Iowa Blog Roundup

By Sam Garchik

I hope you all had a good “Loyalty Day.” “Labor Day” will henceforth be called “Employer Day,” and be celebrated with firings, layoffs, and overtime without pay. Until then, seeing that one can not vote often anymore, one might want to vote early at a county auditor's office near you.

I want to begin by saying that in the interest of openness and talking about all candidates, I want to post a link to this article from Jim Larew, who has been a strong advocate of public power and progressive candidates.  Larew is supporting Chet Culver, for governor, and I wanted to give him a chance to argue why.

Same old Story, Same old Pols

Here's what I am not going to talk about:  TV ads from all the candidates running for office.  We here at Blog for Iowa know TV is important, but we like our elections clean, and our candidates honest. Somehow, advertising advertising doesn't sound like the kind of thing we should be talking about, so we won't, at least at this point.  Perhaps I should ask John Kerry if, and when, we change our minds.

After all, John is going to be in our state today.  1:30 PM, Harris Center Concert Hall, Grinnell.  It's a “Major Policy Speech,” and let me tell you.

After sitting, well, actually standing outside, because Johnny wouldn't let me and the Art Small for Senate campaign into 'his events', through many Kerry “Major Policy Speeches” in the 04 campaign, I can guarantee that the only thing that will come out of this is a bunch of multicolored tickets (The red ones are the best, if I remember correctly – they let you sit BEHIND the candidate so you can be on TV and he looks popular because he's got a diverse background.) and a position exactly opposed to the one he espoused several years ago.  Any one going there?  Email me, and I'll post your comments…Meanwhile, I'll be home watching hockey, and thinking about how it would be much more interesting to hear the Syrian ambassador, who is going to Grinnell tomorrow.

Moms and Grandmas

Next Sunday, after giving your mother flowers and celebrating the fact that she's not, like the woman below, in Iraq, you can go to a rally in Des Moines sponsored by Iowans for Sensible Priorities. They are the ones who make sure government spends money wisely. They have a rockin good cartoon where cookies represent money.  In fact, their cookiemobile will be touring the state.

Everyone, it seems, loves grandmas, except for Dr. Evil.  First, Common Iowan points out, shrub sent a six-time grandma to Iraq.  Were the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus already fighting in Afghanistan, or are they running secret prisons in Bulgaria for you?

Keep the emails coming, and see you next Saturday, same blog time, same blog channel, for another Iowa Blog Roundup.