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 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.

Letter to the Editor

Republicans have a choice in the Republican Primary election this year and all of District 2. You have the opportunity to choose between 3 candidates that are running for the Republican ticket for the 2^nd Congressional District held formerly by Jim Leach.

Many people don’t vote in the primary because they do not understand the process. When you go to vote you check the Republican box and you will receive the Republican ballot. You do not have to do anything else to vote.

You can go right now to the Auditor’s office and vote early. They will be open Saturday May 24 & 31 for voting.

Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa is one of the candidates. If elected she will be the first woman to represent Iowa in Washington. But most important is that Dr. Miller-Meeks is qualified to represent us. Mariannette doesn’t just talk about veterans and the GI bill, she served our country for 24 years and retired as a Lt Colonel, she knows about the concerns and needs of our veterans.

Experience as a doctor, nurse, and educator in the medical field, Mariannette knows the problems and harm government run health care will create. Our choices will be limited and we will pay for others to receive treatments that we don’t agree with. This is not a good plan for Americans.

Tax relief that is permanent and Supporting the 2^nd Amendment are part of Mariannette’s firm beliefs. Mariannette is also a member of the NRA.

Mariannette and her husband, Curt have been married 24 years and have two children. Curt is also a retired Lt. Colonel. They understand the importance of raising a family in a free America that offers the opportunity to our children to prosper and live the American Dream.

To learn more about Mariannette’s beliefs check out her website: http://www.millermeeksforcongress.com
A Prescription for Leadership in Congress.

I support Mariannette and ask you to Please vote for Dr. Marianette Miller-Meeks June 3.

5/22 – frankly the Dems screwed up on this one. if this hurts Teahen it hurts Loebsack. Teahen is a rich blank stare in this race. Miller-Meeks is by far the best candidate of the three republican candidates running. Loebsack would be very lucky if Teahen wins. -pf

update at 7pm news from Teahen: Teahen responded that the ad hasn’t been broadcast since April, well before the deadline for such ads.

”We believe we have complied,” with FEC regulations, Teahen said.

eh, vote for Miller-Meeks anyway… she’s STILL the better candidate by a country mile.

Another update on 5/23 -

Link now this link takes you to an interesting story. but THIS STORY is even better. I’ve heard a little about Peter’s need for the spotlight and it will be interesting to see how this story gets investigated. You have to go to these links (above) and read them and take the links inside the stories and read the comments.

There is something fishy that I would like to learn more about – stay tuned. There may be no story with the Dems complaint but the other story is interesting and only partially laid out for us. -pf

CBS 2 NEWS Iowa News

Democrats file complaint against 2nd District GOP candidate

May 22, 2008 14:19 EDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democrats have filed an ethics complaint against a Republican candidate in eastern Iowa’s 2nd congressional district.

The complaint by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is against Peter Teahen , of Cedar Rapids.

It claims that television commercials for Teahen’s funeral home are thinly disguised campaign spots paid for by corporate money.

The complaint points to an ad featuring Teahen and talking about veterans, the flag, patriotism and “those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom.”

The funeral home, which the complaint says paid for the spots, isn’t mentioned until the closing tag line.

A telephone message left at Teahen’s campaign office seeking comment wasn’t immediately returned.

Teahen is one of three GOP candidates in the June primary.

======================

AP wire story

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:40:02 GMT
Democrats file complaint against 2nd District GOP candidate

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Democrats have filed an ethics complaint against eastern Iowa Republican congressional candidate Peter Teahen.

The complaint filed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee claims that television commercials for the funeral home owned by Teahen are actually thinly disguised campaign spots paid for by corporate money.

”He is running TV ads that are clearly trying to reach voters paid for by corporate funds,” Carries James, a spokeswoman for the campaign commission, said Thursday.

The complaint points to a television commercial featuring Teahen speaking into the camera and talking about veterans, the flag, patriotism and ”those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom.”

”I’m Peter Teahen and I’m proud to be an American,” he says in the spot.

The funeral home, which the complaint states paid for the spots, isn’t mentioned until the closing tag line.

The complaint claims the spots ”feature him and are clearly intended to influence his election.”

A telephone message left at Teahen’s campaign office seeking comment wasn’t immediately returned.

Teahen, of Cedar Rapids, is one of three Republicans seeking the party’s nomination in eastern Iowa’s 2nd District. He is running against Lee Harder and Mariannette Miller-Meeks for the nomination.

The seat is now held by first-term Democratic Rep. Dave Loebsack, a college professor from Mount Vernon who ousted veteran Republican Rep. Jim Leach in the last election.

Republicans face a series of hurdles in their effort to replace Loebsack. In addition to a significant edge in campaign money, Loebsack represents one of Iowa’s most heavily Democratic congressional districts.

State election officials said that as of May 1, there were 155,050 registered Democrats in the district, compared to 100,623 registered Republicans. Another 138,049 voters were registered without declaring a party preference.

(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. In the interest of timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain occasional typographical errors. )

Clear choice

A few things I look for in a political candidate are character, principles and the desire to work for the people they represent. I believe the 2nd District was denied that when Jim Leach lost in the 2006 election. Whether you agreed with him or not, there was no doubt that Jim was a man of character who knew what he believed and why while working hard for the constituents. In 2008 we can return that kind of person to office by electing Mariannette Miller-Meeks to represent us in the U.S. Congress. No one can question her work ethic. Twenty years in the military and becoming a doctor aren’t accomplishments that come without a lot of hard work and discipline. As a physician practicing in Ottumwa she has among many things been cited as one of the country’s best 100 doctors, served as the first woman President of the Iowa Medical society, and organized a physician recruitment and retention effort to help bring physicians to southeast Iowa.

She believes in the same things we do. Individualism, hard work and perseverance in achieving goals, the sanctity of life from birth to death, the importance of family in our social fabric, free markets, the power of American ingenuity to solve problems are all part of who she is and what she stands for.

The short version of her political views is that the government needs to follow the Constitution. If the government has no business in it then it needs to stay out, if the government is screwing it up then it needs to get out, and bleeding our tax money to give to an ever growing bureaucracy to dole out is not the solution. From health care to taxes to energy independence, Mariannette believes the government needs to stop creating problems by unnecessarily obstructing the citizens and the free market.

Tuesday, June 3 is the Iowa primary. I urge Republicans to vote for the candidate that will represent who we are and work for us in Congress in the 2nd District, Mariannette Miller-Meeks.

MATT GREEN

Donnellson

Last week I was surfing for some good state blogs and ran into this one that I thought had “gone dark”. I sent a post to ask the blogger if he would add the muscatinecountygop.org site to his blogroll and I see that he did. I need to reciprocate on the county site. Then today I ran into this article. -pf

Friday, May 23, 2008

Teahen in Krisis Management Mode

While the media seem to still focus on the Boswell/Fallon Democrat Primary in the 3rd CD, it’s the Republican Primary in Iowa’s 2nd District that is creating news in the weeks leading up to the primary.

If you talked to any Republican insider in January, February, March or April and asked them about the 2nd District Primary the general consensus was that Peter Teahen was going to walk away with the nomination. They would point to his resume, him being from Linn Kounty, and the fact that his family has run a funeral home in the area for decades.

In under a month the tables have turned, and there is doubt that Teahen will be able to hold on to his perceived front runner status. His problem? He’s getting out worked by a tiny optomoligist from Ottumwa. To put this in perspective, it would be like a well known Des Moines businessperson having problems getting their campaign off the ground because of an unknown candidate from Grinnell is out working them.

Now when I say that Mariannette Miller-Meeks is out working Teahen, it’s not just on the grassroots side, fundraising, or voter contact, its all three phases of the campaign. Again, people assumed that Teahen being from Cedar Rapids was going to be an advantage; it has not been thus far, just look at their fundraising numbers.

Miller-Meeks has raised $94,530 thus far for her kampaign.

Teahen has raised $49,096.00 but has a kampaign dept of $31,663.76.

Simply put Miller-Meeks seems to want it more, I’m told she’s knows the issues, and has the ability to raise the funds needed to mount a serious challenge against Loebsack this fall. It looks like if you want a kandidate to put this race in play, your best bet is Miller-Meeks.

It has also been a terrible week for the Teahen kampaign. First he sees that Miller-Meeks continues to raise more money than he can, her kampaign releases their poll which shows she has erased any Lead Teahen might have had, and if it couldn’t get any worse he gets a FEC komplaint filed against him for the TV ads his funeral home had been running.

Sound familiar? In the 1st District Primary last cycle the Kennedy kampaign filed a komplaint against Mike Whalen for this TV ads for the Machine Shed that featured Whalen. Now just 2 years later we have Teahen running an ad that features him self saying stuff like, “I’m Peter Teahen, and I’m proud to be an American.” From what I’ve read it sure sounds like a bio ad for a guy running for Congress.

So it’s probably just a koincidence right? No. There is a link between Teahen and Whalen, its Victory Enterprises. It seems this is how you win the tough ones… A friend sent me the picture above of former Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Steve Grubbs, it looks like he plays for both teams, which is probably helpful to Teahen since he has had difficulty sticking with a party throughout his life.

Miller-Meeks deserves a lot of credit for out hustling her opponents, Teahen has run a terrible campaign.

Link

Miller-Meeks will work selflessly for the people

Link to Miller-Meeks for Congress website

Wed, May 21 2008

— Wouldn’t it be great if we had leaders in Washington who truly cared and worked for the good of the nation rather than personal and political perpetuation of power?

Political correctness and social agendas are important, but these issues are meaningless and unobtainable without a bedrock of security. This nation is vulnerable in so many ways. We need representation in Congress that is not afraid to take on and work in a bipartisan way for solutions to critical issues. We must have four secure borders and, with that, immigration reform. We must be protected against a recurrence of 9/11. We must have economic stabilization, fair and equitable taxation and, instead of sleight of hand, a solution to our social security system that will not leave our children and grandchildren bereft of benefits. We must have energy independence. We must provide the men and women of our Reserves and National Guard the same benefits on demobilization as we do the Regular Army.

Only a practicing physician knows the depth and extent of the mess health care delivery is in, and only the ignorant and the dreamers believe in a utopian government-run fix.

The primary election is June 3. Register Republican, even if only for this election, and vote for Mariannette Miller-Meeks to represent the Second Congressional District. Mariannette will work selflessly for each and every one of you on the key issues that can carry us into a bright future. Mariannette exemplifies the independence, wisdom, energy and courage we need in Washington. Don’t think of her within narrow-minded party lines — she is an Iowan, she is a physician, and she will vigorously work to heal that which is sick and broken in Washington!

Kenneth S. Wayne
Joyce A. Vista-Wayne
Ottumwa

a link to another take on the endorsement

Jeff Kaufmann, assistant leader of the Iowa House Republicans, today announced his endorsement of Second Congressional District candidate Mariannette Miller-Meeks.

“Mariannette represents the best that the Republican Party has to offer for service to this state. Her unique background places her in a perfect position to take the lead on health care issues, national defense, and economic development,” Kaufmann said. “Her conservative credentials are without question and her background as a soldier and a medical doctor are exactly the diverse background and level of expertise that that we need in our representative in Congress.”

Miller-Meeks expressed appreciation for Kaufmann’s leadership and expertise on key issues of importance to Iowans. Kaufmann, who has been a leader on property rights, school funding, affordable health care, and veterans’ benefits during his two terms in the General Assembly, is a seventh-generation Cedar County livestock producer. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Iowa and is a teacher and department chair at Muscatine Community College.

“The day I met Jeff Kaufmann I drove through a blizzard from Ottumwa to Tipton, and it was like finding sunshine when he spoke about his commitment to property rights and his efforts to overcome the challenges he faced within the General Assembly,” Miller-Meeks said. “I couldn’t have agreed with him more, and I wished he were my representative. Jeff Kaufmann is courageous and tenacious. Receiving the endorsement of someone so competent and dedicated to doing what’s right for Iowans is both humbling and inspiring. I am greatly honored to have his support.”

Click here to see the original article

Joe Benedict
Staff Writer

Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks was standing outside Senator Grassley’s office in Washington D.C. with several other doctors. She said she felt there would be no action on Medicare disparity after meeting with Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-Mount Vernon.) It was at that point that she said she might run for Congress. She decided to run as a Republican.

“Most people in their mid-life crisis buy a convertible – I’m running for Congress,” she said.

Miller-Meeks is not so much in a personal crisis as much as she sees a crisis in Washington. She said she doesn’t think people want career politicians representing them in Congress. Like Loebsack, she hasn’t had political experience prior to this run. She was elected as president of the Iowa Medical Society, which gives her one more elected office than Loebsack had held when he ran for Congress two years ago.

Being a doctor, Miller-Meeks has a big interest in health care. In fact, on Monday she performed surgery in the morning before hitting the campaign trail. She said changes need to be made in the single payer health care system that has continually decreased payment to providers and hospitals to control costs and ultimately ration care and limit innovation and technology.

Another large entitlement program that could use some help is Social Security, Miller-Meeks said. There are some simple solutions that can extend the life of the program. She said simply by tying the cost of living increases to a recipient’s birthday a lot of money will be saved. As the system works now, if someone starts Social Security in December they will get a cost of living increase the following month because everyone gets one Jan. 1. By tying it to a person’s birthday, those people wouldn’t get the increase until they were in the system for a year.

She also sees that it is difficult for congressmen to keep their hands off Social Security funds when money is needed elsewhere. For that reason, she supports some sort of private, but limited, account for some of the funds. She said the private account most likely could earn better than the 3 percent the government gains.

Miller-Meeks isn’t just concentrating on Medicare and Social Security, however. She also would like to see the U.S. generate an energy policy, something she said has been lacking in the last 30 years.

She said the Iowa Second District has a good start in alternative energy. The Siemens plant in Fort Madison and a wind plant in Cedar Rapids are taking advantage of wind power. Of course Keokuk has had the hydroelectric plant for many years and we have biodiesel and ethanol plants as well. She said the state could use nuclear power too.

The state also is becoming a leader in biotechnology, creating items like Asoya, oil from soybeans and working on oil from algae. Even the state’s garbage can help provide energy. Several waste authorities are looking at methane collecting from their landfills.

The government can push these technologies along by creating programs to help perpetuate them or by removing some restraint.

Something on everyone’s mind right now is gasoline prices. Miller-Meeks said the alternative energies won’t help gas prices right away. But at some point it will. What else needs to happen is to strengthen the dollar against other currencies.

“We need to admit that lower interest rates and our housing policy put people with shaky credit into homes they couldn’t afford,” she said. “We should help those who were misled.”

She said the lending companies may have to face the loss. She would like to see the Federal Reserve stop lowering interest rates and perhaps even increase them slightly.

People are becoming distrustful of loans, Miller-Meeks said, and that is not good for business.

Another economic issue is the corporate tax. The U.S. has the second highest rate in the world. Miller-Meeks said lowering that to 20 percent would help the economy. The lost money from lowering the tax would be made up through more production and more people working and paying taxes.

She would like to change the income tax system too. She would like people to have the opportunity to choose a flat tax. It would cut down on paperwork and headaches from the large, complex tax code Americans face.

The Iraq war is a concern too. She said the troop surge of last year has helped reduce the number of attacks. She sees keeping a small amount of troops in the country as a drawdown begins, similar to troops we have in many countries around the globe. She said she doesn’t know how many years a drawdown will take.

When asked about the $1 billion embassy being built in Iraq, she said that like anything else, she’ll ask how it benefits the citizens of the U.S. and try to find out answers.

On the personal side, Miller-Meeks lives in Ottumwa and she is married with two children: one in college and one in high school. She and her husband have both served in the military. She retired from the Reserves as a Lt. Colonel in 1998.

She is facing two opponents in the June 3 primary for the congressional seat. Lee Harder of Hillsboro and Peter Teahan of Cedar Rapids also are on the ballot.

Miller-Meeks will be back in the area on May 17 for several events in the Keokuk, Fort Madison and Burlington areas.

I don’t normal post these directly from Jeff (I do post pdfs of his notes here) but maybe I should start posting them here too. Below is a clear outline of what our representatives have to deal with when the democrats control everything. hold on to your wallets, they are after the hide when the money is gone… (bolding below is mine for emphasis) -pf

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Your Capitol Voice
Representative Jeff Kaufmann

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The Legislature adjourned on Saturday morning at 2:30 a.m. I arrived at my home at 5 a.m. dead tired and wondering about a process that would pass one of its most important bills in the middle of the night with all legislators significantly fatigued.

The session ended with some great news for my District and some major disappointments in a final flurry of votes. In this column I will focus on the last week of session. Next week will include a general session overview.

The last week began with a final battle over the statewide SILO. The Senate debated this bill that passed the House with strong bipartisan support.  An alternative idea was proposed that I believe was intended to kill the statewide SILO initiative.  A few legislators, including myself, reacted with equal energy to advocate for passage and point out the serious flaws in the alternate plan.

On Tuesday, the Senate debated and passed the Statewide SILO bill (34-15). It is now on its way to the Governor where he is expected to sign it.

Against great odds and a great deal of misinformation from interest groups and a few urban legislators, a crucial piece of legislation will now become law. This is not a perfect bill but it has a perfect goal: equity for rural/small town Iowa. This will mean millions to Cedar and Muscatine counties in school infrastructure needs and property tax relief. It has been a long battle, but upon reflection I wouldn’t hesitate to take the lead all over again.

It became obvious last week that the new spending would continue to explode. By the end of the week a two-year total for new state spending now surpassed 900 million dollars (17% increase). This means that next year, there will be a 500 million “hole” in the budget before we even begin the session. The 6.4 billion dollar budget passed on a straight party-line vote. We are headed for an imminent “fiscal train wreck,” hence my “no” votes on the budgets

As we moved into the last day of session, the Legislature debated the large Standings bill, which is a “catch-all” for almost any kind of policy. Also debated was a large infrastructure bill infamous for its pork projects. Some of us first fought an ill-advised cut in the funding of county fairs, but it passed on a near-party line vote. Here we are in the midst of record revenues and record spending and funding was cut to county fairs. The Legislature should be ashamed of itself.

We did have success when language was inserted that would weaken Iowa’s drunk driving laws (legislation pushed by the ACLU). Our initial attempt to remove the language failed again on a party-line vote. (The party tends to vote together in the last few days.) Immediately a small group of us contacted the Attorney General’s office and the Department of Transportation and received strong statements against the language. We then approached the media and shortly after a Des Moines Register internet article exposed the party-line vote to protect this weakening, it was reconsidered and removed. This was a small victory but a sign of future bad ideas that may succeed if everything remains the same in the Legislature.

And then there is the pork spending! Millions of dollars for pet projects in specific districts. Even though we heard phrases like “tight budget year” and “tough budget decisions” we still found $80,000 to restore an historic organ in one legislator’s district. There was also over 3 million to develop a park in southern Iowa, and hundreds of thousands of dollars to build a depot, refurbish a school in Des Moines, build trails, and the list goes on and on.

Although the projects may be worthy, each project can be traced to a specific legislator (usually either a leader or a legislator with a tough race ahead of them). The bottom line is that we cut the county fairs, couldn’t find money to avoid community college tuition increases, and nearly emptied the Senior Living Trust, but we funded an organ restoration for $80,000. I proudly voted no.

What did I learn last week? When the two parties worked in a bipartisan manner common sense often prevails. When policy is shoved through on party-line votes, poor fiscal decision usually occur. For District 79, cutting the county fairs at the same time we found millions of dollars of pork is a great symbol for the worst of the session…it was a long drive home.

Republican Leader Christopher Rants’
End of Session Remarks

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(DES MOINES)– House Republican Leader Christopher Rants (R-Sioux City) delivered end of session remarks to the Iowa House of Representatives today. The following are his remarks, as prepared for delivery:

Mr. Speaker, ladies and gentlemen of the House…I direct my first comments to the Pages – who unlike most, understand the direct correlation between Guitar Hero and John Galt. I hope that this year was a rewarding one. I’ve got to say that I think this is the best group of Pages we’ve ever had.

Before I get along too far I want to say how proud I am of the Republicans in this chamber. To my assistant leaders, Kraig, Rod, Linda, Doug, Jeff, thank you, and thank you Representative Raecker.

To my staff, Jeff, Josie, Allison, Lon, Brad, Mary, Ann, Lew, Kelly, Noreen and Jason, thank you for all you do.

And to all the members of our Republican Caucus, thank you. We stood at the wall ready to fight for what we believed. That willingness allowed us to save Iowa’s Right to Work Law. We did what we could to stop the tax increases, we tried to maintain the integrity of our spending limitation law and we worked in a bipartisan way, as long as we were included in the decision making, on health care reform this year.

Thank you. We fulfilled our responsibilities as representatives of our constituents.

I’d like to take this chance to point out a few of the lessons I’ve learned sitting at this desk. Some of the lessons I admittedly did not want to learn, some of them may be of interest to no one but me, and some of them are about very serious things.

I’ve learned quorum calls are like watching the Godfather trilogy… every time you think they are about to end, they just keep coming. They never end and when they finally do and I’m not really sure what happened.

I’ve learned that the best way to ensure that your priorities become law is simply to make sure that they are the same priorities of Senator Gronstal. I joked last year that he’d become Speaker Leader Governor Gronstal. I don’t think it’s a joke anymore.

I learned that the best way to keep a secret in this building is to simply draft a plan that is a priority of organized labor. You can be assured that nobody gets to see it, read it or understand it before it hits the floor.

I was taught a lot of lessons over the years by a lot of people. People like Ron Corbett, Brent Siegrist and Chuck Gipp taught me how to be Majority Leader, and Dick Myers, Dave Schrader and Bob Arnold taught me how to be Minority Leader. One of those lessons was that regardless of how much you disagree with what the minority leader says in their remarks on the floor, as long as they are not being disrespectful, you always give them latitude. I can’t tell you how many times I listened to Dave Schrader and Dick Myers excoriate the Republican majority without being cut off or hit with a point of order. They were extended latitude. I learned that is not the case anymore. Democrats will not extend the same courtesy to Republicans that we extended to you.

You know, one of the things that has always frustrated me is the notion that all of us up here are the same. That Republicans and Democrats aren’t any different from each other. You hear it all the time from voters frustrated with their government – that it doesn’t matter who they talk to because they results are always the same.

I think the last two sessions have put that misguided notion to permanent rest. There are significant differences between the two parties.

In the last two years, Democrats in this chamber have raised taxes and increased state spending by nearly ONE BILLION dollars and still had to brake the expenditure limitation law to satisfy their absolutely unquenchable need for more government spending.

Even on the last day – surprise! Another $7 million dollar property tax increase that was never talked about.

All, all, in the face record revenues and with money literally pouring into the state treasury at a record level.

It’s like watching a scary movie where the teenager goes outside to investigate a strange noise. You know he’s going to do it, but when he’s does, you still can’t believe he actually went through with it. That’s what it was like watching the majority party blow through the expenditure limitation law.

Watching Iowa’s Agenda, I heard one Democrat say the following:

“We in the majority seek the assistance of the minority to help the majority party recognize when maybe there are things we’ve not seen and bring these issues forward, and hopefully we can influence enough people that our funding doesn’t get out of control.”

Well, Republicans have been holding up warning signs for the last two years – and you’ve run through them all. This time, the bridge really is out – we are facing $500 million in built-in expenditures with no new funding, all in a time of economic uncertainty.

I know how Democrats bristle at the charge of being elitists. Nobody likes to be put into that club. I know those of you in the majority party certainly don’t think you belong in that category.

Well, if that is truly the case, then explain the following:

You gave Microsoft a big tax break, but didn’t extend the same to smaller Iowa-based technology companies.

You’ve been openly hostile to Iowa’s homeschoolers, while literally dumping millions of new dollars into public schools.

You thought it was okay to mandate gym class, but it wasn’t okay to mandate the Pledge of Allegiance.

You tried to force Iowans to pay union dues, regardless if they belong to union or not.

You let big casinos drive through a loophole in the smoking ban, but you stuck it to small town restaurants and bars.

You found money for an antique organ, but you couldn’t find the money for the deaf and blind children.

You gave Principal a nice $750,000 gift for the riverwalk here in Des Moines, but you couldn’t find any money to help fix old buildings on main street.

You gave a big pay raise to the governor, but you raised taxes on hundreds of thousands of working class Iowans who just want to be left alone to live their lives and make their own way.

And you know, I think that is the enduring theme of this legislature. A legislature which has continually told Iowans that we’re going to do this for your own good – whether you like it or not, because government knows best.

Why? Why?

This legislature has made a deliberate effort to limit liberties in the name of what some of you think is the public good. Now I’m about to do something that I didn’t think I’d ever do. I’m going to quote Hillary Clinton. I apologize to the Obama supporters but I found this quote from Senator Clinton and I think it perfectly describes the attitude of this General Assembly for the last two years.

In 2004 Senator Clinton said,

“We’re going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good.”

The Pages who read Atlas Shrugged know what a looter sounds like when they’ve heard one. Well, that’s a looter, and this chamber is full of them.

Republicans came in here looking to find bi-partisan consensus on things like education standards for kids, making healthcare more portable, and finding relief for the property tax payer. We worked with you where you let us. When we disagreed with you, we did it out in the open. But when the going got tough, you dropped the bi-partisan compromise in favor of political expedience behind closed doors.

You raised taxes, increased government spending, limited the ability of people to make informed decisions about their own behavior. All, I assume, in the name of helping those who can’t help themselves. All in the name of the little guy, of the forgotten man.

Ladies and Gentleman, the forgotten man the last two sessions was the taxpayer.

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Another crucial election – who will run against first term Congressman Loebsack from District 2? Teahen and Miller-Meeks are both good candidates, but I’m supporting Miller-Meeks because she seems the most “from the gut”.

Unique characteristics (Female, medical doctor, Veteran – retired as a Lt. Col. in the Army Reserves after 20 plus years of Active and Reserve service) makes her an outstanding candidate. Her health care plan sounds like Rudy (tax credit to allow citizens to shop for the best and portable deal) and she has a firm sense of self.

Click on the pdf below to open a Document of a Miller Meeks article on Stem Cell and Abortion: 2008-0422-miller-meeks.pdf

Link to Miller-Meeks website

Click on the pdf below to open a Document of a Miller-Meeks article on Health Care: health-care-miller-meeks.pdf

iowapolitics.com