Pie Has Everything To Do With It

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Trish Nelson
Iowa State Capitol

Iowa State Capitol

Iowa Democratic legislators apparently still think that Republicans can be embarassed for their silly, pathetic behavior. In this video it is wryly commented upon that Republicans seem more concerned about what kind of pie they are being served than about health care for Iowans (dividing up the actual pie). Yes, it has been obvious for some time that they do care more about themselves and their petty personal concerns than everyone else’s piece of the community pie.  But it will have no impact whatsoever to attempt to embarass them for their utterly irresponsible, self-indulgent, frat-boy behavior. They are way beyond giving a damn what anyone thinks.

Attempting to ridicule the Republicans about the pie nontroversy doesn’t work as strategy like, for example, them making fun of John Kerry for “flip-flopping” worked. Here’s why: The pie nontroversy and the “Sex Over Sixty” debacle were both purposeful displays of contempt – contempt for the Democratic process, contempt for their across-the-aisle colleagues, contempt all around. They weren’t caught making a gaffe, they were flaunting their stupid. They know they are getting away with it.  They do not fear looking bad.

It is frustrating to watch Democrats still behaving (at least publicly) as if Republicans are operating in good faith when they are in actuality not even trying. They find it amusing that Democrats try to argue with them on the merits of issues when they themselves know that they are making no attempt at creating decent public policy. Far from it. The opposite.

But back to my original point on this video. As long as Democrats choose to make the privatization of Medicaid about the way Branstad plans to privatize (create profits for cronies) Medicaid, rather than continuing to hammer on the terrible fact of what he is doing and why, then they are missing an opportunity to show real leadership by exposing these scoundrels to Iowans.

Dems have conceded all of the ground –  they are essentially saying that it is ok for Branstad to privatize Medicaid – he is just privatizing it incorrectly. I get that the way it happens is the only ground left now, but if we made the argument that he shouldn’t be doing it at all, that would be a stronger argument than  one that says, please let us have a say in this decision that you are ramming down everyone’s throats, to borrow a  phrase.

Good luck with that.

 

Posted in Iowa legislature 2015 | Tagged , | Comments Off on Pie Has Everything To Do With It

Iowa Farmer To Pipeline Representative: “Go To Hell”

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Trish Nelson
Farmer Mervin Shenk shows stunted corn crop over a natural gas pipeline.

Farmer Mervin Shenk shows stunted corn crop over a natural gas pipeline.

“I’ve worked all my life for what we’ve got.”  She points north and east, naming one neighbor after another who is against the pipeline. “I hope everyone is as mad as I am, because to tell you the truth, I told those guys to go to hell.”

Iowa Pipeline Walk: Day 28
Posted on April 6, 2015

by Ed Fallon

Thursday, April 2, 2015 – Rockwell City, Iowa

Click here to go to original post at fallonforum.com
For the latest Iowa Pipeline Walk route and schedule detail, click here

Every day of this walk, I meet people who share strong testimony against the pipeline. Often, this face-to-face testimony is supplemented with material sent to me electronically. Here’s a short video I received that every Iowa farmer should watch:  Corn farmer’s crop still deficient 51 years after pipeline installed.

Walking north of Rockwell City today with Marcy Burkhead, we meet Shirley Gerjets at the first house we stop at. Shirley is feisty, and as solidly against the pipeline as anyone I’ve met. “My kids tell me not to get so worked up about it, but I can’t help it. I’ve worked all my life for what we’ve got.”

She points north and east, naming one neighbor after another who is against the pipeline. “I hope everyone is as mad as I am, because to tell you the truth, I told those guys to go to hell.”

See what I said about feisty!

Shirley learned about the oil spill two years ago on a wheat farm in North Dakota. That helped fire her up. Tesoro Corp. – the company responsible for the spill – is still working to clean up the mess left by 865,200 gallons of oil covering an area the size of seven football fields. Tesoro originally estimated the clean-up cost at $4 million. It’s now $20 million, and it will be at least another year before the work is complete.

As I read the Associated Press article on the North Dakota oil spill, so many things stood out as warnings for Iowa farmers who might be lured by the dollar signs dangled before them by Dakota Access. In particular, this bit of information floored me: “It was almost two weeks after {the farmer} reported the spill that state officials told the public what had happened, and only after The Associated Press asked about it.”

Really? It took state officials two weeks to tell the public about the spill?! I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, given the extent to which both federal and state government have become more and more inclined to secrecy. As a lawmaker, I once attempted to attend a closed-door meeting of the Iowa Values Fund “Work Group” – a hand-picked subcommittee of lawmakers in favor of the Fund who met in secret to discuss how to spend $500 million of Iowa taxpayer money.

What happened when I stepped into the meeting room? The Work Group chair had me thrown out!

Things have gone from bad to worse when it comes to secrecy in government. On two occasions recently when I’ve called the Iowa Utilities Board asking for information, they’ve told me to call the pipeline company!

So, given how lacking in transparency the legislative and administrative branches of state government have become, do I think what happened in North Dakota – where the public wasn’t told of a huge oil spill until the Associated Press broke the story two weeks later – could happen in Iowa? Absolutely.

And as Shirley points out, even if state officials are forthcoming about a spill, “The pipeline company is only required to post a surety bond of $250,000 – for the entire state of Iowa! If they seriously think that’s going to clean up anything, that’s ridiculous.”

There’s still time for the Iowa Legislature to tighten eminent domain law to prevent landowners from having their property condemned for an oil pipeline. Lawmakers also should reassure people like Shirley by requiring a pipeline company to post a surety bond that begins to cover the true costs of a clean-up.

Posted in Climate Action, Ed Fallon, Fallon Forum, Farming, Iowa Globalwarming | Tagged , | Comments Off on Iowa Farmer To Pipeline Representative: “Go To Hell”

Slaves Produce Seafood For U.S. Market

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Paul Deaton
Wild Planet Foods Logo

Photo Credit Wild Planet Foods

While Iowans engaged in the NCAA Basketball Tournament another story was being written by Associated Press reporters Robin McDowell, Margie Mason and Martha Mendoza about food not far from televisions tuned into the games.

Following a year-long investigation, AP broke the story of slave labor being used to fish, sometimes illegally, in Indonesian waters for catch that finds its way to U.S. markets in stores like Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons and Safeway. You’ll find slave-caught seafood at the food service company SYSCO, and in restaurants. It is also used in popular pet foods such as Fancy Feast, Meow Mix and Iams according to AP.

During its investigation, AP interviewed 40 slaves on the Indonesian island of Benjina.

“The men the Associated Press spoke to on Benjina were mostly from Myanmar, also known as Burma, one of the poorest countries in the world,” the March 24 article said. “They were brought to Indonesia through Thailand and forced to fish. Their catch was shipped back to Thailand, and then entered the global commerce stream.”

The slaves interviewed by the AP described 20- to 22-hour shifts and unclean drinking water. Almost all said they were kicked, beaten or whipped with toxic stingray tails if they complained or tried to rest. They were paid little or nothing.

Runaway Hlaing Min said many died at sea, according to the AP.

“If Americans and Europeans are eating this fish, they should remember us. There must be a mountain of bones under the sea,” he said. “The bones of the people could be an island, it’s that many.”

There is plenty to provoke outrage among American consumers. Reactions to this story may include a boycott, begging the question who do we boycott? Better yet would be pressuring companies with our pocketbook by making better choices if we consume seafood. The Environmental Defense Fund provides a seafood selector site here; Greenpeace provides a shopping guide for tuna and there are other rating sites on the web. Slave labor is not the only issue with consuming seafood.

It is important to note this story about slave labor buried in the U.S. food supply chain would have remained hidden if not for the resources of the Associated Press and the work of McDowell, Mason and Mendoza.

Sometimes corporate media does their job, and Associated Press deserves a hat tip on this one.

Read the article “Are Slaves Catching the Fish you Buy” here.

Below is a link to a video version of the same story.

Posted in Labor, Progressive Community, progressive values, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Dems Offer Compromise On School Fun: The Courtney Report

Posted on April 5, 2015 by Dave Bradley

Courtney Report

note: this is an edited version of the weekly newsletter. For the full newsletter please go here

DEMOCRATS OFFER COMPROMISE TO END SCHOOL FUNDING GRIDLOCK
In an effort to break a lengthy logjam on school funding at the Statehouse this session, Democrats offered a compromise funding proposal this week for Iowa schools, students, parents and teachers.

Earlier this session, Senate Democrats approved a 4 percent increase in basic school funding, but House Republicans agreed to a much smaller 1.25 percent increase for our schools. That is not enough to keep up with rising costs, let alone compete with other states.

Our schools need to know what to expect so that they can prepare their budgets and make decisions about staffing and course offerings. That’s why we offered a compromise proposal to increase basic school funding next school year by 2.625 percent — exactly halfway between the Senate’s 4 percent and the House’s 1.25 percent.

With a 6 percent increase in state revenues next year, we can afford this compromise. More accurately, we can’t afford to NOT approve this compromise. Iowa is already more than $1,600 below the national average in annual per-pupil investment. The result is that other states are increasing student achievement faster than Iowa and out-performing us.

The compromise proposal was an attempt to break a logjam that is spilling into its third month. Legislative Republicans have refused to budge from their position throughout meetings of a special conference committee tasked with resolving the impasse on school funding set out in SF 171 and SF 172.

Unfortunately, Republicans on the conference committee refused our compromise offer and continue to insist on an increase of only 1.25 percent for our local schools. Widespread reports from local school districts tell us that a meager 1.25 percent increase they insist on would result in more crowded classrooms, fewer course offerings and extracurricular activities, and higher property taxes.

I urge concerned Iowans, including parents, students, teachers and administrators, to contact your legislators and the Governor. Encourage them to do the right thing for Iowa’s future by investing in our students and schools.

LEGISLATURE AGREES TO REASONABLE SCHOOL START DATE
Last December, Governor Branstad’s administration told superintendents they would no longer get waivers to start school early, meaning schools would have to start fall classes during the week of September 1. The Governor’s decision to end local control of school start dates immediately created a big problem for schools and parents.

Last fall, 67 Iowa school districts started fall semester classes during the second week of August.

Senate File 227 is a compromise that sets the school start date on or after August 23. It was approved this week by both the House and the Senate.

This legislative compromise ends a major distraction, which has taken attention away from this session’s most important, most pressing education issue: Renewing Iowa’s bipartisan commitment to responsibly investing in our local students and schools.

School funding affects 100 percent of Iowa schoolchildren, parents and teachers, as well as employers and community leaders. We must provide the funding our schools need to boost student achievement and keep the best teachers in our classrooms.

HELPING VETERANS ACCESS THE BENEFITS THEY’VE EARNED
Our veterans deserve to know all the benefits and programs they qualify for. That’s why the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee voted this week to help veterans access information on ways to apply for benefits they have earned through their military service.

House File 414 won unanimous approval in the Iowa House on March 17. The bill requires that private individuals or businesses offering to help veterans get their benefits for a fee must give all prospective clients a written statement disclosing that veterans may apply for these same services at no charge through a local service organization or county offices. Before entering into an agreement or contract, the veteran must sign the disclosure statement.

The Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs will develop a consumer friendly written disclosure for use by private providers of benefits services for veterans. It will include a statement that veterans benefits services are offered at no cost by federally chartered veteran service organizations and by county commission of veteran affairs offices, and will have contact information on how to access those free services.

A person who violates these requirements faces a maximum civil penalty of $1,000 for each violation. Any civil penalties recovered will be deposited in the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund.

For more information on this or other programs for veterans, contact the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs at 515-252-4698 or go to www.va.iowa.gov.

Celebrate National Donate Life Month
Join the Iowa Donor Network in recognizing National Donate Life Month this April, a chance to motivate more people to register as organ, eye and tissue donors. You can become a donor by registering at www.IowaDonorNewtork.org.

There is a big need: An average of 21 people on the organ transplant waiting list die each day; more than 123,000 people are on the waiting list, enough to fill Kinnick and Jack Trice stadiums. In addition, about 600 Iowans are waiting for a life-saving transplant.

Donors make a huge impact. One donor can save the lives of up to eight people, and can enhance the lives of as many as 200 people through tissue donation. The Iowa Donor Network helped transplant 216 life-saving organs in 2014 with tissue from 982 donors.

Heating moratorium ends
The winter home heating moratorium on service disconnections ends April 1. If you are having difficulty paying your energy utility bills, contact your local utility to discuss payment options to avoid service disconnections.

Beginning April 2, customers certified for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or Home Weatherization Program could be subject to electric or natural gas service disconnection for unpaid bills. LIHEAP funds are limited, but applications are still being accepted by local Community Action Agencies through April 30.

For more information about low-income energy assistance, go to www.dcaa.iowa.gov/app_sites/liheap_map.html.

Posted in Iowa legislature 2015, Veterans | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Dems Offer Compromise On School Fun: The Courtney Report

A Little Quiz About Religious Liberty

Posted on April 5, 2015 by Dave Bradley

even this guy understood

even this guy understood


Note: a very appropriate quiz for Easter considering the news of the week.

by Meteor Blades
reprinted from dailykos

Seems like Indiana and Arkansas legislators have made now a good time to reprise this little quiz on religious freedom. Written by the Rev. Emily C. Heath at the United Church of Christ, the quiz is three years old. But it ain’t obsolete.

“How to Determine if Your Religious Liberty Is Being Threatened in Just 10 Quick Questions.” Just pick “A” or “B” for each question. Please do not copy off your neighbor’s quiz.

1. My religious liberty is at risk because:

A) I am not allowed to go to a religious service of my own choosing.
B) Others are allowed to go to religious services of their own choosing.

2. My religious liberty is at risk because:

A) I am not allowed to marry the person I love legally, even though my religious community blesses my marriage.
B) Some states refuse to enforce my own particular religious beliefs on marriage on those two guys in line down at the courthouse.

3. My religious liberty is at risk because:

A) I am being forced to use birth control.
B) I am unable to force others to not use birth control.

4. My religious liberty is at risk because:

A) I am not allowed to pray privately.
B) I am not allowed to force others to pray the prayers of my faith publicly.

5. My religious liberty is at risk because:

A) Being a member of my faith means that I can be bullied without legal recourse.
B) I am no longer allowed to use my faith to bully gay kids with impunity.

6. My religious liberty is at risk because:

A) I am not allowed to purchase, read or possess religious books or material.
B) Others are allowed to have access books, movies and websites that I do not like.

7. My religious liberty is at risk because:

A) My religious group is not allowed equal protection under the establishment clause.
B) My religious group is not allowed to use public funds, buildings and resources as we would like, for whatever purposes we might like.

8. My religious liberty is at risk because:

A) Another religious group has been declared the official faith of my country.
B) My own religious group is not given status as the official faith of my country.

9. My religious liberty is at risk because:

A) My religious community is not allowed to build a house of worship in my community.
B) A religious community I do not like wants to build a house of worship in my community.

10. My religious liberty is at risk because:

A) I am not allowed to teach my children the creation stories of our faith at home.
B) Public school science classes are teaching science.

Scoring key:
If you answered “A” to any question, then perhaps your religious liberty is indeed at stake. You and your faith group have every right to now advocate for equal protection under the law. But just remember this one little, constitutional, concept: this means you can fight for your equality — not your superiority.

If you answered “B” to any question, then not only is your religious liberty not at stake, but there is a strong chance that you are oppressing the religious liberties of others. This is the point where I would invite you to refer back to the tenets of your faith, especially the ones about your neighbors.

In closing […] remember this: Religious liberty is never secured by a campaign of religious superiority. The only way to ensure your own religious liberty remains strong is by advocating for the religious liberty of all, including those with whom you may passionately disagree. Because they deserve the same rights as you. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Posted in church and state, Republican hypocrisy, Republicn Policy, separation of church and state | Tagged | Comments Off on A Little Quiz About Religious Liberty

Sunday Funday: The High Holy Days

Posted on April 5, 2015 by Dave Bradley
Ready for the Easter Parade

Ready for the Easter Parade

The high holy days of basketball come to an end this week with college champions being crowned for the men on Monday and for the women on Tuesday. I think there are some other religious holidays this week also.

Lots happened last week. Were you paying attention?

1) Most parties to the Iranian framework agreement were excited. What potential player(s) seemed intent on scuttling any agreement?

2) Nothing like name recognition when you’re in politics. What governor and potential presidential candidate’s name was repeated over and over in conjunction with a RFRA bill he signed?

3) After being maligned throughout the season, which men’s college basketball conference put 2 teams in the final four?

4) Michigan’s football team seems to have picked up a transfer in what former Iowa quarterback?

5) When is Passover this year?

6) The Fair can go on! What date did the Iowa legislature agree to for the earliest beginning date for schools in Iowa?

7) Next Thursday, April 9th, will be the 150th anniversary of what?

8) Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson was already to sign a RFRA bill similar to Indiana’s until what 800 pound corporate gorilla in Arkansas suggested that he not do so?

9) The American Pharmacists Association recommended that its members no longer supply what to states?

10) The Iowa senate continues to struggle with the gun bill. However, shootings should be quieter as most agree that the sales of what should no longer be banned?

11) March goes down as one of the driest months in Iowa’s history. Thus, what became a serious threat throughout the state this week as winds whipped across the state?

12) George Pataki says bet that he will run for president in 2016. What is George Pataki’s claim to fame?

13) He is not going to visit his birthplace, but President Obama will visit Kenya this summer. Why?

14) One of my favorite named politicians, Goodluck Jonathan, lost in his bid for re-election as president of what country?

15) Pediatricians recommended using what to help avoid overdoses of prescribed drugs by children?

16) The world’s formerly oldest living person died in Osaka, Japan this week. How old was she when she died?

17) Next Thursday, April 9th, the opening prayer in the Iowa House will be offered by what unusual clergy person?

18) Out of sight, out of mind rather quickly. What two food processing giants announced a merger about 10 days ago?

19) Comedy Central announced what relatively unknown comedian as its replacement for Jon Stewart on The Daily Show?

20) Militant group Al-Shabab killed 147 non-Muslims in an attack at a university in what African country?

BONUS) What native Iowan, known mostly for TV evangelical work and the “Crystal Cathedral” died in Los Angeles this week?

McDonald’s got tons of free and mostly favorable publicity this week for announcing a $1/hour pay raise for it’s employees. But the whole story is that this applies only to company owned stores and will have no effect on most of the employees who wear the “McDonald’s” apparel when working. Most employees work for franchises and thus will get no raise. Misdirection by the news media?

Answers:

1) the Republican Party

2) Mike Pence of Indiana

3) the Big Ten(14) with Wisconsin and Michigan State

4) Jake Ruddock seems to be moving to Ann Arbor and will be eligible to play immediately

5) Right now!. Started at sundown last Friday and ends next Saturday

6) August 23rd (that is a Sunday and the last fair date in 2015)

7) Lee’s surrender to Grant at Appomatox Courthouse to end our civil war

8) Walmart

9) drugs for state executions

10) silencers

11) grass fires

12) former three term governor of New York

13) He will attend a conference on economic development in Africa

14) Nigeria

15) the metric system – seems parents often confuse teaspoons and tablespoons etc.

16) 117

17) a Wiccan priestess

18) Kraft and Heinz

19) Trevor Noah

20) Kenya

BONUS) Robert Schuller

Happy Easter all

jesus explains his philosophy

Posted in Humor | Comments Off on Sunday Funday: The High Holy Days

Kim Reynolds Supports TPP: That Should Scare You

Posted on April 4, 2015 by Dave Bradley

tpp

The following is a letter to the editor from Don Paulson. Mr. Paulson is chair of the Muscatine Democratic Party

I get it now! Kim Reynolds was pulling an early April Fool’s Day joke with her 3/31/15 column urging passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Since work on the TPP is being done in secret she has no idea what specifics are in it.

A small section of this “NAFTA on steroids” plan has been leaked and that part is scary enough. There are 29 chapters in the draft, but only five deal with trade. According to a Public Citizen description, the rest of it sounds like “free market” garbage with 500 corporate “advisors” working on it.

On second thought, it sounds like “ALEC on steroids” and the joke would be on us.

Posted in ALEC, Guest Posts, Letters, Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) | Tagged , | Comments Off on Kim Reynolds Supports TPP: That Should Scare You

It’s Official: Republicans Totally Bankrupt On Ideas

Posted on April 4, 2015 by Dave Bradley
Citizens discover Tea Party is smoke and mirrors

Citizens discover Tea Party is smoke and mirrors

The fiasco in Indiana exposes the Republican Tea Party for what it has become – a party totally devoid of any ideas on issues, totally indifferent to the citizens of this country and totally committed to only one goal – controlling the government so they can hand our tax money to their rich donors. Way to go, baggers. Your greed forced you to pass laws condoning what Americans hate most – unequal treatment sanctioned by law.

What used to be the normal process of government addressing problems has been totally distorted by a Tea Party that answers only to their donors, but still must get elected in order to put in the oligarchy they desire.

So instead of perceiving problems or having citizens ask for action on problems, today’s Tea Party kowtows to the whims of the rich by continually cutting their taxes and making them exempt from costs of damage they do to the commons, such as the environment and infrastructure. These whims are handed to Tea Party legislators through lobbying groups like ALEC with the legislation that the rich want passed to achieve their goals. Thus we see Iowa’s legislature unable to fund schools while at the same time talking about more big tax cuts with the wealthy getting the lion’s share of the cuts.

The other place the Tea Party gets its ideas for legislation is the religious far right. These are groups that don’t care if people have food to eat or a roof over their heads, but are all about saving their souls based on the gods they believe in. These folks can deliver tons of votes of people fearful of going to hell. Since these religious right wingers vote in every election and usually vote for the candidate furthest right socially, the Tea Party must cater to their whims with insane legislation that keeps these groups voting and voting for Tea baggers almost exclusively.

With gerrymandered districts and restriction on who can vote this strategy has led to the majority of state legislatures and governorships in the hands of the Tea Party. With those majorities we see “the laboratories of democracy” as states have been dubbed experimenting with cutting revenues far below that which a state needs in order to function (Kansas is the prime example), busting unions as fats as they can (see Wisconsin) and of course continually trying to impose their religious concepts as law. In that last one you surely recognize the attempts by Indiana and Arkansas (and Georgia and North Carolina also) to impose legalized discrimination based on sexual orientation.

But let us not forget the many attempts that have been made in various state capitals to impose religious training in public schools, to make creationism the equal of science in schools and many other attempts to make religious concepts part of public policy. Chief Justice Roy Moore in Alabama tries to impose his religious views on marriage in defiance of federal court decision. Just last week in Arizona, a legislator contemplated introducing a bill that would make church attendance on Sunday mandatory in her state.

Now, here in Iowa we have had the luxury of looking at these happenings as being something that happens somewhere else. Well, it would be happening here also were it not for the slim one vote Democratic majority in the Iowa senate. Terry Branstad is no longer a practical moderate. He finally sold what little was left of his soul for a return to Terrace Hill. He was always very right wing, but somewhat practical. He threw out that practical part for the money from the wealthy and the votes from the religious. He was a founding member of ALEC and still looks to make a mark for them. He is virulently anti-union and no longer even tries to cover it up. He never misses a chance to show his religiosity these days. Who can forget about a year ago when he flaunted his disdain for the separation of church and state with a big ceremony declaring a day of prayer in Iowa. He then made a big show of at one of the ceremonies later in the summer.

In the Iowa legislature, the Tea Party pretty much marches in lock-step. They would love to be passing some of those give aways to the wealthy and are successful in at least giving some of our treasury away. They would also love to join their tea Party brethren across the country in making discrimination legal and making their Christian dogma into law. Save for one seat in the senate we would easily be an Indiana or a Wisconsin with Terry Branstad happily signing away the rights of the minorities with a big smile. And if he should no longer be in office, you can bet Kim Reynolds would love to be a Tea Party hero.

So don’t be smug Iowans. We are only a heartbeat away from being just another state run by the rich, for the rich with a helping of region on the side.

So if Tea Party legislatures were actually governing and solving problems that actually exist in the lives of common citizens what problems would they be addressing? Here is a short list. Note that these ARE problems that Democrats try to confront at all levels, but are being shut out by the legislative process:
– feeding the family
– decent housing
– working a full time job for a living wage
– good education for their children in an increasingly competitive world
– the cost of higher education and usurious lending rates to students
– health care for all citizens
– access to a neutral internet
– fixing and updating our infrastructure

This is just a start. Overarching all of these is climate change. I have heard there is a movement among millennials to vote only for candidates who will address climate change. Good for them!

Posted in 2016 Election Campaign, ALEC, Branstad, civil rights, Corporate Greed, economic inequality, Environment, Hunger In America, Internet Issues, Iowa legislature 2015, Republican hypocrisy, Republicn Policy, tea party | Comments Off on It’s Official: Republicans Totally Bankrupt On Ideas

Branstad “Steers Clear” – Loebsack Speaks Out

Posted on April 3, 2015 by Trish Nelson

Iowa flagCapitol Digest (QC Times- Mar 30)

INDIANA CONTROVERSY: Republican Gov. Terry Branstad said Monday he was steering clear of a controversy in Indiana over a religious liberties law that has raised concerns over possible discriminatory action toward gays and lesbians in the Hoosier State. Branstad told reporters he did not know enough about the political controversy in Indiana to comment but said Iowa’s approach has been and will be to treat everybody with respect and dignity.

Another Iowa politician, Democratic U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack, however, issued a statement Monday hoping that companies in Indiana or businesses that were looking to move to Indiana would instead to take a look at basing their companies in Iowa, which he said has a history of leading the fight for civil rights based on race, gender or sexual orientation.

Last week, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed a religious freedom restoration act that detractors say would allow businesses to discriminate against gays and lesbians who are not recognized as a protected class in that state as they are in Iowa.

 

Posted in Branstad, David Loebsack | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Iowan To Pipeline Representative “I Don’t Want You On My Land”

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Trish Nelson
Weslie Phipps displaying Century Farm certificate

Weslie Phipps displaying Century Farm certificate

“The pipeline representative called me to talk about coming out here to survey… I told her they’d have to carry me out in a pine box before I’d let any oil pipeline people on my property. And you know how she responded… She said, ‘I’ll make a note of that.’”

Iowa Pipeline Walk: Day 24
Posted on April 1, 2015

by Ed Fallon

Saturday, March 28, 2015–
Fraser, Iowa
Click here to go to original post at fallonforum.com
For the latest Iowa Pipeline Walk route and schedule detail, click here

Crossing the Des Moines River Valley north of Boone proves refreshing, invigorating. The nearly two-mile stretch offers a dramatic contrast to the flat farm fields that suddenly give way to rolling, wooded bluffs cascading down to the river below. The valley’s beauty is slightly soiled in my mind as I consider the impact of a pipeline break at this location.

I stop at a house on the riverbank and am greeted by three charging jack terriers. A cheery woman calls them off, and without even asking my name or mission, invites me in to visit with her husband.

I step into a fishing cabin and find myself face to face with an older, bearded gentleman in bib overalls. He is delightful, full of stories, questions and history. He clearly loves the river, and spends much of his time fishing. On two recent occasions, the river rose to the very edge of where we are seated. I suggest climate change, but he’s inclined to blame the Army Corps of Engineers.

We entertain each other with a mix of pipeline, professional and personal stories while I devour two peanut-butter sandwiches and give my feet a much-needed massage.

I cross the river and come to a beautiful, well-kept farm house with a bright red barn. Teresa Phipps answers the door, and invites me in to talk with her husband, Weslie, a farmer and self-described strict constitutionalist, who is adamantly against the pipeline.

“The pipeline representative called me to talk about coming out here to survey,” Weslie informs me. “I told her they’d have to carry me out in a pine box before I’d let any oil pipeline people on my property.”

“And you know how she responded,” continued Weslie, still a bit shocked from the recollection. “She said, ‘I’ll make a note of that.’”

The pipeline would lie about 400 feet from the Phipps’ well. “I told them I’m not going to take a penny from you and I don’t want you on my land, because I don’t want to get a letter someday saying that I’m liable for a spill,” said Weslie.

Good question, and one that comes up a lot. When the pipeline breaks, who ultimately will be stuck with the cleanup cost?

As I cross the river that provides drinking water to a big chunk of Iowa’s population, I wonder how much damage a pipeline break here would cause. What if Dakota Access – a LIMITED liability corporation – just walked away from the disaster? Who would be left holding the bag? Landowners? Taxpayers?

The price tag for cleanup of the Exxon spill on the Yellowstone River earlier this year continues to rise, now at $135 million. The 2010 Enbridge spill on the Kalamazoo River has swelled to $1.2 billion. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico has cost $42 billion – so far.

And what does it mean to “clean-up” a damaged waterway? The standard argued by a slick corporate lawyer in court might not be acceptable to people and animals living along the Des Moines River, or for those living downstream depending upon the river for their drinking water.

I climb out of the valley, slightly winded from the fairly steep hike, with the thought on my mind that landowners may have a particularly important point of view in the public debate on this pipeline; yet all of us, across Iowa and beyond, have a stake in this battle, and our opinions matter as much as anyone’s.

Posted in Ed Fallon, Environment, Iowa Globalwarming, Local Events | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Iowan To Pipeline Representative “I Don’t Want You On My Land”