Interview With House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst

In advance of her Sept. 13 trip to Johnson County, Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst spent time with Blog for Iowa talking Iowa politics.

The interview covered the prospects for Democrats to gain House seats in November, impacts of the new private school voucher program, converting support for access to abortion into votes, water and air quality in Iowa, transparency about the recent school shooting in Perry, and other topics.

The Truman Fund fund raiser she is headlining on Friday the 13th asks the question, “Tired of Being Scared?” Learn more about the event at this link.

During the interview we referred to the Harkin Institute conference on Sept. 25 and 26, Industrial Farm Animal Production, the Environment, and Public Health. Learn more about the conference here.

The full, unedited audio of my interview with Leader Konfrst can be found here.

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Iowa Republican Endorses Democrat For Congress

I’m a little late posting this newsletter, but Ryan Melton is doing a great job and it deserves to be shared. He is out there in the fourth district fighting the good fight for Iowans to have better representation, which can’t be easy. He also takes the time to write a substantive newsletter. Not just a robo cookie-cutter money ask.  Yes he gets around to asking for money because that is important to a campaign but it is last, after the information sharing part.

Please give his newsletter a read and you can sign up to receive it below.  Even if you don’t have time to read it all through, it is still helpful to share it on your social media platforms. Election day is coming. All hands on deck.

###

This is Ryan Melton, Democrat running for the U.S. House in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District. During my 2024 campaign, I’ll send you a weekly email to keep you in the loop while not overwhelming your inbox. Typically, the newsletter will be a review from the week prior: Where we went, what issues of note were on the minds of those I met with, where we’ll be in the next week, etc.

Where I went on the campaign trail last week:

Last week, I sat down for an hour-long interview with Julie Gammack (I’ll post the audio link below), sat in on Arnie Arnesen’s radio show and answered some questions about Iowa politics and Kevin Virgil’s endorsement I received, chatted with students at Northwest Iowa Community College and Dordt University, spoke with folks in Marshalltown at Iowa State House Rep. Sue Cahill’s fundraiser, and attended a Labor Day picnic in Fort Dodge.

The pressing issue on the campaign trail last week:

Last newsletter, I went into detail on the unprecedented endorsement I received from Kevin Virgil, the Republican who ran in the primary against my general election opponent, Randy Feenstra. The endorsement has certainly been the number 1 thing folks have wanted to chat with me about since. It’s given Democrats in our conservative district hope that progress can be made here too.

The Iowa GOP leadership wasn’t too excited about Virgil endorsing me. In fact, they spent all of last week on social media publicly panicking about it, begging people to vote for Feenstra regardless, calling Virgil names like “sore loser” (that was Gov. Reynolds), and calling me a “radical Democrat” who is a “Bernie Sanders Lover” (I certainly am a fan) as if that’s a bad thing (it’s not).

A number of folks, including journalists, were befuddled as to why the Iowa GOP sent out all its leaders, such as Gov. Reynolds, Reps. Miller Meeks, Nunn, Hinson, and Attorney General Brenna Bird among others, to amplify the story of Virgil’s endorsement of me when one could argue it would’ve been better for them to ignore it and hope it didn’t reach many Iowans. They amplified the story so much it landed in the New York Post.

I certainly was thinking the same thing, but came to the conclusion that the only logical explanation for all the free press and name recognition boost they gave was because they don’t like what their internal polling numbers are showing them, and felt they had no other choice. In fact, last week, a Main Street USA/Florida Atlantic U. poll found Democrats are up in three of the four congressional districts in Iowa, and that poll was conducted before I received Virgil’s endorsement. Also, despite Feenstra posting internal numbers at least twice regarding his primary race against Virgil on his campaign socials, he hasn’t done that once in our general election race. Makes you wonder why.

What also was notable is if you read all of the social media posts submitted on the issue at hand by Iowa’s GOP leaders, literally none of them addressed Virgil’s critiques of what has happened in Iowa under GOP leadership that led him to endorse me. None rebutted his concerns (and mine) on the hollowing out of our rural communities, the cancer crisis, the decline of our public education rankings, or the sell out by Iowa GOP leadership of their rank and file voters to do the bidding of their big money corporate donors. Personally, if I was a Republican, reading my party leaders lecture and browbeat me to vote for them without addressing Virgil’s concerns or acknowledging their role in the amplification of what ails this state that Virgil and I point out, I’d be even less likely to vote for them.

So, let’s keep this momentum going. Spread the word. Share my newsletter emails. Put out my yard signs. Help us with post card writing. Donate if able. Depending on how you look at it (as there’s redistricting of Congressional Districts every ten years), a Democrat hasn’t won this U.S. House seat in roughly 40 years. I turn 40 this month. We have a unique opportunity here, so let’s capitalize on it and create a better Iowa for all.

Our schedule for this week:

On Monday 9/2, I attended Labor Day picnics in Sioux City and Council Bluffs.

On Tuesday, 9/3, I attended the Pottawattamie County Democrats Women’s Lunch in Council Bluffs.

On Thursday, 9/5, I spoke with many college students at Northwestern College in Orange City and spoke at the Plain Conversations event up in Sioux Center.

On Saturday, 9/7, I’ll have a meet and greet at noon at the Lake City Library in Calhoun Co before heading up to Spencer to speak with folks at the Clay Co Dems Booth at the Clay Co Fair from 330-5.

Sunday, 9/8, I’ll be speaking at the Story Co Dems BBQ event in Ames in the evening.

Recent press/social media posts of note:

https://okobojiwriters.substack.com/p/could-ryan-melton-mount-a-political?utm_campaign=post&triedRedirect=true&fbclid=IwY2xjawE6SlFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHdD8hUP7TKM-0neNR9p93dW5edCSeib7qvi1XzkGIYHVLohS1klT40HA-g_aem_icHtz30a_H0O6ApTmBYzRQ

We again are rejecting all Corporate PAC money, so we really rely on, and are extremely grateful for your support. We’ll spend your donations on ways to expand our reach to as many voters as possible, including:

-Post cards and other mailers and postage

-Hand out cards for events

-Text messaging campaigns

-Transportation costs for events and door knocking

-Campaign website costs

-Radio ads, Social Media Ads, and (hopefully) TV ads

-Our campaign staffers

Finally, if you have anyone else in mind that would like to be added to our email list or who would be interested in volunteering, let us know at melton4iowa@gmail.com!

Let’s keep fighting the good fight together!

Ryan Melton

Donate to help our campaign!

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Help Make Iowa Less Scary

Tired of Being Scared?

You are Invited To Join

Johnson County State Representatives

Amy Nielsen
Dave Jacoby
Elinor Levin
Adam Zabner

In Welcoming

House Democratic Leader  JENNIFER KONFRST

Friday September 13th

6:00pm to 8:00pm

North Ridge Pavillion, 2250 Holiday Rd. Coralville, IA 52241

Food, drinks, and family-friendly activities!

Suggested Donations

$50 $100 $200 $500

Let’s Make Iowa Less Scary

Donate Today!

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ENOUGH!!!

David Hogg from Thursday (3 minutes):

The school shooting in Georgia Tuesday was the 416th such shooting since the attack on Columbine on April 24th, 1999 some 25+ years ago. Four hundred sixteen shootings. Over 370,000 students have been exposed to the horror of shootings in schools. 

One and only one political party in the whole F***ing world – the whole world – fights for the access to the guns that are used in these shootings. Everybody else in the world sees America’s MAGA Party as mentally deranged for making access to weapons of war to be used and carried on the streets of our country. 

This isn’t that hard, folks. A country that is always locked and loaded is a danger to live in. In Europe parents can send their children to school and expect them to come home in the evening. 

In the US it is kind of a game of Russian Roulette. Send your kids to school and hope that someone who has a grudge doesn’t decide to walk into a school and take their grudge out on innocent children. I can’t imagine the anguish of parents who hear that there is a school shooting in progress at their child’s school.

Yet politicians who back access to guns are re-elected every year. They are easy to spot. They are the ones on the ballot with an (R) behind their name.

If you really want to do something about school shootings and gun violence in general all you need to do is not vote for the politician on the ballot with an (R) behind their name. Nobody has to know that you did so. One of the great things about our country is that the ballot is a secret that only you will know.

Stand up for the kids! Stand up for the parents, the grandparents, the uncles, aunts and cousins. There is no sane reason why guns should be so ubiquitous in our society. It is crazy policy. 

It is crazy policy that seems to have no basis in history or in the constitution. The second amendment was drawn up so the government could raise an army at short notice, not so citizens could shoot each other or some politician they disagreed with.

It is as if our gun policies are based on some really bad 1950s shoot-‘em-up cowboy movie from the 1950s. 

Imagine the US finally freeing itself from the fear of being shot at any moment. 

You have the power! Just vote NO! On Republicans at all levels- city, county, state and national government.

 

 

And Republican VP candidate JD Vance says that school shootings are a “fact of life.” Is he nuts? Better question, are going to vote for someone that crazy? Or vote for someone who will support such a crazy statement such as Miller-Meeks, Hinson, Nunn or Feenstra?

Posted in #nevertrump, #trumpresistance, 2024 election, Children, gun control | Tagged | Comments Off on ENOUGH!!!

Sunday Funday: Tuesday The Lies Will Fly Edition

Frank Zappa on crossfire 1986: (3 minutes) Zappa was so far ahead of his time.

Almost can’t imagine how bad the lying will be Tuesday night. Hope somebody has a team of a dozen or so fact checkers at the ready for the Trump bombardment of bullshit. Even a dozen won’t be able to keep up, but they would at least have a fighting chance.

Here is a suggestion for ABC. When Trump tells a whopper splash the screen with a big “BULLSHIT” logo across the screen and say you will explain later. 

Recent news, debate history and some college football questions this week.

A) MAGA VP candidate JD Vance said that what were now a “fact of life.”?

B) DonOLD Trump’s calendar for next week as Judge Merchan moved what from September 18th to November 26th?

C) The Trump campaign has already withdrawn from what three targeted states with just 8 weeks to go?

D) What judge in a Trump case refused to change dates because of the election this week?

E) Who is Adam Gregg?

F) According to the Copernicus Climate Center in Europe says the continent has just endured what?

G) Who are Justin Caporale and Michel Picard and why are they in the news?

H) The Cy-Hawk game has been played every year consecutively since it was re-established in what year?

I) Jim McCain did what this week?

J) What foreign country was accused by the Biden Administration Wednesday of interfering in the US election?

K) JD Vance said this week that the daycare crisis in the US could be solved by doing what?

L) Most historians point to the Nixon / Kennedy debates of 1960 as the start of the current presidential debates. What two women held a debate as surrogates for the 1956 candidates?

M) The first Vice Presidential debate was held in 1976. Who were the participants?

N) A lot of love went out from the Democrats for what corporation as both President Biden and VP Harris said they would block its sale to a Japanese concern?

O) Aide to NY Governor Kathy Hochul, Linda Sun was arrested and accused of acting as an agent for what foreign country Tuesday? 

P) The CEOs of what companies issued a statement last week stating their companies merger would lower grocery prices?

Q) What 1950s/1960s teen star and singer made his hit song “Goodbye Cruel World” a reality last week?

R) When was the first Iowa – Iowa State football game and who won?

S) The money race often indicates who has momentum. How did the money race for president go in August?

T) Finally in the 5 seconds of fame category, what VP sibling came out and said he disagreed with his brother’s policies before fading into the background?

Trump is saying he’ll back Putin if he attacks Europe. It makes him unfit for command. Republicans are afraid to break off from Trump and so they’re going to own the anti-NATO rhetoric through the rest of the election. They know better.” – Douglas Brinkley

Answers: 

A) School shootings (and he wants your vote?)

B) DonOLD’s sentencing for his 34 convictions of election fraud 

C) Minnesota, Virginia and New Hampshire. Expect more soon

D) Tanya Chutkan

E) He was Iowa’s Lieutenant Governor until Tuesday when he made a quick resignation

F) Its hottest summer on record. This call has been made even with 2 weeks left in the season

G) They are the aides to DonOLD Trump who assaulted the Army female officer who was trying to stop their illegal filming at Arlington

H) 1977

I) Jim McCain is the youngest son of late Senator John McCain. Last week he registered to vote as a Democrat.

J) Russia (big surprise, huh?)

K) using grandparents to do the daycare. Many disagreed

L) Eleanor Roosevelt stood in for Adlai Stevenson and Margaret Chase Smith stood in for President Eisenhower on Face the Nation

M) Walter Mondale and Bob Dole

N) US Steel

O) China

P) Kroger’s and Albertson’s

Q) James Darren

R) 1894 with Iowa State winning

 S) Harris: $361 M; DonOLD $130 M

T) Tim Walz older brother Jeff Walz. Jeff said he opposed brother Tim’s policies and has faded back into the woodwork.

The beltway media is lazy, entitled, and wants a horse race.

Arlington? No follow up

Assassination attempt medical report? No follow up

Bribes from Egypt? No follow up

Age? No longer discussed.

Pardoned murderers? Nothing.

Did Kamala Harris actually work at McDonalds? “SCANDAL!” – Steve Marmel

Posted in #nevertrump, #trumpresistance, Humor | Comments Off on Sunday Funday: Tuesday The Lies Will Fly Edition

The Problem Is Perceiving The Problem

2 minutes: And a thanks to Kamala Harris for a forthright assessment:

Once again that which only happens in America happened in America Wednesday. Yep someone with a gun – well not just a gun but a weapon specifically made for war, the AK47 – and started shooting anything and everything. This is the only country such shootings happen. It is all because a small pocket of people with an outsized amount of power wants the real problem to be disguised behind some smoke screen.

Due to the money and the power this group can wield one political party is more than happy to bend their wills and propaganda to fit those with the power and the money. And therefore at the instance of yet another horrible shooting in America, we see career politicians once again regurgitating the usual lines like: 

  • Guns are not the problem
  • It’s a mental health issue
  • A good guy with a gun is needed to stop such problems
  • The second amendment allows everybody to have guns.
  • Pray to God and he will take care of it

Of course all this is a load of crap used to delay or stop what every other sane country in the world has already done – get the weapons of war out of the hands of as many citizens as they can. The propaganda that gets hauled out after every horrific shooting spree is ten carried usually without comment by the media which is set to make money advertising guns.

I understand politicians uniting to stop the banning of guns. No matter how loathsome these politicians are they are getting paid for doing so by some very rich people. They are whores to the gun lobby and only doing their whorish jobs. What is really disconcerting is people who vote for these gun lobby whores. 

Do they really want the slaughter of our children to continue? They must. They vote for the whores who suck up to the gun  lobby and its money. They take their bribes also known as “contributions” and vote to keep the gun lobby’s war on America up and running. 40,000+ dead Americans a year. Is this due to immigration? 

Hell no! The problem is the gun lobby and they need to be outed by the media. Their whores in Congress need to be identified so truly informed voters can vote them out. 

Ironically those who defend the proliferation of the weapons of war on the streets of America are usually the same that call for the Christianization of the country. Apparently they are oblivious to “thou shall not murder” is part of their basic tenets. 

So with a stash of cash in their back pockets, MAGA politicians don’t see the daily murder of 120 Americans as a problem. No, it is a symptom of the problem of not everyone having a gun at the ready. Guns are not the only problem they perceive in unique ways.

Take low wages for example. They see the problem as companies that hire workers and who pay those workers for their time and ability as not having enough money. That’s right – companies need more and more money. One way to accomplish that is to cut their taxes to nothing allowing companies to share this largesse with their employees. Never mind that it has never happened – it could.

Another problem is health care. They see health care not as something that should be accessible to everyone, but to those who can afford it. Obviously if you can’t afford it you have done something in your life that makes you undeserving of being able to afford health care. Tough luck for you.

The same goes with housing. If you can’t afford it, then out on the street with you. The way the MAGAs perceive housing is that landlords and housing providers must make a good profit. They can’t make a profit if their lessees can’t afford the price. 

In the eyes of the MAGA, their problem is how most Americans perceive problems. No one should be given health care, housing, food, or an education. If you can’t afford such things that is your problem and shouldn’t bet be paid for by taxes on the rich.

And that is why often their answers involve taking tax payers money and funneling it to the wealthy and corporations through schemes such as Iowa’s Educational Voucher scheme or Iowa’s Medicaid Managed Care Organizations. Both are sleazy schemes to take money from public programs and waste it in private bureaucratic organizations that cripple the problem they are assigned to solve.

So there it is. The problems are real, but by pretending to see them through a different perceptions, schemes can be launched that funnels money to the rich while making those who are victims of a given problem suffer even more. It’s a trick that corporate media is pulling on us every day. And whorish congress members stuff their campaign treasuries with blood money from the gun sellers.

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Be Careful What You Ask For

(5:40)

I was listening  Politics Girl (Leigh McGowan) on the Stephanie Miller Show the other day and she offered a thought that really struck me. Can’t remember just how she said it, but the essence was: 

‘media’s playing to get Trump elected or at least make it a close election is really playing with fire. If he becomes president, he said he will be a dictator and he will exact revenge on his enemies. The free press has been his enemy from day one. Dictatorships don’t need more than one press outlet.’

Like many, I guess I had made an assumption that all his sycophants in the press that for the last decade have painted the wannabe future dictator in the mold of Vladimir Putin or a Victor Orban would just be swept in to praise his glory we he demolishes our democracy. But maybe not. 

Trump will only need one or possibly two bullhorns. Anything more could be confusing and require some management effort that he has no desire to expend. Nope, better just to get rid of them. No sense taking a chance that some loose cannon might accidentally tell the truth and knock the propaganda wagon off its course.

That leads to many questions, such as, will the one or two “news” resources be a survivor from the current crop? Most people would probably assume that Fox and probably News Nation would take the mantle of administration outlet. My thought is that much like his social network, Trump would want to create his own outlet so he and his “trusted” allies can make their own rules.

The irony in such a scenario is that corporate media has done all they can to make Trump not only acceptable, but normalizing Trump’s insanity and pretending that the extreme right policies of Trump and his minions are American values. If they succeed in putting Trump back in the White House he will waste little time in exacting revenge and changing our democracy. One of the first victims will be the free press.

So selling out the country to put Trump back in charge may in the end lead to their demise. Funny how that works out. But you say, Trump has no power to stop the free press! No? Just this summer the SCOTUS said that essentially the president can do whatever he wants and it is legal. 

I have no idea what the mechanics of dismantling the press will look like but I think we have been given previews by Trump and his followers. Attacks on newsrooms and attacks on reporters to disrupt their news gathering abilities. Attacks on their websites, uplinks and downlinks and even the actual old style printing presses.

As physical attacks go on in a guerrilla like manner, the administration will issue executive orders expanding liability on stories concerning the administration. If Trump gets a MAGA congress, we could expect laws that will harm the press.

The press will probably rebel. This is where the administration will employ their “tie ‘em up in court” strategy that we have seen Trump use so successfully in his quest to stay out of jail. He and his followers have been preparing and practicing for their return. This can be used as a great strategy to harass the press and drain their money and other resources. So they bleed money while being constrained on what they can report. So no product to sell.

Think that can’t be done? Look what happened to abortion. A long slog that ended by eventually uses courts that have been turned into right wing echo chambers overturning decades of laws. 

And when the government in your name launches an attack on the press, remember that the Court has already ruled that what the president does as president is legal. And if you think “we can vote him and his party out of office” remember that ending elections was part of his plan. 

Does that scare you? Scares the hell out of me.

If you plan on voting for a MAGA for congress or even at the state level, that they will not go along with the Trump agenda? I have only seen two MAGA politicians with enough backbone to stand up to Trump so far and do the right thing. They were both dealt with. So expecting a Hinson, Miller-Meeks, Feenstra or Nunn to stand up to Trump is pretty wistful.

Certainly Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley long ago sold their souls to Trump. So voting for a MAGA politician and hoping they do what is right for the country is a ship that sailed long ago. Loyalty to Trump is their new game in town.

Posted in #nevertrump, #trumpresistance, 2024 election | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Be Careful What You Ask For

Conference On Industrial Farm Animal Production The Environment and Public Health

Wow! Forwarding this information from JFAN (Jefferson County Farmers & Neighbors).   Check out the speakers list. This promises to be an amazing conference. Read on and watch the video below for complete information.  All registrants will receive a copy of the book by the same title.

COMING THIS MONTH!

September 25-26, 2024
Olmstead Center at Drake University
2875 University Ave, Des Moines

Also Live-streamed on YouTube
Organized by Harkin Institute of Public Policy and Citizen Engagement in collaboration with Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future

LEARN ABOUT THE CONFERENCE AND SPEAKERS HERE:
https://bit.ly/47dsiOI

REGISTER HERE:
https://bit.ly/3AKcCpZ

At this major and unique conference, national and local public health experts will come together to discuss the connections between agriculture and air quality, water quality, climate change, worker safety and environmental justice. Farmers, advocates, and ecological experts will address strategies for positive change. The conference is a key part of Iowa Environmental Education Week, organized in collaboration with the Iowa Environmental Council.

JFAN supporters are eligible for big savings for the conference. When you register for the event, simply enter the promo code “JFAN” and you can receive $50 off your registration fee. Registration for the conference also comes with a complimentary copy of a forthcoming book with the same title edited by Dr. Jim Merchant and Robert Martin and published by the Johns Hopkins University Press.

With bird flu outbreaks on the rise and Iowa’s cancer rates generating headlines, this is an extremely important time to be having this conversation. Please sign up for the conference and join those Iowans working to ensure that the food system is front and center in the fight for a more sustainable future.

00:01:37 – Brief description of the book
00:05:22
– Inspiration for conference
00:08:45
– Intended audience
00:13:30
– Why the conference and book is so important now
00:18:08
– Overview of topics and speakers
00:26:22
– How to register
00:34:27
– Intended conference goals
00:37:05
– Summary

Questions about the conference? Email Adam Shriver, Director of Wellness and Nutrition at the Harkin Institute at adam.shriver@drake.edu

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Iowans Beware of Push Polls

From our inbox:

The worst thing about running for office is when your opponent tells lies about you.
Yesterday I heard from a number of folks in my district who were really upset.

Each of them had received a call that seemed like a poll–at first–but then it was just a series of lies about me. This is called a push poll, it tries to manipulate potential voters.

One of the distorted points was about the Area Education Agency bill. Thousands of Iowans showed up, called, and wrote to oppose this bill. This is the bill that has pulled apart a really important support system for public schools, resulting in the loss of hundreds of educators who provided specialized care to our children across our state. Iowans are still angry about this bill, and for good reason.

I listened to Iowans and voted no.

But the Republican majority slipped a pay raise into this bill–not because they care about teachers–but as a trap. It was a weapon to use against legislators like me in this election.
Anyone who campaigns like this, anyone who governs like this, does not deserve to be in office.

We need your help to make sure voters know the truth! Donate here
And every time you share a good word on my behalf, it matters!

Sarah

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Join Telephone Town Hall With Iowa Republican Rep. Miller-Meeks

Check out MMM’s message below. Join the call and sign up for her newsletter for first hand knowledge of what she is saying to constituents and how she is framing the issues. Always good to get it right from the horse’s mouth before writing a letter to the editor of your local paper.

“I invite you to join me [Wednesday] evening for a Telephone Town Hall where we’ll discuss crucial issues such as lowering prescription drug prices, improving healthcare access for all Iowans, and ensuring women, children, and families receive the support they need. To participate, please dial 833-380-0699. For more information or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact our office at 202-225-6576. I look forward to our conversation!

To stay updated on the work I’m doing, I invite you to subscribe to my weekly newsletter. You will be the first to receive insights into the legislation I’m working on, the places I visit, and the people I meet. It’s an opportunity to remain informed on the issues that matter most to our community. You can subscribe to my newsletter by pressing HERE.”

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