cross-posted around the blogosphere

On Saturday a fundraising solicitation arrived in the mail from Iowa Senator Tom Harkin. It asked me to confirm delivery of the enclosed “supporter card” within ten days, and also to “help keep my 2008 re-election campaign on the road to victory” with a special contribution.

Funny, I wasn’t aware that Harkin needed any extra help. Everyone in the election forecasting business has labeled this seat safe for him. The available polling shows Harkin with a comfortable lead.

According to Open Secrets, Harkin had $4.1 million cash on hand at the end of the second quarter. His little-known Republican opponent, Christopher Reed, has raised a total of $11,765 for his Senate campaign and had $292 (two hundred and ninety-two dollars) on hand as of June 30.

Harkin’s letter got me thinking that we need a “Use It Or Lose It” campaign for 2008.

Join me after the jump for more.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, one of the most famous Russian novelists of the 20th century, died near Moscow on Sunday at age 89. Here is a link to his obituary in the New York Times.

I studied Russian literature in college, and Solzhenitsyn was never my favorite. His books didn’t affect me like the work of another famous dissident, Andrei Sinyavskii, who wrote under the pseudonym Abram Tertz. He wasn’t as inventive a writer as Vladimir Nabokov. I still prefer Yuri Trifonov as a chronicler of everyday Soviet life (especially the novellas “The Exchange” and “The House on the Embankment”).

But Solzhenitsyn’s novels about Soviet prison camps and other extraordinary features of Soviet society made an incalculable contribution to world culture. People will probably still be reading “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” centuries from now. “Cancer Ward” and “The First Circle” were also good novels, though not as famous as “The Gulag Archepelago.”

I didn’t care much for Solzhenitsyn’s politics, but I respect him for going back to live in post-Soviet Russia when he could have lived more comfortably in Vermont. He had great talent and worked hard to bring to light some very dark episodes in Soviet history. May he rest in peace.

Monday is Barack Obama's birthday, and I encourage you to mark the occasion by finding an event for volunteers near you. You can find more event details and RSVP for any of these events by going to the Iowa page at www.barackobama.com.

Note that Becky Greenwald will be at the Waukee office opening, and Rob Hubler will be at the Sioux City event.

 Happy Birthday Barack @ TIPTON Office (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 10:00 AM
 Cedar County Democratic HQ (Tipton, IA)
 In honor of Barack turning 47 on Monday, we'll have cake and a giant birthday card for all to sign at the office. Well wishers…

 Barack's Birthday Celebration (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 4:00 PM
 Scott County Obama Office (Davenport, IA)
 Come join us celebrate Senator Obama's 47th birthday by honoring him with 47 phone calls to your friends and neighbors!

 Barack's Birthday (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 4:00 PM
 1229 1st Ave SE (Cedar Rapids, IA)
 We will celebrate Barack's Birthday by canvassing and phonebanking followed by cake and ice cream in the office!

 Polk County Barack Obama 47th Birthday Bash! (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 4:30 PM
 Polk County Campaign for Change Field Office (Des Moines, IA)
 August 4th is Barack's 47th Birthday! Let's give him the best birthday gift of all and help him win Iowa on November 4th! Come to…

 47 for Barack's 47th (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 5:00 PM
 Campaign for Change Office (Burlington, IA)
 Monday August 4th will be Senator Obama's 47th Birthday. Come join us at the Burlington office to celebrate the occasion! We will all be making…

 Come celebrate Barack's 47th Birthday! (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 5:00 PM
 DBQ County Dems HQ (Dubuque, IA)
 Come on down to DBQ Dems HQ anytime between 5:00 and 8:30 on Monday, August 4th to make 47 calls in honor of Barack's 47th…

 Celebrate Barack Obama's B-day! (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 5:00 PM
 Decorah, IA (Decorah, IA)
 Come celebrate Sen. Barack Obama's 47th b-day with fellow supporters at the new democratic office in Decorah. Eat some birthday cake with fellow supporters and…

 Celebrate Barack's 47th Birthday (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 5:00 PM
 TBD (Clinton, IA)
 Come join your fellow Obama supporters to make 47 calls for Barack in honor of his 47th birthday! Beginning at 5:00 on Monday, August 4th,…

 West Des Moines B-Day Bash for Barack (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 5:00 PM
 West Des Moines Obama Office (West Des Moines, IA)
 Come join us as we celebrate Barack's 47th birthday in making 47 phone calls and/or 47 door knocks! All first-timers welcomed! We will train you…

 Waukee Office Opening/Barack's B-day Party (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 5:00 PM
 Campaign for Change/Becky Greenwald for Congress (Waukee, IA)
 We'll be celebrating Barack's Birthday and the opening of Iowa's newest field office located in Becky Greenwald for Congress' Waukee campaign office! Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald…

 Sioux City Obama Birthday Celebration! (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 5:00 PM
 Sioux City Obama (Sioux City, IA)
 This Monday, August 4th, Obama’s Campaign for Change and Hubler for Congress invite you to celebrate Barack’s 47th birthday with a unity potluck. Following the…

 Barack's Birthday Canvass–Grinnell (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 5:00 PM
 Bierman Law Office (Grinnell, IA)
 In Honor of Barack's Birthday, help us spread the word about him in our community.

 Barack's Birthday Bash (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 5:30 PM
 Campaign for Change HQ (Mason City, IA)
 Barack is turning 47 on August 4. Let's help him have a Happy Birthday by joining together and showing him that Iowa is still strong…

 Oskaloosa, Iowa Volunteer Phone Bank (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 5:30 PM
 Iowa Campaign for Change-Oskaloosa Office (Oskaloosa, IA)
 In honor of Barack's Birthday, supporters will come to our office from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. to sign a Birthday card, and call voters…

 Barack's Birthday Bash (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 5:30 PM
 CFC Warren County Office (Indianola, IA)
 A wonderful opportunity to get involved with our campaign, visit our new office in Indianola, and celebrate the Senator's 47th birthday! We are asking supporters…

 Indee Birthday Bash (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 6:00 PM
 Campaign for Change Office (Independence, IA)
 Bring the best present you can for the next President of the United States: Your empowered self! We'll be making 47 phone calls for 47…

 Barack Obama's Black Hawk Birthday Party! (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 6:00 PM
 Black Hawk Democratic Headquarters (Waterloo, IA)
 Come celebrate Barack Obama's 47th birthday with a day of action in our Black Hawk headquarters. We'll have cake and ice cream to fuel us…

 47 for Barack's 47th! (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 6:00 PM
 Gus and Tony's (Waukon, IA)
 Barack Obama turns 47 on Monday, Aug. 4th and we're all going to celebrate with him! We'll be meeting at Gus and Tony's in Waukon…

 Celebrate Barack's Birthday at a Dessert Potluck! (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 6:00 PM
 Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor (Le Mars, IA)
 This Monday, Barack Obama will turn 47 years old. Let's take some time to celebrate and talk about the campaign this Monday at 6 pm!…

 Barack's Birthday/ Phonebank Party (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 6:00 PM
 Obama Office (Iowa Falls, IA)
 Come and help us celebrate Barack Obama's 47th birthday here at the office located at 210 Main Street right across the street from Porter's on…

 Baracks Birthday Celebration/ Meet and Greet (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 6:00 PM
 Deb Leksell's House (Webster City, IA)
 Come and help us celebrate Barack's 47th birthday! This will be an excellent opportunity for you to meet the Obama organizer for Hamilton county and…

 Barack's Birthday House Party (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 6:00 PM
 Deb Leksell's Home (Webster City, IA)
 Celebrating Barack's birthday with other precinct captains and Barack supporters!

 Barack's Birthday Meeting (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 6:30 PM
 The Home of Nena Tichy (Fairfield, IA)
 It's Barack's Birthday this Monday and he wants us to celebrate "campaign style"!! Come out and learn about everything the campaign has going on currently…

 Barack's Birthday House Party (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Monday, August 4 at 7:00 PM
 Nina's HOuse (Fairfield, IA)
 Comecelebrate Barack's Birthday with us and support his candidacy by making some calls to support the 'Get Out the Vote' drive! All are welcome–come enjoy…

 Rescheduled Precinct Organizational Meeting #3 (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Tuesday, August 5 at 7:00 PM
 Barb Faust Residence (Iowa City, IA)
 Our deepest sympathies go out to Cheryl in this time of loss. I can only hope that in some small way, Cheryl and all those…

 Its Barack's Birthday (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Wednesday, August 6 at 12:00 PM
 Campaign For Change HQ-Ottumwa, IA (Ottumwa, IA)
 Come over to the office on August 4th and have some Birthday cake and make 47 calls to celebrate Barack's 47th Birthday!

 Barack Obama's Birthday Party and Phone Bank! (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Friday, August 8 at 4:00 PM
 Johnson County Democratic Headquarters (Iowa City, IA)
 Join local staff and supporters galore at 625 S. Dubuque St. for an exciting evening in celebration of Barack's 47th Birthday! We will have cake…

 Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Friday, August 8 at 5:00 PM
 Barack Obama's Campaign for Change (Council Bluffs, IA)
 Join us and help celebrate Barack's 47th birthday! We will enjoy food and the # 47 in all of its forms!

 Open House (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Friday, August 8 at 5:00 PM
 Democratic Headquarters (Marshalltown, IA)
 We will be meeting at the Democratic Headquarters here in Marshalltown this Monday from 5-9pm to celebrate Barack Obama's 47th birthday! We will be making…

 Celebrate, Communicate, Change! (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Friday, August 8 at 5:00 PM
 Campaign for Change Headquarters (Fort Dodge, IA)
 Senator Obama will be turning 47 and we are having a party in his honor. We would like as many people to attend this celebration…

 Union County Office Opening & Obama birthday celebration (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Friday, August 8 at 7:00 PM
 Union County Democratic Campign Office (Creston, IA)
 The Union County Democrats Campaign office grand opening will be Friday, August 8th 7-9-PM. Location is 209 N. Maple St., Creston. THis will be a…

 Iowa City Precinct 25 Organizing and Planning Extravaganza!!! (Barack's Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)
 Tuesday, August 12 at 7:00 PM
 Blackstone (Iowa City, IA)
 This will be a chance for all Iowa City Precinct 25 residents who wish to be involved with the Obama campaign to meet, get to…

Either Barack Obama or John McCain may pick a running mate this week, before the Olympics start.

I haven’t heard much buzz lately about McCain’s choice. My money’s still on Mitt Romney, who has a relatively coherent message on economic policy (for a Republican) and can raise a lot of cash.

Word is that Hillary Clinton will address the Democratic National Convention in Denver on the Tuesday night. Since Obama’s running mate is expected to speak on Wednesday night, it seems that Hillary is not under serious consideration for VP.

Matt Stoller is still pushing for Wes Clark, and he and other bloggers have started a draft Clark for VP site, but I see no evidence that Clark is even being vetted by Obama’s team. They seem to want to avoid picking someone who will be seen as “balancing” any weakness in Obama’s resume.

Todd Beeton suspects the Obama team has decided the running mate should have some Washington experience, and he made a fascinating observation at MyDD:

My gut tells me a couple of things. First of all, Barack is not going to pick someone who needs to be introduced to the country. He has enough of an uphill climb introducing himself to the nation, is he really going to pick another unknown quantity for the ticket? So that leaves us with a different list, which, let’s say for argument, looks like this: Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Wesley Clark, Joe Biden, Bill Richardson, Chris Dodd, Sam Nunn.

Among these possible picks, some are known thanks to their extensive Washington, DC resumes (Clinton, Biden, Nunn, Dodd), some are not (Clark, Edwards, Richardson.) So, which list will Obama pick from? You’ll recall that in the primary, Barack ran against Washington experience and turned what Hillary thought would be her top selling point into an albatross around her neck with one very effective line: “are we just going to keep sending the same people to Washington and expect a different result?” In other words, if you’ve spent a lot of time in DC then how can you expect to change it? He could and should be using the same line against McCain, but he’s not. The other day I noticed him almost say it at one of his townhalls, but he caught himself. Why? My gut is that he’s leaning toward picking a Washington insider for his VP. My guess is it’s Biden.

Biden wouldn’t be my first choice for VP, but he would be a good fit for Obama in many ways. He’s a strong campaigner and could be an effective attack dog. Also, I think he would help Obama with the over-60 voters, where he is relatively weak.

Then again, First Read reports that the press team following Obama will spend 21 hours in South Bend, Indiana from Tuesday evening to Wednesday afternoon. They suspect that Obama might select Indiana Senator Evan Bayh as his running mate there.

Like Biden, Bayh is a Washington insider, but he’s also a former governor of a red state. He endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, so that might be a gesture toward uniting the party.

Then again, Obama may just be planning to hold a few campaign events in Indiana because that state could be competitive this year.

Bayh is way too conservative for my taste; for instance, he voted for Bush’s tax cuts in 2001. More worrying, we would likely lose his Senate seat if he became vice president, unless Jill Long Thompson pulls off an upset in the Indiana gubernatorial race this year. If Obama wants a Washington insider, I’d prefer Biden.

Many people still expect Obama to choose a different red state governor, either Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas or Tim Kaine of Virginia.

For whatever reason, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson doesn’t seem to be on Obama’s short list. That’s too bad, because I like him a lot more than Kaine, and I think he brings more to the table than Sebelius.

It’s hard to keep up with all the misconduct in the Bush administration. This week four Democratic senators called for the resignation of  Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. Evidence emerged that Johnson lied to Congress about why he denied California’s request for a waiver of the Clean Air Act last December. Two senators are also asking for a perjury investigation of Johnson. Click the link for more details and background.

California has adopted tougher emissions standards for cars and trucks, and other states have followed suit, but the standards cannot be implemented unless the EPA approves the waiver request. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller and at least 18 other state attorneys general have joined California in suing the EPA over this issue.

I always laugh when Republicans who claim to be for states’ rights object when states try to impose stronger environmental standards than the federal government. But what Johnson did was worse than hypocrisy. In denying California’s waiver request, Johnson blocked state efforts to deal with pollution from motor vehicles, even though surface transportation is the second-largest contributor to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

You would think this scandal would warrant some media coverage, but I’d never have heard of this story if I hadn’t read about it on political blogs.

I’ve been going through boxes of very old papers as well as messy closets, drawers and cabinets this summer. We’ve given away many boxes of books and household items, thrown away a lot of broken or damaged items, and recycled a huge amount of paper.

What is your philosophy on old clothes or other items cluttering up your home?

Do you give away anything you haven’t worn or used in a year or two years?

Do you keep things you forgot you had, because they may come in handy (or you may fit into them again) someday?

Do you keep things you know you’ll never use because they have sentimental value?

I found this report I wrote for a fifth grade class assignment in one of my old boxes. When I tried to read it out loud to Mr. desmoinesdem, I was laughing so hard I could barely breathe:

[desmoinesdem], ABC News?

When I get older I would like to be a journalist. I would know what was going on. I also would enjoy doing something useful, not just a housewife.

I know about journalism because every day I watch local and world news. I have decided that world news is more exciting. I can learn more about it by watching more news. And that’s what I’m doing.

I would probably choose a busy city, like Chicago or Detroit, but not too busy, like New York. I am not sure what car I would choose, but most likely one with good mileage. One thing for sure, though. I will enjoy my work.

The End

It’s funny because

1. Although I am not currently working outside the home, I have kept active with various non-profit groups and political causes since becoming an at-home mom.

2. For many years as an adult I did write professionally about the politics of another country, which I found more interesting than U.S. politics.

3. I wrote this during one of the big energy crises of the 1970s, but as it turned out, I do drive a car that gets good mileage (Prius).  

Life has to be a little discouraging for Christopher Reed, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Iowa. Everyone in the election forecasting business has labeled this seat safe for Tom Harkin. The available polling shows Harkin with a comfortable lead.

According to Open Secrets, Harkin has raised more than $8 million since he was last re-elected to the Senate. The incumbent had $4.1 million cash on hand as of June 30.

In contrast, Reed has raised a total of $11,765 for his Senate campaign and had $292 on hand as of June 30.

But look on the bright side: Cityview went through Reed’s FEC filings and found that the Republican has used about $600 in campaign funds to buy new clothes. Also, he’s had several haircuts on the campaign’s dime this year.

Presumably Reed ran for Senate to build his name recognition among Iowa Republicans for future races. But even if he never runs for office again, he’ll have a few suits, shirts and ties to show for his trouble.

OK, I admit to being creeped out when the Obama campaign website put a white glow around the candidate and the states that voted for him in the primaries.

But this new ad from John McCain is ridiculous:

I’m a little surprised this ad didn’t quote Oprah, who really did call Obama “the one.”

It’s not clear whether this ad is running anywhere on television or just on the web for now. They may be banking on getting news and analysis programs to run it for free.

Note that this comes directly from the McCain campaign and not from the Republican National Committee or some 527 group. Normally the presidential campaign runs positive commercials, while outside groups do the dirty work.

They have realized that McCain is a poor candidate, so they need to focus all their resources on shoring up the conservative base and making Obama unacceptable to the swing voters.

The Daily Show did a great segment on this “Obama is arrogant” meme last night and how absurd it is, given how McCain makes all kinds of grandiose statements and promises on the campaign trail. Watch the clip here, or catch the rerun of the Daily Show on Monday.

Following up on my earlier post on the best way to combat John McCain’s demagoguery, the Sierra Club put out a great release today:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 1, 2008

Contact: Kristina Johnson, 415.977.5619

            Josh Dorner, 202.675.2384

                         Oops, He Did It Again!

                  McCain Prefers Own Rhetoric to Facts,

                   Actual Experts on Offshore Drilling

Washington, D.C.–In Florida today, Senator John McCain said he was

convinced offshore drilling would yield immediate oil-despite hard data to

the contrary from experts like the federal government’s Energy Information

Administration.

According to the EIA, it would take 7-10 years for oil to come online from

new drilling, and twenty years to reach peak production. And, as the New

York Times recently noted, because of a recent shortage in drilling

equipment, it could likely take even longer.

But McCain said:

“…So I disagree with those experts and I’ve talked to the actual people

that do the work, that are in the business that say within months and

certainly within a very short time, we could have additional oil supply for

this nation. So we ought to drill now.” (Video HERE)

        Statement of Sierra Club Political Director Cathy Duvall

“Senator McCain may ‘disagree with the experts,’ but that doesn’t make the

facts go away. New offshore drilling simply won’t provide any oil for

roughly a decade. And even then, the Bush administration itself admits that

drilling will do absolutely nothing to lower gas prices today, tomorrow, or

even two decades from now.

“Oil companies aren’t interested in lowering gas prices. Keeping supply

tight and oil prices high keeps Big Oil rolling in record profits. The oil

companies are spending almost ten times more-a full 55 percent of their

record profits-on stock buybacks and dividends than they are on

exploration.  This drives up the price of their shares, their profits, and

the paychecks of their executives.

“This episode is eerily reminiscent of Senator McCain’s insistence that his

misguided ‘gas tax holiday’ would benefit consumers and not simply add to

Big Oil’s record profits.  McCain and his aides continue to insist that the

230 leading economists — including 4 Nobel Prize winners — who denounced

his plan are simply wrong.

“We’re in an energy crisis.  Americans do need short-term help to offset

the cost of gas, and Senator Obama has a plan to give it to them. He has

proposed a $1,000 refund check paid for by taxing Big Oil’s record profits

that would offer us immediate relief. That’s something new drilling won’t

do, no matter what John McCain says.”

                                  # # #

I like this better than the MoveOn “gimmick” ad (which you can view in the earlier post). In addition to pointing out why McCain is wrong on this issue, it links his proposal to what big oil companies want and profit from. Also, the Sierra Club statement has a healthy dose of ridicule, which McCain deserves.

All that’s missing is a line about how we don’t need a third term of a presidency in the pocket of Big Oil. I’m with Dansac on the need to repeat “McCain is Bush’s third term” as often as possible.

Meanwhile, Obama took several steps in the right direction at a town hall meeting in Florida today. He is calling for a $1,000 tax rebate for low and middle-income families. A windfall profits tax on oil companies would pay for the rebates.

The Illinois senator also revamped his proposal for a $50 billion economic stimulus plan to include $25 billion to replenish the highway trust fund and pay for infrastructure improvements that he said could save up to 1 million endangered jobs.

“With job losses mounting, prices rising, increased turbulence in our financial system, a growing credit crunch, we need to do more,” Obama said at a town hall meeting in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The proposals came as the government announced the U.S. unemployment rate hit its highest level in four years with another 51,000 non-farm jobs lost in July, bringing job losses for the year to 463,000.

“Do you think you can afford another four years of the same failed economic policies?” Obama asked, accusing McCain of embracing President George W. Bush’s economic approach.

Let McCain explain why he and the Republican Party refuse to consider a windfall tax on oil companies that are reporting record profits this year.

Just in from Becky Greenwald’s campaign:

On Saturday, August 2nd, Becky Greenwald and Senator Tom Harkin will be meeting with volunteers in Ames to thank them for their work to make a difference in the 4th District. The event will be at the Story County Democrats and Obama Campaign for Change office at 3:30 pm. Senator Harkin and Becky Greenwald will be available for interviews.

WHO: Becky Greenwald, Candidate for Congress in the 4th District, Senator Tom Harkin, Volunteers

WHAT: Meet and Greet with Volunteers and Media Availability

WHERE: Office of Story County Democrats and Obama Campaign for Change

303 Welch Ave.

Ames, IA

WHEN: Saturday, August 2nd at 3:30 pm.

If anyone out there is able to attend, please post a diary afterward to tell us about it.

On August 4th and 5th, Greenwald will hold public events in Indianola, Ames, Waukee, Mason City, Iowa Falls and Fort Dodge. I’ll post more details on those events when I have them. (UPDATE: The Waukee event will be from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Monday, August 4 in the parking lot outside the Becky Greenwald and Obama Campaign for Change Dallas County Office, 144 E. Laurel St.)

She clearly understands that Latham’s weakness is his near-total loyalty to George Bush and the Republican Party agenda:

“I am running for Congress because we need an independent thinker in Washington who will get to work to make a difference for Iowans,” said Becky Greenwald. “For too long, Tom Latham has been a wingman for George Bush and hasn’t been listening to us. I will go to Washington, roll up my sleeves, and work across the aisle to get things done for the people of the 4th District.”

Latham must be held accountable for marching in lockstep with the unpopular GOP leadership in Congress.

John McCain has been blaming Barack Obama for high gas prices because Obama opposes more offshore oil drilling. Here’s the response from MoveOn.org:

It’s a simple message: we expected more from McCain than misleading gimmicks.

The Obama campaign has taken this approach a step further by launching a new website: lowroadexpress.com. You can watch Obama’s tv commercial that portrays McCain as practicing the politics of the past and clinging to failed policies. You can read newspaper editorials criticizing McCain’s tactics. The main message of the site is this:

Welcome to the Low Road Express.

John McCain used to stand for “straight talk.” Not anymore.

These days John McCain doesn’t seem to stand for anything but negative attacks and false charges against Barack Obama. This isn’t the John McCain we used to know.

I see the point of hitting McCain on his supposed strength as a straight talker, and I see the point of working the refs in the media by calling out McCain for his negative campaigning.

However, I wonder whether going after McCain’s campaign tactics should be the main thrust of the Democratic response.

I agree with David Mizner, who wrote yesterday, “Good populist rhetoric, and linking McCain to corporate greed, is the way to beat not only McCain’s drilling nonsense, but the Brittany-Spears smear campaign.”

Mizner linked to a great statement from the Obama campaign regarding the record quarterly profit reported by Exxon Mobil:

Perhaps the only thing more outrageous than Exxon Mobil making record profits while Americans are paying record prices at the pump is the fact that Senator McCain has proposed giving them an additional $1.2 billion tax break. While Senator McCain’s plan has succeeded in helping his campaign raise over $1 million from oil and gas company executives and employees just last month, it won’t lower gas prices or end our dangerous dependence on foreign oil. Instead of an energy policy that reads like an oil-company wish list, it’s time to create a new American energy economy by investing in alternative energy, creating millions of new jobs, increasing fuel efficiency standards, and ending the tyranny of oil once and for all.

Now the focus is on McCain as a typical corrupt Republican who takes money from corporate executives and supports big tax breaks for profitable companies.

That seems more damaging than saying he runs mean television commercials.

You might think, of course desmoinesdem wants Obama to talk more about Republicans being bought and paid for by powerful corporations–she was an Edwards supporter!

Well, longtime Obama backer Dansac is concerned that McCain’s attack ads are working and would like to see Obama go on offense:

Get scrappy Obama, no more worrying about “looking Presidential.”  The high road is for suckers and we thought you knew this.  Winning is really quite simple:

“John McCain is Bush’s 3rd Term” and “John McCain is Completely Out of Touch and Knows Nothing about the Economy”

Repeat it over and over.  Not just Obama, but a coordinated surrogate strategy with really tough talking points.  Call his ads “pathetic” and what you’d expect from someone “who has nothing to offer but a 3rd Bush term and knows nothing about the economy.”

Frame HIM instead of allowing yourself to be framed.  Because don’t be fooled Obama folks or Kossacks, that’s what’s starting to happen.  

Victory may still be ours, but a landslide is increasingly unlikely and victory will be tougher to achieve.  We have a very small window, a VERY small window to start pushing back aggressively.  And accusing McCain of taking the “low road” won’t do it.  We need to get in the muck and define him.

Offense.  It’s what’s for dinner.

About that window: the election is less than 100 days away, and fladem has persuasively argued that most recent presidential elections have been won or lost in the summer, not the fall.

What do you think is the right approach for Obama? Chiding McCain for using the politics of the past? Accusing McCain of doing the oil companies’ bidding? Branding McCain as Bush’s third term?

Matt Stoller found this shameful tidbit in the Congressional Record from last Friday. The speaker is Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, who is mad that some senators want to find budget cuts to offset disaster aid for Iowa:

So I don’t want anybody telling me that we have to offset a disaster relief package for the Midwest where people are hurting, when we didn’t do it for New Orleans. Why the double standard? Is it because people aren’t on rooftops complaining for helicopters to rescue them, and you see it on television too much? We aren’t doing that in Iowa. We are trying to help ourselves in Iowa. We have a can-do attitude. It doesn’t show up on television like it did in New Orleans for 2 months.

Open Left commenter SpitBall raises an excellent point–a better question is “why federal aid to the flood victims in Iowa should require a budgetary offset, when the invasion [and] occupation of Iraq does not.”

But getting back to Grassley’s comment, it disturbs me that he would denigrate the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Can’t he just praise Iowans without portraying us as better than those no-good complainers in New Orleans?

And suppose the Iowa floods had left thousands of people trapped in their homes, unable to escape on foot or by vehicle. Is he saying Iowans would not stand on their roofs hoping to be rescued? Would we build our own rafts, or what?

The Iowa flooding this summer was unprecedented, but we didn’t have whole neighborhoods of people stranded without food or water the way New Orleans did the first couple of days after Katrina hit.

The unspoken contrast in Grassley’s comment is that (white) Iowans are better people than (black) Katrina victims.

Right-wing blowhard Rush Limbaugh started pushing this meme right away last month. Iowa conservative blogger Emily Geiger picked up the talking point from Rush or some other radio host and ran with it:

Iowans can fix most things ourselves. It’s just a matter of who is going to pay for it all after the fact. This isn’t like New Orleans, where (I heard some relief worker on the radio the other day say that) out-of-state volunteers had to wake up residents at 10 a.m. so that the volunteers could get inside the houses where the residents then sat around and watched the volunteers work.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: when the going gets tough, count on Republicans to make people feel better by reinforcing their racist stereotypes.

Meanwhile, Democratic Representatives Bruce Braley, Dave Loebsack and Leonard Boswell did something constructive on Thursday. They jointly wrote to Steve Preston, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, asking for the immediate release of $30 million in Community Development Block Grants to Iowa.

The full text of their letter to the HUD secretary, along with a joint press release explaining some background, is after the jump.

Very clever. An e-mail from the Polk County Democrats informs me that the Obama campaign will be sending out the vice-presidential selection by text message.

To “hear the historic news wherever you are,” just text IOWA to 62262. Then you’ll receive updates from the Obama campaign in Iowa on your cell phone.

I don’t text message, but I imagine a huge number of people will be signing up for these updates.

Speaking of cell phones, the Obama campaign will have the biggest phone bank ever at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium. About 75,000 people are expected to attend Obama’s speech the night he will accept the Democratic nomination, and the campaign will ask them to call unregistered voters.

And speaking of crowds, the Des Moines Register’s website has the video from Obama’s town hall in Cedar Rapids today. I only caught a small fragment, but I liked what he said about how parents need to turn off the television and unplug the video games.

In part of the town hall that I did not see, Obama went after John McCain on energy policy:

“Under my opponent’s plan, the oil companies get billions more and we stay in the same cycle of addiction and dependence on big oil that got us into this crisis in the first place,” Obama told an audience of about 1,000 at Coe College in Cedar Rapids. “That’s a risk that we just can’t afford to take.”

Obama was referring to McCain’s support for a gas-tax holiday and expanding the areas where oil companies can drill. Obama says a tax holiday would pad oil company profits and that they already have access to areas where they are not drilling.

[…]

“It won’t drop prices in this administration, the next administration or the administration after that,” he said. “Although it won’t save you dollars at the pump, I will say it has raised campaign dollars.”

Obama said McCain raised $1 million from oil company executives at a fundraiser in Houston last month.

Democrats better have a good answer on oil drilling, because not only is McCain blaming Obama for high gas prices in some of his campaign ads, down-ticket Republicans like Tom Latham will also use this issue against their opponents.

Usually considered a rural issue, two proposed hog confinements Dallas County are making urban lawmakers pay more attention.

The proposed hog confinements would have a total of 7,440 hogs in rural Dallas County, which is the fastest growing county in the state. These confinements will produce as much waste as a town of 30,000 people and it will go untreated.

Earlier this month, Dallas County Supervisors voted against allowing these proposed hog confinements, but in reality there isn't much the local people can do about the hog confinements that will be owned by the out of state company, Cargill.

Dallas is among 70 counties that have adopted a system of requirements used by state regulators to determine whether construction of an animal confinement is allowed, which means the Board of Supervisors and dozens of residents who live near the proposed buildings provide input but have little say over what happens in their backyards.

The so-called “master matrix,” created in 2003, awards points based on how a confinement will affect the air, water and community. Both proposed Dallas County confinements garnered enough points for approval, which county officials must submit to the state by Monday.

Residents say the grading system creates an illusion of local control. “In reality, the county has very little control over this,” said Jim Thompson, who lives near one of the proposed sites west of Perry.

Applications to build animal confinements are submitted to the county, where officials score the matrix. If an applicant gets the needed points, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources approves the application. If the county issues a failing grade, the state rescores the matrix and can overrule the decision.

In the past some state legislators from more urban districts stayed away from this issue, saying that it was a rural issue. However, these proposed hog confinements demonstrate that hog confinements are moving into more urban areas and can be put up anywhere without little control from local citizens.

Hopefully, this will force urban lawmakers in the Iowa legislature to start pushing for the need for local control.

Use this as an open thread to talk about Barack Obama’s town hall meeting in Cedar Rapids today:

Economic Security Town Hall with Barack Obama

Coe College

Moray L. Eby Fieldhouse

1220 1st Avenue NE

Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402

THURSDAY, JULY 31ST, 2008

Doors Open: 9:30 AM

Program Begins: 11:30 AM

The event is free and open to the public.  However, tickets are required.

Also, here are some other events coming up.

Thursday, July 31:

It’s the last day to contribute to Barack Obama’s campaign for a chance to win a trip to the Democratic National Convention in Denver:

https://donate.barackobama.com…

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is also giving away a trip to Denver. Donate before midnight on July 31 for a chance to win:

http://dccc.org/blog/archives/…

One Iowa and Green Drinks are co-hosting a Happy Hour from 5 to 7 pm at the Hillside Condo Penthouse, 1902 Woodland Ave in Des Moines, suite 300 (the building next to the Gateway Market). Suggested donation $20, but no one is turned away. Please RSVP at oneiowa.org.

From Polk County Democrats:

You are cordially invited to attend a wine and cheese reception for John Scarpino, Democratic Candidate for Polk County Supervisor, at the home of Ray and Karen Blase, 913 NE 34th Street, Ankeny, July 31 from 5:30 to 7:30 P.M.

From the Rebuild Iowa Commission:

First ‘Speak Up Iowa!’ Public Listening Session Will Also Be Held at

Kirkwood Community College Thursday 4-7 p.m.

Press Release from Rebuild Iowa Office

Subject: REBUILD IOWA ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING TO BE HELD IN CEDAR RAPIDS

THIS THURSDAY

First ‘Speak Up Iowa!’ Public Listening Session Will Also Be Held at

Kirkwood Community College

On Thursday, the Rebuild Iowa Office will hold its second Rebuild Iowa

Advisory Commission (RIAC) meeting at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar

Rapids to discuss the state’s recovery and rebuilding efforts following this

year’s severe storms and flooding. In addition, the public will have the

opportunity to give their input on the recovery process at the first “Speak

Up Iowa!” public listening session, which will also be held Thursday.

The “Speak Up Iowa!” listening sessions initiate dialogue on the major

issues facing the State and provide an opportunity for official public and

community involvement, with specific focus on gaining input for the RIO

45-day Report due September 2, 2008. The session will include nine booths,

each representing one of the nine task force areas. At these booths,

residents will have the opportunity to voice their ideas and desires

regarding the long-term recovery of their communities.

THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2008

WHAT: Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission to hold its second meeting to discuss

the state’s disaster and rebuilding efforts.

WHERE: Emergency Operations Center

              (located in the Community Training and Response Center)

              Kirkwood Community College Campus

              6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW

              Cedar Rapids, Iowa

              (A map of the campus is available at

www.kirkwood.edu/maincampus.)

WHEN:   2 to 5 p.m.

THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2008

WHAT: Rebuild Iowa Office holds first “Speak Up Iowa!” public listening

session.

WHERE: Iowa Hall, Rooms A through D

              Kirkwood Community College Campus

              6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW

              Cedar Rapids, Iowa

(A map of the campus is available at www.kirkwood.edu/maincampus.)

WHEN:   4 to 7 p.m.

From 1000 Friends of Iowa:

Johnson County Conservation Board Holding Public Meetings on Land Conservation

A series of informational meetings will be held to receive input from the public on the Johnson County Conservation Board’s proposed $20 million Conservation Bond Issue Ballot Measure for land protection. The measure will be put before the voters of Johnson County on the November 4, 2008, General Election Ballot. Conservation Board members and staff will be on hand to give an overview of the proposal and Mark Ackelson, President of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, will facilitate the meetings.

According to the Johnson County Conservation Board’s newsletter, The Conservation Connection:

   * “Local organizations and individuals struggle to preserve some natural lands. The Johnson County Conservation Board, which has the mandated responsibility, has responded by making a serious commitment to find ways to protect more remaining vestiges of unique natural areas before they are destroyed by the relentless march of development.”

Two of these public meetings have already occurred, and there are two left.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

7:00 – 9:00 pm

North Liberty Recreation Center

Classroom C

520 West Cherry Street

North Liberty

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

7:00 – 9:00 pm

Solon Public Library

Meeting Room

320 West Main Street

Solon

To learn more about the proposal before the meetings, check out the JCCB’s newsletter article at

http://www.johnson-county.com/…

Questions about the meetings should be directed to Harry Graves, Director, Johnson County Conservation Board at 319-645-2315 or email hgraves@co.johnson.ia.us.

It’s a rare opportunity to vote on a topic such as this Conservation Bond Issue. Only through the involvement of committed citizens will governments be able to implement strategies that protect natural areas from development. Your ears, eyes, and voices are critical!

Friday, August 1:

From the Polk County Democrats:

The Festa Italiana is going on this weekend.  We will be manning a booth on Friday and Saturday this year.  The hours we need volunteers are:

Friday, August 1 5p – 7p or 7p – 9p

Saturday, August 2  2p – 4p, 4p – 6p, and 6p – 9p

Please let me know if you are available to help out.

Thanks!

Tamyra Harrison

Executive Director

Polk County Democrats

515-285-1800

Saturday, August 2:

From Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa:

Volunteer Opportunity

Des Moines Farmer’s Market

Court Avenue Area

Des Moines

Saturday, August 2nd

8am-12pm

Click Here to Volunteer!

Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa and the Healthy Families project will be at the Des Moines Farmer’s Market this Saturday, August 2nd.

We need your help!

Volunteers will represent the Planned Parenthood mission, and help educate people about the need to reduce unintended pregnancies in Iowa.  Of course we’ll be handing out lots of goodies as well!

Past Farmer’s market volunteers have had a lot of fun, and say it’s one of the best volunteer opportunities available.

“This was the first time I’ve ever volunteered for Planned Parenthood and it was so much fun!  I felt like I really made a difference!” – Judy, volunteer at past Des Moines Farmer’s Markets.

Help educate the public and have fun too. Any time you can give is much appreciated: work for a couple of hours, or the whole time. Shifts are available from 8am – 12pm.

Thanks for all that you do for Planned Parenthood!

E-mail Chelsea Hammond to volunteer (chammond AT ppgi.org) or call (515) 235-0415

From the Sierra Club e-mail loop:

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge – A Priceless Gift

A Presentation and Storytelling

about a very Special Place

When:      Saturday August 2nd, 2008, at 10:00 am

Where:     Urbandale Public Library, Meeting Room A/B

               3520 86th Street Urbandale, Iowa  50322

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of America’s premier wilderness

areas.  The coastal plain of the Refuge has been threatened by oil drilling

many times in its 50 year history. Today, threats from Big Oil are greater

than they have been for over two decades.  Come learn about the history,

it’s values, and how you can help protect this national treasure.

This is a story, as well, of indigenous concerns, and about raising the

voices of those urging our government to recognize the rights of indigenous

peoples.

For more information contact: Lois Norrgard 952-881-7282 lois@alaskawild.org

Presented by:

Sarah James, a Neetsaii Gwich’in Athabascan Indian from Arctic Village,

Alaska, raised in the traditional nomadic way. Sarah was one of the first

recipients of the Ford Foundation Leadership for a Changing World Award and

a co-recipient of the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for her work

with the Gwich’in Steering Committee to protect the calving and nursery

grounds of the Porcupine River Caribou Herd. The Porcupine Caribou Herd has

sustained the Gwich’in for over twenty thousand years.

Lois Norrgard, the Upper Midwest Field staff for the Alaska Wilderness

League. She has worked for the League and Alaska Coalition for the past

three years, continuing to raise awareness about the values and threats

facing our beautiful wild lands in Alaska.

Some places are just too special to destroy for a short term gain – the

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of these places

Along for the Ride is holding a contest to give away “the Essential Babywearing Stash” (a pouch, a ring sling, an Asian carrier, a wrap carrier, and a soft structured carrier that can be used to carry older babies and toddlers on your front, back or hip). Click the link to enter the contest and see photos of the carriers they are giving away. Hurry, because the deadline for entering is midnight on July 31.

I haven’t used any of the brands they are featuring, but I have extensively used a pouch, a ring sling, a wrap and a soft structured carrier with my two kids. My husband is an expert at carrying babies in a sling and toddlers or preschoolers in a backpack. Many of my friends swear by Asian carriers as well–I haven’t tried then, because my wrap and soft carrier serve the same purpose.

If you’ve met me at a political event in the last five years, you’ve probably seen me using one of my carriers. I am a huge advocate of “babywearing.” In fact, my husband and I never bothered to acquire a stroller.

When you’re out and about, babies tend to stay happier (and quieter) when they are in a carrier. They’re up higher off the ground, with a better view of the world and more opportunities to see other people’s faces–a lot more interesting than looking at a bunch of strangers’ knees.

When being “worn” in a sling or other carrier, babies can smell mom or dad and feel a heartbeat, warmth and nurturing touch that is reassuring. If you don’t believe me, next time you’re at the mall or some public place, count the number of people pushing an empty stroller with one hand while balancing a baby on their shoulder with the other arm. Babies like to be up high, close to a caregiver’s body.

A good baby carrier allows you to meet a baby’s need to be held without killing your arms or throwing out your back. The best ones are designed to distribute the baby’s weight without putting strain on your neck and shoulders. At a family wedding a few years ago, my four-month-old spent most of the weekend snuggled in a wrap carrier. I remember joking with parents of a newborn at the wedding reception, “See, my arms are free!” The dad, who’d been walking and holding his baby for ages, said, “I can no longer feel my arms.”

What about toddlers and preschoolers? In our family, once a kid can walk, we let him walk. When he gets tired, we put him in a comfortable baby carrier. It’s a lot easier than lugging a big stroller with you all day long.

I’ve used a ring sling to carry a baby over 20 pounds on my hip. I’ve used a wrap carrier or my Ergo to carry small babies as well as toddlers weighing up to at least 35 pounds. My family went to the Omaha Zoo in May, and when my two-and-a-half-year-old got tired after a few hours, I put him in my soft back carrier for an hour or so. He’s too heavy for me to carry in my arms for more than a few minutes, but a good back carrier puts the weight on your hips, like the quality packs hikers use.

The Attachment Parenting International website has lots of articles about babywearing and its benefits.

I recommend the Tummy2Tummy instructional DVD (which shows how  to use slings, pouches, Asian carriers and wraps), but there are excellent babywearing resources available for free. TheBabyWearer.com has tons of reviews of different carriers, as well as links to peer-reviewed academic articles and more informal essays on “Great Things About Babywearing.”

Videos and detailed explanations about how to use different kinds of carriers can be found at Mamatoto.org.

Motheringdotcommune has a forum on babywearing (scroll down–it’s in the Natural Family Living section).

If you go to Askdrsears.com and search for “babywearing” you will find links to good advice, including general benefits of babywearing and special advantages for parents of “fussy babies.”

I’ve written a document about types of carriers I particularly like and what kind of carriers are most useful for newborns, larger babies or toddlers. Anyone who wants a copy can e-mail me at desmoinesdem AT yahoo.com. I prefer not to recommend specific brands on this blog.

That said, I can tell you that I do not recommend front carriers that have baby facing out, dangling from the crotch. Brands such as Baby Bjorn and Snugli are very popular, but unfortunately, carrying a baby in this position puts too much pressure on developing spines. I don’t deny that many babies love to be carried in these, but I think those babies would equally enjoy other carriers that would be better for their developing spines. Also, the Baby Bjorn and Snugli put too much weight on the parent’s neck and shoulders.

You want a carrier that holds the baby in a more comfortable, seated position. Would you rather be carried around in a chair, or dangling from a parachute harness?

If your baby is becoming aware of the world and no longer likes to be against your chest facing in, use a sling, pouch or other carrier that allows you to comfortably hold your child on your hip. They get a great view of things that way. People who met me at political events in 2003 or 2004 often joked later that they didn’t recognize me without a baby on my hip.

I corrected this post to note that this fundraising drive is for Barack Obama’s campaign, not the DNC. But you should give to the DNC as well!

Barack Obama is going to accept the Democratic nomination for president at Mile High Stadium in Denver in front of an estimated 75,000 people.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean sent out an e-mail today asking for donations to the DNC the Obama campaign, with an extra incentive backing up his fundraising pitch.

If you make a donation before midnight tomorrow, you could be part of a very special opportunity. Ten supporters who give before the July fundraising deadline will be selected for an all-expenses-paid trip to Denver. You’ll get to bring a guest, fly to Denver, spend a couple days at the convention, and meet Barack before his speech.

Donate today, and you could go Backstage with Barack:

Make a donation before the deadline

https://donate.barackobama.com…

The full text of Dean’s e-mail is after the jump.

Remember that the Republican National Committee has been raising more money this year than the DNC and will be spending it on behalf of John McCain. It’s not enough for the Obama campaign to raise money–the DNC also has to be competitive in fundraising.

Yesterday I linked to this article by Joseph Romm in Salon about how efficiency measures could solve many of our energy problems. His piece starts with the following analogy:

Suppose I paid you for every pound of pollution you generated and punished you for every pound you reduced. You would probably spend most of your time trying to figure out how to generate more pollution. And suppose that if you generated enough pollution, I had to pay you to build a new plant, no matter what the cost, and no matter how much cheaper it might be to not pollute in the first place.

Well, that’s pretty much how we have run the U.S. electric grid for nearly a century. The more electricity a utility sells, the more money it makes. If it’s able to boost electricity demand enough, the utility is allowed to build a new power plant with a guaranteed profit. The only way a typical utility can lose money is if demand drops. So the last thing most utilities want to do is seriously push strategies that save energy, strategies that do not pollute in the first place.

Yet money invested in energy efficiency can generate huge savings in energy costs. According to a report filed with the Iowa Utilities Board by the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives,

In 2007, Iowa’s electric cooperatives, which provide electricity in each of the state’s 99 counties to approximately 650,000 Iowans, invested $11 million in energy-efficiency programs. Participation in the programs by electric cooperative member-consumer-owners in 2007 resulted in approximately $30.3 million in energy savings.

There also was an environmental benefit to the investment in energy-efficiency programs. By reducing demand for electricity, consumers reduced the amount of electricity that utilities would otherwise have generated, which would have placed emissions into the air. The energy savings over the life of the energy-efficiency measures installed in 2007 is equal to enough electricity to provide power for approximately 34,000 homes or a city the size of 85,000 people, which is equivalent to Iowa City and Coralville, combined.

The Salon article describes various state regulations that have helped reduce energy consumption in California.

While I would welcome action on that front by the Iowa legislature, it’s important to note that state regulators can push utilities to do more even without any new laws being passed.

This week three environmental groups (Iowa Environmental Council, the Sierra Club and the Environmental Law and Policy Center) submitted expert testimony to the Iowa Utilities Board regarding problems with MidAmerican Energy’s efficiency plan for the years 2009-2013. This press release from the Iowa Environmental Council provides more details:

Editors Contact: Lynn Laws

Iowa Environmental Council

515-244-1194, ext 210

lynnlaws@iaenvironment.org

July 29, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MidAm Energy Efficiency Plan Falls Short

Clean energy advocates call MidAmerican Energy’s new energy efficiency plan a good start, but note missed opportunities.

“At a time when energy prices are sky rocketing and global warming regulation is looming on the horizon, MidAmerican must take all the cost-effective energy efficiency steps available,” said Nathaniel Baer, energy program director for the Iowa Environmental Council.

“The programs they propose simply don’t take advantage of the opportunities that are out there to save money and protect the environment,” Baer added.

Environmental advocates submitted testimony Monday responding to MidAmerican’s Energy Efficiency Plan for 2009-2013.  Under Iowa law, public gas and electric utilities, including MidAmerican Energy and Alliant Energy, must create comprehensive plans for energy efficiency for all types of customers.  Programs often include rebates or incentives for energy efficient equipment like advanced lighting, heating and air conditioning systems, insulation, energy efficient buildings, and other types of equipment and technology, as well as customer education. The Iowa Utilities Board must approve these plans, with input from stakeholders provided in a formal proceeding before the Board.

The Iowa Environmental Council, the Sierra Club and the Environmental Law and Policy Center submitted testimony by expert witness, Geoff Crandall of MSB Energy Associates, yesterday detailing significant shortcomings in the 2009-2013 MidAmerican Energy plan:

–          The plan understates the potential for energy efficiency improvements, especially in the industrial sector, which consumes 50% of the electricity in MidAmerican’s service territory;

–          The plan fails to include assistance to help consumers generate their own energy using renewable energy systems such as small solar panels (photovoltaic or “PV”), small wind turbines, and solar hot water heaters.

–          The plan does not incorporate enough next-generation lighting technology such as L.E.D. bulbs.

–          The plan fails to provide adequate funding for public education particularly as, it relates to the high energy needs of plasma TVs and home entertainment systems, and about unplugging appliances that use power even when they have been turned off (known as “phantom load.”).

“We can’t do this half way.  The end result of failure is billions of dollars spent on new power plants and thousands of tons of pollution,” said Wally Taylor, an attorney with the Sierra Club.  

“The Utilities Board has to step up and force MidAmerican to do the best job it can here,” he added.

Iowa Utilities Board’s decision is due by the end of 2008. — end —

After the jump you can find contact information for people who can provide copies of this expert testimony.

UPDATE: The Iowa Utilities Board released a statement today urging Iowans to “take steps now to reduce the impacts of increased energy prices this winter heating season”:

Many utilities offer cash rebates for the purchase of energy efficient appliances.  Some Iowa utilities, including MidAmerican Energy Company and Interstate Power and Light Company (Alliant Energy), have increased rebate amounts on energy efficient appliance purchases made by flood-affected customers this year, so inquire with your local utility.

Examples of wise energy-efficiency investments, regardless of utility or even manufacturer rebates, include programmable thermostats, high efficiency heating and/or cooling systems, hot water heaters, replacement windows, additional or replacement insulation, washers or dryers, refrigerators, and stoves.  To assure energy efficiency when purchasing new appliances, look for the ENERGY STAR label.  More information about the ENERGY STAR program for improving energy efficiency is available at www.homeenergysaver.lbl.gov.

A simple, short-term step for conserving energy is to adjust your thermostat for sleeping or periods when your home will be unoccupied.  If constantly changing your thermostat is difficult, consider a programmable thermostat.  Another inexpensive step to help mitigate heating costs is to weatherize around leaky windows and doors and on exterior walls in areas that are usually cold or drafty.  Please contact your local utility for additional energy efficiency information in preparation for this winter.

The full text of this press release is after the jump.

Chris Bowers thinks so:

If you want to help keep this ad on the air, donate to VoteVets.org.

The same group is pushing back on a John McCain ad that

disingenuously claimed that Barack Obama had “canceled a visit with wounded troops” because “the Pentagon wouldn’t allow him to bring cameras.”  By Sunday, even Republicans were panning the ad as being inappropriate.

Speaking of VoteVets, the group is now getting involved in state and local races for the first time. Iowa’s own Representative McKinley Bailey (House district 9) is one of 14 “emerging leaders” to receive VoteVets’ backing.

As noneed4thneed reported earlier this year, Bailey was one of the Democratic state legislators targeted in corporate-funded radio and tv ads.

In general, I am a huge advocate of getting involved in state legislative races. Congratulations to Representative Bailey, and thanks to VoteVets for helping us hold this seat, one that Iowa Republicans are targeting.

I have to believe that a few people at the University of Iowa will lose their jobs when the St. Louis law firm hired to examine the university’s handling of an alleged sexual assault turns in its report:

The Iowa Board of Regents hired the firm Monday to assure Iowans of an independent investigation after it was revealed the U of I failed to turn over key documents in a previous probe conducted by the regents.

[…]

Two former U of I football players have been charged with sexually assaulting a former female student-athlete in an unoccupied room in Hillcrest Residence Hall. Abe Satterfield and Cedric Everson, both 19, have pleaded not guilty of second-degree sex abuse. Satterfield has also pleaded not guilty of third-degree sex abuse. Both are scheduled for trial Nov. 3 in Johnson County.

[…]

The jumping-off point for the investigation will be two letters written by the alleged victim’s mother that criticized the U of I’s handling of the complaint, Mersman said. The mother alleges that the athletic department tried to keep the report in-house and that university officials did not support the alleged victim.

The revelation this month that the U of I did not disclose these letters during a previous regents investigation of the incident led to the new probe.

[…]

U of I President Sally Mason apologized and said the letters weren’t turned over because of an incorrect interpretation of a federal student privacy law. The firm will also review how state and federal laws may have played into the handling of the case, Mersman said.

The University’s president, Sally Mason, doesn’t need any extra headaches this summer, when flooding caused unprecedented devastation on campus. At least 20 major buildings connected to the university were damaged.

But if alleged crimes committed by athletes are not thoroughly investigated and prosecuted, there will be long-term damage to the university’s reputation.

Rekha Basu’s recent column about this incident goes over some of the more outrageous facts already known about this case, such as:

The mother wrote that her daughter reported the rape allegation within three days to university officials, but they told her she’d get quicker action if she didn’t make a formal complaint.

Not only did that not happen, but she was harassed, followed, and taunted every day by athletes, including the two accused men, Cedric Everson and Abe Satterfield, according to her mother. She even found Everson living three doors down the hall from her. The federal Jeanne Clery Act requires universities to have policies to warn the whole campus about accused rapists.

No one seemed to be leading the probe and no advocate was assigned to her daughter, the mother wrote, leading her daughter to go to police three weeks after the incident. Only after that was evidence collected from dorm rooms.

State Senator Matt McCoy is furious:

It’s baffling that Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness is quick to dismiss the possibility of obstruction-of-justice charges against university officials. As McCoy puts it, “She’s ignoring the fact that there may be criminal liability for covering this up.”

McCoy will meet with his caucus Tuesday, and hopes to send a strong message to Mason and the regents that legislators are not happy. He says they have a role as funders of state universities, who also confirm regents.

The unspoken piece of this is the exalted status the university gives its athletes. “It all comes down to money,” says McCoy. “… A lot of their reputation as a university is built around them.”

On a related note, Marc Hansen raises important questions about the role of alcohol in crimes committed on the U of I campus:

The university police department filed 535 charges against students in 2007. Four hundred sixty-seven — 87 percent — were alcohol- or drug-related.

Let’s break it down: 236 were for public intoxication, 86 were liquor-law violations, 38 were for drunken driving.

When you’re talking about alcohol-related “incidents” on campus, the number topped 1,000 for the fifth year in a row in 2007. While that might not seem like an epidemic at a school with 30,000 students, these are the incidents we know about.

If you look at the 18 football players arrested since April 2007, nine of the 23 charges were directly related to alcohol. How many others were indirectly related?

How many across campus? How many disorderly conducts? How many interferences with official acts, assaults, thefts?

Going by campus police interviews, it now looks as if alcohol played a part in the high-profile alleged sexual assault of a female student last fall.

Alcohol can be involved in sexual assault in many ways, according to a report published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in 2001.

While underage drinking and sexual assault take place on every college campus, the University of Iowa should be taking steps to reduce binge drinking and obviously cannot condone any special treatment for athletes accused of committing crimes.