I’m giving a talk this Thursday, March 8 at 7:30
p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Student Center, 1150 28th Street in Des
Moines.  It’s the annual Stringfellow Lecture, and the subject of my
talk is “Politics as a Religious Vocation.”  I’m excited about it
because, while I do a lot of public speaking, I don’t often get to
discuss the confluence of faith and politics in my life.  It’s free and
open to the public. Regardless of your own faith journey, regardless of
whether or not you even have a faith journey, I’d be delighted to see
you there.

While my faith is Christianity, I have profound
respect for all true religions.  Over the years, the wisdom I have
garnered from other faiths has helped me understand my own faith
better.  Yet the gospel is, for me, a true inspiration.  Jesus is one
of my political heroes.  Divinity aside, any guy who can take on a
corrupt foreign power and a compliant domestic power while feeding the
poor, healing the sick and preaching good news to the downtrodden –
well, that’s somebody I’d like to meet.

LOCAL ACTION ON GLOBAL WARMING

April
14 will mark a national day of action to raise awareness about the
threat of global warming.  Author Bill McKibben is spear-heading the
effort.  Across the country, nearly 800 actions are being organized by
local residents, including events in five Iowa cities:  Ames, Cedar
Rapids, Des Moines, Keokuk and Marshalltown.  For more information, or
to initiate an event in your town, see http://events.stepitup2007.org/.

EASTERN IOWA GRASSROOTS TRAINING

The
national leadership of Democracy for America will hold a training
academy in Cedar Rapids on March 24-25.  The focus is on fine-tuning
skills relevant to working with presidential candidates and preparing
for the Iowa caucuses.  Experienced campaign professionals will cover
practical strategies and tactics including communications, fundraising,
voter targeting, online organizing and building a sustainable
grassroots movement.  For more information, contact http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=17104.

CENTRAL IOWA POLITICAL SOUP SUPPER

Join
me Friday, March 9 from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the home of Karla Hansen,
1621 NW 107th Street in Clive.  Karla writes, “You are not alone!
 Other progressives are tired of feeling that their highest values –
peace, justice, equality and the common good – are ignored by those
elected to represent us.  If you feel it is important to put
progressive values back into the mainstream of political debate, please
join us for conversation and exploration.”  RSVP to Karla at (515)
440-3395 or karlahansen@hotmail.com.

BUSES TO D.C. CALL FOR AN END TO IRAQ WAR

Two
buses will leave Des Moines for Washington, DC on Friday, March 16 for
a national day of action marking four years since the start of the Iraq
War, and calling for an end to the war.  There will be a send-off for
the buses at 10:30 a.m. at the historic fire station at 1041 8th Street
in Des Moines.  Contact Chet Guinn at (515) 282-8054.

VOICE PASSES HOUSE COMMITTEE!!
Thanks
to all of you who took the time to call, write, e-mail and speak with
your state legislators.  HSB 105 – the Voter-Owned Iowa Clean Elections
bill – passed the House State Government Committee today with 14 votes.
 Two weeks ago, we could only count nine “aye” votes, so this is an
example where the grassroots really made a difference.  Be sure to
thank representatives who supported the bill.  They are Jochum,
Gaskill, Lensing, Whithead, Abdul-Samad, Jacoby, Wessel-Kroeschell,
Quirk, Shomshor, Taylor (Todd), Pettengill, Wendt, Raecker and
Kaufmann.  A similar bill will be up for a vote in the Senate State
Government Committee on Thursday.

JOHN EDWARDS IN IOWA THIS WEEKEND

Friday, March 9 at 12:15 p.m.
Council Bluffs Senior Center
714 Main Street, Council Bluffs

Friday, March 9 at 5:15 p.m.
Sanford Community Center
1700 Geneva Street, Sioux City

Saturday, March 10 at 11:00 a.m.
UAW Local #997
1813 1st Street North, Newton

Saturday, March 10 at 2:00 p.m.
Indian Hills Community College
Advanced Technology Center, Ottumwa

Saturday, March 10 at 5:45 p.m.
Burlington Convention Hall
310 Jefferson Street, Burlington