisy regarding the Obama administration's plans to try some terrorism suspects in the U.S. inspired this post.

I urged President Obama to ignore the people advising him to make deficit reduction a top priority next year.

I apologized for wrongly assuming that census worker Bill Sparkman had been murdered in September.

Bleeding Heartland user American007 speculated about nine possible choices for Time magazine's person of the year. This diary did not predict the selection of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke but presciently noted that Time's editors often "recognize the people attempting to combat the bad economy."

I discussed the so-called "purity test" resolution backed by some RNC members, which is intended to cut off GOP support for any candidate who strays too far from conservative dogma. At least two of Iowa's three RNC members support the test.

December 2009

I was disappointed by President Obama's speech announcing an escalation of the war in Afghanistan.

The executive director of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement published a good piece in the Des Moines Register about ending USDA loans that encourage construction of more factory farms.

Jim Gibbons' Congressional campaign's first attack against Leonard Boswell was pathetic, even by the standards of modern Republican campaigns.

Bruce Braley's House Populist Caucus and Tom Harkin advocated new Wall Street transaction fees to increase revenue and discourage "reckless speculation."

OK, this wasn't a political story, but I posted some reflections on John Lennon's music on the 29th anniversary of his death.

Bruce Braley called for Congress to include Buy American provisions in a jobs bill (the final bill included that language).

Leonard Boswell turned up on a list of 17 House Democrats that the NRCC hopes to pressure into retirement.

I gave up hope that health insurance reform would be an improvement on the status quo after Senate Democrats brokered a lousy deal that fell apart days later.

Two votes in the House over reforming the estate tax and extending some tax breaks for businesses told me a lot about Republican priorities.

A draft memo from the Department of Justice indicated that the Obama administration was likely to move some prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to the Thomson Correctional Center in Illinois.

A federal judge halted a Congressional ban on funding for ACORN on the grounds that the legislation was an unconstitutional bill of attainder.

The Senate health insurance reform bill was looking worse every day (though a later version of Reid's manager's amendment did close one of the loopholes I mentioned in that post).

Tom Harkin said he may reintroduce a bill he sponsored in 1995 that would have changed the Senate's rules on the filibuster.

The House approved new regulations of Wall Street, and Iowa's delegation again split on party lines.

I was furious that White House officials told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to give in to all of Joe Lieberman's demands on health care reform. Lieberman later said that President Obama never asked him to support a public health insurance option.

I responded to Nate Silver's claim that any Democrat who opposes the Senate's version of health care reform must be "batflippin' crazy."

Bill Maske declared his candidacy in Iowa's fourth Congressional district. He faces an uphill battle against eight-term Republican incumbent Tom Latham.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee made me angry with their incessant spin about "Republican obstruction" being the main threat to real health care reform.

I couldn't believe that Time magazine named Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke the person of the year. It reminded me of why my high school debate coach dismissed publications like Time and Newsweek as "McNews."

Environment Iowa warned that expanding our national investment in nuclear power is not the answer to global warming.

I reviewed some recent national opinion poll data on health care reform, which should worry Democrats.

Jim Gibbons secured the backing of many heavy-hitter Republican donors in his race for the GOP nomination in IA-03.

I got fed up with MoveOn.org after receiving yet another e-mail blaming Joe Lieberman for "single-handedly" trying to block health insurance reform. (Later MoveOn.org did come out against the Senate's version of the bill, but they still failed to hold the president accountable for his role in letting the bill get watered down.)

The House passed a jobs bill using returned money from the Wall Street bailout, and Iowa's representatives split on party lines.

After seeing the weak November fundraising numbers from the National Republican Congressional Committee, I predicted the NRCC will not spend heavily in IA-03 next year.

Senate Democrats reached a deal on health reform and secured 60 votes for the first cloture motion.

The National Republican Congressional Committee started a new robocall against Leonard Boswell three days before Christmas.

Wall Street viewed the Senate deal on health reform as good news for the insurance industry.

The Senate passed its version of health insurance reform on Christmas Eve.

The Census Bureau's last population estimates before the 2010 census confirmed that Iowa will lose a Congressional district during the next reapportionment.

Harkin confirmed that he is looking for allies to change the Senate rules on the filibuster.

Citing official statements by Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Grassley and Harkin, I previewed next year's campaign messages on health care reform.

I launched a holiday haiku contest, and Bleeding Heartland readers submitted some good haikus inspired by the governor's race and the campaign in Iowa's third Congressional district.

Likely 2012 presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty endorsed the idea of a federal constitutional amendment requiring Congress to pass a balanced budget.

The Department of Labor released an encouraging annual Statement of Regulatory and Deregulatory Priorities.

Early Obama supporter John Norris was confirmed for a position with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Steve King kept scaremongering about health care reform and the threat posed by moving terrorist suspects from Guantanamo Bay.

Environment Iowa's annual scorecard for the Iowa Democrats in Congress got me thinking about how Bruce Braley, Tom Harkin and Leonard Boswell handled the climate change issue during the year.

We have a candidate in the fourth district

desmoinesdem — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:45:00 GMT

UPDATE: CQ Politics reports that Maske "has filed candidacy paperwork with the Federal Election Commission."

At the Jefferson-Jackson dinner on Saturday I was pleased to meet Bill Maske of Truro (Madison County), who is running against Representative Tom Latham in Iowa's fourth Congressional district. I don't know whether there will be a contested Democratic primary; I didn't see stickers or campaign literature for any other Democrat looking at this race. After the jump I've posted excerpts from the material Maske's volunteers were handing out. He plans to make a formal campaign announcement soon.

Latham is generally considered a safe incumbent after beating Becky Greenwald last year by 20 points in a district Barack Obama won. Still, it will be important to have a Democrat out there highlighting Latham's bad votes. In 2012, Latham will either be thrown into the same district as Steve King or, more likely, will have to run in a new third district containing Polk County. We can't afford to leave him unchallenged next year.

Speaking of King, it looks like there will be a contested Democratic primary in the fifth Congressional district. Attorney Matt Campbell has put up a campaign website for this race. He joins Mike Denklau, who has already started campaigning.
Front side of campaign literature for Bill Maske:

MASKE FOR U.S. CONGRESS
4th District Democrat
Grew up in the small northwest Iowa town of Peterson
My wife Carole and I have four children and five grandchildren
Lifelong Democrat, Public Servant, and Educator
Taught at the American School in Tehran, Iran
Chaired Butler County Democrats
M.A. Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Northern Iowa - Phi Delta Kappa
Twenty-five years as a School Administrator focused on school improvement and educational success for ALL
Specialist Degree in Educational Administration from Drake University
Farm Bureau Member
Lions Club Member
"As a professional educator and public servant, I have seen first hand what social injustice can do to families and children. We can and must do better!" Bill Maske

Reverse side:

Liberty and Justice
All citizens of the United States deserve quality health care as a right.
We must put people to work through the implementation of a public works program to rebuild the infrastructure and public lands in the United States.
All children must be assured two years of post-secondary education in preparation to enter the job market of the 21st Century and compete in a global economy.
Companies that export U.S. jobs to other countries must face significant sanctions and fees.
The role of Labor Unions must be restored to pre-Reagan years.
Our environment is at risk. We must take steps to protect our planet for all future generations.
Strict oversight must be established to hold Wall Street, banks, and corporations to high standards in maintaining a strong economy and eliminating abuse.
Discrimination of all forms must end.
A Veterans Bill of Rights must assure the United States will stand with veterans.
We must have a foreign policy that restores the leadership of the United States around the globe.
"Growing up in a small Iowa town, my parents instilled in their four boys strong values of family, hard work, service, and a love of our country. These values have guided me throughout my life, and they will be at the core of my service to Iowa families and our country in the Congress of the United States"
Bill Maske for Congress
Phone: 641-202-3322
BillMaske AT MaskeForCongress.com
www.MaskeForCongress.com
Paid for by: Maske for Congress

Republican distortion watch: Steve King edition

desmoinesdem — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:40:40 GMT

When a bunch of national blogs write about Representative Steve King, you know it's not for anything that will make Iowans proud. This week was no exception, as King led a group of more than 50 House Republicans demanding that Kevin Jennings resign as the White House official focusing on "safe schools."

As you might expect, the basis for King's campaign against Jennings is a canard, but he didn't stop even after his office was informed that the allegations were false.

Steve Benen, Greg Sargent and Jed Lewison have more on King's latest embarrassing crusade.

Council Bluffs resident Mike Denklau announced on October 15 that he is running against King in 2010. His official campaign website is here. Although this district leans strongly Republican, it's important not to leave people like King unchallenged.

King and Braley draw 2010 challengers

desmoinesdem — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:30:00 GMT

I learned from Sioux City Journal columnist Bret Hayworth that a Democrat has already filed Federal Election Commission paperwork to run against Representative Steve King in Iowa's fifth Congressional district:

Mike Denklau has eyed the possibility of running in the strong Republican district since early 2009, and after traveling western Iowa recently he decided to go all-in.
On Oct. 15, Denklau will announce his candidacy 55 weeks out from the election in stops here in Sioux City, Council Bluffs and Des Moines. Denklau will turn 27 next month - he was raised in Blue Grass near Davenport and graduated from the University of Iowa with majors in political science and finance. He worked in New York for two banking firms through June 2009, including Lehman Brothers, until moving to Council Bluffs recently.

Hayworth notes that it's not clear whether Rob Hubler, King's 2008 opponent, will run again. Although Democrats cannot realistically hope to defeat King in a district with a partisan voter index of R+9, an energetic challenger may help drive up Democratic turnout across the district. There will be several competitive state legislative races in the counties that make up IA-05.

Meanwhile, Craig Robinson reports at The Iowa Republican that Rod Blum of Dubuque is ready to challenge Representative Bruce Braley in the first Congressional district.

Blum has strong eastern Iowa roots. He graduated from Dubuque Senior High School in 1973, earned a bachelor's degree from Loras College (Finance) in 1977, and received a Masters in Business Administration from Dubuque University in 1989. In 1989, Blum was one of the initial employees of Dubuque-based Eagle Point Software. In just five years, Eagle Point Software went public on NASDAQ and had 325 employees. In 2000, Digital Canal was created as a result of a leveraged buyout of Eagle Point Software. Digital Canal is a leading provider of home building and structural engineering software. Blum was also named the Iowa Entrepreneur of the Year in 1994.
While Blum has never run for elected office before, he has been making his political views known in eastern Iowa since 2001 as the Dubuque Telegraph Herald's conservative columnist. Blum's writings for the Telegraph Herald will be helpful for a couple of reasons. First, having a regular column in the local newspaper helps build credibility and name ID. Secondly, writing a political column means that he has well thought out positions on many of the issues facing our country today, something many first time candidates lack.

He'll need more than conservative ideology and name ID in the Dubuque area to unseat Braley. Robinson notes that Republican Jim Nussle represented IA-01 before the 2006 election, but Nussle's position as chairman of a House budget subcommittee helped him hang on in a Democratic-leaning district. That's different from a Republican challenger trying to swim against the tide in a district with a partisan voting index of D+5. Republicans currently hold only two House disticts with that much of a Democratic lean: Delaware's at-large seat, which the GOP will lose when Mike Castle runs for U.S. Senate next year, and Louisiana's second district, which was a fluke in 2008 because of the Democratic incumbent's apparent corruption.

Braley is a rising star and effective legislator with a spot on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He won re-election with more than 64 percent of the vote in 2008. Even if 2010 turns out to be a Republican year, Braley's not losing in a district with 35,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans.

To my knowledge, Republican Tom Latham (IA-04) is Iowa's only incumbent in Congress with no likely challenger yet. Steve Rathje and probably Mariannette Miller-Meeks will run against Dave Loebsack in IA-02, while Dave Funk and Pat Bertroche are challenging Leonard Boswell in IA-03. I don't expect either of those districts to be competitive in 2010.