#Wearorange Weekend Starts June 1 – Find an Event Near You

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Trish Nelson


My family and I lived in an area where shootings were a daily occurrence. But from an early age, the idea was that if we avoided certain areas at certain times, we’d be ok. We were wrong. While walking his girlfriend home one night in 2011, my 16-year old brother Jose was approached by two men, and was shot 15 times. I remember that night vividly. I was in college upstate when I got a call from my younger brother, telling me that Jose had been shot. A few hours later, my sister confirmed what I already knew in my heart: that Jose had died.

The effects of Jose’s shooting left me in a state of shock. I withdrew from school and lived in a state of numbness. It wasn’t until nearly a year after Jose’s death that I was able to get my life back. I even got back into school — and I did this to honor his memory.

And that’s what Wear Orange Weekend is about. It’s a way for the millions of gun sense advocates to honor the lives of victims and survivors of gun violence. It’s a way for hundreds of thousands of Americans to demonstrate their strength at events across the country, in cities and towns large and small, and online as we all work towards a future that’s free from gun violence.

Dave, we want you there with us. Find a local event near you right now, and join us for Wear Orange Weekend starting June 1.

IA-Iowa City-Wear Orange Celebration
June 2
College Green Park
Iowa City, IA
RSVP >>		 IA-Iowa City-Wear Orange Faith Community Event
June 3
320 East College St
Iowa City, IA
RSVP >>

I wouldn’t wish the pain of losing someone to gun violence on my worst enemy. It affects all of us, and there is much to be done if we’re going to end it. I want people to understand that gun violence does not have to be a norm and we have to do everything we can to fight it.

So on June 1, I’m wearing orange to honor Jose and to make sure the country sees that we’re fighting, as hard as we can, to put an end to gun violence. Then from June 2-3, I’ll be attending one of the hundreds of Wear Orange events happening across the country. And I want you to join me at a local Wear Orange event near you.

Thanks for being a part of Wear Orange Weekend.

Nathalie Arzu
Member of the Everytown Survivor Network

If you or a loved one is a survivor of gun violence (including, but not limited to surviving a gun violence injury, witnessing a shooting, unintentional shooting, suicide by gun, and domestic violence involving a firearm), be sure to learn more about our Survivors Network, where we support and empower survivors to share their stories, honor the lives of their loved ones, and take action to spare other families from this pain.

Posted in Blog for Iowa | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Spirit of Citizenship 2018 Upcoming Events

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Trish Nelson

Important info. from Rob Hogg:

Ten upcoming events and deadlines:

1. Friday, May 25 – Pre-Primary Voter Registration and Mail-In Ballot Request Deadline

The primary election in Iowa is underway and concludes on Tuesday, June 5. The deadline for pre-primary voter registration and for requesting a mail-in ballot is Friday, May 25. (Please note that same-day voter registration, in-person absentee voting, and in-person election day voting are still available for people who miss the Friday deadline, but be prepared to work through the new Republican barriers to voting.)

I am officially neutral in this year’s primaries, so please take time to learn about the candidates and think about who would do the best job and who would be the best general election candidate as you cast your vote. And regardless of what happens in the primary voting, let’s be ready to rally around our nominees so that we can compete and win across Iowa.

2. Tuesday, May 29 – Amber Gustafson Event, Ankeny

Join me in supporting Amber Gustafson at her “T-Shirt Launch Party,” on Tuesday, May 29, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Firetrucker Brewery, 716 SW 3rd St., in Ankeny. Please come meet Amber if you are available. Suggested contribution is $25 or more, $50 or more for a t-shirt.

I really like Amber as a candidate – strong mom, community volunteer, farm and small business background, gun safety advocate – and her election is one of the keys to Democrats re-taking the majority in the Iowa Senate. See the complete list of Democrats seeking seats currently held by Republicans at the bottom of this email.

If you are interested in the new t-shirt, they are designed by Raygun and union printed. The message: “Let this Mother, Run this Mother.”

For more information, visit Amber’s event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2173614789538654/

3. Wednesday, May 30 – Fundraiser with Kristin Sunde, West Des Moines (postponed)

Due to a scheduling conflict with a primary candidate event in West Des Moines, this event is being rescheduled. Kristin is our candidate for state representative challenging Republican incumbent Peter Cownie in Iowa House District 42, which includes portions of West Des Moines, Cumming, and rural areas in Warren and Polk Counties.

Learn more about Kristin at www.sundeforiowa.com. I sent her campaign a contribution today at “Kristin Sunde for Iowa House,” 1629 S. 50th Place, West Des Moines, IA 50265, and you can also contribute online at: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/kristin-sunde-for-iowa-house-1#

4. Thursday, May 31 – Fundraising Reception for Todd Taylor, Cedar Rapids

I will be attending a fundraising reception for State Rep. Todd Taylor, now candidate for the state senate in Iowa Senate District 35, on Thursday, May 31, at CSPS, 1103 3rd St. SE, in Cedar Rapids. Suggested contribution is $25 or more.

5. Saturday, June 2 – Picnic for the People, Boone

I will not be able to attend this year’s “picnic for the people,” but the Boone County Democrats are back with this outstanding event on Saturday, June 2, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at McHose Park Shelter, 1215 Francis Mason Drive, in Boone. For more details, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/events/394269011052907/

6. Tuesday, June 5 – Last Day of Voting in the Iowa Democratic Primary

Voting runs from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. For voting questions, contact your county auditor. In Linn County, call 319-892-5300.

7. Wednesday, June 6 – Canvass Training, Cedar Rapids

For volunteers who want to learn more about going door-to-door, I will be hosting a canvass training for up to eight people at the downtown Cedar Rapids library on Wednesday, June 6, from noon to 1:00 p.m. Because space is limited, please let me know if you want to participate. For details, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/events/231384207620615/

8. Saturday, June 9 to Sunday, June 10 – Iowa Democratic Party Weekend of Action

Here are four events where I plan to participate in Linn County for this Weekend of Action:

> Voter Outreach for Christian Andrews, Mount Vernon (Saturday, June 9, 10 a.m. to noon) – I will be helping Christian Andrews, state representative candidate in Iowa House District 95, for door-to-door voter outreach, starting from a private residence at 203 Old Lincoln Highway in Mount Vernon.

> House District 65 Canvass and Phone Bank, Cedar Rapids (Saturday, June 9, 1 to 3 p.m.) – I will be doing voter outreach event starting from a private residence at 3032 Ridgemore Drive SE in Cedar Rapids. For details, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/763482410706685/

> Free Community BBQ with Eric Gjerde, Hiawatha (Sunday, June 10, noon to 4:00 p.m.) – I will attend at least some of this event to support Eric Gjerde, state representative candidate in Iowa House District 67, at Guthridge Park, N. 10th Ave. and Lyndhurst Drive, in Hiawatha. For more details, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/382580925478969/

> Ice Cream Social with Rep. Art Staed, Cedar Rapids (Sunday, June 10, 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.) – Rep. Staed and I are hosting an ice cream social at Kenwood Park, corner of Eastern Ave. NE and 35th Street NE, in Cedar Rapids. For details, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/212721752664556/

Please check with your local county party for additional “Weekend of Action” events.

9. Monday, June 11 – Start of “Democracy Summer” in Iowa

“Democracy Summer” is a nation-wide program to get students involved in Congressional campaigns over the summer, including campaigns in the “Des Moines region.” The program is full time for six weeks. For more information, or to apply, visit:
https://democracysummerpac.com/des-moines-iowa-region/

If you know students who simply want to get involved with part-time volunteering, please have them email me at senatorrobhogg@gmail.com to participate in our “blue wave summer” program. I have been out three times with “blue wave” volunteers, and will be working with additional volunteers after Memorial Day. For more details, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/hoggforsenate/jobs/192046534756695/

10. Thursday, June 21 – “Summer Solstice Fundraiser” with Liz Bennett and Art Staed

Mark your calendars now for what I hope will be our biggest fundraiser ever on the longest day of the year. Join Liz, Art, and me on Thursday, June 21, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Dublin City Pub, 415 1st Street SE, in downtown Cedar Rapids on the riverfront. Refreshments will be provided. For more details, and to invite your friends, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2001688863381520/

As always, I hope this information is helpful, and I hope to see you at one or more of these events. Let’s get Iowa going forward in a better direction for our state and our people.

Rob

Senator Rob Hogg
Cedar Rapids
www.robhogg.org

+++++

UPDATED LIST OF CANDIDATES

Here is the updated list of Democratic candidates across Iowa running for seats currently held by Republicans. Where there is more than one candidate listed, that means there is a contested primary on June 5. Please adopt one or more of these candidates to help financially and with volunteer time so we can stop and reverse the damage Republicans are doing to our state.

Senate Candidates:
SD3 – Dave Dawson (Sioux City / LeMars)
SD5 – John O’Brien (Fort Dodge)
SD7 – Jackie Smith (Sioux City)
SD11 – Sara Ramsey (Corning)
SD13 – Vicky Brenner (Indianola)
SD19 – Amber Gustafson (Ankeny)
SD25 – Tracy Freese (Iowa Falls)
SD41 – Mary Stewart, Ed Malloy (Ottumwa / Fairfield)
SD47 – Marie Gleason (Bettendorf)

House Candidates:
HD1 – Karen Larson (Larchwood / Spirit Lake)
HD2 – Ryan Odor (Spencer)
HD5 – Andrew Emanuel (Le Mars)
HD6 – Rita DeJong (Sioux City)
HD7 – Debra Jensen (Estherville / Forest City)
HD8 – Connie Price (Britt / Clarion)
HD10 – Jake Thompson (Rockwell City)
HD12 – Peter Leo (Audubon / Carroll)
HD16 – Steve Gorman (Council Bluffs)
HD17 – Jan Creasman (Onawa / Ida Grove)
HD19 – Gregg Gustafson (Adel)
HD20 – Warren Varley (Guthrie Center / Greenfield)
HD21 – Denise O’Brien (Atlantic / Creston)
HD22 – Ray Stevens (Avoca)
HD23 – Chuck Larson (Glenwood / Red Oak)
HD24 – James Uhlenkamp (Mount Ayr)
HD25 – Ryan Marquardt (Winterset)
HD27 – Richard Foster (Osceola)
HD28 – Ann Fields and Zachary Pendroy (Knoxville)
HD30 – Dan Nieland, Kent Balduchi (Altoona)
HD37 – Andrew Rasmussen (Ankeny)
HD38 – Heather Matson, Reyma McCoy McDeid (Ankeny)
HD39 – Karin Derry (Johnston)
HD42 – Kristin Sunde (West Des Moines)
HD43 – Jennifer Konfrst (Clive)
HD44 – Kenan Judge (Waukee)
HD47 – David Weaver (Boone)
HD48 – Tim Winter (Webster City)
HD49 – Brenda Brink (Nevada / Eldora)
HD50 – Dennis Evans (Iowa Falls / Grundy Center)
HD51 – Tim Knutson (Osage)
HD55 – Kayla Koether (Decorah)
HD56 – Lori Egan, Andy Kelleher (Waukon)
HD57 – Nancy Fett, Leo Gansen (Dyersville)
HD58 – Joe Oclon (Bellevue / Maquoketa)
HD60 – David Williams (Cedar Falls)
HD63 – Eric Stromberg (Waverly)
HD67 – Eric Gjerde (Hiawatha)
HD68 – Molly Donahue and Scott Foens (Marion)
HD72 – Dave Degner, Jocelyn George, John Anderson, Mindy Benson (Tama / Toledo)
HD73 – Jodi Clemens (Tipton)
HD75 – Paula Denison, Doris Guildford, Dennis Mathahs (Vinton)
HD76 – Ann Egley (Williamsburg / Grinnell)
HD78 – Kimberly Davis (Washington / Sigourney)
HD79 – Samantha Keith (Oskaloosa / Pella)
HD80 – Susan McDanel (Albia / Centerville)
HD84 – Jason Moats (Mt. Pleasant)
HD88 – Lanny Hillyard (Mediapolis / Columbus Junction)
HD91 – Laura Liegois (Muscatine)
HD92 – Jean Simpson (Eldridge)
HD94 – Joan Marttila (Bettendorf)
HD95 – Christian Andrews (Center Point / Central City / Mt. Vernon)
HD96 – Reenie Montgomery (Manchester / Monticello)
HD97 – Tim McClimon (DeWitt)

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Honoring The Fallen Memorial Day 2018

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Trish Nelson

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Wear Orange Weekend Starts June 1st

Posted on May 27, 2018 by Dave Bradley

wearorange weekend

From a Friday email:

Last week, 10 students and staff members were killed at a high school in Santa Fe, Texas. 13 more people were injured, and a community — and country — were left grieving. Time and again, we’re learning that gun violence affects us all, myself included.

Before I became a director — before Empire, The Butler, and Monster’s Ball, I became a survivor of gun violence when my father was shot and killed. I joined this movement because I know all too well what gun violence does to a person, to a family, and to a community. And when more than 90 people are shot and killed by gun violence every day, and hundreds more injured, I know that our country is suffering from a gun violence epidemic.

So on June 1st — National Gun Violence Awareness Day and the start of Wear Orange Weekend — I’m joining the hundreds of thousands of Americans who are honoring the lives of victims and survivors of gun violence at hundreds of events across the country. From rallies to BBQs, and everything in between, we’re raising gun violence awareness coast to coast. And I want you there with me:  support gun violence prevention at a local Wear Orange event near you.

Orange is a color that is bold, that stands out, and that demands to be seen. It is the color of gun violence prevention because the millions of Americans fighting tirelessly for a country that’s free from gun violence, demand to be seen and demand to see change. Wear Orange is a way for our elected leaders to see our power, but it can only succeed when we all come together. That’s why we need YOU with us.

Find a local event near you and join us for Wear Orange Weekend.

Thanks for being an important part of Wear Orange Weekend.
Lee Daniels
Everytown Creative Council

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Sunday Funday: Remembering The Fallen

Posted on May 27, 2018 by Dave Bradley

Image (1) memorial-day-flags-2012.jpg for post 12694

This is the weekend to remember those who sacrificed their lives to keep our country safe. We thank them all.

Unfortunately this should now also become a time to remember those who have been uselessly murdered at what should be a safe place – our country’s schools. Why do we let this continue when steps could be easily taken that would make it much harder for this to happen? There is a portion of the political class that is working not for the citizens, but for the special gun interests. It is time to stop it now.

And on to the show. What atrocities did our Dear Leader commit this week?

  1. What country had a referendum on legalizing abortion last week?
  1. Dear Leader wrote what sounded like a high school love letter to what other international head of state?
  1. Iowa Democrats were shocked with the story of sexual abuse charges against what gubernatorial candidate?
  1. American high school students are organizing a national “die-in” scheduled for what day?
  1. What former political Poobah inked a multi-year deal with Netflix last week to produce diverse material?
  1. What are the average highs for Iowa this time of year?
  1. What industrial leader has joined in on the attacks on media and is considering starting a media criticism website called Pravda?
  1. What was the original name of Memorial Day?
  1. What governor of a northwestern state will be the main speaker at Iowa Democrats Hall of Fame event June 23rd?
  1. Dear Leader’s latest protectionist plan is aimed at putting tariffs on what major machine that nearly every family owns?
  1. Steve Bannon told the BBC last week that who would be proud of Dear Leader’s economic policy?
  1. According to CBS reporter Leslie Stahl why does Dear Leader continually attack the press?
  1. Once again a Republican administration has outed an informant. Under Bush II what undercover CIA agent was outed by her own government as political retribution against her husband?
  1. Evgeny Friedman struck a plea deal with state and federal prosecutors in the case of what former business partner of his?
  1. What writer who died last week’s most famous book was probably “Portnoy’s Complaint?”
  1. The Democratic primary in Georgia nominated what black woman as the Democrats candidate for governor?
  1. In Oregon, a 15 year old who started an eventual massive forest fire was ordered to pay what amount in restitution for the fire?
  1. The campaign money from what disgraced Iowa Republican senator was given to the state Republican Party instead of being used to pay some of the bill for a senate Republican sex scandal that he was in large part responsible for and that we are paying as taxpayers?
  1. The EPA barred who from attending a summit on hazardous chemicals linked to cancer, but later allowed them to attend a portion of the summit?
  1. It was as if the devil himself was coming to take one of his best home. A sinkhole opened up on what property Tuesday prompting some interesting speculation?

Andy Borowitz:

With North Korea, Trump has demonstrated the shrewd deal-making skills that led him to file for bankruptcy six times.

Answers:

  1. Ireland
  1. Kim Jung Un – our Dear Leader desperately misses Kim
  1. Nate Boulton
  1. June 12 (maybe this will be covered since there will be no summit in Singapore)
  1. Barack Obama along with Michelle
  1. 75 to 80
  1. Elon Musk of Tesla
  1. Decoration Day
  1. Jay Inslee of Washington
  1. Imported cars – that’ll hurt
  1. Dr. Martin Luther King. King’s family disagreed.
  1. “I do it to discredit you all and demean you all, so when you write negative stories about me no one will believe you.”
  1. Valery Plame
  1. Michael Cohen
  1. Phillip Roth
  1. Stacey Abrams
  1. $36 million
  1. Bill Dix.
  1. The press with the exception of some selected individual outlets
  1. The White House

Have a safe and respectful Memorial Day.

Posted in #trumpresistance, Blog for Iowa, Humor | 1 Comment

Telling Stat: US Birth Rate Falling

Posted on May 26, 2018 by Dave Bradley
Image (1) baby-bottle.jpg for post 2497

Hold the milk!

Amid all the crap about Dear Leader that dominates our news media day in and day out, there are sometimes some extremely important stories that slide almost unnoticed during the news cycle.

Such was the story last week when the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) reported that the US birth rate had fallen to a 30 year low. 

This triggered a memory of mine from way back that I read or heard someplace: The sign of a very sick society is a falling birth rate. Can’t remember where I heard it or saw it, but that has stuck in my mind as an indicator to watch for as a measure of the countries health.

It only makes sense when you think about it. When young people are in their fertile years most evaluate whether they want to bring children into the world based on their perception of how things are going and what the prospects for the future are.

Right now, for those in their child bearing years, prospects are pretty iffy at best.  Amy Westervelt writing for The Guardian discusses some of the many reasons why the US birth rate would be falling:

“The reality is, for all its pro-family rhetoric, the US is a remarkably harsh place for families, and particularly for mothers. It’s a well-known fact, but one that bears repeating in this context, that the US is one of only four countries in the world with no government-subsidized maternity leave. The other three are Lesotho, Swaziland, and Papua New Guinea, countries that the US doesn’t tend to view as its peer group.

<<snip>>

Think millennials are our problem, shirking their breeding responsibilities because they’re too busy taking selfies? Show me your all-time low birth rate and I will raise you an all-time high student debt load (it hit $1.4tn this year). Millennials have an average of $37,172 in student loans when they graduate, a fact that has been blamed for their record-breakingly low home ownership. Generation Z won’t be much help either, given that about 40% of them are expected to default on their college loans when they can’t find jobs, according to Brookings.

Let’s see, what else is at an all-time high? Credit card debt. It hit $1tn in the US for the first time this year. Childcare costs are another record-breaker. According to the Economic Policy Institute, in 33 states and the District of Columbia, infant care costs exceed the average cost of in-state college tuition at public four-year institutions. The few companies that offer discounted, on-site daycare have found that it more than pays for itself in tax breaks and retention and recruitment boosts, but it’s still rare. In the Fortune 100, only 17 offer any sort of on-site daycare. The US has flirted with the idea of subsidized daycare a few times, but a longstanding cultural notion that there is something inherently shady about daycare has kept us from ever really doing it, except during the second world war when we needed women to work. Perhaps if the birth rate gets low enough, we can get over our collective daycare aversion. 

Guess what else is at an all-time low? Pay raises.Despite economic growth, since the 1970s, the hourly inflation-adjusted wages received by the typical American worker have grown only 0.2% per year. Which is basically nothing. Guess what though? Worker productivity hit a three-year high in 2017. 

In the midst of the harsh economic reality facing parents and would-be parents in America is a looming physical threat: climate change. As the president and his EPA head parrot talking points from the fossil fuel industry, pointing to volcanoes and natural temperature cycles as the culprits for warming temperatures, the global scientific community tells us that we have essentially run out of time to do anything about it. That any children we have will be at a higher risk of dying in a super storm or a massive fire. That because a small handful of men decided that their own profits and comfort were more important than the rest of the world’s safety, any new humans that join the world will face greater challenges than the generation that came before.”   (all bolding mine)

She pretty well nails the reasons why young folks are being very wary about having any children or possibly just one or two at most.  You may also want to put the gun culture and a fear of school shootings as another concern. 

The last time the  birth rate was this low in the US was during the reign of Ronald Reagan. That should not be a surprise. While the rich thought times were wonderful, the rest of us not so much.

When you make a long term commitment like children, you want to make sure that everything is good to give that child the best environment to grow up. Except for the very rich, this is not an environment for raising children.

Posted in #trumpresistance, Blog for Iowa, Children, economic inequality, Economic Justice, Economy | Tagged | 1 Comment

Memorial Day Message From Congress Member Dave Loebsack

Posted on May 26, 2018 by Dave Bradley

Image (1) Loebsack-header.jpg for post 20947

May 25, 2018   
Dear Friend,

Each year on Memorial Day, our communities come together to remember and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. We reflect on the sacrifices of America’s men and women in uniform and keep alive the memory of those who gave their lives in service to our nation. I am inspired every day to fight for those who have fought for us – their lives are a testament to the best our country has to offer.

As a military parent, I know that Memorial Day also means that military families across our nation are spending today thinking about their loved ones deployed overseas. I invite everyone to join me in also honoring our veterans and active duty servicemembers who have served and defended our nation both here at home and overseas. I strongly believe that we must serve those who have worn our country’s uniform with the same honor and dedication that they served our nation. As part of honoring our veterans’ service, sacrifice, and patriotism, we must do everything in our power to provide top quality care and benefits upon their return home and throughout their lives. My office stands ready to help any veteran or servicemember who is in need of assistance accessing their benefits.

So, as we look forward to gathering with family and friends over this holiday weekend, let us not forget the true reason for Memorial Day. On this most hallowed day, we gather to pay tribute to those who serve, honor the memory of those we have lost, renew our commitment to the values they fought to defend, and recognize the sacrifices made by their families.

To everyone who has served and to those serving today– thank you for your service. This Memorial Day, and every day, we keep those who made the ultimate sacrifice, their families, our veterans, and our servicemembers around the world in our thoughts.

Sincerely,

 Image (2) LOEBSACK_grey.jpg for post 8054

Dave Loebsack

Iowa’s Second District
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Conservative PAC Attacks Sinclair-Tribune

Posted on May 25, 2018 by Trish Nelson

https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/conservative-pac-attacks-sinclair-tribune

Citizens for the Republic joins coalition to block the Sinclair-Tribune merger

The PAC, founded by then candidate Ronald Reagan in 1977 to espouse conservative causes, has joined the Coalition to Save Local Media, whose goal is not to save the merger, which it argues would put corporate elites in charge of the news.

“Even in the most capable and responsible hands, Centralized power, in all its forms, breeds exploitation and is anti-conservative,” said Craig Shirley, chairman of Citizens for the Republic (CFTR). “Conservatives celebrate competition but this proposed merger would eliminate that. Local media news networks are some of the most trusted hard news sources in America. Permitting this merger would dramatically undermine this trust and fake news would spread like wildfire.”

Related: No Justice Signal Yet on Sinclair-Tribune

The coalition already comprises a strange bedfellows collection of liberal and conservative voices united in their opposition to the deal. Its membership includes the American Cable Association, Common Cause, the Competitive Carriers Association, the Computer and Communications Industry Association (Amazon, Google, Facebook, Netflix are all members), DISH Network, the Leased Access Programmers Association, NABET-CWA, NTCA—The Rural Broadband Association, One America News Network, Parents Television Council, Public Knowledge, RIDE TV, the Sports Fans Coalition, TheBlaze, and the United Church of Christ.

Neither the FCC nor the Justice Department have yet ruled on the proposed merger as Sinclair works on combining the right number of TV station spinoffs and pro-social arguments to secure antitrust and public interest approvals. Sinclair has filed five versions of the deal so far, including spinning off more stations. Meanwhile, a federal court is considering whether to overturn the FCC’s restoration of the UHF discount, which made the proposed deal possible.

If the court does reverse the FCC UHF decision before Sinclair can get its deal closed, that may achieve the coalition’s goal for it.

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ALEC And The Destruction Of Net Neutrality

Posted on May 24, 2018 by Trish Nelson

http://thedemocraticstrategist.org/2018/05/poltical-strategy-notes/

We shouldn’t be surprised that the biggest corporate advocates of destroying Net Neutrality — Verizon, Comcast and AT&T — are also deeply involved in the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which provides “template” voter suppression legislation and other Republican-friendly bills for state legislatures. Could a cell phone users campaign to ditch these providers get them to back away from their big bucks opposition to net neutrality and support of voter suppression?

A bit of temporary good news for Democrats — and for everyone who doesn’t want to pay more for internet service, as reported in Cecilia Kang’s “Senate Democrats Win Vote on Net Neutrality, a Centerpiece of 2018 Strategy” in The New York Times: “The Senate passed a resolution in a 52-47 vote to overturn a decision last December by the Federal Communications Commission to dismantle Obama-era rules that prevented broadband providers like Verizon and Comcast from blocking or speeding up streams and downloads of web content in exchange for extra fees. The commission’s repeal of net neutrality is set to take effect in a few weeks.” However, “the rare victory for Democrats is sure to be short-lived, with a similar resolution expected to die in the House, where Republicans have a larger majority. Only three Republican senators voted in support of the resolution [Collins, Murkowski and Kennedy]. However, “The effort to stop the repeal of net neutrality rules is part of a broader political strategy by Democrats to rally young voters in the November elections.” Here’s a sharable link for contacting Senators who voted to raise internet fees.

Read more…

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Republicans Could Bring Back The Farm Bill

Posted on May 22, 2018 by Trish Nelson

CCI Action Alert –

Late last week, after hearing from hundreds of Iowans and thousands across the country, the U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass its disastrous Farm Bill.

But we’re not out of the woods yet.

In the next couple of days, House Leadership could bring it back to the floor – with no real substantive changes. Instead of taking this opportunity to fix issues that CCI members raised, our Representatives are poised to put forward the same damaging piece of legislation as before.

Take Action: Tell your Representative to vote NO on the
Farm Bill. They should throw it out and start completely over!

Why is this House Farm Bill so bad? Because it…

  • Props up the factory farm industry.
    The bill creates new massive loopholes that benefit the largest mega farm operations and factory farm owners, allowing them to receive unlimited amounts of public subsidies.
  • Strips away local control.
    Iowa’s very own Representative Steve King was able to insert a “Right to Farm” amendment that would prevent local governments from having their own agricultural standards, significantly limiting their ability to protect citizens and support local farmers.
  • Takes food away from people in need.
    This bill increases the requirements that recipients of SNAP (food stamps) need to fulfill to receive basic food support. This bill will result in fewer people from being able to feed themselves and buy the food family farmers grow. These changes to SNAP will hurt our neighbors.
  • Eliminates conservation programs.
    The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is a popular nationwide program designed to help farmers establish and be supported in a whole farm conservation plan. But, this Farm Bill eliminates CSP and attempts to replace it with vague “stewardship contracts.” Even worse, these contracts could be used by factory farms — meaning more public funds going toward expanding the factory farm industry.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

This is unacceptable. Take two minutes right now to demand that our Representatives go back to the drawing board.

It’s clear that our Representatives are out-of-touch with their constituents. Instead of actually fixing problems, they are trying to give more power to corporations.

We deserve better. Take action today!

For a farm and food system that works for farmers, workers, eaters, and the environment,

 

Posted in Blog for Iowa | Tagged , | Comments Off on Republicans Could Bring Back The Farm Bill