Branstad's team reveal education plans, but not price tag

Iowa Department of Education Director Jason Glass and Governor Terry Branstad’s senior education adviser Linda Fandel rolled out a blueprint for reforming Iowa schools yesterday. The plan didn’t include any big ideas not mentioned by Glass and Fandel a few weeks ago. It also didn’t estimate how much state government and/or school districts would need to spend to make the blueprint a reality.

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Iowa legislators' pay under scrutiny

The Des Moines Register’s editorial board called out Iowa legislators on Sunday for using schemes to inflate their wages and pensions while minimizing taxes. The editors also pointed out that lawmakers are not held accountable for how they spend money intended to reimburse job-related expenses.

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Iowa Senate district 18 Democrats formally nominate Mathis (updated)

Democratic delegates in Iowa Senate district 18 nominated former television news anchor Liz Mathis last night for the November 8 special election. No other candidate sought the nomination. Republicans picked businesswoman and Linn County GOP co-chair Cindy Golding in a three-way nominating contest last week.

Both Mathis and Golding indicated yesterday that they will focus on jobs and the economy rather than social issues during the short campaign.

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Obama picking U.S. attorneys recommended by Republicans

President Barack Obama has failed to deliver on so many campaign promises that some Democrats wonder why they should bother voting for him in 2012. The best argument for re-electing Obama is the impact a Republican president could have on the justice system.

I just learned that Obama is already letting Republicans select some of his U.S. attorney nominees. In fact, Republicans recommended five of the six new U.S. attorneys the Senate confirmed yesterday.

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Dandekar will easily be confirmed to Iowa Utilities Board

At the Moving Planet climate change event in Des Moines on Saturday, I heard a few activists talk about organizing against former State Senator Swati Dandekar’s confirmation to the Iowa Utilities Board. The Iowa Senate will consider her nomination during the 2012 legislative session.

I would advise environmentalists not to waste their time on that particular hopeless cause. Senate Democrats may be unhappy that Governor Terry Branstad jeopardized their control of the chamber by nominating Dandekar, but they are not going to block her confirmation.

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Weekend open thread: "Cainmentum" edition

Former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain crushed Texas Governor Rick Perry today in a Florida straw poll. Cain had some momentum in Iowa during the spring, but Representative Michele Bachmann quickly eclipsed him with the tea party crowd, and his top Iowa staffers quit in July. Then Cain finished fifth behind Rick Santorum in the Ames straw poll. Could Cain regain traction with conservative Iowa caucus-goers not satisfied with any of the front-runners? Spin your scenarios here.

This is an open thread. What’s on your mind this weekend, Bleeding Heartland readers?

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