My whole world seems to stop on Super Bowl afternoon – so I’m catching up on a few organizational things including some blogging.  I’m watching the pre-game and may interject some comments.

Fun to watch the playoffs when I don’t care who wins.  What a finish to the season if WhO DaT NaTioN gets a super bowl championship; if the Colts win they are a blue collar team with Dallas Clark and Hawkeye History. 

I watched the Sarah Palin speech last night and am still looking for the next generation’s leaders.  President Obama can’t lead his way out of the proverbial paper sack – 13 months into his term he’s still campaigning.  I don’t see leadership in Gov. Palin either.  I like her, but people are pushing her into a leadership role for which she is not ready.

The 912 and Tea Party movements are engaging more citizens in politics, that is a good thing, and Gov. Palin’s speech was from the heart.  But those who are looking for the next Ronald Reagan in Palin, forget his “time in the wilderness” where he honed his philosophical tone by writing a-lot speaking around the nation and on TV.  Watch this TV broadcast from 1964 – 16 years before he was President.  YOU TUBE BROADCAST HERE   There is no Ronald Reagan type in either party today and I am afraid for the future.

To me it’s as simple as this.  Those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.  I’m not looking up the orgins of that quote – it just makes sense doesn’t it?

2008 campaign article

Study shows FDR spending policies lengthened, did not shorten the Depression.

I wish I started to buy gold when it was $400, not doing it now.  I hope the continued unravelling of the Global Warming Myth is turned into a new effort to protect the environment and an understanding that we need to learn how to help future generations survive this climate change we are seeing.  Science based on urgent collection of grant monies and financial profit - is an evil effort and must be stopped. 

Walter Payton :::tears::: gone too soon, we still love you.  Queen Latifa Rocked American the Beautiful…  No one will out do Whitney Houston’s Star Spangled Banner… what was a long time ago, I didn’t think much of this lady today…

Where I do appreciate every candidate and citizen that is newly engaged, this two party system has to come back and find a way to work together.  I hope Republicans do regain control of the 2011 congress and pass a fair and responsible reorganization of our healthcare system.  A reorganization that pays for itself by cutting waste, is portable and covers pre-existing conditions.  I am supporting Dr. Miller-Meeks for Congress in that effort.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: ERIC WOOLSON
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2009    
515-681-3967

MILLER-MEEKS LAUNCHES 2010 CAMPAIGN AGAINST LOEBSACK IN IOWA’S SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

 MUSCATINE – Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, the 2008 GOP nominee in the Second Congressional District, today formally launched her campaign for her party’s 2010 nomination by urging Iowans to make history by electing their first women to Congress and supporting economic, environmental health care, tax and budget policies that once again move the country forward.

       “Just as they bravely did during the floods of 2008 when the federal response was too slow and they could not afford to wait any longer, ordinary citizens can again unite in a common cause and make history,” Miller-Meeks said.  “America is not what is wrong with the world, and embracing weakness has never inspired confidence.  It is our liberties that permit us to strive and achieve greatness and it is the duty of our elected officials to protect these liberties. I will defend those liberties.”

Accompanied by Barbara Grassley, state Sen. Jim Hahn of Muscatine and State Rep. Jeff Kaufmann of Wilton, the Ottumwa ophthalmologist made her announcement at the Quality Cobbler, a small business in the Muscatine Mall.  She also scheduled appearances in Marion, Burlington and Ottumwa later in the day.

“As a physician, we take the Hippocratic Oath to ‘first do no harm.’ I believe this applies not only in medicine but to government as well.  Government should play by the same rules it imposes on us – pay your bills and don’t overspend,” she said.

Noting that Quality Cobbler owner Larry Miller faces many of the same challenges other small business owners already face in keeping their doors open, Miller-Meeks that the prospect of “increased taxes, regulation and impending health care and cap and trade under the current administration and Congress dampen prospects of recovery.”

“Let’s make history with economic policies supporting small businesses like the Quality Cobbler.  End the morass of regulatory and taxation uncertainty so Larry Miller and business owners just like him can plan ahead and expand and hire,” she said. “Our economic recovery depends on a level playing field.  While big banks and businesses created this crisis, it is small banks and businesses who are asked to pay for it.  Entrepreneurs and new businesses won’t take risks necessary to create jobs when they are placed in a straightjacket of regulation, taxes and fees.”

Miller-Meeks said voters in the 15-county district that includes Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Muscatine, Burlington and Ottumwa also can make history by electing her to support an environmental policy that “respects our planet but doesn’t not cripple the Midwest economy by killing union and non-union jobs alike.”

“Let’s make history with health care reform that first controls and reduces cost, is affordable, portable and has universal access.  We can achieve that goal with individual health plans coupled with high deductible, catastrophic health insurance would be taking the road less traveled rather than the well-worn path of failure that will add a trillion dollars to the deficit and ultimately give us less quantity and quality of health care,” she said.

She noted that the district’s voters could also make history by “electing Iowa’s first woman to Congress and reclaiming Iowa’s and the Republican Party’s wonderful heritage on women’s and minority rights.”

“The conservative values of strengthening families, encouraging men to be true, active fathers to their children and empowering women to respect themselves can be advanced by a woman, even one with a hyphenated name,” Miller-Meeks said. “We can make history electing a conservative woman who understands that valuing life doesn’t devalue women.”

Miller-Meeks also alluded to Rep. David Loebsack’s support of the 2008 bailout of massive banks and financial institutions that continue to pay multimillion-dollar bonuses to executives and his vote in favor of the proposed government takeover of health care as indications he is out of touch with the district’s needs and priorities.

“If you can’t read the bill, at least understand what you are voting for.  As a mother, I often waited 10 seconds or counted to three before disciplining my children. Can’t this same common sense be applied to a spending bill? Before enslaving generations of taxpayers for bailouts, economic stimulus, health care reform or cap and trade, can’t Congress wait even a mere 72 hours to ensure we’re are all treated fairly – not just big banks, big companies and big donors?” she asked.  “Senators Grassley and Hahn and Representative Kaufmann live by these principles and have never forgotten that they are privileged to govern at the consent of the voter.  They understand that just one or two ill-advised votes can enslave future generations and deny them their constitutional liberties by burdening them with the profound tax increases to service this massive debt. Protecting the unborn who have no vote today implies fiscal prudence, restoration of constitutional principles of representative democracy and electing politicians who recognize that they are to protect these liberties, not limit them.” 

# # # #

 –
Eric Woolson
President/CEO
The Concept Works, Inc.
1001 Office Park Road, Suite 119
West Des Moines, IA  50265
(515) 226-0277
(515) 681-3967 (cell)
(515) 226-0293 (fax)
ewoolson@theconceptworks.com  
www.theconceptworks.com

HERE is a Link to the full text of an August Press Presidential Conference on Health Care.
[my comments]

Each and every day in this country, Americans are grappling with health care premiums that are growing three times the rate of wages and insurance company policies that limit coverage and raise out-of-pocket costs. Thousands are losing their insurance coverage each day.

[turning things over to the government isn't going to make things cheaper - and if you think it will, you may want to stop reading this post right now]

Without real reform, the burdens on America’s families and businesses will continue to multiply. We’ve had a vigorous debate about health insurance reform, and rightly so. This is an issue of vital concern to every American, and I’m glad that so many are engaged.

[real reform can come in many ways that will relieve burden on America's families - it doesn't have to come at the deconstruction of 1/6 of our economy. THAT is what is scaring people.]

But it also should be an honest debate, not one dominated by willful misrepresentations and outright distortions, spread by the very folks who would benefit the most by keeping things exactly as they are.

[The President of course is disavowing that misrepresentation (willful or not) is coming from him and his administration - moving on...]

So today, I want to spend a few minutes debunking some of the more outrageous myths circulating on the internet, on cable TV, and repeated at some town halls across this country.

Let’s start with the false claim that illegal immigrants will get health insurance under reform. That’s not true. Illegal immigrants would not be covered. That idea has never even been on the table. Some are also saying that coverage for abortions would be mandated under reform. Also false. When it comes to the current ban on using tax dollars for abortions, nothing will change under reform. And as every credible person who has looked into it has said, there are no so-called “death panels” – an offensive notion to me and to the American people. These are phony claims meant to divide us.

[Illegal immigrants already get health care today. No one can legally be turned away from an ER room at a hospital. I will address this further as well as abortions in another post. Dr. Miller-Meeks covered the Death panel issue in her last blog post today.]

And we’ve all heard the charge that reform will somehow bring about a government takeover of health care. I know that sounds scary to many folks. It sounds scary to me, too. But here’s the thing: it’s not true. I no sooner want government to get between you and your doctor than I want insurance companies to make arbitrary decisions about what medical care is best for you, as they do today. As I’ve said from the beginning, under the reform we seek, if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your private health insurance plan, you can keep your plan. Period.

[But here's the thing: once a government sponsored health care plan is on the table, let's say 5 million uninsured (that can still get care in ERs) sign up for the Government plan. It is the Government's studied assumption that 3 million more small business owners will drop their coverage - pushing their employees into the government plan.

Not all Doctors will be IN the government plan, so guess what? you MAY lose your doctor. Your private health insurance plan today for the most part is offered by the generosity and business smarts of your employer. (who may likely be hammered by this Administration as one of the Evil Rich.

You don't know what your employer will do - and we all know how well the Government planned and estimated cost and interest of the Cash for Clunkers program right?]

Now, the source of a lot of these fears about government-run health care is confusion over what’s called the public option. This is one idea among many to provide more competition and choice, especially in the many places around the country where just one insurer thoroughly dominates the marketplace. This alternative would have to operate as any other insurer, on the basis of the premiums it collects. And let me repeat – it would be just an option; those who prefer their private insurer would be under no obligation to shift to a public plan.

[OK, so options are a good thing? Cool.  I have heard there are about 1300 different insurance companies in the US, but only a few in Iowa. Why not allow all 1300 to compete in all 50 states? If 400 "go away", we sill have a lot from which to choose.

The GOVERNMENT has set these conditions and boundaries on state insurance commissions. Change THAT process. INCREASE competition!  But if your employer drops carrying insurance from what I read - you will be shifted to the Government plan.]

The insurance companies and their allies don’t like this idea, or any that would promote greater competition. I get that. And I expect there will be a lot of discussion about it when Congress returns.

[My suggestion would create MUCH MORE competition - so MUCH that some providers will fade away. But if the government competes in this market, they have a huge advantage. An insurance company by law must carry X% of their potential liabilities in cash reserves. I have seen the government set up no such provision for themselves. That is an unfair competitive advantage.]

But this one aspect of the health care debate shouldn’t overshadow the other important steps we can and must take to reduce the increasing burdens families and businesses face.

So let me stress them again: If you don’t have insurance, you will finally have access to quality coverage you can afford. If you do have coverage, you will benefit from more security and more stability when it comes to your insurance. If you move, lose your job, or change jobs, you will not have to worry about losing health coverage. And we will set up tough consumer protections that will hold insurance companies accountable and stop them from exploiting you with unfair practices.

[PS the Government has the ability to make insurance portable between jobs and between states today. Let's do it!]

We’ll prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage because of a person’s medical history. They will not be able to drop your coverage if you get sick. They will not be able to water down your coverage when you need it most. They will no longer be able to place some arbitrary cap on the amount of coverage you can receive in a given year or a lifetime. We’ll place a limit on how much you can be charged for out-of-pocket expenses, because no one in America should go broke because they get sick.

[what's in bold and blue above is the first common sense true statement in this speech, IMO]

And we will require insurance companies to cover routine checkups and preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be catching diseases like breast cancer and colon cancer on the front end. That makes sense, it saves lives, and it will also save money over the long-run. Taken together, the reforms we’re seeking will help bring down skyrocketing costs, which will mean real savings for families, businesses, and government.

[No, No, no.  You cannot assume that. Anyone good at math can figure this out. When we prevent more diseases, people live longer. Where's the savings! I mean I'm all for pro-active health care, but there have been recent studies done that say it won't save money in the long run.  Think about how much more social security benefits are going out to people now that fewer people smoke!]

We know what a failure to act would bring: More of the same. More of the same exploding costs. More of the same diminished coverage. If we fail to act, the crisis will grow. More families will go without coverage. More businesses will be forced to drop or water down their plans.

[This is one of my biggest gripes. No one is saying there aren't needs to address. fail to act, fail to act - must pass the plan... what's the rush! Let's put together a good plan!]

So we can push off the day of reckoning and fail to deal with the flaws in the system, just as Washington has done, year after year, decade after decade. Or we can take steps that will provide every American family and business a measure of security and stability they lack today.

[Pass this plan OR our country will implode.

Frankly I think it's the converse: Pass this plan AND our country will implode!]

It has never been easy, moving this nation forward. There are always those who oppose it, and those who use fear to block change. But what has always distinguished America is that when all the arguments have been heard, and all the concerns have been voiced, and the time comes to do what must be done, we rise above our differences, grasp each others’ hands, and march forward as one nation and one people, some of us Democrats, some of us Republicans, all of us Americans.

[This President: "fear fear fear - pass the bill. don't read, don't think - do it fast!"]

This is our chance to march forward. I cannot promise you that the reforms we seek will be perfect or make a difference overnight. But I can promise you this: if we pass health insurance reform, we will look back many years from now and say, this was the moment we summoned what’s best in each of us to make life better for all of us. This was the moment when we built a health care system worthy of the nation and the people we love. This was the moment we earned our place alongside the greatest generations. And that is what our generation of Americans is called to do right now.

[What's best in each of us is not being heard by this President. He speaks of a lack of bipartisanship, but that bipartisanship has been defined by "do it my way". I don't WANT to DO IT RIGHT NOW. I want to DO IT RIGHT. Now if he wants to throw a couple of trillion around (what comes after that it all seems like funny money by now) as a safety net for those he feels are in jeopardy - do it short term. DO IT RIGHT for the long term.]

I will try to document some of the statements I’ve made in my next posts. -pf

The Muscatine Town Hall was today and reports from the Louisa County Town Hall were the same as ours – it was “tame”. When I arrived at the Muscatine venue 90 minutes early I was pleased the auditorium was open, was not looking forward to standing in line.

For the first 30 minutes even as a few friends trickled in we were seriously outnumbered by opposition support. By the end of the session it sounded like it was fairly even but my sense was we were outnumbered about 60%-40%, and there were less than 200 people there.

The facts have become obscured with the passion and vitriol from each side over the last months, and I worry that our “tame” Town Halls give this Representative the opportunity to tell his leader Ms. Pelosi, that he can vote with her without concern of blow back.

With all due respect to my Democrat friends, where there is misinformation on both sides of the Health Care topic, our President takes the cake on hypocrisy.

No there is nothing formally labeled as Death anything in HR3200. But let’s look at this:

I was not surprised to learn that the VA panel of experts that sought to update “Your Life, Your Choices” between 2007-2008 did not include any representatives of faith groups or disability rights advocates. And as you might guess, only one organization was listed in the new version as a resource on advance directives: the Hemlock Society (now euphemistically known as “Compassion and Choices”).

to read more go here.

This VA “book” was first authored in the late 1990, and tabled during the Bush years. For this to be dusted off in the first 6 months of this administration speaks to focus. Read Section 1233 of HR 3200 and you tell me if this could eventually mutate into something similar to what some of my veteran friends call “The Death Book”.

Let’s look for more
here’s CNN on Lobbyists

here is another good article – read the posts too

I will try to post one of the President’s latest speeches and point out the misinformation there – his talks are filled with certainty about things that are simply not true.

Here is what should be done – this, does not turn 1/6 of our national economy over to the people who have made a shambles of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the SEC…

1st: Create a temporary safety net re: catastrophic for uninsured.
2nd: Require Coverage for pre-existing conditions.
3rd: Redo State Insurance Commissions mandates on require specific coverage – change to a menu option/price
4th: Make insurance portable from job to job & state to state
5th: Watch the free market work
6th: offer a tax deduction for anyone who wants insurance that isn’t insured – now they can shop around and prices will be lower because of competition.

None of this requires the government to take over anything.

There seems to be a debate on whether there are votes to carry Federal Tax issue in the Iowa House.  We shall see.

The US House has actually denied the President his wish to increase taxes on wealthy people who contribute to charities in a large way == read more here - it was unanimous – cool.

The failure of the newspaper business is no different that other businesses. Bailouts are wrong – bad business models should FAIL and better business models rise from the ashes. The NYT’s failures are not akin to Darfur.

When we visited David Vaudt, our State Auditor in his office yesterday he told us he is facing a 26.6% budget cut. Most of his buget is for payroll and to audit various activities, much of which is prescribed by law. He explained that in addition to the cuts, the format of having to audit larger and more complicated budgets takes more time not less. In comparison the Secretary of State’s budget will only be cut 8.1% and the State Treasurer’s budget is being cut by just 10.8%. In fact, the entire Administration and Regulation Appropriations Subcommittee budget, which includes these three offices, averages an 11% cut for all offices in their proposed budget. Vaudt, the only Republican office holder out of the three offices under the jurisdiction of this Committee, recently sent a letter to the respective chairs in the House and Senate to voice his objection to the plan. AND he was on the radio voicing his concerns yesterday.

The President is labeling himself as a bridge builder at the G20 summit.  Someone needs to tell me why we have to build the whole damn bridge though…  who else changed?  Not China.  Not Russia.  Not Nobody – we just gave a LOT.  someone needs to define Compromise and Capitulation to our new President.  That is not Leadership I want.

Capitulation
1. giving up: surrender or a giving up of resistance
2. terms of surrender: a document that sets out the agreed terms of surrender

Compromise
1. an accommodation in which people involved partially reduce their demands and settle differences;
2. a lowering of principles and weakening of morals for supposed gain.

Hmmmm… even compromise doesn’t sound that good.

Have a good night.

There were 3-4 seconds of boos or applause for each speaker, and the crowd was quiet for the next guy – no interruptions during the 3 minute orations.

Absolutely no reason to kick us out.

I’ve been in the chamber when the Governor walks in and there are all kinds of cat-calls and whistling – don’t give me that respect for the House crap.

My representative helped me get onto the floor about 25 minutes after we were kicked out of the gallery and the line of the night was a speaker who said:

 “I’ve never attended an event when the tenants evicted the landlord”….

 …….. it’s gonna get louder before this is settled folks.

It started as such a nice day.  Spent 6 hours at work, then headed to Des Moines by myself.  Sun was shining – decent radio on the way to Des Moines, not much traffic.  After stopping at the hotel, I drove to the capitol – majestic place to be sure.  Windy with an occasional snow flake hitting my windshield.

Left my coat and ran into the building and smack into Trudy and Keith going through security.  We sat and talked for a bit, Trudy was going to be one of the speakers.

The time went by fast waiting for the 7:30 session to start.  Found one of the last seats in the gallery facing the front of the House, reminding myself that the three floors I climbed to the gallery should not have left me so winded.

Trudy was the second speaker, the first against House Bill 807 which removes the deductability of our federal income tax before calculating our Iowa Tax.  Trudy actually had the hardest role – starting the opposition ball rolling and she did a great job; she too is a small business owner.

This is a difficult issue.  No one wants to deny essential goods and services to those who are more unfortunate than ourselves.  But the Iowa Legislature has been out of control with their spending for the last 2-3 years and this is a grab for more money with no plan to stop the bleeding.  We decided to draw a line in the sand today.

Much was made that Iowa was only one of three states that allow that deductability.  But there are also states that have no state tax.  Why not go that way?

I feel we are at a crossroad in this country and it’s not a good feeling.  One speaker, a lady from a social service department of the government said people deserve a decent home, food and clothing.  On the surface who can disagree?  I can disagree with one of her statements, “the government needs to lift these people out of poverty”.  Hasn’t worked so well yet has it?

President Obama had a town hall meeting last week and I was stunned to hear the questions – they were all “when are we going to get this or that”.  Get.  Get?  When did we not work for stuff?

And President Obama changing the structure of tax benefits when donating to charities.  What is that about.  Read this.

Why would a President think this move was important in his first 100 days?  Because he wants people dependent on the government, not charities?  That’s the only reason I can think that he would do this…  It makes no sense.

This feels like the beginning of a class war, but it shouldn’t be.  This is simply the Iowa government spending too much money without too much thought and wanting more.  Like a spoiled child the parent needs to just say – no more.

I’m going to recap the points that some of the speakers made here.  (my favorite one was at the top of this article…)  here it goes…

Many of the speakers were small business people – I think I heard most of the speakers, I was out in the hall with the rest of both galleries for about 25 minutes when Jeff got me on to the floor which let me hear the rest of the speakers.  I read in the press accounts there was a 15 minute delay as the galleries were emptied.

One speaker was a young lady who with her husband ran a construction company that employed 40 people.  She was concerned she would have to lay people off, and was tired of coming to Des Moines to beg for legislators to do the right thing.

Several speakers just announced this move would cause them to leave the state.

One young lady was an engineer and told of her parents owning a small business.  She conducts a series of classes through her church that teaches personal budgeting, debt management, investment - teaching people to live within their own means.  Her students can’t raise taxes to cover the short fall, why should the government?  Why can’t the government live within their means?  I mean it’s not like the population of Iowa is growing!  Where is the money going?

Government jobs pay about 20% more than the private sector.  Why?

Government jobs (most? all?) pay 100% of medical insurance.  Why?

One fellow said, “Revenue is not the problem.  We have more tax revenue than we did 5 years ago – we’re not smart about prioritizing.”  Why?

Several guys made light of their articulation skills but were very funny (and articulate).  One said that they should really make the tax code easy (like the flat tax) and then the legislature would be out of session by February.  And the best thing about passing this bill is that it will create a BIG TURNOVER in the legislature in 2010.

A poignant and sad fact (there were over 40 speakers) was when one fellow simply said he was there because you (pointing at the legislators) “have not earned my trust”.  Please vote for this bill if you want to reduce employment, continue the brain drain from Iowa and penalize success.

A continuing drum beat was college kids leaving Iowa and the potential repeal of the R&D tax credit.  That is crazy!  Iowa is 42nd out of 50 states in innovation and entrepreneurial jobs.  97% of the jobs in Iowa are from small businesses.  Those business owners have no safety net, received no bail out and lately many of the owners are not taking salaries to keep employees working.  These business owners are the ones penalized by this tax change.

Many of the speakers were from LINN, still recovering from the devastating 2008 flood.  20% of the flooded businesses in LINN closed their doors for good.  The Governor is in Washington talking to Microsoft about 75 jobs, when people in LINN have lost 7,500 jobs – and the worst economic effect is typically 2-3 years AFTER the flood.   You can’t grow, expand or strengthen Iowa’s economy in this business climate.

But what finally raised the roof and got us kicked out was Greg Baker, the outgoing Chair of the Iowa Federation of College Republicans.  Greg is a friend of mine as many of the CRs are in the state – and he really took the legislators to the proverbial woodshed.  He loves this state and wants to stay – but doesn’t expect to be able to stay here.  “What a great state – what an opportunity for a guy like me – talking to an esteemed group like this…  But, I have to tell you, what you’re doing is wrong.  You are screaming to college graduates, if you want to make something of your life – not here! Think about what you’re doing! I’m begging you!”

The eruption of applause for Mr. Baker is what got us kicked out.  Baker Cleared the House.

Read HERE and HERE for press accounts of the evening.

ok, better yet,  Baker – You Tube right here.

… and the Register caught me at the door of the HOUSE after we were pitched out of the gallery.

Last week the President gave a DVD movie set to his first foreign visitor. Sounds pretty odd and not very Presidential. If the set was one that could not run on European equipment – I know they are different – that would be embarrassing. The “excuse” given for that and various other issues is that the new President is overwhelmed. But apparently not overwhelmed enough to have parties at the WH on Wednesdays.

I got my taxes done this AM and asked my CPA to reconstruct them if Iowa lost the federal deductability on State tax reporting that currently exists.

I owed $90 more in state tax than I had paid in 2008. Under the proposed system I would owe over $800 more than I had paid in 2008. Wow. That’s more than a chunk of change – something I need to budget to pay. My sense is that bill will not pass, hopefully it won’t get through funnel week.

One of my favorite reads in the AM is Powerline Blog and this AM they were talking about the political games the Democrats were playing posting Rush Limbaugh as the “titular head” of the Republican party – knowing he was not well liked outside of conservative circles. The basic tennant was that Rush wants this President to fail, and how unAmerican that is. But… they also said:

Rush wants Obama to fail to socialize the economy and run up trillions of dollars in debt. Democrats in 2006–surely a plurality, if not a majority–wanted the United States to fail in a war in which our armed forces were then engaged. Yet, through the eight years of the Bush administration, neither the President nor his spokesmen ever accused these Democrats of being unpatriotic. I hope that someday their restraint will be appreciated.

So Rush supports America but not the President. How different is that from Liberals saying they support the troops but not the mission? which is worse? Rush want’s this President’s policies to fail. So do I; I hope voters WAKE UP SOON!!!

Then they talked about Charles Freeman who has been nominated by the President to head the National Intelligence Council when it’s obvious he has a bias against Israel. Can’t say I’m shocked.   [update 5pm today - Charles Freeman is another Obama candidate casualty.  He just asked to have his name removed from consideration.  It appears not only does he sit on a Chinese Company Board but he also has taken considerable coin from the Saudis.  Don't they vet these guys at all?  At lease we can assume he's paid his taxes.  -pf]

On a brighter note – there is more public dialog on the idiocy of Algore’s Global Warming mantra. This will be one of the worst scams of all time – costing trillions of dollars but more important, more than a decade of lost time. Where would we be if we were able to rationally discuss climate change and how to prepare for it? Climate Change will happen – Algore’s hyperbole is harmful and has spawned an industry that has not solved the problem.

Read an article written on a liberal blog HERE refuting Algore’s part in the Global Warming movement.

Maybe there is hope.

I know I promised my next post to be about the economy and W, but I can’t stand this.

Dig this.

An Iowa Senate Committee just passed a bill to the Senate that is about the dumbest thing I have ever seen in politics. They calmly 8-7 (2 Dems voted no) passed a bill out of committee that will require the Iowa electoral votes to go to the Presidential Candidate that wins the popular vote – effectively killing the beautiful symmetry that is the electoral college.

This vote would make Iowa irrelevant to national politics. It makes no sense, unless you want urban areas (that have more Democrat votes – hmmm trending to a conclusion here) to have control over who’s President.

You did know that Presidents are not elected by popular vote, right? Iowa has 7 electoral votes (soon to be reduced to 6 after this census results go into affect – because of population shifts). That’s why I find it odd that this President feels the need to move control of the census under the White House. After all, what ARE community organizers without lists?

ANYWAY (I keep getting side tracked – twitter keeps reporting what he’s saying…) This is where I believe our Founding Fathers were so brilliant in their construction of this Republic. Watch this 10 minute YOU TUBE video that explains further.

Also read HERE where our Governor (aka “the Big Lug”) is telling us the tax code is confusing so we should remove a provision to deduct our federal tax payment before computing our state taxes! HOLD ON TO YOUR WALLETS.

So, now while President Obama is telling you all (and you’re all watching Him on TV right? I’m not.) what a mess he was left to clean up, I will write the note about why this President cannot blame His immediate past President for this pretty pickle.

The rest of the world seems to have gone mad – why not Iowa?

Wait. more thing. Grant Young’s Rant on the Electoral College is funny. If we can’t shoot ‘em – we need to laugh, right?

Thursday – February 19, 2009

from the Iowa House Minority Leader Kraig Paulsen

9:16 a.m. House convenes with the expectation we will begin debating HF 333 in the morning. The Majority Leader tells me Rep. Olson will have a corrective amendment coming, they expect it around lunch time and we will begin debate then. We recess until 1 p.m.

1:00 p.m. Olson amendment has not arrived – we sit and wait.

7:56 p.m. Olson amendment finally arrives – Republicans go to caucus.

9:00 p.m. I inform the Speaker and Majority Leader that Republicans will not permit this bill to be passed in the middle of the night and we will be staying in caucus to work on amendments until the sun comes up.

10:00 p.m. Majority Leader agrees to start debate at noon on Friday if we agree to limit debate to five hours. We agree.

Friday

11:00 a.m. Republicans caucus for final discussions on bill. I asked the caucus to be thoughtful, respectful, and passionate – but win the debate. The final vote count is in doubt.

12:05 p.m. The House convenes.

12:15 p.m. Rumored the democrats now have 51 votes (exact number needed for passage).

12:18 p.m. Majority Leader calls up Price Fixing Act for debate with a end time and vote at 5:20 p.m.

12:20 p.m. Debate begins.

2:00 p.m. Begin debate on main Democrat amendment.

2:30 p.m. It’s rumored they are back to 50 votes.

3:30 p.m. Rep. Bailey (D) announces on floor he will vote “no” unless the bill gets changed.

4:00 p.m. House defers on main Democrat amendment so that Bailey corrective amendment can be drafted. Presumably now they are back to 51 votes.

4:15 p.m. We begin debate on the Grassley amendment to protect disaster victims.

4:40 p.m. Rep Bailey informs me that if I prevent debate on his corrective amendment he will vote for the bill on final passage.

4:45 p.m. Corrective amendment arrives

4:50 p.m. I speak on the Grassley amendment. While speaking it appears to me that Democrat Leader is having his members request time to speak. This will have the effect of running out the clock and prevent us from debating the corrective amendment for procedural reasons.

5:00 p.m. I decide to let him run out the clock and have Republicans end remarks.

5:15 p.m. Grassley’s amendment fails.

5:16 p.m. Rather than call up Bailey amendment they just move on and run the clock out.

5:20 p.m. Speaker Murphy closes debate and calls the question.

5:30 p.m. Vote count sits at 50 – 46 – Bill fails

5:40 p.m. Speaker announces he will hold the voting machine open until Monday at 1 p.m.

11:40 p.m. Rep Scott Raecker (R-Urbandale) votes “no”, vote now sits at 50 – 47 – bill fails

Saturday – nothing happens

Sunday

5:20 p.m. Rep Greg Forristall (R-Macedonia) votes “no”, vote now sits at 50 – 48 – bill fails

Monday

1:09p.m. The Majority leader switches vote to “no” so he can file a motion to reconsider and the speaker closes the vote. Final vote 49 aye – 49 no, 2 absent, the bill fails.

1:10 p.m. House adjourns and finally the legislative day of Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 is over.

When is the Iowa Spring Game? Will we have one with the turf change?
ok back to politics.

This is certainly not the way I expected 2009 to roll out, but I cannot say I’m surprised. I mean, who of you thought the price of housing would continue to rise forever and 0% down made sense.

About 10 things have struck me to say, “I need to go post that” but I haven’t, because I have so much to say I don’t know where to start. There are times when I feel like Alice gone through the Looking Glass.

The last thing that struck me to think of posting hit me at a time where I had a moment to post. Since Saturday Night Live doesn’t have a republican president to make fun of any more, they are making fun of the republican (minority) in congress. I continue to question the ability of the comedy writers of the world; they are cracking each other up. whatever… even though this skit was kept from being shown during the election, making fun of democrats.

There is some good news. The Iowa House refused to vote a Union sponsored bill into law by one vote. Now usually bills don’t go up for a vote unless the group submitting it believes they have the votes. They ended up one short as 5 democrats voted with 100% of the republican House to kill the bill, at least for now. It will probably come back later in the session but this was a big victory for Iowa. There are three more such bills this session – Democrats will approach those with much more care moving forward.

We’ve got some incredibly dedicated legislators, (Jeff Kaufmann, Tom Sands, Dawn Pettengill to name a few of my favorites) and it’s inspiring to watch their dedication to the task at hand.
http://iowahouserepublicans.com/

Iowa is not in bad shape as compared to other states; but with the devastation of the flooding in the Cedar and Iowa River valleys not cleaned up, we are short of ready cash. In the last 2,3 years we’ve spent more than we should. Good thing Iowa mandates operating with a balanced budget, although there’s some robbing peter to pay paul (but that’s a post for another day).

Iowa is already listed as 2nd to last (read this) best place to have a business (12% corporate TAX rate) but now we need to add a bunch of Union issues to the mix? I don’t think so. We’ll be reporting on those labor bills as they move forward.

One of the reasons I haven’t been active on the blog is that the new State Republican Chair (Matt Strawn) has brought the state party into the 21st century asking everyone to build a presence on FaceBook and is setting some other communication links that will help us in the next election cycle. So free time has been spent there. But nothing stirs up the base like Union issues at the statehouse. And our College Republican Group @ Iowa State has been getting some publicity this weekend too – you can read here and here if you don’t already follow this Iowa news.

Financially, I’m so sorry, but these are the things my parents taught me that apparently was not conventional wisdom of the majority of Americans:
1) if it’s too good to be true, it probably is
2) if you work for something (earn it) you’ll take better care of it
3) hard work will pay off
4) the housing you buy should represent no more than 3X your annual NET salary
5) keep enough in the bank to last you a year without a job

Worse, our current government is making my parents out to be liars.
1) you should expect the government to provide for you
2) you don’t need to work
3) doing nothing pays off
4) you can buy housing for 0% down and NOT TO WORRY, we’ll GIVE you 10-20% of the purchase price in free money (just tack it on to that loan) – because the value of your house will go up X% in the next years.
5) who me? save?

There are problems on Wall Street too – so why should we watch or care about price of stocks? All this
“too big to fail” and funny stuff going on… But I did get a kick of out Rick Santelli’s rant, and who could blame him?

Mayor Bloomberg was interviewed last week about the financial situation of NYC and he was very clear about the “cost of raising taxes”. Actually he sounded like Rudy in this interview.

“One percent of the households that file in this city pay something like 50% of the taxes,” explained the Mayor. “In the city, that’s something like 40,000 people. If a handful left, any raise would make it revenue neutral. The question is what’s fair. If 1% are paying 50% of the taxes, you want to make it even more?”

ok enough for one post… I need to get to bed, make sure I get to work early to contribute to the success of the corporation I work for so I will keep my …. oh wait, maybe I don’t.

when is the Iowa Spring Game?
Combines are this weekend – check out Shonn’s stats

Next Post – why you can’t blame W.

We saw this train wreck coming two years ago

 Blaming our budget disaster on the floods or the national economy might be politically expedient but it is simply not accurate. We have seen this fiscal “train wreck” long ago, especially after the two-year increase in state spending of 17 percent. Our state budget problems were caused by overspending.

Using more one-time revenue sources to once again artificially balance the budget will only make things worse. Of course our cash reserves are at their highest, they are tied to spending in code. We should not take comfort here. We need those reserves in order to pay our bills on time. And I strongly believe that the “rainy day” fund should be used for flood victims — not to balance our budget.

What else do we do to fix this mess?

• No more pork barrel spending. None.

• In the past two years we have added more than 600 new state jobs. This needs to be aggressively scrutinized.

• Serious payback provisions in our Values Fund property if promises made are not kept.

• Look aggressively for more private-public partnerships in pre-K education.

• Serious waste appraisals at our regents’ institutions. It’s not acceptable to me for the University of Iowa president to recycle the chief of staff position at $140,000 per year when we are raising tuition on our students.

If we try to fix our self-imposed budget problems by raising taxes and our business environment becomes less competitive, then we have harmed the economic development opportunities that are sorely need at a time like this.

There are other policies, in my opinion, that need to be discussed this session:

• True health insurance reform (we have just tinkered around the edges).

• Greater transparency and openness in government (which can start right now at UI) to allow more public input and find waste.

• Continued bipartisan efforts to generate “green-collar” jobs and allow renewable fuels to lead the way to a cleaner environment and energy independence.

• Stopping the hypocrisy. The casino exemption to the smoking ban should either be eliminated, or small businesses should receive the same treatment.

• Strengthen property rights. Currently there are 10,000 acres in this state under the threat of government condemnation for economic development. Unfortunately until it happens to yourself or someone you know, there is no outcry.

Jeff Kaufmann represents District 79 in the Iowa House of Representatives.

This is a newsletter I got from Senator Rants – an Iowa State Senator that must be running for Governor or something…

Well I thought the current Governor’s memo to state employees was creepy myself… saying “this is not our fault” when gee – in the NOVEMBER elections all the Republicans in the state were talking about how much money the Dems were spending and there really is a deficit – they cooked the books….   and the Dems were saying the budget is balanced, life is good yada yada…

you can download the Governor’s letter at the bottom of this page.  -pf

Culver’s Cuts: What, Why and When

Culver Takes Action

This morning many of Iowa’s news outlets, reporters and columnists alike, are giving kudos to Governor Chet Culver for announcing a 1.5% (one and a half percent) across the board reduction to the state budget.They aren’t wrong – Culver did the right thing. But before we heap to much praise on the Governor for his courageous actions lets first consider why he did it, and look a little more precisely what it is that he actually did, and more importantly didn’t do.

It’s Bush’s Fault?
First, let’s peer into the inner workings of Culver’s motivations. How can we know what he’s thinking? Why, his own words of course. The following comes from an email that Culver sent to all state employees yesterday (full text is on my blog):“As you know, we are in the midst of an economic challenge that is historic in its scope. While its cause comes from actions on Wall Street, supported by misguided federal policies from Washington over the past eight years, the result has been an economic recession that is hitting Main Streets and factories and farms and families – and state governments – across the nation.”

Translation – “its Bush’s fault.”
No where in the letter does Culver acknowledge that before the Revenue Estimating Conference met, that the Auditor, the press, everyone was telling him that there was a $550 Million “spending gap” (the difference between expected revenues and already committed expenditures).

I understand Culver wanting to blame someone. I get the Democrat talking points at play here – that they can blame Bush for anything, after all, it worked pretty good in the elections. But I guess I missed how Bush forced Culver to sign into law an additional billion dollars in new spending in just two years with out the money to pay for it.

Remember….

$550 M – Budget gap before Revenue Estimating Conference.

$779 M – Budget gap after Revenue Estimating Conference.

Also from his letter:

“And I am confident that, in January, President-elect Obama and Congress will immediately go to work on an economic stimulus package that will make a difference to critical financial issues facing all States, such as funding for Medicaid, improving our infrastructure, creating new jobs, and rebuilding our economy.”

Why is that important? Because it’s a clear signal that rather than take immediate action to balance our budget, Culver and the Democrats are going to wait.

Oh, they’ll jump on a plane and head to DC (that part of the travel budget isn’t getting cut) to plead for alms from the Federal Treasury. But aside from that action, they are going to play the waiting game. Wait for the Feds to take care of Iowa’s problems.

From the letter: “We did not cause this economic crisis. But the responsibility falls to us to respond to it.”

He’s right, but so far Culver has only responded with $180 M of cuts to solve the problem.

The problem is $779 M. He can blame Bush for $229 M of it, but what about the first $550 M? Don’t Iowans deserve to know where the rest of the reductions will come? Absolutely.

I know many are worried that rather than make reductions, Culver and the Democrats will raise taxes. Take heart. Culver also wrote “I will protect our State’s fiscal position, and I will do so without raising taxes on Iowans.”The problem is, that action Culver took yesterday will raise taxes on some Iowans.Here is why.

The Governor’s across the board cut impacts the amount of money the state gives to local school districts. It does not change the allowable growth formula, which sets the amount of money that schools can spend, that allows local school boards to back fill those cuts with local property tax dollars. Not all of them will, but some will. Others will use their cash reserves and refill that fund with a levy.

That’s why earlier this week, when I presented a list of options, I suggested cutting more, and using those other state dollars freed up to prevent this kind of property tax increase shenanigans.

For now, however, let’s ignore these pesky little details and take Culver at his word. No tax increases from the state. So how does he plan to close the gap? $779 M spending gap, $180 M in cuts. That leaves $599 M to go.

That’s roughly the size of what he started out with – back in April….

Read Culver’s letter here

LINK to source

not too far away, you know

did you hear there was going to be a train?

Philly to WASH D.C. so the common folk could see him.

States in trouble

WAIT!!! the Dems said in the elections in NOVEMBER that we in IOWA were fine – flush – balanced!!!

Why are we bbblllluuueee

Republicans Call for Committeewoman Resignation

(MUSCATINE)—Republican committees and officials from Linn, Johnson, Muscatine, Wapello, Jefferson, Washington, Cedar, Henry, Jones and Louisa Counties have joined together over the past several weeks to call for the resignation of the state Republican National Committeewoman, Kim Lehman.

The group of Eastern Iowa Republican committees and leaders are asking that Lehman be ousted after she used her group, the Iowa Right to Life Committee, to negatively characterize a Republican Congressional candidate during the 2008 election cycle.

Michael Gaeta is the chair of the Muscatine County Central Committee, who was the first to call for Lehman’s resignation. 

“It is one thing to advocate for or against a candidate, but Ms. Lehman’s IRL Committee distributed half-truths and lies about a Republican primary winner. This action is in direct conflict with the duties of our party leaders,” said Gaeta.  “Ms. Lehman has done irreparable damage to her credibility within the party.”

Trudy Caviness, the chair of the Wapello County Republicans stated, “Kim Lehman went too far. We ask our elected officials to take courageous stands for Iowa all of the time. Now it is time for our state central committee to do the same. Kim Lehman needs to go.”

The state party does not have the power to remove Lehman from her position but they can issue a vote of no confidence. 

Republican State Representative, Jeff Kaufmann was joined by Senator Jim Hahn, an 18- year veteran in the Iowa Legislature in calling for Lehman to step down immediately.

“I am proud of our county committees for doing what is right. This is not about one particular candidate, nor is it about the pro-life movement. Most of us demanding Lehman’s resignation are pro-life. This is about Kim Lehman choosing her own self-interests above her party and her state. Anything short of her resignation will affect the credibility of the state party. A person lacking credibility can barely lead, let alone apply a self-defined litmus test to candidates,” said Kaufmann.

The state central committee meets Saturday, December 6, 2008 in Des Moines.

[UPDATE LINK to article]

Republicans to call for censure of party leader

CEDAR RAPIDS — Eastern Iowa Republicans will call for the censure of one their state party’s leaders, arguing her actions as a leader of another group are in conflict with her duties as a party leader.

David Chung of Cedar Rapids plans to ask fellow members of the Republican Party of Iowa State Central Committee to censure Republican National Committeewoman Kim Lehman, who also serves as executive director of Iowa Right to Life. Chung and other 2nd District Republicans seek her ouster. The committee, essentially the party’s board of directors, meets Saturday in Des Moines.

At issue is a pre-election flyer Lehman’s pro-life group published containing “half-truths and lies” about GOP U.S. House candidate Mariannette Miller-Meeks, suggesting Ottumwa physician should get the “Great Pretender Award” for her statements about opposing abortion.

In doing so, Lehman “has done irreparable damage to her credibility within the party,” Trudy Caviness, chairwoman of the Wapello County Republicans, said. “Kim Lehman went too far.”

Most of those calling for Lehman’s resignation are pro-life, according to Rep. Jeff Kauffman, R-Wilton. However, in putting “her own self-interests above her party,” Lehman destroyed her credibility within the party.

“A person lacking credibility can barely lead, let alone apply a self-defined litmus test to candidates,” he said.

Officials from Linn, Johnson, Washington, Cedar, Jones and other counties in the 2nd District wrote to the Central Committee seeking Lehman’s ouster.

The Central Committee has no authority to remove a national committee member elected by the delegates to the state convention. Lehman and Steve Scheffler of West Des Moines were both elected this past summer.

So Chung will ask that Lehman be censured or for a vote of “no confidence,” a step that might lead to Lehman’s resignation.

Lehman did not immediately return phone calls from The Gazette.

n Contact the writer: (319) 398-8375 or at james.lynch@gazcomm.com

Link to Iowa Independent Article

Miller-Meeks issues challenge to veterans, sounds like a candidate again

“Your actions have consequences, and your words have meaning,” Miller-Meeks said during her keynote address. “For those of you in this room who are worried that Veterans Day and the honor and commitment and sacrifice that you’ve made is losing its popularity and you will be forgotten, I’m imploring you to become relevant again.

….

Following the event, many in the audience came up to speak with Miller-Meeks and show their support for her congressional run and her continued service in Iowa’s 2nd District. She has not publicly indicated if she will again venture into politics, but, if she takes her own advice, it’s quite certain that she will remain relevant.

——————–

“Even my husband wants me to run again,” the 53-year-old Army veteran said after participating in a Cedar Rapids Veteran’s Day observance.

Cedar Rapids Gazette article

——————–

We can’t lose 3M as a voice for Iowans.  The fact that the VFW endorsed her opponent in this election shows the pox on the body politic, where money drives everything.  “PacMan” Loebsack hasn’t even been sworn in to his second term and I already feel short changed from what could have been.  -pf

I haven’t written that much about the Miller-Meeks campaign because we’re working so hard – just had what I think was our last event there… the big mo is swingin’ our way… and Senator Grassley and his staff are helping too.

I don’t know what to make of all the national polling and spin everyone is doing.  I do know that a poll a few weeks ago indicated PacMan’s support was far from strong in CD2, and I’ve heard in detail about the construction of the poll listed below.  Believe it; AND it’s almost a week old.

Will let Krusty Konservative describe the news for you here:

from Krustie’s website:

Congressman Dave Loebsack is in real trouble. Yesterday the Miller-Meeks campaign released internal polling numbers to Jim Lynch of the Cedar Rapids Gazette. The poll showed incumbent Rep. Dave Loebsack leading 45.4 percent to 42.7 percent with a 2.06 percent margin of error. An incumbent polling at 45% just days before Election Day is lethal.

The Loebsack campaign questioned the numbers, suggesting they were the result of “soft methodology,” not a significant shift in voters’ sentiment and Loebsack’s spokesperson said, “These numbers are manufactured.” Now let’s compare this development to what happened in the 4th CD list last week. The Greenwald campaign released a poll showing Latham with a 5 point lead, the Latham campaign countered with numbers of their own which showed a much larger lead for the Congressman. The simple fact that Loebsack’s campaign didn’t counter with their own internal numbers tells you all you need to know, Miller-Meeks campaign has caught fire and Loebsack is in real trouble.

Also in this morning’s Gazette is their endorsement for the 2nd Congressional District. Sorry Dave, its more bad news as they enthusiastically endorsed Miller-Meeks.

“We were pretty comfortable with endorsing Loebsack for a second term … until we met Mariannette Miller-Meeks. The dynamo Ottumwa Republican physician and military veteran, who entered college at age 16, runs a small business and has been president of the Iowa Medical Society and a university professor. She impressed us with her command of key issues and a track record that proves she gets things done.”

Ummm Dave, it looks like you should have run a more aggressive campaign, because your headed back to school, not Congress.

So while the Des Moines Register has been obsessed with Becky Greenwald, it’s now obvious that if Iowa is going to elect a female to congress for the first time it’s going to be Dr. Miller-Meeks. Many people are now aware of her amazing life story of her continuously pulling herself up by her boot straps, but don’t over look what she has over come in this campaign.

1. She wasn’t given a chance in the primary because she wasn’t from Cedar Rapids or Iowa City.

2. She was quickly written off after the primary because of the voter registration numbers in the District.

3. The entire district was affected by the massive June floods making it difficult to campaign and raise money.

4. Former Congressman Jim Leach endorsed Obama, putting her in a difficult position in her race to take back his seat.

Despite all of that she soldiered on and is now in a great position to win a seat in Congress.

Miller Meeks in Wilton, Iowa this summer

Senator Harkin’s revisionist History of Vietnam  (you tube)

more – also you tube

http://iowaindependent.com/6373/christopher-reed-gets-the-anti-harkin-vote

http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/blogs/politically_speaking/?p=607

http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=139016

I read this on another message board and got a sad/chuckle.

In a local restaurant my server had on a “Obama 08″ tie, again I laughed as he had given away his political preference–just imagine the coincidence.

When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Obama redistribution of wealth concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need–the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight.

I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I’ve decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful.

At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn even though the actual recipient deserved money more.

I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application.

BO does not regret his “share the wealth” comment – first honest thing I’ve heard from him in a while.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kNVPZaj1sYA

Vote Miller-Meeks for Congress!

My vote on November 4 will be for Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks for Congress. (2nd Congressional District of Iowa / US House of Representatives)

Dr. Miller-Meeks is simply the best candidate.

Ready to make a difference on Day One in Washington DC; she is not a politician or a political activist but has been “driven to serve” her entire life.

As a wife and mother she understands the burdens and responsibilities families bear. As a Veteran (24 years in the Army / Army Reserves) she knows the military. Working her way through college and medical school with part time jobs, and later as a nurse; she understands how nurses provide the back bone of the medical care we receive.

Leading the way, she was the first woman faculty member in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Iowa and was the first woman president of the Iowa Medical Society. Dr. Miller-Meeks has spent more than a decade in a successful private practice; so she understands the “taxing” trials of small business owners.

The 2nd Congressional District would be well served by electing Dr. Miller-Meeks as Iowa’s FIRST woman congressional representative to the US House.

I was first engaged with the good Doctor in February 2008 by her grasp of the facts and her open approach to dialog with anyone and everyone.

You can listen to her most recent interview with 1040AM WHO-Radio Jan Mickelson, by clicking here, and dragging about half way through the podcast before it starts.  She sat down with him on Oct 14.

Her story is amazing and is one of service.

Dr. Miller-Meeks is a wife, mother, a veteran (Army) was a Nurse, is a Doctor, a small business owner and was the first first woman faculty member at the University of Iowa in the Department of Ophthalmology as well as the first woman president of the Iowa Medical Society 2006-07.

She has plans for Energy, Health, Taxes, heck you can read it all by going to her website, it’s all there and more…  http://millermeeksforcongress.com

It is my hope that she becomes the first women to represent Iowa in the US Congress in 2009 – you should hope so too.

46 days to go.  (pix provided by mf- thanks)

A busy day with McCain/Palin in Cedar Rapids and spending time with CRs at HDQs on their assignments.

Got to love these guys; they are trying to keep democracy vital.

Is it too late?

Check out the video here.  My hearing of the speeches real time was disrupted three times by crazies. You only really see one disruption in the video.

I’m beat, but I settled in to read my RSS feeds and this one is worth some discussion:  Link to American Thinker Article.

I cringe when I see the word Conservative over and over again. I don’t want to be known as a Conservative I want to own and be proud of the Republican label again.  If you read the article I linked to above I’d be interested in some thoughts of where this country is going.  I read a foreign article yesterday that said that said (my words) that (with the economic turmoil in the US this week) the American Experiment is dead.  I wouldn’t go that far, but it’s certainly on a precipice which is why I find myself so active in this political season.

Change is an easy message.  What attracts me to both McCain, Palin and yes Miller-Meeks is that they are proven change agents.  Do they, will they, make mistakes?  sure.  Are they smooth talkers?  Miller-Meeks was on her game as I’ve never seen her today. 

Spend some time on her website http://millermeeksforcongress.com there is a new note up there almost every day now… 

Miller-Meeks was the last Iowa political speaker, then a new citizen of Bettendorf, Iowa, a former citizen of Palin’s home town of Wassilla, Alaska introduced the Governor – a great talk…

These all are “country first, party second” people.  Obama and Dave Loebsack (aka PAC-Man) are so far away from that it’s scary.

A friend called to wrap up the day and told me he watched the 6pm news to see them report that the Iowa contingent was upset that McCain/Palin only flew in and out of the area.  The news reported they did not visit the flood damage that has still not been cleaned up into the 4th month after water ravaged Cedar Rapids (among other towns).   Well they did visit the area in more detail and my friend was right to call and correct that misinformation.  (the station told him there were others who had called in and it would be corrected in the next broadcast – whatever – you can’t undo the news)

[10:30 update - I watched the local news and they did correct the story by adding a sentence to the 30 second piece "McCain and Palin toured..." without noting the reporting error in the 6pm show.  And this 30 second piece was not in the first 10 minutes, but at 10:26 after Sports.  - make of that what you will ]

It seems like we all need to change.

I think it’s time to bring a real outsider in to shake things up in DC.  And don’t get me wrong, McCain has been a real outsider for the majority of his career in DC.  The corruption and manipulation not to speak of the greed of those who run our home loan system is nothing more than disgraceful.  That is only one example.  McCain tried to bring this to our attention a few years ago; he was ignored.

It’s time to give McCain a try.  McCain is right when he says he has fought both parties. Me first Country second (or never) in DC has GOT to stop.  Now.  The same old politics as usual has put us in this mess.  It’s really Obama that will provide more of the same – and Obama’s “Change” policies are little more than income redistribution and weakening of American’s National Defense.

Vote for Real Change.

Vote McCain/Plain and also for Dr. Miller-Meeks for Congress.

It’s your future.

.

“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”  — Plato

I just spent an enjoyable day with my candidate for Congress at the Iowa-Iowa State “Battle for the CyHawk trophy” game yesterday.

Iowa won a close game, much closer than the final score of 17-5 would indicate.  And where it was a wet and windy day in Iowa City – we settled into the cozy comfort of a sky box with no less dignitaries than State Auditor David Vaudt to watch the game. 

Vaudt is a favorite of mine – as the “watch dog” of the State’s money (hmmm I mean OUR money) with the statehouse filled with Democrats who can’t spend that money fast enough, he regularly sends out pithy reminders of what that spending does to us Iowans.

The Presidential Race is not far from my mind, as McCain and Palin are scheduled to make a quick stop in Cedar Rapids on THURSDAY AM.  I plan to be there. The biggest news of course on the presidential front has been the Palin interview with Charles Gibson – I would simply encourage you to watch the full unedited interview which you can find easily on youtube.  Also I find the desperation of the Obama campaign to be amusing; it reminds me of the “boggarts” in the Harry Potter series.  (for you non Potter-heads a boggart is a shape shifter that changes based on your worst fears – and disappears when you can find it in yourself to laugh at it)  The funny thing is that a boggart can actually look like something dreadful, but it’s not. 

Ok, I’m not sure that is a useful analogy, but I’m leaving it in anyway.

The Obama campaign is failing at anything they can to de-legitimize McCain – the latest ad is a pathetic play on the fact that McCain has quite honestly said he does not do his own email.  Obama is trying to make that into a slam on McCain’s lack of technical savvy at a time when the McCain campaign is running a more savvy campaign that Obama.

There are all kinds of rebuttals to that ad – not the least of which was this one (Jonah Goldberg):

Lord knows I think the chicken-hawk arguments are stupid. And I don’t think the fact that Obama never served in the military should count against him in and of itself. But how stupid is it for the Obama campaign to claim that McCain is unqualified to be president because he can’t grasp cyber-security issues based on the fact he has never sent an email when the McCain campaign can just as easily say Obama can’t understand first order national security issues because he’s never fired a rife, flown a plane, commanded men in battle, or faced an enemy? I mean which prepares someone to be commander in chief better, hitting “send” on AOL or fighting a war?

more from Jonah here 

In reality McCain has been in the center of the cyber revolution which, if Senator Obama would have spent more time in the Senate rather than campaigning – never mind – it helped McCain.

And, there are valid reasons why McCain doesn’t find typing on a keyboard comfortable.

On another point I will flesh out in a post when I have time – is the audacity of Alan Greenspan introducing himself as a viable pundit on the economy.  This is the man who managed us TO the mess we’re in by not sounding alarms loud enough (or much at all?) on the housing “bubble” and financial institutions lax loan guidelines. 

A few days ago, I heard someone say, “my money was worth more when a Democrat was in charge”.  REALLY? 

Really, it was all a mirage.  Starting with the collapse of the .com bubble – my Dad always said “if it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t” – why aren’t people saving rather than spending like there is no tomorrow?  I know.  It’s Bush’s Fault – just Google it - I believe everything I read on the internet.  :::smile:::

Flood Damage “stuns” Pelosi  amazing how out of touch politicians can be

“Miller-Meeks wondered whether he’s even relevant in the debate.”              NOW that’s GOT to leave a mark. Tell it like it is Mariannette!

Opponent blasts Loebsack on flood response
By James Q. Lynch
The Gazette

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s tour of Eastern Iowa flood damage only served to highlight the ineffectiveness of Democratic Rep.  Dave Loebsack in helping flood victims, his Republican challenger has charged.

Second District Republican candidate Mariannette Miller-Meeks said that, rather than take prompt action as Congress did after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the Democratic-controlled Congress has “waited months now to do anything for Iowans who have suffered at least as much.”

“Three months is a long, long, long time for Nancy Pelosi to do something,” said Miller-Meeks, an  Ottumwa ophthalmologist.

Pelosi toured Iowa flood damage Monday with Loebsack and other Iowa Democrats, three months after the worst natural disaster in Iowa history. She promised more aid for Iowa flood victims. Pelosi expects Congress to begin work on that aid next week.

In addition to questioning Loebsack’s effectiveness, Miller-Meeks wondered whether he’s even relevant in the debate.

Rather than be a leader on getting aid to Iowans, Miller-Meeks said, Loebsack has chosen “the go-along-to-get-along path of least resistance so that the House leadership and its special interests will keep pouring money into his re-election campaign.” Loebsack defended his record on flood aid, pointing out that Congress approved a $2.65 billion emergency supplemental appropriation June 19. And, he said, he voted against Congress adjourning for its August recess because he wanted to see more flood aid approved.

“Iowans need our help, and I am disappointed that Congress is looking to adjourn be fore passing a second disaster relief  
package,” he said in late July.

Despite that, Loebsack has been missing in action in terms of obtaining Iowa disaster relief and has been “lackluster and  
lazy” since the initial appropriation, Miller-Meeks said.

“Loebsack has gone AWOL — Absent Without Leadership — when Iowans needed him most,” Miller-Meeks said. “He has now devolved to the level of a bureaucratic paper-pusher, sending letters and pointing the blame elsewhere even as damage estimates now top $7 billion.”

Bringing Pelosi to Iowa for a firsthand view of the damage should help get action on flood relief, Loebsack said Monday.

■ Contact the writer: (319) 398-8375 or at james.lynch@gazcomm.com

My name is Dan Gee, I am a lifelong resident of Cedar Rapids and the President of Gee Asphalt Systems, Inc. My business was affected by the June floods.

As you know, Cedar Rapids was ravaged by flooding in June of this year. At that time, elected leaders at every level of government pledged their cooperation to help our city recover. Our state’s governor, Chet Culver, spoke about the possible need for a special session of the legislature in order to help speed recovery efforts by getting aid to the people that need it.

While news cycles move fast, and many people probably don’t know, I can tell you that three months later, Cedar Rapids still remains a disaster area.

There is still a curfew at night in downtown Cedar Rapids.

There are areas in Cedar Rapids that lack electricity, phones or even common public works like street lights.

And there are people that still lack housing.

In Cedar Rapids there are people that are sleeping in makeshift tents in their front yards.

It is disgusting that three months after this disaster, this same kind of mess remains.

This is another abject failure of our state government.

Certainly, the biggest failure of our state government during my lifetime. I fail to understand why if Iowa has a “Rainy Day Fund” that Governor Culver has not used it. If this disaster does not qualify for its use, what does?

People in Cedar Rapids are hurting. It is not acceptable to blame another part of government or point fingers. The time is now for real solutions and real action. I was disappointed when I learned something today that you should know about Chet Culver.

In June when Culver came to Cedar Rapids during the floods he promised to help, then returned in July for a press event with Democrat nominee for President Barack Obama and again promised to help. Yesterday, Culver and U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi came to Cedar Rapids to promise to help. This is the same House Speaker that recessed the congress for 5 weeks of vacation while people in Cedar Rapids continued to suffer.

The same day Culver promised to help Eastern Iowans, he hosted a $10,000 dollar a plate dinner with Vice Presidential hopeful Joe Biden in Des Moines, the same day he spoke of the suffering flood victims he raised thousands of dollars for a political event, and none for the residents suffering here in Cedar Rapids.

I can’t help but feel that the pain and suffering of the people of Cedar Rapids is only good enough for stumping and press conferences for these politicians – but not good enough for them to quit the politics and DO SOMETHING.

I would like to encourage Chet Culver to spend less time campaigning for Barack Obama and Joe Biden raising money for their campaign for president – and spend more time getting money for people and constituents in Cedar Rapids.

I encourage you to call Chet Culver and ask him to do the work he was hired (elected) to do. Iowans don’t need politicians raising money for campaigns. Iowans need leadership from their governor and other elected officials. 

Sincerely,

Dan Gee, President
Gee Asphalt Systems, Inc.
4715 6th St. SW
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404

Click here to read the entire email from Dan Gee.

To learn more about the Iowa Progress Project visit www.IowaProgressProject.com

how does that go?   All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players…

Tonight and tomorrow night will be the Republican opportunity to shine on a national stage.  The stage is set.  Harry is Mad.  Life is good.

Harry is mad that a Senator that was roundly cast aside by the Democrats of Connecticut in 2006, spoke in favor of  the McCain Palin Ticket for the 2008 election.  Joe still caucuses with the Democrats, still calls himself a Democrat, but understands what’s at stake in this election.

If the Democrats win a wider Senate majority than they have today (Joe caucusing with the Democrats GIVE democrats the majority today in the Senate) Joe will be booted out of the Caucus or certainly stripped of any Committee positions. 

Joe’s treatment by Democrats is what you get when you put Country above Party.

Country First

Joe Lieberman and John McCain structure the Country First meme better than any politicians have in recent memory.  There are many things that are “broken” in both parties; both men have spoken to the pandering, politics of greed and power – and Sarah Palin also fits that maverick model well.

Politics has always been an ugly business.  I am looking forward to the Palin speech tonight – and meeting up with my Congressional Candidate in Iowa City for a “Shattered Glass” party to watch the speeches.  Thinking what these three mavericks could do in DC with the support of good people like Joe Lieberman, makes me smile. 

The funny thing to me is that most people think McCain pulled Palin into the race because she’s a woman.  Not true, not even close.  He saw a kindred spirit in Palin – someone who sees the world as he does and has been called to serve and root out corruption and END party politics as usual. 

COUNTRY FIRST

Miller-Meeks in the Press

Iowa Independent Article

Radio Iowa Article

HawkeyeGOP Article

The Burlington Hawkeye Article

Ottumwa Courier Article 

KTVO-TV Article

Krustie Konservative article from Aug 8

Muscatine Journal MMM-joins Muscatine Bike Club for ride

and, don’t forget to bookmark…

Miller-Meeks for Congress Website

Video link – “Roles”

wow, it’s been a week since I’ve posted anything – sorry…  probably wont be able to update much for a few days.

here’s a link to a Candidate interview – good story…   -pf   LINK 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: ERIC WOOLSON 515-681-3967

TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2008

MILLER-MEEKS: SECOND DISTRICT AWAITS LEADERSHIP AS CONGRESSIONAL RECESS COULD DELAY STATE FLOOD RESPONSE

OTTUMWA – With the top Democrat in the Iowa General Assembly expressing concern that the current congressional recess could delay state flood-relief efforts, GOP congressional candidate Mariannette Miller-Meeks said today that she would carry word of Iowans’ plight “whenever and wherever necessary” to spur quicker action on Capitol Hill.

Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said the congressional recess has created a “challenge” for state officials who were working toward a Sept. 2 special legislative session. He said it would be difficult for Iowa officials to know what action to take without knowing whether the state will be responsible for a 10 percent match of federal funds or a 25-percent match. He is concerned that Iowa officials may not know the level of federal funding to expect until at least mid-September when Congress is currently scheduled to return to Washington from a summer campaign break.

“I respect the point that Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal is making. This is why it is so very important that we elect a leader from the Second Congressional District in November instead of someone who follows,” said Miller-Meeks, an Ottumwa Republican. “We have to have someone in there who is going to do what it takes to get congressional leaders’ attention and convince them to do the right thing, if they aren’t inclined to do it themselves. At this point, Dave Loebsack seems content to say, ‘I tried.’ Trying isn’t enough in this case. The people who have lost everything in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Columbus Junction, Oakville and other areas need more than that.”

Miller-Meeks added, “It’s time for Congress to go back to Washington and do its job. One thing is certain, if I was representing this district today I would not stop talking about the flood whenever and wherever necessary until Iowans got some answers and we got federal aid where it needed to be.”

Miller-Meeks, an Ottumwa ophthalmologist and former University of Iowa faculty member, has more than 24 years of service in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve. The Second Congressional District includes 15 counties: Appanoose, Cedar, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Johnson, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Muscatine, Van Buren, Wapello, Washington and Wayne.

# # # #

I’m bumping this MAY 08 article back to the front page – Loebsack is in town today truly – Advantage Incumbent – he robocalled the entire county on the taxpayers dime offering a one-on-one counseling session to anyone who needs help after the flood. right.

Go – Miller-Meeks!

(BTW the link is dead to this DSM Register article – probably moved to archives.) -pf

My (clears throat) Representative, Dave Loebsack, has sent out almost twice the amount of pieces of mail as the next highest national representative from Iowa. Probably over looked the several letters I sent him… He meant to reply… How saturation mailings like that can’t be considered political advertisement is beyond me; but I’m voting for Miller-Meeks in the primary to win back that seat. She’s working hard to get her name out – and I like her! http://millermeeksforcongress.com -pf

Link to original article

Washington, D.C. — The chatty, glossy postcards and newsletters from Washington that regularly land in Iowans’ mailboxes might resemble campaign ads, but they aren’t.

They’re unsolicited mass mail shipped from Iowa congressional offices courtesy of the frank, which is mail sent at taxpayer expense.

Franked mail is a perk of incumbency as old as Congress that appears to be as popular as ever for House members who face the voters every two years.

Four members of the Iowa delegation in the House distributed more than 1.1 million pieces of bulk mail in 2007, a review of House records by The Des Moines Register shows.

Rep. Dave Loebsack of Mount Vernon, a freshman Democrat who narrowly won in 2006, reported sending out 479,616 pieces of mass mail to his eastern Iowa district. That ranked him No. 1 among the Iowans.

The four members in total spent close to $238,000 in postage on mass mail in 2007. They continued to ship it out this spring prior to a cutoff tied to the June 3 primary.

The fifth Iowan, Rep. Steve King, a Kiron Republican, did not report sending out any mass mail.

The appeal is understandable, critics say. “It is an easy way to build a good image in your district without having to spend campaign funds to do it,” said Pete Sepp, communications director for the National Taxpayers Union.

“They border on campaign ads in many cases,” he said. “There are just enough facts and pieces of business in them to make them of minimal value as a communications tool.”

Aides to the congressmen say they help Iowa constituents with information on what Congress is doing and give guidance on how to obtain a flag, get D.C. tourist information or cut red tape.

“It’s part of his role as a representative to the people,” said James Carstensen, chief of staff to Rep. Tom Latham, an Ames Republican.

A look through mail sent by the Iowans this year and in 2007 found many photographs of the members themselves, as well as of children, farm scenes and small towns; bold headlines; and self-promotion.

- “A good teacher knows what it takes to help Iowa’s children succeed,” was the headline on a mailing from Loebsack, atop a page-sized photo of a child drawing on a blackboard.

“A good Congressman knows how to provide the tools students need to succeed,” it added, next to a smaller photo of Loebsack.

• “How Congressman Leonard Boswell is fighting to make our nation more energy independent and reduce global warming,” read a headline on a page-sized mailer from the Des Moines Democrat sent earlier this year.

• Rep. Bruce Braley, a Waterloo Democrat, sounded the alert on recalled toys as Christmas 2007 approached, with “Congressman Bruce Braley’s Special Report on Toy Recalls.”

Braley, in a mailing, warned Iowa constituents of the dangers of the Dizzy Ducks Music Box, Curious George Plush Dolls and Winnie-the-Pooh Spinning Top.

• Latham offered a “Tax Tips and Resource Guide for Your 2006 Tax Returns” during filing time in April 2007.

In the fine print on all, as required by law: “This mailing was prepared, published and mailed at taxpayer expense.”

Mass mail is considered to be unsolicited mail of 500 pieces or more.

It is covered by the frank, which allows members of Congress to send out all kinds of mail — including news releases or responses to constituent inquiries — under their signatures without having to pay postage.

The postage costs, however, are deducted from their office expense allowance.

A December report from the Congressional Research Service says that overall franking costs were $34.4 million during the 2006 budget year.

Separately, a study by the Associated Press said House members spent $20.3 million on bulk mail in 2006.

The franking total was far less than the peak of $113.4 million in 1988, though still too much for some who’d like to curb mailings.

The size and number of photos of members on mailings are regulated by a bipartisan franking commission.

Members also can’t send out bulk mail within 90 days of an election, though the window opens again this summer, once the primary in Iowa is over.

Aides to Loebsack said the mass mail he sends out is part of a constituent outreach program.

“After replacing Jim Leach, who represented the 2nd District for 30 years, Congressman Loebsack feels it is imperative to make certain people in the district receive as much helpful information about his office as possible,” said press secretary Gabby Adler.

She said the office has received “overwhelmingly positive feedback” after each mailing.

In second place among the Iowan congressmen was Latham with 270,786 mailings in 2007.

Carstensen said Latham “does pieces that he feels are within his role as a representative to the federal government.” For example, said Carstensen, the “tax tips” mailer attempted to assist taxpayers with their returns.

Third was Boswell, with 214,298 pieces of mail.

“Communicating with constituents is an important part of Congressman Boswell’s job,” said his chief of staff, Susan McAvoy.

She said the mailings include information on legislation that the congressman has authored or cosponsored, and also provide updates on district events and projects.

“Newsletters also reinforce some of the congressman’s important priorities, which may not get covered in the daily press,” McAvoy said.

Braley, another freshman Democrat, was fourth among Iowans with 201,614 pieces. Jeff Giertz, his press secretary, said Braley seeks to communicate information and let constituents know about town meetings.

As use of technology has expanded, the leaders also send out e-mail newsletters and conduct “telephone town hall” meetings, where thousands of Iowans are contacted via automated phone calls and asked to question a congressman.

But Sepp said there’s still nothing like a piece of mail. “It’s very powerful,” he said.

Reporter Jane Norman can be reached at (202) 906-8137 or jnorman@dmreg.com

Go Cubs Go… Go Cubs Go, Hey Chicago what do you say, the Cubs are going to WIN TODAY! (and other happenings of the weekend)

Although my primary activity this weekend (lazy me) was to watch the Cubbies win two games and extend their divisional lead to 5 games with about 50 to go… I also had the opportunity to be reminded why I was a Republican.

There was a District Republican meeting held in Muscatine on Saturday, and it was a very nice event; and my contribution was just to show up. The event was put on with the typical precision expected by the Muscatine Republican Women with Marilyn Wedel as its leader.

By the time the District President called the meeting to order to my immense pleasure, I found myself sitting beside Phyllis Kelly our retiring Iowa National Committeewoman. She was a joy to talk to and many of us made sure she knew her 12 years representing Iowa Republicans to the RNC was appreciated, as was the time she took to drive here on Saturday. The Muscatine Journal as well as KWPC representatives were in attendance, so I hope the day got some press.

Mariannette also attended, and begged the group’s indulgence as she was the first speaker then quickly made her exit. A colleague at the University of Iowa when she taught there had lost his 20 year old son; she needed to attend the funeral. Mariannette, still, gave a rousing speech starting by talking about the rewards and tramas of raising children – and also about what qualities she possesses that will allow her to be an outstanding representative of the 2nd District of Iowa.

Charles Larsen, Sr. was the invited guest speaker. Other dignitaries besides Ms. Kelly were Shirley Jean Drake, Senator Hahn, Representative Kaufmann, Caleb Hunter (RPI) as well as Steve Rathje (speaking in behalf of McCain) and Leon Mosley.   Catching a bit of the report on the local radio station this AM, I think they confused Rathje with Reed, who for some reason was a no show.  I hope he had something much more important to do as this was a great crowd to rally the troops.

Mr. Larsen is a long time Republican activist in Iowa who was asked by President Bush to become a Justice Attaché to the U.S. Ambassador in Iraq in 2004. His role was to aid the Iraqi judicial system (mostly training) as their court system was being restructured. During his slide presentation, I continued to be impressed by the quality of those who are serving in support roles or our military in general. Time after time he brought up a slide that showed (example) “… here I am with two other U of Iowa Law School graduates who enlisted to help” … or comments about how many who served their tour and ended up volunteering to go back because they wanted to see the mission of rebuilding a free and united Iraq completed.

One of the comments that stood out to me that I thought I would bring to this blogspace is that he said that very few of the combatants killed or held were from Iraq. They were almost all from Somalia, Syria, Saudi Arabia… and many who execute suicide missions are duped into doing it – bombs are blown up by remote control.

He also spoke with great pride that his son was serving in Iraq at the same time he was there, and that they had managed to meet about once a month. Charles “Chuck” Larsen, Jr. is a Major in the US Army Reserves, as well has having served in both houses of the Iowa Legislature and in 2002 was the Chairman of the Iowa Republican Party.

I’ll write more later (hmmm I promised that on the BKO/JFK comparison piece and have yet to do that – so be patient).

Link

The fate of the Republican Party of Iowa now rests in the hands of Steve Scheffler, President of the Iowa Christian Alliance. I didn’t even know who he was until last month. There were many disappointments today at the Republican State Convention, but the most important was booting my laptop up after lunch to see that Tony Snow had died this AM. I was shocked to immediate tears during this trying day. He was a great reporter and will be missed. His wife and three young children are in my prayers.

I cannot begin to explain the details what happened today in Des Moines except to tell why I believe my party was high-jacked today by someone who only thinks of individual power, not Republican voters or candidates.

I will try to paint a broad picture then discuss further blog posts I see on the net over the next days.

The week began with rumors there could be an anti-McCain walkout but that never happened. What did happen was, as the linked article above notes, a power shift to those who firmly support (without questioning) the Iowa Christian Alliance, Iowans for Tax Relief and the Iowa Right to Life organizations. It’s simply not good enough to be pro life with a voting record to prove it. You must be a supporting $$$ member of ICA and Steve Scheffler must be your hero. If there is any good to this (but painful to those it affected) it is that the split not only widened the rift between moderates and some conservatives in the party but set conservatives against conservatives. This clearly opened the eyes to many conservatives who will continue to question this new leadership.

I knew the weekend was going to be messy when I arrived at the Hall where the Friday night delegate caucus was to be held and most people had Scheffler stickers on their shirts – I had only heard of his running against Roberts last week. I assumed Roberts would be unopposed.

When the first action of the night was to elect a permanent chair for the district meeting; the person who was nominated (an ICA board member) had deftly removed her SS sticker from her blouse before the caucus began.

There was a surprise 2nd person nominated from Johnson County (probably with knowledge and planning with Clinton and Linn) - the ICA board member won election by ONLY one vote. I’m sure having a contested vote was a surprise to her. After the election, a question to request that candidates reveal if they are ICA members was ruled out of order by the ICA board member.

The speeches by the national committee candidates on Saturday were the most telling. Roberts and Greiner talked about national experience, inclusion and the need for negotiation skills; Scheffler and Leman basically said that homosexuals, pro-choice and any others not fitting their narrow definition of Republican were no longer welcome in the Iowa party and they would PUSH the prolife agenda (I inferred at the exclusion of everything else, as that was all either talked about in their nominating speeches). Oh wait… as Lehman ended her speech she did say she would support McCain (throwing a bone to the masses).

Steve Roberts made it clear in his speech that the committeeman’s role was not to be a policy maker but to support all Republicans. I guess that’s why the word needs to be redefined by the new leadership.

There is no way either Steve Scheffler or Kim Lehman are more qualified to be national committee people – than the 20+ year veteran of national politics (Steven Roberts) or a 16 year veteran of the Iowa State House, Sandy Greiner; but Scheffler and Lehman both won handily 700 something to 400 something.

The painful end showed conservatives that do not bow to ICA, separated from their friends, and in the end some ICA supporters wondering out loud if they had not unwittingly contributed to a process spinning out of control.

ICA had planted seeds of a moderate push on the convention platform to rile the troops (when in truth moderates have long given up any such futile efforts). … part of an email from Scheffler:

The country club Republicans, which involves some of those in Republican Party leadership positions, are making a concentrated effort to dilute and rid the Republican Party of individuals like you who consider themselves social conservatives.

rid the party of individuals? hmmm… no. These organization now controlling the Iowa party are the groups of exclusion.

Once the ICA faithful were roused the stage was set, and insult to injury – these people (good conservatives all) were irrationally missing from the At Large Delegate list submitted for approval to go to the National Convention: The Chair and Co-Chair of the Republican Party of Iowa, The Presidents of the Iowa Federation of Republican Women and College Republicans, Senator Grassley and the McCain State Chair in the primary, Marlys Popma. Apparently you have to be a contributor to ICA for delegate consideration now.

The convention was all about getting an ICA supported slate of delegates to the national convention to attempt to force a very conservative VP candidate for McCain. I hope those supporting Huckabee disregard his rhetoric and review his record.

“Governor Huckabee says he is a fiscal conservative,” Club for Growth President Pat Toomey said, “but his ten-year economic-policy record as the governor of Arkansas is mixed, at best. His history includes numerous tax hikes, ballooning government spending, and increased regulation. To be sure, Governor Huckabee’s record displays an occasional deference to a pro-growth philosophy, but that is only a small slice of a much bigger picture. The Club for Growth feels citizens deserve a full picture of where Governor Huckabee stands on the critical economic issues of the day.” Link

When the convention ended (or I guess I left an hour early and spent the hour before that not paying much attention to the floor votes, etc. except for the shouting) there was a palpable sadness and recognition of what just happened. A few conservatives reached out to ICA supporters to explain in more detail what had happened in the days before – promises made and broken, unauthorized take over of committee meetings and more…

Many more details (I suspect) will be documented in the next days by these blogs:
Krustie who’s logic and point of view I trust
Sporer is on the ICA side

This is an awesome analysis by Krusty

Bookmark this site and check it out often! http://krustykonservative.blogspot.com/

There will be a lot more to read as the months roll on! (some additional bolding and emphasis below is mine).

IA CD 2 Winners & Losers

IA CD 2 Winners

Voters of the 2nd District:. They now have a stark contrast for November. One kandidate who kampaigned in 2006 as the “agent of change”, and who has become over the last two years an agent of Nancy Pelosi and the left wing Democrat Party. Voters also got in Miller-Meeks a candidate who can take the fight directly to Loebsack on ethics, health care, and energy. Given her long history with the University of Iowa, she will also attack Loebsack’s base from the Iowa City area, the area that gave him the edge over Leach in 2006.

The Republican Party of Iowa. For a party in desperate need of some new blood and a solid dose of re-branding, Miller-Meeks is just what the doctor ordered. Not recruited by the Party bosses, and in many cases fighting their bias towards Teahen, Miller-Meeks drove the grassroots in 15 counties. Her volunteer operation was as good as anything we’ve seen since Steve King pulled off his upset victory. Like King, she did not come from the “major” area of the district, but was similarly unrelenting in her organizational efforts. Her team door knocked, lit dropped, called activists in volunteer phone banks, hosted numerous “house calls” where she met voters one-on-one, and did the hard work necessary to win a close race. Good news for the Party.

Mariannette Miller-Meeks: From the start of this campaign, Miller-Meeks maintained a dogged work ethic, a desire to talk substantively about the issues, to offer solutions, and to meet as many voters as she could. She traveled to each of the district’s counties at least 5 times, and used her website and the new media to drive her message. She never took anything for granted, knew she was an underdog, and always trusted her instincts and belief that she was going to win.

State Representative Jeff Kaufmann: Kaufmann showed his guts and maverick style by endorsing Miller-Meeks, and then putting his hard work where his endorsement was. He went to events with her, did endorsement kalls, offered the campaign team advice and kounsel, and worked with his leadership team to drive the grassroots. Kaufmann was true to himself and to his key issues, choosing to support a kandidate in whom he believed, not merely one he thought would win.

New Media: Repeated attempts to get the mainstream media interested in this race, i.e., the Cedar Rapids Gazette and Des Moines Register, appear to have gone for naught. Kudos to the new media of bloggers and online journalists who covered the race almost daily and picked up the slack from their MSM counterparts. Uncommon Iowan, Battleground Iowa, QCI, Coralville Courier, our liberal friend John Deeth, Iowa Independent and your truly [Krusty Konservative] led the coverage of this race. The MSM (with the exception of the Iowa City Press-Citizen and Ottumwa Courier) sat on their butts and were more worried about Fallon/Boswell (snoozer) and local supervisor races (total snoozers).

Eagle Media: I don’t know why it is, but too many kampaigns feel that to get a great media vendor you have to look outside the state of Iowa. I think this sentiment may exist because Victory Enterprises offers such low quality products in this department. Eagle Media’s ads were the best I’ve seen from an Iowa kandidate as far back as I can remember. When seeing the two ads they produced you could tell they spent the time to know their client and present her in the best possible manner. The same can not be said about Teahen’s ads from VE.

Craig Robinson: The former Political Director of the Republican Party of Iowa didn’t spend anytime licking his wounds after being let go in February by newly elected State Chairman Stew Iverson. Robinson instead started his own political fundraising business and went to work for Miller-Meeks who was his first klient. Not only was she able to out raise her opponents, but she won her primary. I’m also told that Robinson handled Jim Leach’s fundraising when he was with Capitol Resources, Iowa’s other fundraising firm.

The Miller-Meeks Grassroots Team: This group of people never bought in to the logic that the campaign would be decided in Linn County. When you look at the county totals in that race you get an idea of the work they put into that kampaign. Of the 11 counties the Miller-Meeks kampaign won, they beat Teahen by 50 votes in one county, 100 votes in four counties, 200 votes in 2 counties, 300 votes in three kounties, and 700 votes in her home county of Wapello. I guess that’s how you negate Linn kounty. Hats off to Todd Versteegh, and the county chairs that made it happen.

I don’t know the names of the county chairs, but obviously Wapello and Muscatine counties were key, but whoever cranked out the vote in Appanoose and Van Buren kounties should get a lot of satisfaction in the final result. I also think that the Miller-Meeks people in Linn kounty deserve a shout out. I know Todd Henderson and Joni Scotter we involved in the campaign. Both walked the difficult road of working against the hometown candidate. That is not an easy thing to do. While I’m sure they wanted a smaller margin for Teahen in Linn kounty, they got enough votes up there to make a win possible.

IA CD 2 Losers

Peter Teahen: His kredibility is shredded, shown to be full of factual holes and gross exaggerations. Several key items from his once much daunted resume have been proven to be false, like his MA from Liberty University, his work in Oklahoma City, not to mention Darfur. He said he had the NRA endorsement. He did not. He said he had the IRTL endorsement. He did not. He has a pending FEC investigation for campaign finance problems, and probably sunk $75,000 of his own money into one of the most clumsy campaigns seen in Iowa’s history. His campaign boiled down to one week, county, one issue…the three “L’s.” (Last, Linn, Life) He should go back to his volunteer work and focus on his business and forget about ever being Secretary of State, or a Kongressman.

Bob Vander Plaats / Kim Lehman / ICA / Pro-Life / Single Issue Voters: Yeah, that’s a pretty big swipe at a lot of reliable conservatives, but man, guys, get a clue. On one hand, you had a mother of two, married for 25 years, strong pro-life Catholic, who donates and volunteers to crisis centers, whose daughter leads the abstinence program in her high school. On the other hand, you have a twice-divorced man who has supported some of the most liberal, pro-abortion Democrats imaginable. Why did the above list support Teahen? Because he filled out a survey, he pandered and said all the right things. Her sin? She didn’t fill out the survey. Nor would she proselytize and talk about the life issue at EVERY single stop. So now what? Why does “the movement” run around and shoot those who walk the walk in favor of those who merely talk the talk? To have supported Teahen, either openly or behind the scenes, has moved the credibility of the pro-life, pro-family movement just one notch ahead of Peter Teahen’s credibility.

Cookie Kutter Kandidates / Generic Kampaigns in a Box: What else can I say. Single issue, wedge politics, daily robo-calls. Get over it. Those tactics are history. Every candidate is unique, and their campaigns must be unique too. And that includes their advertising. The old “insert name here” advertising with stock footage just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Victory Enterprises: I know they seem to be everyone’s whipping boy in the Iowa Republican blogosphere, but the handled almost every aspect of Teahen’s campaign and was beaten in ever facet. Whether it was media ads, general consulting, or fundraising the products they provided the Teahen campaign didn’t match up to what Miller-Meeks was putting out there.

DRAW:

David Tredrea: Out of nowhere, an Englishman opens up a can of whoop ass on his former fellow aid worker. Rather than answer any of the allegations made against him, Teahen starts maligning Tredrea’s character, saying he’s unstable, and has issued threats against Teahen. Teahen indicates Tredrea has lost his wife, his job, and his home.

Teahen indicates he’s gotten the police, the FBI, and SCOTLAND YARD involved protecting him, and that he has a restraining order against Tredrea. He talks to Party leaders and tells them that anyone who repeats the claims of Tredrea is putting his and his family’s LIFE IN DANGER.

However, he offers not a single whit of proof to back any of this up.

And in the end, Tredrea’s revelations about Teahen stuck, people sensed something was keenly wrong with Teahen, that his resume is embellished and his statements grossly exaggerated. While Tredrea is seriously dinged up in his efforts, he shines some light on Teahen, and none of it was flattering. Advantage Tredrea.

6/04 update – it looks like there will be no recount. Peter will concede tomorrow, and after the final canvasing it will be done. Miller-Meeks for CONGRESS!!!

FYI these two conservative blogs – have been huge fans of MMM even though these blogs are pro-life.
http://krustykonservative.blogspot.com/
http://battlegroundiowa.squarespace.com/

Miller-Meeks wins by 100-vote margin, will face Loebsack

By WILLIAM PETROSKI • bpetroski@dmreg.com • June 3, 2008

Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa defeated Peter Teahen of Cedar Rapids in a tight Republican primary race Tuesday in eastern Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.

They were vying to reclaim a seat for the GOP that had been held for 30 years by former U.S. Rep. Jim Leach.

With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, Miller-Meeks, an ophthalmologist, had 7,360 votes, or 43.6 percent. Teahen, a funeral director, had 7,251, or 42.9 percent. Lee Harder of Hillsboro, a former state prison chaplain, had 2,274, or 13.5 percent.

Miller-Meeks will run in November’s general election against Democratic Rep. Dave Loebsack, who taught political science at Cornell College in Mount Vernon before he upset Leach two years ago.

Loebsack heads into the general election with about $411,000 in campaign cash. He also enjoys a big Democrat edge in registered voters in the district, which covers 15 counties and includes Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Muscatine, Burlington, Fort Madison, Centerville and Ottumwa.

Loebsack issued a statement Tuesday night that said he looks forward to the campaign and a “serious and civil discussions on the issues that matter most to hardworking Iowans, just as Jim Leach and I did in 2006.”

Miller-Meeks is trying to become the first woman elected to Congress in Iowa. She was a nurse, then a physician and a professor and is now in private practice. She retired from the Army Reserve in 1998 as lieutenant colonel after 24 years.

Teahen has been a national media spokesman for the American Red Cross for a decade. He’s written a disaster management manual and has been involved with organizations that provide crisis intervention services.

Krusty Konservative Blog – endorses Miller-Meeks!

Link

one more link

To me it seems as if Peter Teahen and Lee Harder are running to be the most Pro-Life, not the best person to represent the people of the 2^nd District. I find that troubling, and I’m adamantly Pro-Life. The simple truth is on November 4^th, you need to have one more vote than your opponent to be elected. I don’t think just being Pro-Life is enough to get a person elected.

….

I see one kandidate in the 2^nd CD who is prepared to fight that battle, Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, 3M, M Cubed, Triple Threat, or whatever the kids are all kalling her these days.

oops yet another

Hey! it’s an election year – book mark this guy!

Linky

Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Guest Opinion

During 20 years in the military and again as a doctor, I saw again and again that extraordinary times demand extraordinary action.

Having left home at 16 and working as a nurse to fund medical school, I’ve accomplished so much more than I ever dreamed possible. I’ve experienced the honors and joys of a successful professional life highlighted with military honors and medals, academic diplomas and publications, teaching awards and recognition of volunteer services locally and internationally.

I left academic medicine at the University of Iowa and entered private practice in Ottumwa to afford more time with my husband of 25 years and our two children — one now a high school senior and the other in college.

Seeking public office really wasn’t something I’d even considered until my last visit to Capitol Hill as the first female president of the Iowa Medical Society. It was my frustration with the failure of Congress to act in Iowans’ best interests — a frustration the voters feel on so many fronts — that motivated me to take the extraordinary step of seeking the Second Congressional District seat. It’s time we begin to have the representation we need and deserve.

For me, the final straws were:

• The lack of progress on Medicare reimbursement that penalizes health care providers despite the high-quality treatment and care delivered in Iowa;

• The lack of initiative to address social insecurity despite the ballooning number of retirees;

• A cumbersome tax system that encourages lobbyists and special interest groups to seek preferential tax treatment instead of offering taxpayers the option of a flat tax;

• An energy policy that is yet to be developed; and

• The fear of government controlled and mandated health care.

That’s what motivated me to run for office, and those are the priorities that will have my attention as a member of Congress.

As a candidate, I bring forward unique skills from my nursing, medical, military, teaching and small business owner background. As a physician, the attributes of listening, collaborating, persuading, relationship building, forthrightness and honesty are desperately needed in Congress.

Watching Congress spend weeks obtaining baseball players’ testimony about steroid use seemed to underscore its ineffectiveness and partisanship.

Each party appeared more interested in claiming victory than achieving progress to move our country forward. Each day I confront the policies put into place by those who lack the vision to foresee their impact on the rest of us and how it dampens our potential.

The voters of the Second District are hard-working, honest people trying their best to raise families and serve their communities, and they deserve so much more than party line votes, hidden earmarks and catering to the special interests.

Because I’m action-oriented and involved in my community, I have my finger on the pulse of the issues that we all want addressed. I have offered solutions for individual health plans to permit accessible, affordable and portable nationwide health insurance that encourages innovation and personal responsibility.

I’ve described methods for sustaining and strengthening Social Security. I’ve advocated for veterans’ rights, particularly medical care in their own communities. After all, they’ve paid that price with their service and their own blood.

I favor creating an industry of energy within our district that promotes our economy, protects our environment and ensures our national security. I have been steadfast and unwavering in my message, focusing on the problems we face and workable solutions. Given my tenacity, spirit and strong work ethic, I would be a tireless advocate for the voters of the Second District.

We need a bridge that heals division and distrust. I can be that bridge.

Our View – Miller-Meeks is the Republican most ready to claim Leach’s mantle

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hey! that’s my view too -pf

Back in 2006, then political science professor Dave Loebsack faced a seemingly impossible challenge in trying to unseat a 15-term incumbent. Neither national party invested much cash (or interest) in what the political punditry considered a safe seat for moderate Republican Jim Leach.

Democrats nationally and locally thought the best chance to unseat Leach actually came back in 2002, fresh after Congressional redistricting, when Leach faced a formidable challenger in Julie Ann Thomas, a respected physician from Cedar Rapids. Yet Loebsack surprised all but his core supporters when he challenged Leach on his strengths (a firm grasp of the nuances and intricacies of international comparative politics) and capitalized on a wave of anti-incumbent partisan fervor.

Second District Republicans now have two highly credible candidates for taking down Loebsack in the most vulnerable period in any representative’s career: The first re-election campaign. Cedar Rapids funeral home director Peter Teahen brings a wealth of non-profit and business experience dealing with governments in local, state, national and international spheres. And Ottumwa ophthalmologist Mariannette Miller-Meeks brings much authority from her personal story as well as credibility from her leadership in academic and medical circles.

In fact, the June 3 primary question boils down to whether Second District Republicans want to go with Teahen’s experience or with Miller-Meek’s intelligence and energy.

We think the Second District — and the legacy of Jim Leach — would be served best by Miller-Meeks.

Teahen’s experience

Teahen, because of his experience as a mental health professional and a spokesman for the Red Cross, always is ready with an anecdote to personalize many recent crises and catastrophes. Whether it’s his account of spending a few weeks at ground zero after 9/11, his account of being in Washington after anthrax was released or his breaking protocol to warn New Orleans days before Katrina that people would die if the city wasn’t evacuated, Teahen draws readily upon examples from his own career to explain the success and failures of how governments and non-governmental agencies respond.

We appreciate that perspective. And we also appreciate how, with a daughter in the diplomatic corps, he understands the need for diplomacy while recognizing that those diplomats need to be backed up with a strong military.

But as nice as it would be to back a Corridor businessman, we’re concerned about some of the reasons behind Teahen’s history of switching party affiliations. Teahen said he needed to register as a Democrat for about nine years in order to serve on the state’s governor-appointed Board of Mortuary Science. That bit of willingness to bend the rules to serve on a state board raises a red flag.

That’s also why we’re paying close attention to an ethics complaint recently filed against Teahen by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee — claiming that television commercials for the funeral home owned by Teahen are disguised campaign spots paid for by corporate money. Teahen told the Associated Press that his staff believes they have complied with FEC regulations.

Any Republican seeking to extend the legacy of Jim Leach needs to be above reproach.

Miller-Meeks’ intelligence and insight

Miller-Meeks is in a much better position to claim Leach’s mantle. Her unique background as a soldier and a medical doctor places her in a good position to challenge Loebsack and to address issues of health care, national defense and economic development. Her time on faculty at the University of Iowa enhances her academic and medical credentials, and her decision to begin private practice in Ottumwa shows her commitment to the state and has given her first-hand experience of how the economy effects small business owners and her patients.

As a doctor, Miller-Meeks’ main issue is health care, and her key focus is on addressing how government programs that decrease payment to providers and hospitals ultimately ration care and limit innovation and technology. Although we balk at her use of loaded language like “Canadian-style socialized medicine,” her concerns are valid and her experience would be an essential part of any discussion of reforming the U.S. health care system.

Miller-Meeks also speaks passionately about alternative energy options and the “travesty” of the nation having had no coherent energy policy for more than three decades. Whether it’s describing the 54 miles a gallon her hybrid gets as she drives across the district or the solar panels that help power her family home, she showed the clearest understanding of the personal and national commitment necessary to addressing energy issues.

And, as her supporters like to point out, she has held one more elected office than Loebsack had when he first ran for office. Having been elected as the first female president of the Iowa Medical Society, she now is ready for the opportunity to run to become Iowa’s first female member of Congress.

Winning hearts and minds

The third candidate, Lee Harder of Hillsboro, seems to have focused his campaign on proving that neither Teahen nor Miller-Meeks is conservative enough. While the former state corrections department chaplain and Liberty University graduate has impeccable conservative credentials, we’re much less interested in any form of ideological purity than in ensuring that our representatives practically represent the needs of all their constituents. Harder’s dogmatism, in fact, matches that of the presidential administration that has helped to create a world in which the nation’s moral authority is falling as quickly as the U.S. dollar.

Teahen and Miller-Meeks both have shown a commitment to results and bi-partisan cooperation rather than to party loyalty. But Miller-Meeks has the intelligence and the integrity to continue the Leach legacy and, potentially, to win over the hearts and minds of a Congressional district in which registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 155,050 to 100,623.

LINK

Written by David Tredrea,
12 Harley Street, London, UK
email: davidtredrea@yahoo.com
mobile: 070 107 56789

So … Peter Teahen wishes to be honoured as an extraordinary Iowan. Well, as a Brit I truly agree he meets the criteria for being extraordinary. He wants us to see him as an Indiana Jones replacement, swashbuckler, universal hero and amazing international humanitarian. His claims and ambitions are very enticing and impressive – but what if his true reality is more like that of a Walter Mitty character? Let’s dig a little and take his 8 page résumé for example.

Does he really have an MA degree from Liberty University? Is he really a certified traumatologist? Was he really a deputy medical examiner at the Oklahoma City bombing? The hard evidences say no even though Peter says yes. Peter inherited the funeral business set up by his parents and he also sells life insurance when not helping others. All good stuff but it would be truly sad if some of the very strong mortuary chemicals could have seeped into his brain leading him to think he was licensed or competent for anything more.

Concerning the certificates he lists from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation anyone from able actor to zulu warrior can join the ICISF. Peter’s studies with them on short courses with long names over 8 years probably don’t exceed 14 days in total. He also claims Presidency of some grand sounding Companies. However, only yesterday AmericaReady.com was a garage in Korea re-engineering Toyota cars for export. Today, one can buy “premium tv” from AmericaReady.us. Other than its fine web-site, it is difficult to find any filed accounts or indicators of life for his International Mass Fatalities Centre. Even though it may not be his fault (just unfortunate coincidences), Peter is well qualified in divorce though – but endearingly and, perhaps not surprisingly, he fails to promote that.

Peter wants us to rejoice with him in his work as an extraordinary volunteer with the American Red Cross and as an innovative mental health professional. One might wonder how this comes about as he has no in-depth training nor qualification nor registration anywhere in mental health, psychology or related subjects. He has zero military experience nor ever treated anyone for mental health trauma and does not know how to – yet he lectures widely as if he is well read, competent and safe. He likes to talk about being “personally selected” for Mayor Giuliani’s HQ staff for 9/11and then contracting anthrax – and surviving, just! He says he has served in leadership roles following more than 40 large disasters including Hurricane Katrina, the South Asia Tsunami and the conflict in Darfur. Was he really in action for Operation Desert Storm as well?

Let’s explore a further selection of these claims: his leadership and teaching roles after the tsunami in Sri Lanka were, in reality, very minor – and largely set up by others. He followed me out as Team Leader 2. After I left, Peter went off track quickly and without anyone’s knowledge or consent to set up private initiatives. About Darfur last year, Peter Teahen was invited out by me as a junior, pro-bono assistant for a project to run a stress management programme for aid workers. He was very keen and persistent because he had never been to Africa (or even London) before and wanted to enhance his international status. Not known until much later, Peter has his sights focused on Condoleezza Rice’s job and needs credibility.

Peter Teahen has expensive tastes whilst on mission and enjoys talking about his unaudited US Red Cross credit card so he can stay in luxury hotels. Peter believes he has to look after himself properly – and he most certainly does. Despite perfectly adequate free and safe local housing, Peter was the only one who chose to stay in a luxurious hotel in Khartoum and sadly used Darfur aid money for that.

Out there, his mood swings were untamed and he was easily angered – especially if his chilled, diet Pepsi was not always readily available. His small teaching role was so problematic that he was asked to cease involvement. His delusions about events are legion.

“Last year in Darfur, I was 25 feet away from a truckload of Janjaweed rebels. That’s the group responsible for murdering 200,000 to 400,000 men women and children. You look into the eyes of those terrorists, and you look into the eyes of the Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka” (John Deeth Blog , May 16, 2008)

Rubbish. He talks of being held at gunpoint and staring into a 50 calibre machine gun. Poop! Peter never looked into anything much out there save the occasional mirror when he could check his tinted hair was not ruffled. As a figure of fun, the locals laughed at his constant need to preen. His time in Darfur was so laid back in terms of security it would make Disneyland seem severe. Certainly Peter met nobody senior or politically important, saw no genocide, no danger, no guns no death, no starvation, nor any front-line action – a camel eating grass perhaps – oh yes, and a small, smelly donkey.

Peter was proud that he had upgraded his gun licence before coming to Africa in case he needed to save us. How lucky we were that he did not need to. Here is another of Peter’s wild claims printed in the Fort Madison Daily Democrat on 14 May 2008 :

“He was hired by the British government to start a mental health program in Darfur to help people there cope with the psychological impact of the fighting in that region. He was scheduled to go back several weeks ago, but aide workers were being killed so he was instructed to stay away” .

Balderdash.

Top line in his exit report for the pilot Darfur mission 12 months ago, Peter complains about not being told before he left Cedar Rapids that he might need to bring his own towel then refused to buy one from the many local markets we visited so I gave him one for peace. There were also loud moans from him about how many large suitcases he could bring and he was further annoyed at not being given a list of local quality restaurants or tourist spots. It seems possible he would have taken his deck-chair out there given the mildest opportunity!

His often unmanageable conduct could easily have us arrested – such as liberal photography despite well known and extremely strict rules. Peter seemed to think that if he had his personal copy of the Qur’an he could have saved us from all the vicissitudes of local law because that ownership conferred upon him degrees of freedom not available to us un-enlightened others. He thought Muslims would be impressed if he carried their Holy Book and that they would then treat him kindly. Those darned chemicals again.

Peter says he is the author of several articles and an industry-standard disaster management manual used by local governments in many states but it really is difficult to track any of them down and nothing seems to be peer-reviewed. In addition, Peter is the proud and loud recipient of several distinguished awards. Judge for yourself – but what if Peter Teahen actually is like this Walter Mitty character who is an expert at talking the talk but in no way has ever really walked the proper walk – not even nearly? OK, pranced about on the low trip-wire maybe but always with safety blanket, harness, quality credit card and sharp-angled photographers.

Regrettably, even Peter’s political stance is not consistent. He has been a Republican for a few months only. It was truly embarrassing to hear Peter describe his own friends and neighbours with the Iowan sobriquet of “Idiot Out – Walking About”. Sadly, Peter may be the blueprint because he was as useful in Darfur as an ink-blot. A considerable liability and serious mistake. So, is Peter Teahen really a disaster waiting to happen? That answer will depend upon which of his fuzzy personalities smiles at the next focused camera.

Vote for Peter Teahen if this is the kind of chap you want to represent you in Congress. Your vote doesn’t matter to me as I am not American. However, Peter might be safer in Washington rather than in the real world of proper disaster management where integrity, competency and decency are vital. Those are the more vital realities. Hence this note. As Dr. Phil says, the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour. Peter Teahen for Congress maybe but Peter Teahen for Confidence – definitely not.

The above was article is written by David Tredrea, a disaster aid worker from London, UK. BattlegroundIowa posted the article in its entirety. The views and claims of Mr. Tredrea are not necessarily the views of BattlegroundIowa.