Battles Democratic “Can't Do” Spirit
If you didn't get the chance to read Art Small's captivating and humorous speech from the State Convention, go here.
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Why Iowa Democrats are denying you a choice in the November election
So, just
what exactly is the deal with the Iowa Democratic Party? Everyone
knows they are a disorganized lot, but their judgment doesn't look all
that keen either. In a year when career politician Chuck
Grassley, the smug and out-of-touch architect of the atrocious Medicare bill
that lines more than the pockets of the big pharmaceutical companies,
is more vulnerable than ever before, the IDP just decides to give the
election to Grassley. Their lack of support, in financial terms
and in terms of resources, for the campaign of the charming and
literate Art Small, is disheartening.
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“Art’s
greatest strength is that he’s very plainspoken,” says Gordon Fischer,
State Democratic Party Chairman. “What you see is what you get, and
voters crave that authenticity and don’t want some blow-dried, made-up
politician. They meet Art, and they think he’s 1000 percent genuine.”
Lip service, Gordon, lip service.
According
to this excellent article in CityView: Central Iowa's Smart
Alternative, key Democrats are saying that “Small is just the latest on
a long list of sacrificial lambs the Democratic Party of Iowa has
offered to take on the powerful Grassley, who as chairman of the Senate
Finance Committee is able to attract millions from big lobbying
interests that hope he’ll shepherd their causes through the legislative
process. In a political process in which name recognition and campaign
fund-raising are inexorably linked, Small finds himself in a bit of a
Catch-22 situation: He can’t get his message out if he can’t buy
campaign advertising, and he can’t raise the money to buy the
advertising if he can’t get his message out, and without either,
members of a fickle media often write off his candidacy as non-viable.
To survive through November, Small has to get creative in reaching out
to voters.”
Looks like Art Small needs to be recognized as a Dean Dozen candidate. Send in your recommendation to blog@democracyforiowa.com and I'll forward it to the gal in charge at DFA.
“Small
is paddling upstream. Taking on Grassley, who reported $5.9 million in
cash on hand in his May 19 campaign finance disclosure is daunting,
“like climbing Mount Everest,” Small says. Grassley gets more money from
political action committees than any other U.S. senator. In the most
recent reporting period, more than a third of the contributions to the
Grassley campaign – 37 percent – came from PACs.”
“Grassley
was the chief architect of the Medicare reform bill, “a big, wet kiss
to pharmaceutical companies,” Democratic Party of Iowa Chairman Gordon
Fischer says.
Ol' Gordo does
have a way with words, doesn't he? I just wish I could get his
speech from last year's Harkin Steak Fry out of my mind.
Fischer, Small and many other Democrats say it’s no
coincidence that pharmaceutical and health products industry PACs have
been Grassley’s fourth-largest contributor so far in the 2004 campaign.”
“Nothing
could be further from reform,” says Roxanne Conlin, the Democrats’ 1978
gubernatorial nominee who considered challenging Grassley’s bid for a
fifth term in the Senate. “It’s an incredible giveaway to drug
companies, and he needs to account for his conduct in Washington.”
“Longtime
political strategist Eric Woolson, a spokesman for former Republican
Gov. Terry Branstad from 1996 to 1999, says Democrats missed one of
their best chances ever to reclaim the seat. Their timidity in
nominating a candidate with statewide name recognition, Woolson
believes, “says more about the Iowa Democratic Party than about Art
Small.”
“Nobody
stepped forward, whether Chet, [Lt. Gov.] Sally [Pederson], Tom Vilsack
or Roxanne. Everybody’s number comes up, yet these people would do it.
They’re a cautious – I wouldn’t even say cautious – they’re a timid
lot,” Woolson says. “It says they were willing to give up, without even
a fight.”
Read the full article here.
Read more about Art Small here.
Contribute to the Art Small for U.S. Senate campaign here.
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