We are Iowa. We can do better.

(As in 2008, I plan to promote all diaries by Democratic candidates in Iowa to the front page of this blog. - promoted by desmoinesdem)

Over the past few months, I traveled to all 99 counties. I met a small business owner in Ottumwa who was worried about the 17 percent increase in energy costs she experienced last year. I met a woman in Forest City who buried her husband because insurance wouldn’t cover a $40,000 procedure. I met seniors trapped in the senseless Medicare donut hole, parents worried that a possible pink slip will force them out on the streets and 20-somethings drowning in student loan and credit card debt.

Iowans are fed up with bailouts for Wall Street and nothing for Main Street. We are fed up with career politicians blocking progress and looking at the next election and not the next generation. From Decorah to Creston, Shenandoah to Bettendorf, Iowans are calling for someone to stand up for them. Chuck Grassley stands with big oil, credit card companies and Wall Street banks who line his campaign account with millions of special interest dollars. He spreads rumors that the government could decide to “pull the plug on grandma.” We are Iowa. We know better and we can do better.

I have fought my whole life on behalf of everyday people, like farmers against the banks threatening to foreclose on them. I have stood up for those who were discriminated against and as a US Attorney, I put drug dealers in prison even while they threatened my life. I want to go to Washington because Iowa can do better. I will reform Wall Street and hold the banks accountable. I will create jobs in the private sector and grow our economy by ending tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas.

I appreciate all of you who came out to see me during my visit to your community and I look forward to meeting with you all again soon in the next part of our fight to fix Washington D.C.

By: Roxanne Conlin  

About the Author(s)

roxanneconlin

  • Roxanne, please stop.......

    …with the senseless beating up on wall street and the banks.

    Roxanne, if you didn’t know, Des Moines ia a nationwide financial center, providing thousands of jobs for central iowans.

    Believe me, Roxanne, like so many others I am tired of your beating up on industries that serve your campaign purpose only.  Try moving positive, with a positive camapign message…..I think that MIGHT get a better response than your gloom and doom bash the financial services industry message and it’s poor resonance.

    Iowan’s are now fed up with that message.

    • for the record

      mirage is a Republican, so naturally he doesn’t want to hear this message.

      mirage, how come my central Iowa friends in small business still have so much trouble getting a loan? The Wall Street bailout was supposed to free up credit markets and get banks lending to small businesses, but it didn’t work out that way.

    • Iowans should quit criticizing the Catholic Church also

      They have hundreds, maybe thousands of parishes in Iowa.

      Plus it is the same thing over and over. It is getting old.

      (sarcasm)

  • lots of signs credit is freeing up.....

    and Banks will (finally) take a harder look at credit risks and lend with some sensibility this year.  No more can we have the likes of Barney Frank forcing bad loans on the industry.

    The local real estate industry and the national auto industry figures lately shows LOTS of credit availabity..to those that CAN afford it.

  • Stick to the facts sir

    Both sides of the aisle were encouraging some bad lending, what happened to the ownership society?  I don’t necessarily disagree with the principle of the ownership society.  My point is that it wasn’t just Barney Frank and the CBC pushing homeownership.  Even a guy like Ron Paul would have supported giving people new home and business opportunities who probably weren’t financially prepared.  

    Some of the double talk on this issue is nauseating.  

  • Don't forget about Fiegen

    I’ve seen both Conlin and Fiegen speak and much to my surprise, I thought Fiegen had a more coherent stump speech and a closer rapport with real Iowans.  The mainstream media latched on to Conlin early and has ignored Fiegen.  (No surprise there, given their fundraising numbers).  

    At any rate, I thought ModerateIADem’s comments were particularly apt.  The doublespeak from both sides is a little annoying. Conlin may want to elevate her stump speech by getting more specific.  Grassley’s has had a lotta votes that were a true disaster for the whole country.  It’s time for Conlin to call him out on them specifically and not just give empty platitudes on health care and  Wall Street.

    Her piece here at BH was too generic and misread a fairly sophisticated audience.  Sadly, it was probably put together by an intern or an assistant campaign manager.  That shows.  

    For what its worth, when I heard Fiegen speak, I felt like he wasn’t treating me like an idiot.  

  • I Wonder

    if Conlin realizes what she wrote describes the president to a tee.

    “Iowans are fed up with bailouts for Wall Street and nothing for Main Street. We are fed up with career politicians blocking progress and looking at the next election and not the next generation.”

Comments