Sunday Funday: 100 Days Until The Election

Posted on July 29, 2018 by Dave Bradley

 

Video 7 minutes:

If you haven’t stepped up now is the time. There are doors to knock, there are contributions to make, there are phone calls to make, there are absentee ballots to be requested. Candidates not only need your money – never met a Democrat who didn’t need some monetary help – but they also need your help. 

Maybe you could whip up some food to feed campaign workers? How about writing some post cards or stuffing some envelopes? Get down to your county Democratic headquarters or sign up with a candidate online. You will be proud to know you helped and any and all help will be appreciated.

Ever think of writing a letter to the editor of your local paper? Now is the time!

Oy Vey! Another week into the abyss.

  1. “Hey, I am not coming for a visit, but why don’t you come here?” said what world leader to what other world non-leader last week?
  1. Allen Weisselberg is suddenly a household name. Who is he?
  1. 10:30 PM last Sunday night, Dear Leader threatened to go to war with what country?
  1. As of what date will Americans be able to download plans for guns which can be printed on 3D printers? This will include AR15s.
  1. The first target of Russian interference has been identified as what senator in a close re-election battle?
  1. In a lawsuit involving what clause of the constitution concerning a president personally profiting from foreign or state governments due to the office did a judge allow to proceed?
  1. In another court setback for the administration, a federal judge refused to dismiss a lawsuit that is trying to strike what from the next census?
  1. In writings of SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh coming to light, Kavanaugh feels that the SCOTUS decision against what president was wrongly decided?
  1. Even though the defendant in the case admitted to the crime in court, jurors refused to convict a man in Georgia for what offense Friday?
  1. Who is the latest major entertainment figure to be hit with sexual misconduct allegations?
  1. What big social media companies have seen their stock prices plunge amid lower profits and users as they attempt to battle hate speech and abuse?
  1. In negative commercials aimed at Iowa Democratic gubernatorial candidate Fred Hubbell people claiming to have lost jobs at Yonkers due to Hubbell are actually what?
  1. In the create a problem and pretend to fix a problem what group will be getting up to $12 billion from the Department of Agriculture to offset loses caused by US unilateral tariff actions?
  1. Dear Leader’s announcement of new trade agreements with what group this week appears to be little more than vague, unenforceable promises?
  1. August 1, 1944 the last entry is written into what diary that would become a world wide best seller?
  1. A man in what Canadian city opened gunfire killing two and injured 13?
  1. Scientists from Italy located water in what unlikely place last week?
  1. August 2, 1776, 55 members of the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to do what?
  1. In a sort of ironic twist, Rep. Jim Jordan, former assistant college wrestling coach, currently involved in the Ohio State sexual abuse scandal, let it be known that he is interested in what position?
  1. Among many errors at his appearance, Dear Leader forgot the name of what major Iowa politician?

Bonus question: What beloved Des Moines Register and Cedar Rapids Gazette columnist died last week?

John Fugelsang:  “Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudy is on TV saying we can’t trust Donald Trump’s lawyer Mike because Donald Trump hires terrible liars to be his lawyers.” 

Answers:

  1. Putin to our Dear Leader
  1. Trump, Inc. accountant who was subpoenaed to testify by the Mueller probe this week
  1. Iran – or it surely read like a threat
  1. Aug. 1
  1. Claire McCaskill in Missouri
  1. The emoluments clause
  1. The question concerning citizenship inserted by the current administration
  1. Nixon in the case where Nixon was forced to turn over recordings that were public records
  1. Growing marijuana for personal medicinal use
  1. CBS president Les Moonves
  1. Facebook and Twitter
  1. Republican county officials. Since the commercial talks about a time 30 years ago, some wouldn’t have even been in school yet.
  1. Farmers
  1. Europe
  1. Anne Frank’s Diary
  1. Toronto
  1. Mars
  1. Sign the parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence
  1. Speaker of the House. The irony is that former speaker Dennis Hastert was a wrestling coach who was involved in a sexual abuse scandal
  1. Rod Blum. It was in Blum’s district. Blum must really be hiding in Washington

Bonus answer: Donald Kaul. See, you knew without me saying RAGBRAI.  We shall miss his wit.

ideological pure vote

Posted in #trumpresistance, Blog for Iowa, Humor | Comments Off on Sunday Funday: 100 Days Until The Election

From A Diedre DeJear Email

Posted on July 28, 2018 by Dave Bradley
Deidre DeJear

Secretary of State Candidate Deidre DeJear

With all the other races in Iowa and across the country some races get a bit dwarfed. Let’s not forget Diedre DeJear folks. Ms. DeJear is in a quest to restore the Iowa Secretary of State’s office to an office that will be working to make sure all eligible Iowans vote.

Like in many Republican controlled states, Iowa has taken major steps backwards in voting eligibility. This is wrong and an attempt to win elections by shrinking the electorate. Iowa’s current Secretary of State throughout the year seems to be full of praise for the voter suppression bill, but quite short on knowledge of what is in it. Some good examples of what happened in real life were compiled by desmoinesdem at bleedingheartland.com last March. 

And this guy wants your vote.

Time for a change folks. It is time to move away from tricks like voter suppression to win elections. If Republicans can’t win elections on their platforms and  letting all citizens vote and be counted, then they should take the consequences. Understand that if voter suppression works this time, it will only get worse.

Time to change to a candidate who believes in the people and will work on their behalf. Deidre DeJear is that person.

Which brings me to the email blast that was sent out last Wednesday from the DeJear campaign:

Today is a giant step forward in the fight to restore voting rights in our state. Minutes ago a judge blocked the most egregious parts of Paul Pate’s Voter ID bill. What does this mean in 2018? In short: nearly two weeks of early voting have been restored, and thousands of voters will not be prevented from voting this November because they don’t have the required forms of identification.

This doesn’t mean our work is over: chip in $5 or $10 today so our campaign get every eligible voter out to the polls!

The passage of HF 516 was a step backwards for Iowa. The law infringes on the rights of students, the elderly, people with disabilities, minorities and those living below the poverty line. Out on the road, I heard story after story from voters who don’t have an ID, aren’t mobile, or were unable to cast their ballots because of HF 516.

Paul Pate is the only Secretary of State to commission a voter ID law such as this – and now he has been ordered to stop his deliberately misleading advertising campaign around the changes.

This is a good day for all Iowa voters. 

The court’s ruling today will make it easier for so many to cast their ballots this fall. I am proud of those who stood up to challenge this unnecessary and tedious law. One thing is clear: voters are making their voices heard in 2018, and that all starts at the ballot box.

It truly is the #YearoftheVoter!

Deidre DeJear

An interesting sidelight to the judge’s decision in this case is that in training held by the Secretary of State’s office Thursday, the county auditors who were assembled in Iowa City for training on the new rules were told by State Director of Elections to follow the law despite the judge’s decision:

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa election officials were told Thursday to follow the state’s new voter identification law despite a judge’s order that temporarily halted several provisions, according to two county auditors.

 

Polk County Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald and Linn County Auditor Joel Miller said Ken Kline, deputy commissioner of elections at the Secretary of State’s Office, told a gathering of the Iowa County Auditor Association in Iowa City they didn’t need to follow a temporary injunction issued Wednesday by Polk County Judge Karen Romano.

The two county auditors said Dawn Wilson, director of elections at the Secretary of State’s Office, told election officials to expect written guidance at a later date. Miller called their comments “inappropriate.”

 

“I’m sure they scripted it before they went up there,” Miller said. “They’re supposed to be the know-it-alls on this particular topic and they flubbed up.”

 

That is a great step forward, but you know Republicans will not rest at this. They will fight to reverse this decision.

Therefore, each and every Iowa voter needs to protect themselves this election. Check at the Secretary of State’s website  or give your county auditor a call to make sure you are registered.

And don’t forget a little cash to help Deidre Dejear. https://www.dejearforiowa.com/meetdeidre

Posted in 2018 Election Campaign, Blog for Iowa, voter suppression | Tagged , , | Comments Off on From A Diedre DeJear Email

Getting Involved In The Campaigns From Rob Hogg

Posted on July 28, 2018 by Dave Bradley
Image (4) rob-hogg-150x150.jpg for post 26982

Rob Hogg

Upcoming Events including the Iowa Democratic Wing Ding and events with Molly Donahue, Tracy Ehlert and Art Staed

Canvassing for Abby Finkenauer this Saturday in Cedar Rapids

Dear Friends:

This is just a reminder that I hope you can join me tonight, Thursday, July 26, starting at 7:00 p.m., at the Parlor City Pub, 1125 3rd St. SE, in the NewBo District in Cedar Rapids. Linn County Supervisor Stacey Walker will also be there.

This is an opportunity to visit informally about issues and to get more involved. I am especially interested in getting new and young voters involved, and you can stop by after the regular “meet me at the market” at the NewBo Market that starts at 5:00 p.m.

Contributions to “Citizens for Rob Hogg” are welcome, but not required. Appetizers will be provided. Cash bar. For more details, and to invite your friends, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/events/465745467209877/

If you cannot attend tonight but want to get more involved, please join me for one of the other upcoming events listed below, or feel free to send me an email at senatorrobhogg@gmail.com and I will try to connect you to volunteer opportunities in or near the community where you live.

From the wine and cheese fundraiser with candidates Marie Gleason and Joan Martilla in Scott County tonight, Thursday, July 26, to the “Summer Sizzler” in Dickinson County next Wednesday, August 1, there are many ways for Iowans to get more involved all across our state.

If you would like to contribute financially, but cannot attend tonight, please send a check made payable to “Citizens for Rob Hogg,” P.O. Box 1361, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406, or contribute online at www.robhogg.org.

Since January 1, 2017, I have now received over 720 contributions for my campaign. I hope to get to over 1,000 contributions before November. So please contribute generously as you are able – $10, $20, $50, $100, $350, $1,000, whatever works for you.

Other Upcoming Events

Here are other upcoming events on my public schedule at www.robhogg.org – I hope you can join me for one or more of these upcoming events.

Canvass for Abby Finkenauer, Saturday, July 28, 10:00 a.m., Cedar Rapids – I will be helping our Congressional candidate, Abby Finkenauer, by kicking off a canvass for her this Saturday at 10:00 a.m. from her office, 1855 1st Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. For more details, and to invite your friends, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/events/207530363198204/

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock Saturday, July 28, 3:00 p.m., Cedar Rapids – I will be attending this “meet and greet” with Gov. Bullock at Lucky’s, 86 16th Ave. SE, in Czech Village in Cedar Rapids. Gov. Bullock is a potential candidate for President in 2020. For more details, and to invite your friends, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/events/2040669136007156/

Molly Donahue Fundraiser, Thursday, Aug. 9, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Marion – I am co-hosting this fundraising event for Molly Donahue, candidate for state representative in Iowa House District 68, at Naso’s restaurant, 453 7th Ave., in Marion. For more details, and to invite your friends, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/events/644313222607361/

Iowa Democratic Wing Ding, Friday, Aug. 10, 5:00 p.m., Clear Lake – Please join me for this annual event at the historic Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake. Tickets start at $30 per person and go to support Democratic county parties who sponsor the event. For more details and a list of speakers, and to get your tickets, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1346418825457551/

Make your plans to stay for the weekend after the Wing Ding and help Congressional candidate J.D. Scholten (or Abby Finkenauer in Worth, Mitchell, and Howard Counties) and one or more of our state legislative candidates in the area.

“Issue School,” Tuesday, Aug. 14, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Cedar Rapids – After a successful “issue school” last week, I am offering this class again in Beems Auditorium Room B at the downtown public library, 450 5th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. For more details, and to invite your friends, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/events/823621904693000/

Legislative Coffee, Friday, August 17, 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., Cedar Rapids – For those who want to discuss legislative and campaign issues informally over coffee, join me at the Blue Strawberry, 118 2nd St. SE, in downtown Cedar Rapids. For more details, and to invite your friends, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/events/2136552969963355/

Tracy Ehlert Day of Action, Saturday, August 18, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Cedar Rapids – I will be canvassing for Tracy Ehlert, candidate for state representative in Iowa House District 70 from a private residence at 2510 K Avenue in northwest Cedar Rapids. For more details, and to invite your friends, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/events/197962664253057/

Art Staed and Rob Hogg “Back to School” Picnic, Sunday, August 19, 4:30 to 6:00 p.m., Cedar Rapids – Join Art Staed and me for our “back to school” picnic at Creekside Pavilion in Noelridge Park off of Golf Street NE near Harding Middle School. For more details, and to invite your friends, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/events/249919379121083/

As always, I hope this information is helpful. Let me know if you would like my help to get more involved in campaigns this year. Together, with a renewed spirit of citizenship, we can stop and reverse the damage being done to our state and our country, and build a better future for all Iowans and all Americans.

Rob

Senator Rob Hogg

Cedar Rapids

www.robhogg.org
Posted in 2018 Election Campaign, Blog for Iowa | Tagged | Comments Off on Getting Involved In The Campaigns From Rob Hogg

Observations On A Nice Summer Day

Posted on July 28, 2018 by Dave Bradley
thunderstorm-rolling-in

Thunderstorm Rolling In

World-wide Weather:

After a scorching June, July is exiting in graceful fashion. But let’s be honest, the trend around the world is not good. More heat creating more unstable and more extreme weather. This week’s spotlight where unheard of weather event are happening in Finland, Sweden and Norway have seen temperatures in the 90s, well over the normal highs of about 73. 

In Japan, temperatures have broken the hover above and below the 100 degree mark near Tokyo. In a country that uses little air conditioning, the extreme weather has been devastating.

According to CNN June 2018 was the fifth hottest June ever with all of the top ten hottest Junes coming after 2005. Gee, who could have ever predicted this, I wonder? Maybe U of Iowa graduate James Hansen?  

james hansen

Farmer Bailout:

Let’s call it what it is: A blatant bribery attempt using our money to paper over one of the most boneheaded policy decisions in American history. Trump’s decision was his and his alone despite loud pleading from friend and foe alike. I don’t know about you, but the thought of Donald Trump using my money to pay off those he harmed through his own stupidity is galling. I would never vote for him of course, and I certainly will not vote for anyone running for office who supports him.

Of course this is exactly what he did in private life – use other people’s money to pay for his boneheaded decisions either through his “charity” or with money from his investors. This makes the American people simply another group in the long line people Trump has defrauded.

Isn’t he in the “party of personal responsibility?” Well, Donald, take some responsibility and pay for the catastrophic error you made with your own money for once. You claim to be rich. Pay for your own damn mistakes. $12 billion? Pocket change, right Donnie?

Separated Families:

Thursday came and went with yet another failure for the current administration. After imposing perhaps one of the most cruel policies ever imposed by the US on. Innocent children, the current incredibly incompetent administration has failed miserably in putting families they ripped apart back together by a court issued deadline. Think if it was your family and your children. Think of the misery they have caused. How can we trust this super-incompetent group with anything?

Ernst on Kavanaugh:

I have no doubt that the Ernst office churns out a canned response for pretty much every question that we peons email to her staff. For some reason I found the canned response from her office on Kavanaugh must have been written by a staff laughing their butts off as they remembered what Republicans did to Merrick Garland. From an email response:

“Judge Kavanaugh is a well-qualified nominee who deserves a respectful and timely confirmation. I am confident that Senator Grassley, as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will ensure that this Supreme Court vacancy is filled in a way that respects the rule of law while fully vetting the individual put forth for confirmation. I look forward to the next several months where my colleagues and I will have the opportunity to participate in a comprehensive and fair confirmation process.

As your U.S. Senator, I take the role of judicial confirmation very seriously, and I appreciate your input. Please feel free to contact my office with any additional information, as I always appreciate hearing from Iowans.”

Her staff must have been laughing their asses off when they wrote lines like “Grassley …. respects the rule of law” and “fair confirmation process” and “I take the role of judicial confirmation very seriously.”

Her re-election really depends on us being as stupid as she thinks we are.

Puerto Rico and Iowa Storms:

I am sure I am not the only one who thought of how miserably Puerto Rico has been treated by the Trump administration after being devastated by Hurricane Maria 10 months ago as tornadoes ripped through Marshalltown, Pella and Bondurant. 

Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the US and it’s people are citizens of the US. However the administration has treated them like dirt. Their population is slightly larger than Iowa’s. They certainly deserved to be treated as any other state. Yet, you can bet that when our Republican governor goes calling for help to recover from last week’s tornadoes, the administration will jump to her requests. This is a Republican governorship in an election year. Getting VIP treatment during an election year will make Reynolds look good.

Compare what Iowa gets to what is still happening in Puerto Rico and ask yourself, how blatant can they be?

Rural Hospitals – How Are They Doing?

With all the air being sucked out daily by the incredible incompetence and criminal activity of the current administration we lose track of some of the things that really affect Iowans daily life. A year ago as I recall the Iowa senate was having committee hearings on the effects of the privatized Medicaid system imposed on the state by its former governor.

Much of what was reported was scary. Late payments, no payments or drastically reduced payments for services by the MCO companies handling our Medicaid were having serious effects on practitioners and more especially rural hospitals. Has there been any followup?

All I remember from the last legislative session is that the MCOs needed more money and that Republicans thought the system was working well, despite evidence it wasn’t

Closing hospitals in rural areas in Iowa would be catastrophic in some areas. Having people’s health based on the profit motive has never made sense. Fred Hubbell has promised to return Medicaid to public control. That is where it should be.

Finally: Sinclair’s Takeover Of Tribune Company Looks Like a No-Go:

Consolidation of media is never good. Democracies need a wide variety of voices to present views. The takeover bid of Tribune Company by Sinclair was even too much for Republicans on the FCC. Maybe some of them understood that as the number of voices lessens their power increases dramatically. One day a powerful voice may turn on them. 

We have been following Sinclair on blogforiowa for quite a while. Stopping this takeover is good news. We thank all who took time to contact the FCC or their congress member to stop this.

Now if we could get the FCC to return the internet to a net neutrality rule……. 

Posted in #trumpresistance, 2018 Election Campaign, Blog for Iowa, Climate Change, Joni Ernst, Kim Reynolds | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Observations On A Nice Summer Day

RAGBRAI 2018

Posted on July 27, 2018 by Paul Deaton

On RAGBRAI Near Deep River, Iowa. Photo by Trish Nelson

(Editor’s Note: Trish Nelson is taking a break from editing Blog for Iowa this July and August. One of her annual activities is riding RAGBRAI and she sent some photos of her experience this year. This is also her remembrance of the early years of RAGBRAI when the late Donald Kaul and John Karras would ride the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa they started).

We did frequently encounter Kaul and Karras on RAGBRAI in the early years. In small town bars (mostly Kaul), and on the road. Mostly we’d see Karras wearing his Des Moines Register RAGBRAI jersey, walking around the small towns and the stops, carrying a notebook and dutifully recording every name of every civic group and every person who made the best pie or cinnamon roll or homemade ice cream, etc.

Civil War Muskets in the Poweshiek County Courthouse. Photo by Trish Nelson

A part of the morning routine would be to read Kaul and Karras’s columns the next day in the Register because the special RAGBRAI edition would be delivered to the campground. Kaul basically did color commentary and Karras did play-by-play.  They were an integral part of the early RAGBRAIs.  Today, there are so many riders you could go all week and never see Kaul and Karras even if they were along. But back then, you could see the same people all week.

One year, Karras rode by me toward the end of the 100 mile day (those used to be obligatory, not an optional loop) and I guess I must’ve looked pretty tuckered out because he asked me if I was okay. I was. This was when the road was much less crowded than it is now and you actually conversed with strangers.  Also, my brother was one of the few who rode the entire day on the infamous “soggy Monday.”  He remembers seeing Kaul at the last town before the overnight town.  Kaul also rode the entire day that day, a rare feat that hardly anyone can claim, even the most veteran of riders.

~ Trish Nelson is expected to return to editing Blog for Iowa on Sept. 3

Poweshiek County Courthouse – Second Oldest in Iowa. Photo by Trish Nelson

Posted in Progressive Community | Tagged , , | Comments Off on RAGBRAI 2018

Advocating For Those With Four Paws

Posted on July 27, 2018 by Paul Deaton

Preston Moore and Mindi Callison-Long at U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley’s D.C. office.

Mindi Callison-Long created Bailing out Benji, an organization devoted to putting an end to puppy mills through educational outreach, advocacy and rescue, in 2011 when she was 21 years old. She recently made a trip to Washington, D.C. with animal advocates from around the country to lobby our federal legislators on animal legislation needs.

She made this post on Facebook, along with some ideas for animal rights advocacy.

“We will share more later- but I’m SO grateful to have spent the day with Preston Moore from The Humane Society of the United States – Iowa talking to all of our Iowa Senators and Representatives about the dangerous King Amendment (PICA) , as well as the wonderful acts regarding Pet and Women Safety (PAWS act), Animal Fighting in the US territories (PACE) , the Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act, and about Preserving the Endangered Species (ESA).

Some of our legislators listened, others did not. But the one thing we heard from everyone is that they had been getting emails from all of YOU and they appreciate it. If you have not spoken with your legislators about the issues I listed above please do so ASAP! Final changes are being made very soon and the whole bill could be finished by September.

While we need everyone to contact their legislators, we specifically need people in the following districts to email. (Find a contact form here).

District 1 (Cedar Rapids and North Eastern Iowa ) : Rod Blum

District 3 (Des Moines and South Western Iowa): David Young

And District 4 (Ames and North Western Iowa) : Steve King

Tell your legislators who you are, what city and county you live in, that you are a volunteer with Bailing Out Benji (or whoever!). Ask your friends and family to do so as well. And then urge your congressmen to:

OPPOSE

Protect Interstate Commerce Act (PICA, HR4879)… King Amendment

And INCLUDE in the final farm bill:

  • Pet and women safety act (PAWS, HR 909 , S322)
  • Parity in Animal Cruelty Enforcement (PACE , HR 4202 , S2971)
  • Dog and cat meat trade (HR1406)
  • Preserving the endangered species act (ESA)

It sounds like we have overwhelming support for PAWS and the Dog and Cat meat trade in the U.S. Hopefully for PACE as well (everyone but Loebsack (District 2) and King (District 4) votes to end animal fighting in the territories.

This weekend has been amazing and we will have a lot to share with you. Preston and I were so proud to work together to represent Iowa and we can’t wait to continue trying to bring all of our states advocates together to be one strong voice for the animals.

Please call or send a quick and polite email today! Your legislators need to hear from YOU!

Follow Bailing Out Benji on Facebook here.

Posted in politics, Progressive Community, progressive values | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Advocating For Those With Four Paws

Iowa Environmental Council Weekly Water Watch

Posted on July 26, 2018 by Paul Deaton

(Editor’s Note: The Iowa Environmental Council monitors harmful algae blooms throughout the state. Here’s a link to their July 20 report).

Weekly Water Watch is really about this:  taking a minute to 1) see Iowa’s lakes as resource, 2) understand threats to lake water quality, and 3) really ask ourselves — how much is clean water worth?

Quick recap:  When fertilizer is sprayed onto Iowa farm fields, those chemicals/nutrients go somewhere. Onto the crops to help them grow, yes. But all too often, those nutrients are carried away from farm fields via runoff or underground tile drainage lines into Iowa’s waters. To our rivers. To our lakes. When those nutrients enter warm water and combine with sunlight, they cause things to grow. Things like harmful algae blooms (HABs).

It’s not just a bummer when gross blue-green algae is floating in our lakes.

Sometimes, it’s a serious public health concern.

Why?  Because harmful algae blooms can release toxins in the water (like microcystin) that can poison people + pets + livestock.

To read the entire Iowa Environmental Council Weekly Water Watch, including links to drinking water and beach monitoring sites, click here.

Check out The Iowa Environmental Council here.

Posted in Iowa Environmental Council | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Ed Fallon, Bold Iowa And The Dakota Access Pipeline

Posted on July 25, 2018 by Paul Deaton

Ed Fallon in His Garden

Ed Fallon lives and works in Des Moines and has long been a friend of Blog for Iowa. Here’s an update on Ed’s current activities from an interview conducted last week via email.

We noticed you are affiliated with Bold Iowa. What is Bold Iowa and what attracted you to pitching your tent with them?

I continue to host the Fallon Forum and direct Bold Iowa. Bold Iowa grew out of the Bold Alliance, which was formed after the Keystone XL fight. Just a year after the alliance started, Jane Kleeb, founder of Bold Alliance, abandoned Alliance chapters in Iowa, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Virginia. We now operate as an independent organization.

What are you working on this summer and why?

We’re focused on supporting the landowners who have filed a lawsuit against the abuse of eminent domain to build the Dakota Access pipeline. Sierra Club is part of that suit. One of the ways we are supporting landowners is to raise awareness of the suit through The First Nation — Farmer Climate Unity March. We are also hosting a series of community forums, setting up editorial board meetings, sending out press releases, and encouraging people to write letters to the editor. If landowners and the Sierra Club prevail in the lawsuit, it could stop the oil from flowing through Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Illinois.

Climate change has been in Iowa news this year more than recently. Have you noticed? If you’ve noticed, to what do you attribute the increased mentions in social and conventional media?

I’ve noticed, although the uptick has been small. Mostly, it seems some editorial boards and a few reporters are beginning to understand that climate change is not just another issue, that it’s a crisis that demands immediate attention.

What would you like our readers to do to support your causes during the remainder of 2018?

March with us Sept 1 – 8 from Des Moines to Fort Dodge, following the pipeline route through Story, Boone and Webster Counties. Contact media about the importance of the lawsuit and the urgency of climate action. Most important, vote in November for candidates who take climate change seriously.

Listen to the Fallon Forum live Mondays, 11:00-12:00 noon CT on La Reina KDLF 96.5 FM and 1260 AM (central Iowa). Add your voice to the conversation by calling (515) 528-8122.

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Loebsack Co-authors the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act

Posted on July 24, 2018 by Paul Deaton

Congressman Dave Loebsack

U.S. House Passes Loebsack, Latta Legislation to Reduce Barriers for Precision Agriculture Implementation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 4881, the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act, to reduce barriers to the implementation of cutting-edge technology on America’s farms. The legislation, authored by Congressmen Dave Loebsack (D-IA) and Bob Latta (R-OH), establishes a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) task force, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), to evaluate the best ways to meet the broadband connectivity and technological needs of precision agriculture. Loebsack and Latta are both co-chairs of the House Rural Broadband Caucus.

Precision agriculture is the use of technology like the Internet of Things (IoT), self-driving machinery, drones, and satellites to operate farms in a more effective and efficient manner. Because rural communities often have less access to high-speed broadband connectivity, the agricultural community has more difficulty integrating advanced technologies that could make their work easier, safer, and better for the environment.

“As I travel across Iowa meeting with farmers, I am continuously impressed with the advanced technology they are using to assist in planting and monitoring their crops,” said Loebsack. “I am pleased the U.S. House passed the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act, which will establish a task force to examine the broadband needs of farmers and rural communities so they can take advantage of these new technologies in order to increase crop yields. I am pleased to work with Rep. Latta on this legislation, which passed the House by a large bipartisan vote, to help ensure our nation’s farmers have the best information available on meeting their broadband needs.”

“Precision agriculture provides farmers with the ability to improve productivity and sustainability,” said Latta. “Unfortunately, many rural areas lack high-speed broadband which is needed to utilize this cutting-edge technology. By having the FCC, USDA, and private stakeholders work together, we can reduce barriers to the implementation of innovation like self-driving equipment, the Internet of Things, and satellite imagery. I want to thank Congressman Loebsack for working with me on this important piece of legislation for our agricultural community.”

The bill establishes the Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States, which will operate under the direction of the FCC and in collaboration with USDA. The Task Force must be comprised of farmers and ranchers, Internet service providers, broadband mapping experts, and representatives from the satellite industry, electric cooperatives, precision agriculture equipment manufacturers, and local and state government representatives.

The duties of the Task Force include:

  • Identifying and measuring current gaps in broadband coverage on agricultural land;
  • Developing policy recommendations to promote the rapid, expanded deployment of broadband Internet access service on agricultural land, with a goal of achieving reliable service on 95 percent of agricultural land by 2025;
  • Recommending steps the FCC should take to obtain reliable and standardized measurements of broadband Internet access service availability as may be necessary to target funding support to unserved agricultural land in need of broadband Internet access service; and
  • Recommending steps the FCC should consider to ensure that the expertise of USDA and available farm data are reflected in developing future programs of the Commission to deploy broadband Internet access service and to direct available funding to unserved agricultural land where needed.

~ Dave Loebsack has represented the Second Congressional District of Iowa since 2007.

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Reynolds Proclaims Weather Disaster – 11 Times

Posted on July 23, 2018 by Paul Deaton

Thunderstorm Rolling In

Governor Kim Reynolds proclaimed counties in Iowa to be a disaster because of severe weather. It is time to act on climate.

Tornadoes tore through Marshalltown, Pella and Bondurant last Thursday as I got off work at the home, farm and auto supply store. It doesn’t appear anyone was seriously injured or died, although damage to the communities was substantial. Photos and video posted on social media depicted a horrible scene.

Are these storms due to climate change? We know Governor Kim Reynolds issued 11 disaster proclamations since June 11 for severe weather, heavy rains, storms, tornadoes and flooding. Something is different about our weather. Even a casual observer understands our climate changed and contributed to these extreme weather events.

Additionally, the seasons have been out of wack this year. A late spring, early high ambient temperatures, and more frequent storms make our weather exceedingly weird. Iowans have noticed and are talking about it. It’s not a random occurrence.

Ben Santer, an atmospheric scientist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, led a study of four decades of climate data that concluded human activity is disrupting our seasonal balance. That is, the seasons don’t proceed through time the way they did. Eric Roston at Bloomberg wrote a more accessible article about the study here.

“Poring over four decades of satellite data, climate scientists have concluded for the first time that humans are pushing seasonal temperatures out of balance — shifting what one researcher called the very ‘march of the seasons themselves,’” Roston wrote. “Ever-mindful of calculable uncertainty and climate deniers, the authors give ‘odds of roughly 5 in 1 million’ of these changes occurring naturally, without human influence.”

While an individual study is one thing, the science of climate change is clear. I wrote about it in 2014:

People seeking scientific proof of anthropogenic global climate change are barking up the wrong tree. The goal of science is not to prove, but to explain aspects of the natural world. Following is a brief explanation of climate change.

Around 1850, physicist John Tyndall discovered that carbon dioxide traps heat in our atmosphere, producing the greenhouse effect, which enables all of creation as we know it to live on Earth.

Carbon dioxide increased as a percentage of our atmosphere since Tyndall’s time at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. As a result, Earth’s average temperature increased by 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

The disturbance of the global carbon cycle and related increase in carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere is identifiably anthropogenic because of the isotope signature of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

We can also observe the effects of global warming in worldwide glacier retreat, declining Arctic ice sheets, sea level rise, warming oceans, ocean acidification, and increased intensity of weather events.

It is no wonder the vast majority of climate scientists and all of the national academies of science in the world agree climate change is real, it is happening now, it’s caused by humans, and is cause for immediate action before it is too late.

To learn more about what you can do to help solve the climate crisis, go to The Climate Reality Project.

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