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

.
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 intr