Iowa Law Enforcement Officials Oppose Gun Amendment

Posted on October 11, 2022 by Trish Nelson

Click on the image to go to Iowans for Responsible Gun Laws


Iowa Law Enforcement officials encourage “NO’ vote on November Gun Amendment

Cedar Rapids, Iowa —  Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 2:30 p.m., Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner and Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks will discuss Public Measure #1, the Reckless Gun Amendment as part of an event put on by Iowans for Responsible Gun Laws.

Both officials will encourage the public to vote no on the amendment and explain how it could prohibit reasonable safety measures that Iowans support like firearm safety training, universal background checks, and a license to carry a gun in public.

Date of Event: Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Time of Event: 2:30 p.m.

Location: Cedar Rapids Public Library
450 5th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

You can find more information at IowansForResponsibleGunLaws.com.

***

Additional Info:

Iowans for Responsible Gun Laws is a coalition of a number of statewide organizations, including: American Association of University Women of Iowa, Americans for Democratic Action Iowa, Amnesty International of Iowa, Catholic Peace Ministry, Common Good Iowa, Des Moines Faith Committee for Peace, Dubuque Coalition for Nonviolence, Episcopal Diocese of Iowa, Franciscan Peace Center-Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, Great Plains Action Society, Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans, Iowa Catholic Conference, Iowa Citizen Action Network, Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Iowa Coalition for Collective Change, Iowa Unitarian Universalist Witness Advocacy Network, Iowans for Gun Safety, League of Women Voters of Iowa, March for our Lives Iowa, Methodist Federation for Social Action of Iowa, Moms Demand Action of Iowa, Moms Demand Action of Cedar Rapids, Moms Demand Action of Iowa City, No Justice No Peace, Plymouth United Church of Christ, Peace & Justice Committee, Progress Iowa, and Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom of Des Moines.

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Republicans Who Called Infrastructure Bill “Socialism” Now Ask Biden For Money

Posted on October 10, 2022 by Trish Nelson

This is an important speech by President Biden, warning us what is at stake if Republicans should win congress.

Biden names names calling out members of the GOP who voted against his infrastructure bill, calling it Socialism, but are now writing him and asking for money.

Biden: “I didn’t know there were that many Socialist Republicans.”

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The First DeJear Ad

Posted on October 9, 2022 by Dave Bradley

30 seconds:

Kim Reynolds has been a far right radical governor. Now she has her sights set on destroying Iowa’s once vaunted public school system. Remember when Iowa was the top pubic school system in the country? Well, it has gone down dramatically under Kim Reynolds and she wants to take even further down.

How about abortion where Reynolds wants to impose a far right radical solution. DeJear will go to bat for Iowa’s women so that women’s health care is still truly that – health care for women.

Name the issue and DeJear has Iowans in mind first. Reynolds eye is on being a hero to the far right radicals in this country.

DeJear will bring common sense back to the governor’s mansion. 

You can donate here.

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Sunday Funday: Indigenous Peoples’ Day Edition

Posted on October 9, 2022 by Dave Bradley

Indigenous Peoples’ Day (2:32)

Yet another major irony in the American calendar. America finally realizes that Columbus was not the hero he was purported to be by previous generations. So for many the day honoring Columbus has been supplanted by a day to honor the indigenous people that Columbus began the slaughter of. Now some 530 years after Columbus the incursion of Europeans that led to the extermination of native peoples and the theft of their land we give them one day a year to be commemorated.

And still their humiliation goes on.

Another what a week, for sure.

A) In a speech Thursday night President Biden warned that who was seriously considering using nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine?

B) Columbus “discovered” America in what year?

C) According to the National Bureau of Economic Research which US political party suffered a significantly higher number of deaths from covid-19?

D) What hard line anti-abortion politician gained national attention when it was revealed he paid for one girlfriend’s abortion several years ago?

E) A harbinger of yet another covid surge in the US this winter is being felt in what part of the world right now?

F) The Brazilian election last Sunday ended up with what candidate winning?

G) Yet another good job report with how many new jobs being created in September?

H) Nebraska senator Ben Sasse announced Thursday that he will resign from his senate seat to do what?

I) In perhaps one of the biggest announcements of the week, what group announce they will drastically cut oil production?

J) In yet another huge announcement, President Biden announced he would pardon people convicted under what laws?

K) Two Russians seeking to avoid compulsory military service in Russia were caught trying to sneak into the US in what state?

L) 82 years ago today, what rock and roll icon was born in Liverpool, England?

M) While transporting what major US politician, the Secret Service had an accident which they immediately tried to cover up?

N) Female student athletes in Florida must supply information about their what before they are allowed to compete?

O) In a revelation this week the National Archives reported that Trump had not returned all the what he stole?

P) In her first questions from the bench what newest SCOTUS justice noted that the 14th amendment was indeed drafted with race in mind?

Q) 130 fans were killed in what country when police used tear gas to stop a riot after a soccer game last week?

R) In Big Ten football, head coach Paul Chryst was fired at what school a day after losing to Illinois?

S) The Nobel prize in physiology went Svante Paabo for sequencing the DNA of what human ancestor?

T) What “Queen of Country Music” died last week at age 90?

Bonus) On October 11th, 1939 what scientist warned President Roosevelt that the Nazis could build an atomic bomb based on his theories?

If I were a single-issue voter, my single issue would be that traitors shouldn’t be president. Middle Age Riot

Answers:

A) Putin – really scary

B) 1492

C) Republicans

D) Herschel Walker

E) Europe with rising rates of infection in Britain, Italy and France

F) Neither candidate won over 50% so Bolsinaro and Lula will have a run off.

G) 263,000

H) become president of the U of Florida

I) OPEC+ announced they will cut production by 2 million barrels a day

J) federal marijuana laws.

K) Alaska

L) John Lennon

M) VP Kamala Harris – this is very concerning

N) menstrual cycle

O) documents.

P) Ketanji Brown Jackson (very impressive!)

Q) Indonesia

R) Wisconsin

S) Neanderthal

T) Loretta Lynn

Bonus) Albert Einstein – this led Roosevelt to begin the Manhattan Project

OPEC reduced oil production in order to drive up prices just one month before the midterm elections. Who pushed for this? Russia, along with Saudi Arabia. And who benefits politically here? Trumps, MAGA politicians and the GOP.

If gas prices go higher, remember why. – George Takei

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Progress Iowa Corn Feed And Women’s March This Weekend

Posted on October 8, 2022 by Dave Bradley

From our friends at Progress Iowa – a reminder that their annual corn feed will be held in Cedar Rapids this afternoon:

Did you know the National Women’s March is this weekend? With several events in Iowa, you can take action and show your support no matter which corner of the state you live in!

As October 8 is the national march, Progress Iowa will be hosting local leaders, storytellers, and officeholders to recognize the Women’s Wave at our 8th annual Progress Iowa Corn Feed. We can’t wait to hear from Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa Chair Dana Larson, Organizer & Reproductive Rights Advocate Mica Doolan, and Kate Reveaux with NARAL Iowa at this event!

Make sure to register here for the Progress Iowa Corn Feed with a Women’s March program on Saturday, October 8th in Cedar Rapids!

This weekend, there will also be a Women’s Wave: Power to the Polls event in Des Moines! The event will take place at the Iowa State Capitol on Sunday, October 9th at 2 p.m. You can register here!

To find more Women’s Wave events near you, please use the Women’s March event location tool here.

Thanks for taking action!
– The Progress Iowa Team
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Republican Governors

Posted on October 8, 2022 by Dave Bradley

Meidas Touch commenting on James Carville interview (6:50)

In the video above James Carville deservedly rails against the lousy job of governing done by Republican governors across the country. Republican governors are much more about culture wars and owning the libs. While much of the video centers on the more nationally known governors, Kim Reynolds’ lousy record could easily be slipped in to the narrative.

When we elect a governor we are looking more for someone we feel has the judgement, temperament and intelligence to understand and execute the law. We make our judgements based on a person’s performance in past endeavors. Reynolds’ past endeavors – her years as governor – have been far from impressive.

She has been instrumental in taking Iowa’s share of Medicaid money and moving it from patient care to billion dollar corporation executives to start with. Then we can add in her truly pathetic response to the corona virus in Iowa. Who can forget meat packing plant workers dying and Reynolds doing nothing? I sure can’t.

Packing plant workers were not the only ones who suffered from the Reynolds hands off policy. Who can forget the mess in nursing homes? 

Reynolds’ lack of leadership during the height of the covid pandemic – who knows if we are done yet? – was just a part of the picture. Do you remember when Reynolds sent members of the Iowa Highway Patrol to Texas? Can anyone explain why she did that? The only explanation I have heard is that Reynolds used state money and resources to try to embarrass the President.

She was in the terms used in the video engaging in cosplay – pretending she was some kind of a national hero. 

While she was wasting our time and money in Texas,  back here in Iowa she has been working extra hard at undermining Iowa’s public school system. She simply wants to do to the public school system what she did to Iowa’s Medicaid system – fork over huge dollars to private companies for what will probably be a much lesser and much less regulated school system. 

Teachers are leaving in droves in Iowa and Reynolds does nothing but fight to destroy our public school system while touting unproven privatized schools.

Iowa also has a real crisis looming with rural hospital closures. According to Beckers Hospital Review, Iowa has 44% of its rural hospitals under threat of closure. Blessing Hospital in Keokuk recently announced its upcoming closure. Given Reynolds’ response to other Iowa problems I think we can expect a bumbling, inept response to this looming crisis.

Iowa
Rural hospitals at risk of closing: 40 (44 percent)

And of course Iowa has the ongoing problems of water pollution around the state that Reynolds simply cares not to deal with. She is focused on destroying Iowa’s once proud school system.

And what’s this about wanting her own Attorney General? The AG is supposed to separate and independent from the governor. Does she want to be Iowa’s tin-horn dictator?

Let me add that when Reynolds is seeking the endorsement of a former leader who committed treason, that sends a really bad signal.

Finally there is her opposition to abortion. In order to stay in the pantheon of Republican heroes, Reynolds must take a hard line far right approach to abortion that is totally out of touch with the reality that women face. 

I don’t see how Deidre DeJear could be much worse. I can easily see how DeJear could be much better. For one thing, DeJear believes in fully funding Iowa schools. She has a history of stepping up and addressing problems. She will not be bought by business interests. A DeJear governorship could be a first step in returning Iowa to its reputation of being a state that makes its leaders prove their worthiness.

Kim Reynolds has certainly not proven her worthiness for office, She has proven her incompetence and unwillingness to address real world problems.

Posted in 2022 Election campaign, Covid-19, Kim Reynolds, Republican Policy | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Watch The Franken v Grassley Debate

Posted on October 7, 2022 by Trish Nelson

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Support Rob Sand for State Auditor

Posted on October 6, 2022 by Trish Nelson

Support Rob Sand for state auditor by donating or signing up to volunteer for his campaign.  robsand.com/  In the meantime enjoy this really well done ad that does not use dark shadowy pictures and scary voices predicting doom and gloom.

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Join The CCI Webinar How to Fight a Factory Farm

Posted on October 5, 2022 by Trish Nelson


From our inbox. Check out this webinar. No organization that we know of works harder than CCI to stop factory farms.

It’s no secret that CCI has always said “NO” to factory farms and “YES” to family farms. CCI members have been in the fight since confinements started dotting Iowa’s countryside in the late 90’s. And we won’t back down ’til factory farms cease to exist!

Join us Thursday, October 13th, from 6:30-7:30 PM for our webinar “How to Fight a Factory Farm” presented by Iowa’s experts—CCI members.

We’re up against massive corporations with massive dollars in their bank accounts. But we know that organized people can, have, and will continue to win fights against proposed confinements. 

As we’re seeing more calls about corporate giants such as Summit, Prestage, and Iowa Select trying to expand across rural Iowa, we want to make sure you and your neighbors know how to stop factory farms in their tracks!

Who’s this webinar for? This is a webinar for anyone who wants to be prepared to stop a factory farm in your area or who wants to learn more about this issue. We also welcome the seasoned factory farm fighters to join us to share your experience and knowledge.

We’ll cover:

  • The history and context of the ongoing fight for clean air and water, the call for reestablishment of family farms, and the necessity of a moratorium on factory farms.
  • How CCI can help you build people power in your own community
  • Strategies can be used to confront Big Ag Bullies
  • How to critically read a Master Matrix
  • What we can do at state and local level when your community is not actively fighting a factory farm permit application

And, it’s a great chance to be in community with other factory farm fighters across the state. There’s a wealth of experience in this community!

Click here to register and join Iowa CCI members on October 13th from 6:30-7:30. Together, we’re building a food and farming system that works for farmers, workers, eaters, and the environment.

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Watch Iowa Agriculture Secretary Debate On Iowa Press

Posted on October 4, 2022 by Trish Nelson

Candidates for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig (R – Dallas County), incumbent secretary of agriculture, and John Norwood (D – Ankeny).

Kudos to Brianne Pfannenstiel of the Des Moines Register, for asking a follow up question of Naig, but they still didn’t get an answer to the original question.

To support Democrat John Norwood visit his website norwood4iowa.com/

Posted in Blog for Iowa | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment