Is There a Detention Center Near You?

By the fall of 2007 the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will spend an estimated $1 billion per year to detain over 27, 500 immigrants. ICE operates eight Service Processing Centers (SPCs) and seven contract detention facilities. Additionally, immigration detainees are being held in local jails and private prisons across the United States. According to ICE, the average detention is about one month, although some detainees are kept for several years.

Why Detention Centers are a bad idea.

If you live near a detention center (or even if you don't), consider ways to make the plight of the detainees and their families more widely known and what you can do to help them gain fair treatment. Visit the web sites of organizations listed in our Threatened Communities page for more information and suggestions. Also, please see Other Resources at the bottom of this page for further information on immigration detention and deportation, news articles and how to protect your rights. Also view strategies for dealing with local detention centers in your community, from the New Jersey Civil Rights Defense Committee.

Dream Homes Turn To Nightmares

Housing analysts predict between 1 million and 3 million U.S. homes will be foreclosed upon in 2007. Already a wave of defaults on subprime mortgages held by those with poor credit have caused a crisis in parts of the industry, and some economists believe a recession could result.

Subprime loans allowed many Americans with spotty credit to buy into the housing boom, driving home ownership to nearly 69 percent nationwide in 2006, up from 65.4 percent a decade earlier. But teaser rates that kept interest payments low for two or three years have begun to expire, driving monthly payments through the roof.

Shanna Smith, chief executive of the National Fair Housing Alliance, said lenders often targeted the most vulnerable borrowers for subprime loans, even if they were eligible for loans with lower rates. More often than not, the borrowers had little understanding of mortgages.
"All the predatory lending that has gone on, all of the pushing of exotic loans on people of color, female-headed households, families with children, people with disabilities -- it's all coming home to roost," Smith said.

Once borrowers fall 90 days behind on payments, lenders can start the foreclosure process, which can take up to a year. Owners can try to sell the house, but with prices falling and foreclosed homes flooding the market, borrowers often end up still owing more than they can get for the house.

Feinstein MILCON It for What It's Worth?

From Bohemian.Com

Feinstein Resigns From Subcommittee

Sen. Dianne Feinstein has resigned from the Military Construction Appropriations subcommittee. Feinstein was chairperson and ranking member of MILCON for six years, during which time she had a conflict of interest due to her husband Richard C. Blum's ownership of two major defense contractors who were awarded billions of dollars for military construction projects approved by Feinstein.

The MILCON subcommittee is not only in charge of supervising military construction; it also oversees "quality of life" issues for veterans, which includes building housing for military families and operating hospitals and clinics for wounded soldiers. Perhaps Feinstein is trying to disassociate herself from MILCON's incredible failure to provide decent medical care for wounded soldiers.

Two years ago, before the Washington Post became belatedly involved, the online magazine Salon.com exposed the horrors of deficient medical care for Iraq War veterans. While leading MILCON, Feinstein had ample warning of the medical-care meltdown. But she was not proactive on veteran's affairs.

More at http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=54932

Checks and Balances

The Senate voted overwhelmingly - and with bipartisan support - on Tuesday to strip Alberto Gonzales of the power to appoint US attorneys without its consent.

And the vote on Wednesday authorizing the use of subpoenas to compel White House officials to testify passed on a voice vote with no dissent.

Primary Motivation

Now New York is moving on up...

From the AP

No, not the budget, which is due April 1. Instead, the New York State Senate and Assembly both passed a bill moving New York's presidential primary date up to Feb. 5, 2008. The idea is to make New York "relevant" in the Presidential sweepstakes.

But with as many as 20 states considering or already having moved their primaries to Feb. 5, it seems unlikely any will gain added relevance. Why? Because that day will now be something akin to a national primary, with perhaps as much as half the country (population-wise) voting.

No candidate can really campaign in all those states in the short window between the South Carolina primary (Democrats on the prior Tuesday, Republicans on the prior Saturday) and the new "Super Duper" Tuesday.

So what will happen? Many now believe Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina (Nevada holds a Democrat-only caucus too, so maybe Nevada) will be more important than ever. Any candidate that can't win at least one of these states may be too hobbled by his or her lack of perceived momentum to win many states on Feb. 5.

Deadlines and Commitments

The Press-Citizen reports Rep. Dave Loebsack said today he would vote in favor of an Iraq war spending bill that sets strict standards for deploying combat troops and a deadline of Aug. 31, 2008, to withdraw U.S. troops.

Gark: When he ran for election he said "The continued presence of U.S. troops near Iraq would only bring more instability to the region and place U.S. troops at constant risk from enemies of America. Complete disengagement from Iraq in the next year will serve to enhance America’s security." Sometimes it is hard to toe the party line.

Homeless in America

The Iowa City Human Rights Commission is sponsoring an event at the Iowa City Public Library at 7 pm to 9 pm tonight (Wednesday 3/21) featuring the documentary film "Homeless in America" in meeting Room A. A panel discussion will follow.

From “ A Comprehensive Homeless Strategy for Iowa” (2006)

The 2005 Iowa Homeless Study found the following:
• 21,000 Iowans were homeless and these persons were largely concentrated in Iowa’s urban
areas
• Iowa’s homeless population is changing – a majority of homeless households in Iowa are
families with children
• Women are more likely to be homeless than men
• 40 percent of homeless Iowans had mental health or substance abuse problems or another
disability
• African-Americans are significantly over-represented in Iowa’s homeless population.
(Although African-Americans represent only 2 percent of Iowa’s population they constituted
almost 25 percent of Iowa’s homeless population.)
• Families with children make up the majority (61 percent) of all homeless households in Iowa
• Seven percent of Iowa’s homeless meet HUD’s definition of chronic homeless
• Almost 20 percent of homeless men in Iowa are veterans
• There are 2,536 shelter beds in the state and
• The inability to find affordable housing is the top reason persons gave for their homeless
status.

Other contributing factors include eviction/foreclosure, domestic violence, job loss, utility disconnection, family breakup/divorce, loss of benefits, institutionalization of family member (jail, hospital) and de-institutionalization (jail, hospital, foster care).

Dave Loebsack -- Please Support the Lee Amendment

Progressive representatives Barbara Lee, Lynn Woolsey, Maxine Waters, Keith Ellison, Maurice Hinchey and our own Jerry Nadler proposed an amendment to the $93 billion supplemental appropriations bill for a fully-funded, systematic withdrawal of U.S. soldiers and military contractors from Iraq by December 31, 2007.

Grass roots groups are asking us to call our representatives and tell him or her to support the Lee Amendment to restrict Pentagon spending in Iraq to funding only the safe withdrawal of U.S. troops and contractors by the end of this year at the latest.

Call toll-free: 1-888-851-1879

Although this amendment has the staunch support of progressive allies in Congress, it faces a tough battle. If the Lee Amendment fails, we will urge our representatives vote NO vote on the supplemental appropriation in the coming weeks.

Following is the text of the Lee Amendment:

AMENDMENT TO H.R. _____, AS REPORTED
(SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS, 2007)
OFFERED BY MS. LEE OF CALIFORNIA
At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following:

SEC. ___. (a) Funds appropriated for Operation Iraqi Freedom or otherwise made available to the Department of Defense under any provision of law may be obligated and expended within the Republic of Iraq only for the purpose of providing for—

(1) the continued protection of members of the Armed Forces who are in Iraq participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Department of Defense contractor personnel who are in Iraq performing contracts related to such Operation, pending and during the withdrawal of such members of the Armed Forces and such contractor personnel; and

(2) the safe and complete withdrawal from Iraq of all members of the Armed Forces and contractor personnel described in paragraph (1) pursuant to a plan that provides for completion of the withdrawal not later than December 31, 2007.

(b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall be construed to prohibit or otherwise restrict the use of funds available to any department or agency of the United States to carry out diplomatic efforts or social and economic reconstruction activities in Iraq.

Sen. Tom Harkin on Global Warming

I appreciate hearing your thoughts on global warming and your support for S. 309, the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007. There is growing concern that human activities, including the burning of fossil fuels, industrial production, deforestation, and certain land-use practices, are increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases.

These gasses are leading to changes in the fundamental chemical and physical composition of Earth's atmosphere and have the potential to affect Earth's climate. Indeed, global average temperatures are rising as a result of these atmospheric changes, and that trend is projected to continue. I am very much interested in finding ways to reward those who take steps to reduce or affect greenhouse gas emissions and lessen the threat of global warming. Many states and local governments have already taken the initiative to lower their contribution to global warming and I commend these efforts.

Over 418 US cities, including New York, Chicago and Los Angeles as well as a number of Iowan cities such as Des Moines, Sioux City and Dubuque, have signed the Climate Protection Agreement, which commits these cities to the strict environmental standards of the Kyoto Protocol. California recently passed the Global Warming Solutions Act, committing the world's twelth highest emitter of greenhouse gases to the guidelines of the Kyoto Protocol. If we are serious about taking the necessary steps to curb our contribution to global warming, we need to follow the bold steps of our local leaders. And reducing our greenhouse gas emissions does not have to happen at the expense of American businesses and industries. For example, California as well as a number of Northeastern states are participating in a cap-and-trade program, which allows businesses and industries to earn credits for meeting stricter environmental and emissions standards. These credits can then be sold or traded to other businesses that do not meet these same environmental standards – otherwise, they face penalties. This program gives businesses the incentive to engage in environmentally-friendly practices, while giving them the freedom to decide how and even if they want to participate.

I have recently introduced a bipartisan bill, the Biofuels Security Act of 2007 (S.23), a bold initiative that requires American industries to produce at least 60 billion gallons of renewable fuel by 2030. In order to ensure a market for this fuel, it also requires car manufacturers to produce increasing numbers of Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV's) and major oil companies to install E-85 pumps at stations that they own or brand. This legislation will not only reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, but also move America closer to energy independence and revitalize America's heartland with thousands of new jobs.

I am supportive of the efforts of Senators Boxer and Sanders to seriously address the issue of greenhouse gas emissions and I hope to work with them to pass a comprehensive global warming bill this year.

Loebsack "Stock" Statement

REP. LOEBSACK STATES THAT, AS THE IRAQ WAR ENTERS ITS FIFTH YEAR, CONGRESS MUST CHANGE COURSE IN IRAQ

Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Loebsack stated that, as the Iraq war enters its fifth year today, it is long past time for Congress to take action to set a new direction on Iraq.

"In the November election, the American people spoke and they demanded a new direction in Iraq," said Rep. Loebsack. "The American people made clear that the country must turn away from the failed Iraq policies of the Bush Administration."

"As we enter the fifth year of the Iraq war, we must stop and take stock," Rep. Loebsack added. "Our involvement in Iraq has lasted longer than U.S. participation in World War II, World War I, the Korean War, or the Civil War. The war increasingly strains our military and has created a genuine crisis in U.S. troop readiness. As we begin the fifth year of the war, the price we have paid is high. More than 3,000 U.S. lives have been lost, more than 20,000 U.S. troops wounded, and more than $400 billion of taxpayer dollars spent."

"My highest priority is supporting our troops and ensuring their safety. I strongly oppose the President's plan for escalation and I am working with my colleagues to ensure a safe withdrawal of our troops from the region beginning immediately. We must end the President's open-ended commitment to the Iraq war and hold the administration accountable for its mismanagement of the war and subsequent failures," added Rep. Loebsack.

Gark--I would say that we have taken stock and we need to stop. Our Congress needs to act to end this war and appropriately fund the physical and mental health care needs of those veterans !

The Truth, the Half-Truth and Nothing But ..Oh, Crap!

Breaking from CNN

The White House will allow key presidential aide Karl Rove and former counsel Harriet Miers to be interviewed by committees probing the firings of U.S. attorneys, but they will not testify under oath, Rep. Chris Cannon says.

Chris Cannon (R-Utah) is not known for supporting transparency, he voted against legislation to reaffirm aspects of the Freedom of Information Act of 2007, an amendment that would strengthen the Presidential Records Act, a Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act and Presidential Library Donation reform.

Last Night's Vigil and Remembering Those Who Served

Approximately 75 people turned out for the MoveOn sponsored candlelight vigil last night on the corner of Washington and Linn Streets. Participants read off the names of soldiers from Iowa who had died in Iraq. Letters from loved ones about their sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and grandchildren were read. Despite high winds, candles were lit and relit in rememberance of those who have perished prosecuting the war.

A particularly poignant moment occurred when a local teacher described the poor treatment her cousin received by the military as he attempts to recover from his very serious wounds. Local musician led the crowd in an acapella version of an Irish protest song.

Tonight, a march is planned to begin at 5 pm beginning at the University of Iowa Pentacrest.

Below are those Iowans who died while serving (including those in Iowa National Guard)

Maj. Stuart M. Anderson 44 3rd Corps Support Command, Army Reserve Peosta, Iowa One of eight soldiers killed when their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed near Tal Afar, Iraq, on January 7, 2006

Gunnery Sgt. Jeffrey E. Bohr Jr. 39 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Ossian, Iowa Killed in northern Baghdad while engaging Iraqi forces on April 10, 2003

Spc. Casey Byers 22 Company B, 224th Engineer Battalion, Iowa Army National Guard Schleswig, Iowa One of two soldiers killed when a roadside bomb exploded underneath their up-armored Humvee during a route clearing operation south of Ramadi, Iraq, on June 11, 2005

Pfc. Benjamin R. Carman 20 Company E, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Jefferson, Iowa Killed in a long firefight after Iraqi insurgents launched a large-scale attack in Ramadi, Iraq, on April 6, 2004

Pvt. Michael J. Deutsch 21 C Troop, 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division Dubuque, Iowa Killed when his M113 Armored Personnel Carrier hit a landmine in Baghdad, Iraq, on July 31, 2003

Sgt. Nathan R. Field 23 4249th Port Security Company, Army Reserve Lehigh, Iowa One of two soldiers killed when their Humvee was hit by a civilian vehicle in Umm Qasr, Iraq, on January 7, 2006

Lt. Col. Paul J. Finken 40 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division Mason City, Iowa One of three soldiers killed when their vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb in eastern Baghdad, Iraq, on November 2, 2006

Sgt. Paul F. Fisher 39 Detachment 1, Company F, 106th Aviation Battalion, Iowa Army National Guard Cedar Rapids, Iowa Fisher was seriously injured when his CH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down by a surface-to-air missile in Falluja, Iraq, on November 2, 2003. He died of his injuries at Homburg University Clinic in Germany on November 6.

Pvt. Kurt R. Frosheiser 22 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division Des Moines, Iowa Killed when the vehicle he was driving hit a roadside bomb in Baghdad, Iraq, on November 8, 2003

Command Sgt. Maj. Marilyn L. Gabbard 46 Joint Forces Headquarters, Iowa Army National Guard Polk City, Iowa One of 12 soldiers killed when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter they were in crashed.

Sgt. Seth K. Garceau 27 Company A, 224th Engineer Battalion, 155th Brigade Combat Team, Iowa Army National Guard Oelwein, Iowa Died on March 4, 2005, at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained when his up-armored Humvee was struck by a roadside bomb while traveling between Karbala and Ramadi, Iraq, on February 27

2nd Lt. Richard B. Gienau 29 Company A, 224th Engineer Battalion, Iowa Army National Guard Peoria, Illinois Killed when his up-armored Humvee was struck by a roadside bomb while traveling between Karbala and Ramadi, Iraq, on February 27, 2005

Spc. Dakotah L. Gooding 21 C Troop, 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division Des Moines, Iowa One of three soldiers killed when their Humvee overturned into a canal while on combat patrol in Balad, Iraq, on February 13, 2005

Staff Sgt. Donald D. Griffith Jr. 29 B Troop, 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division Mechanicsville, Iowa Died as a result of hostile action in Tal Afar, Iraq, on March 11, 2005

Sgt. Thomas E. Houser 22 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force Council Bluffs, Iowa Died due to enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq, on January 3, 2005

Spc. James M. Kiehl 22 507th Maintenance Company, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade Des Moines, Iowa Killed when his convoy was ambushed near Nasiriya on March 23, 2003.

Pfc. David M. Kirchhoff 31 2133rd Transportation Company, Iowa Army National Guard Cedar Rapids, Iowa Suffered heat stroke on August 8, 2003, and was evacuated to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where he died on August 14

Spc. Joshua L. Knowles 23 1133rd Transportation Company, Iowa National Guard Sheffield, Iowa Killed when he was hit by a mortar round at a Baghdad International Airport checkpoint on February 5, 2004

Sgt. Bradley S. Korthaus 28 Company C, 6th Engineer Support Battalion, 4th Force Service Support Group Davenport, Iowa Drowned while crossing the Saddam Canal on March 24, 2003

Lance Cpl. William J. Leusink 21 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force Maurice, Iowa One of two soldiers killed while conducting combat operations against enemy forecs in Anbar province, Iraq, on May 22, 2006

Cpl. Jarrod L. Maher 21 Company L, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Imogene, Iowa Died due to a non-hostile gunshot wound at Abu Ghraib, Iraq, on November 12, 2004

Lance Cpl. Clinton J. Miller 23 Marine Wing Support Squadron 373, Marine Wing Support Group 37, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Greenfield, Iowa Killed during combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq, on December 11, 2006

Spc. John W. Miller 21 Company A, 224th Engineer Battalion, Iowa Army National Guard West Burlington, Iowa Shot and killed by a sniper while providing security for route clearing operations in Ramadi, Iraq, on April 12, 2005

Sgt. James P. Musack 23 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Riverside, Iowa Died of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident in Samarra, Iraq, on November 21, 2006

Pvt. Kenneth A. Nalley 19 501st Military Police Company Hamburg, Iowa Killed when a heavy equipment transporter crossed the median and struck his Humvee in Samawa, Iraq, on May 26, 2003

Staff Sgt. Scott E. Nisely 48 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry, Iowa National Guard Marshalltown, Iowa One of two soldiers killed by small arms fire while operating in Asad, Iraq, on September 30, 2006

Spc. David L. Rice 22 Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division Sioux City, Iowa Died in Balad, Iraq, of injuries sustained when his Humvee rolled over in Muqdadiya, Iraq, on April 26, 2005

Cpl. Jonathan E. Schiller 20 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Ottumwa, Iowa One of two soldiers killed when a roadside bomb detonated during a combat patrol in Baquba, Iraq, on December 31, 2006

Cpl. Nathan A. Schubert 22 Company C, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit Cherokee, Iowa Died when the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter he was in crashed near Ar Rutba in western Iraq on January 26, 2005

Spc. Daniel L. Sesker 22 C Troop, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, Iowa Army National Guard Ogden, Iowa Killed when a roadside bomb detonated near his Humvee in Bayji, Iraq, on April 6, 2006

Cpl. Stephen D. Shannon 21 397th Engineer Battalion Guttenberg, Iowa Died of wounds suffered when his vehicle was hit by a rocket during combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq, on January 30, 2007

Spc. Aaron J. Sissel 22 2133rd Transportation Company, Iowa Army National Guard Tipton, Iowa Killed when his convoy was ambushed with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades in Haditha, Iraq, on November 29, 2003

Pfc. Nicholas M. Skinner 20 Company A, Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Davenport, Iowa Died from injuries received due to hostile action in Najaf, Iraq, on August 26, 2004

1st Lt. Brian D. Slavenas 30 Company F, 106th Aviation Battalion, Iowa Army National Guard Genoa, Illinois Killed when his CH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down by a surface-to-air missile near Falluja, Iraq, on November 2, 2003

Chief Warrant Officer Bruce A. Smith 41 Detachment 1, Company F, 106th Aviation Battalion, Iowa Army National Guard West Liberty, Iowa Killed when his CH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down by a surface-to-air missile near Falluja, Iraq, on November 2, 2003

Spc. Kampha B. Sourivong 20 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry, Iowa National Guard Iowa City, Iowa One of two soldiers killed by small arms fire while operating in Asad, Iraq, on September 30, 2006

Cpl. Michael R. Speer 24 Company F, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force Davenport, Iowa Died from hostile fire in Iraq on April 9, 2004

Staff Sgt. Eric M. Steffeney 28 18th Ordnance Company, 184th Ordnance Battalion, 52nd Ordnance Group Waterloo, Iowa Killed when a roadside bomb detonated in Tuz, Iraq, on February 23, 2005

Pfc. Brandon C. Sturdy 19 Company F, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Urbandale, Iowa Killed by hostile fire in Anbar province, Iraq, on May 13, 2004

Petty Officer 1st Class Jerry A. Tharp 44 Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 25 Muscatine, Iowa Killed when his dismounted patrol was struck by a roadside bomb while operating in Anbar province, Iraq, on July 12, 2006

Pfc. William E. Thorne 26 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division Hospers, Iowa Died of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near his Humvee during combat operations on August 24, 2006

Spc. Gregory L. Tull 20 Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery Regiment, Iowa Army National Guard Pocahontas, Iowa Killed when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq, on November 25, 2005

Staff Sgt. Mark A. Wall 27 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Alden, Iowa Died from a non-combat related cause in Mosul, Iraq, on April 27, 2006. The incident is under investigation.

Protesters Arrested on Wall Street

Reuters and the Irish Times report Anti-war protesters arrested on Wall Street

Police arrested 44 anti-war protesters outside the New York Stock Exchange on Monday after they lay down in front of the entrance to mark the fourth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

There was no impact on trade.

Uniformed police outnumbered the fewer than 100 protesters outside the stock exchange building at the corner of Broad and Wall streets in New York's historic financial district.

"Stop the money, stop the war," people chanted as police hauled away limp-bodied protesters.
Protesters said there had been four separate but coordinated acts of civil disobedience. A police spokesman said 44 people were arrested.

Demonstrators said they were directing their protest at major defense contractors Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Halliburton, General Electric and others.

"U.S. service members and Iraqi civilians are dying so that an elite few can profit," said Fabian Bouthillette, 26, a high school teacher who served for two years in the U.S. Navy.

The demonstrators began the day at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, several blocks from the stock exchange, where they were met by seven Vietnam War veterans who said they were guarding the monuments.

Taking the 4th

Tomorrow marks the 4th anniversary of the War in Iraq.

Tonight (Monday 3/19) there will be a candlelight vigil sponsored by MoveOn held on the corner of Washington and Linn St. in Iowa City at 6:45 pm and tomorrow on the Pentacrest, March for Peace will begin at 5 p.m. Organizers expect hundreds of University of Iowa students and area residents to attend. The rally for peace includes music by Illinois John Fever and speaker Frank Cordaro, a former Catholic priest who has served more than three years in federal prison for non- violent civil disobedience. A march through downtown follows, to demonstrate the community’s opposition to the war in Iraq. Event sponsors are the UI Antiwar Committee, Iowans for Peace, PEACE Iowa, University Democrats, People for Justice in Palestine, School for Moral Courage, GLBTAU and Iowans for Sensible Priorities.

Apparently You Can Avoid Death, If Not Taxes in Iowa

From State Senator Joe Bolkcom's Networker

With all due deference to Senator Joe Bolkcom, who is doing a great job on behalf of Iowans--particularly with exorbitant car title loans/predatory lending practices!--This item about the recently passed sales tax on cigarettes has a humorous syntax problem...

"Congratulations to all the advocates that worked so hard to gain support for the $1 increase in tobacco. It will go down as a turning point in fight against the cancer and tobacco illness and death."

If the statement was true, my guess is that smokers would feel a whole lot better about paying those added taxes.

Why MCA?

On Wednesday, March 21, join the Bill of Rights Defense Committee and millions of our allies throughout the U.S. in an overwhelming grassroots repudiation of the Military Commissions Act!
The Military Commissions Act (MCA):
- Legalizes the President's ability to name anyone in the world an "unlawful enemy combatant" and to detain them indefinitely, denying them basic rights, including due process of law, - Denies habeas corpus--the right for a detainee to challenge his or her detention before an impartial judge--to anyone who is not a U.S. citizen,
- Allows detainees to be convicted on the basis of secret and hearsay evidence, and testimony gained from the detainee through torture and coercion, and
- Permits the executive branch to ignore the Geneva Conventions.

The Message: Please phone both your Senators and your Representative (find their contact information here) and urge them to:
- Co-sponsor legislation restoring habeas corpus and other fundamental rights abolished by the MCA (see bill numbers below).
- Seek out Republican co-sponsors for legislation restoring habeas corpus.
- Hold hearings on legislation that would repeal key provisions of the MCA.
- Speak out publicly on the importance of a thorough restoration to our vanishing rights.

Proposed Legislation includes bills to restore or preserve habeas corpus and bills to partially dismantle the Military Commissions Act (MCA):
S. 576 (Sen. Christopher Dodd) and H.R. 1415 (Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Jane Harman), Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007, would not only restore the right of habeas corpus for those detained by the United States, but would also do the following:
- Prohibit testimony gained by torture or coercion,
- Narrow the definition of enemy combatant,
- Reassert the Geneva Conventions,
- Provide for expedited judicial review of Military Commissions Act

Bills that would restore habeas corpus alone:
S. 185 (Senators Patrick Leahy and Arlen Specter), the Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007, would restore the right of habeas corpus for those detained by the United States.
H.R. 1416 (Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Jane Harman), Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007 (House version of Senate bill S. 185 above).
H.R. 267 (Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee), the Military Commissions Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007, would restore the right of habeas corpus for those detained by the United States.
H.R. 1189 (Rep. David Wu), To Preserve the Right of Habeas Corpus, would restore the right of habeas corpus for all U.S. legal residents.

Make Sure Your Voice is Heard!
Click here for talking points and a link to a flyer you can print and distribute.
On Wednesday, March 21, 2007, call the Capitol switchboard, 202-224-3121, and ask the operator to connect you (24 hours a day) or call your legislators directly (find their Washington office phone numbers at http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=303219523&url_num=3&url=http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/).
For more information about the MCA, click here.

Racist Like A Fox?

Iowa Liberal points to Huffington Post who provides this interesting video. It is no wonder that racial tensions in this country continue to be exacerbated when media "news-a-tainment" outlets lead the charge.

Going Into the Drink

Often people argue that we should be more like Europe when it comes to our attitudes toward alcohol. The article below should be required reading to offer the counterpoint to that common wisdom.

The issues of alcohol abuse are complex but, in a college town like Iowa City, very observable. I contend that communities must decide how to find a balance between the real public health issues surrounding alcohol abuse and the equally real economics that limit political action. Given that there is likely to be a referendum about whether Iowa City should have a 21-Ordinance (which is not likely to solve the problems associated with underage drinking in isolation, in my opinion), I think time is running out for cooler heads to prevail.

From Spiegel

Nobody drinks more than the Europeans. The Irish, Brits and Finnish in particular like to get plastered in excessive boozing marathons. A new EU study has found worrying continental drinking habits and warns of the consequences beyond the next morning's hangover.

Europeans from Cyprus to Ireland indulge in a rather intoxicating continental pastime: drinking. The champions of excessive or binge drinking are the Irish, Brits, Finns and Danes, according to a European Union survey on alcohol consumption released on Wednesday.

The study -- which polled 28,584 people between last October and November -- found that for young people in particular, the odd drink is not enough to satisfy their thirst: almost one in five between the ages of 15 and 24 consumes five or more beverages in one session, defined as the benchmark for binge drinking. (The 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates there are 11 million underage drinkers in the United States. Nearly 7.2 million are considered binge drinkers. Iowans as a whole are #4 in the US in binge drinking with 18.9% of adults having five or more drinks on one occasion.)

Binge champions are the Irish with 34 percent, followed by the Finnish, British and Danish with 27, 24 and 23 percent respectively. Italians and Greeks, on the other hand, tend to stay relatively sober: only 2 percent of those asked reported excessive alcohol consumption.

The study also emphasized that heavy drinking has more consequences than just a hangover the next morning: 195,000 Europeans die annually of alcohol abuse, and every fourth death among young men aged 15-29 is related to drinking. Alcohol also plays a role in 8-10 percent of illnesses and injuries of European citizens. In Britain, half of all violent crime is alcohol related, according to the government.

The survey found that about three-quarters of those questioned would agree on a clamp down on how alcohol is sold (77 percent), support the banning of alcohol advertisements (76 percent) and are in favor of lowering blood alcohol level limits for young and novice drivers (73 percent). Eighty percent said they would support random police alcohol tests for drivers.

The European Commission said that about 55 million adults -- 10 percent of Europe's population (Iowa, which is #15 in the US compares at 5.5%)-- drink at harmful levels. This makes the continent the heaviest drinking region in the world, with the average adult consuming the equivalent of 11 liters (23.25 pints) of pure alcohol per year. (In comparison, Johnson County residents drank approximately 2.8 gallons per person in 2006--#4 highest county consumption in Iowa)

Ain't Nothing But A House Party!

Okay, so I'm an old school J. Geils Band kind of guy...

The Gazette reports

Housing developments receive federal funds Two affordable housing developments in Johnson County have received nearly $5 million in federal money. The Housing Fellowship of Iowa City received almost $1.2 million from the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, Gov. Chet Culver said in a press release Wednesday. The Housing Fellowship will use the money to acquire and rehabilitate 14 units for family housing across Iowa City.

Harmony Development received $3 million from the same program and almost $800,000 from the HOME Investment Partnership program to build 30 units in North Liberty for senior citizens and seniors with disabilities, the release said.

Another Chief of Staff Takes One for the Team

From AFP:

The chief of staff to US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has resigned amid intense scrutiny of the Justice Department accused of excessive use of tough anti-terror laws and being overtly political.

Gonzales' chief of staff Kyle Sampson has resigned his position as chief of staff to the attorney general from Monday, March 12, the department said.

"Kyle Sampson has served as a key member of my team beginning at the White House and continuing here at the Department of Justice first as my Deputy Chief of Staff and then as my Chief of Staff," Gonzales said in a statement.

"I am very appreciative for his service, counsel and friendship during the last six years and I thank him for his service to the department."

Calls mounted over the weekend for Gonzales to resign, with critics saying he has failed to make the transition from being the personal lawyer of President George W. Bush to heading up the country's Justice Department.

Gonzales has been a loyal aide to George W. Bush since 1995 when the now-president was governor of Texas. Long before his nomination to the attorney general's post in 2004, he ran the Bush's legal services.

The United States has been rocked by a series of revelations that officials overstepped their authority in applying tough anti-terror laws brought in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Believed to be one of the chief architects of the president's expanded powers, Gonzales is also credited with redefining the word "torture" in interrogating terror suspects and with the US refusal to apply the Geneva Convention to such prisoners.

Airing on the Side of America

From Ben Smith Blog

Tweaking the Fox News Channel, the president of liberal Air America Radio this morning sent a letter to the chairmen of four state Republican parties, offering to host and broadcast the state parties' upcoming presidential debates.

Agreeing to the debate “would allow Republicans to differentiate themselves from Democrats,” Air America President Mark Green wrote to the Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, and South Carolina Republican chairmen in a deadpan communication provided this morning to The Politico.

The Nevada State Democratic Party dropped plans for Fox to broadcast an August debate after furious pressure from online activists, a move that drew attacks from Fox and the label of “Stalinist” from one Fox News commentator, Mort Kondracke.

“Should you accept Air America’s offer, Republicans would both embrace free debate and stick it to Stalin at the same time,” Green wrote.

The letter presses forward with what Fox’s critics see as a victory over the network, and draws a parallel between Fox, which famously presents itself as “fair and balanced” despite a prime-time roster heavy on conservative talking heads, and Air America, an openly partisan outlet that, despite recent business woes, claims to have 2.5 million listeners around the country.

Green – who dismissed as a front an invitation from Fox to provide a questioner to the Nevada debate -- offered to co-host the debate with Fox or another conservative outlet.

Bush Acknowledged "FBI shortfallings"

From the International Herald Tribune

While in Uruguay, President George W. Bush has acknowledged "FBI shortfallings" connected with the disclosure that the bureau improperly used the USA Patriot Act to obtain thousands of business, financial and other records in the United States.

But at a news briefing in Uruguay on Saturday, as part of a weeklong trip to Latin America, Bush said that the provision that had been misused remained an important tool against terrorism.

Bush said that he had been briefed on a report by the inspector general of the Justice Department that found that the FBI had improperly issued thousands of national security letters, a form of administrative subpoena, which allowed it to obtain personal information without court approval. He said that the briefing had been conducted by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Robert Mueller 3rd, the director of the FBI.

"My question is, 'What are you going to do to solve the problem, and how fast can you get it solved?'" Bush said. "I was pleased by Director Mueller's answer that he had already begun to address the problems."

IOWA CIVIL RIGHTS LOBBY DAY

Everyone’s help is needed—gays, lesbians, and straight allies, parents, grandparents, educators, employers, people of faith, concerned citizens, and all those interested in creating communities free from discrimination—to talk to Iowa legislators.

Wednesday, March 14, 8:30 a.m.-afternoon, CIVIL RIGHTS LOBBY DAY at the State Capitol in Des Moines.

Join the coalition, including Iowa Safe Schools, One Iowa, The Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa, and the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, to convince our elected officials that we need to ban discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Iowans! Never lobbied before? No worries, we will have plenty of experienced volunteers to help you out. Your stories and experiences are critical in convincing our Legislature to ban discrimination against LGBT Iowans. Can’t make the whole day? No problem. One or two hours or anytime you have to talk to legislators will truly make a difference!

Check in between 8:30-9 a.m. at the Iowa State Capitol. Meet at the table inside the south entrance.

Pre-register at: http://www.iowasafeschools.org/register.htm. Questions? Contact Brad Clark at brad.clark@iowasafeschools.org or 515-321-4226.

Mayan Over Matter

CNN reports Mayan Indian leaders have vowed to "spiritually cleanse" an ancient site in Guatemala after U.S. President George W. Bush visits during his seven-day, five-nation tour of Latin America.

Bush's visit to the ruins at Iximche, a one-time capital of a Mayan group, is part of an effort to show the administration is interested in all its neighbors in the hemisphere.

But many Mayans are angry that Bush is visiting Iximche, founded as the capital of the Kaqchiqueles kingdom before the Spanish conquest in 1524.
Mayan priests say they will purify the sacred archaeological site to rid it of any "bad spirits" after Bush is there.

"That a person like (Bush) with the persecution of our migrant brothers in the United States, with the wars he has provoked is going to walk in our sacred lands is an offense for the Mayan people and their culture," Juan Tiney, director of a Mayan non-governmental organization with close ties to Mayan religious and political leaders, told The Associated Press.

Army Ordering Injured Troops to Iraq?

From Salon

At Fort Benning, soldiers who were classified as medically unfit to fight are now being sent to war. Is this an isolated incident or a trend?

As the military scrambles to pour more soldiers into Iraq, a unit of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning, Ga., is deploying troops with serious injuries and other medical problems, including GIs who doctors have said are medically unfit for battle. Some are too injured to wear their body armor, according to medical records.

On Feb. 15, Master Sgt. Jenkins and 74 other soldiers with medical conditions from the 3rd Division's 3rd Brigade were summoned to a meeting with the division surgeon and brigade surgeon. These are the men responsible for handling each soldier's "physical profile," an Army document that lists for commanders an injured soldier's physical limitations because of medical problems -- from being unable to fire a weapon to the inability to move and dive in three-to-five-second increments to avoid enemy fire. Jenkins and other soldiers claim that the division and brigade surgeons summarily downgraded soldiers' profiles, without even a medical exam, in order to deploy them to Iraq. It is a claim division officials deny.

The 3,900-strong 3rd Brigade is now leaving for Iraq for a third time in a steady stream.

March (Against) Madness

Tuesday, March 20, 5 p.m., MARCH FOR PEACE, with a rally and speakers to kick off the march, at the University of Iowa Pentacrest (Iowa and Clinton, downtown Iowa City). Who: You and everyone you know - bring signs, banners, noise makers, etc. Sponsored by: University of Iowa Anti-war Committee, Iowans For Peace, PEACE Iowa, University Democrats, People for Justice in Palestine, School for Moral Courage, GLBTAU, and Iowans for Sensible Priorities. Help publicize the march: go to www.uiantiwar.org to download a flyer.

192 US Soldiers Killed Since January 2007

While Congress is pussyfooting around with deadlines and commitments, 192 more US soldiers have been killed and 681 wounded. During the same period, over 3000 Iraqi civilians and security forces have been killed.

Halliburton plans move to Dubai-- Officers to Avoid Extradition and Taxes?

The Beeb reports Halliburton, the oil services company formerly headed by US Vice-President Dick Cheney, is moving its headquarters from Texas to Dubai.

The company said it hoped the move to the United Arab Emirates would help it expand its business in the Middle East.

Halliburton won valuable contracts in Iraq following the US-led invasion of 2003, some of which were awarded without competitive bidding.

The company also has extensive operations in Saudi Arabia.

The oil giant will keep an office in Houston but the posts of chairman, president and chief executive will be based in Dubai.

Chief Executive Dave Lesar, speaking at a conference in Bahrain, confirmed that he would be relocating.

"As the CEO, I'm responsible for the global business of Halliburton in both hemispheres and I will continue to spend quite a bit of time in an airplane as I remain attentive to our customers, shareholders and employees around the world," he said.

"Yes, I will spend the majority of my time in Dubai."

In 2006, Halliburton made profits of $2.3bn on revenues of $22.6bn. Last month it announced a 40% decline in fourth-quarter profit.

(In a related story, Dubai will become the 51st state in the Union)

Update 5/25: Check out this Annual Report from Corporate Watch.

Two Cinderellas-- Bring On the March Madness

Totally off topic, but how often do I get a chance to cheer on two basketball teams from colleges I received degrees? Unfortunately, if they do get to face each other (a guy can dream), I will have a hard time deciding who to root for. Cinderella #1 Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (15) v. Wisconsin (2) Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi Islanders 26-6 (14-2 Southland) NCAA bid: Southland champions RPI: 81 Coach: Ronnie Arrow (8 years at Texas A&M-CC, 1st NCAA tournament) Best Player: Chris Daniels. Voted Southland Player of the Year, the 7-foot junior* (Sports Illustrated, he's a senior) averaged 15.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks while shooting 59 percent from the floor. Notable Wins: Nevada, Utah State (2) Record in last 10 games: 9-1* (CNN incorrectly reported the record as 7-3 ) Last NCAA tournament: first bid NCAA tournament seed history: In the last 10 years, No. 15 seeds are 2-38 in the first round. Cinderella # 2 Wright State (14) vs. Pittsburgh (3) WSU Category Pitt 23-9 Record 27-7 No. 14 Seed in region No. 3 Horizon Conference Big East 16,088 Enrollment 14,886 0-1 NCAA tourney record 15-19 Here's a thought--run the presidential primaries like The Dance--Obama v. Kucinich, Dodd v. Edwards, Clinton v. Biden, Richardson v. Gravel-- one-on-one debates followed by voting, final four get to face off in Atlanta...

Ailes, Be Seeing You--Dems Moving On

CNN reports "a Nevada Democratic presidential debate that was to have been co-hosted by Fox News Network was canceled by organizers, in part because of a joke by Fox Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes about presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama.

Democrats canceled the debate Friday. They said a comment by Ailes during a Thursday night speech to a group of radio and television news directors indicated the network was biased against their party.

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards dropped out of the debate Thursday, citing, in part, Fox's participation.

(Gark insertion "Apparently as an attempt to make another funny") Fox News Vice President David Rhodes responded to the debate cancellation with a written statement saying MoveOn.org owns the Democratic Party."

Elephant in the Situation Room

What a week it has been for Team Elephant's Damage Control Squad:

1) I, Scooter Takes One for the Team

2) FBI Breaking the Rules on Snooping

3) Atorney General Does an Abrupt About Face

4) New Commander says "More Soldiers Ain't Enough"

5) Newt Gingrich Admits "I Did Have Sex With That Woman"

Fun With Funneling

The Gazette reports the Boys and Girls in Des Moines have been busy.

The status of bills, issues in Iowa Legislature categorized by song titles (A shoutout to John Deeth).

Bills that are "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" (Thank You Stevie Wonder)
Raise minimum wage
Stop school bullying
Broaden stem cell research
Expand veterans' benefits
Provide storm disaster help to poor Iowans
Increase K-12 funding for 2008-09 school year

Bills that are still "Staying Alive" (Grazi, Brothers Gibb)
Raise teacher pay by average $2,000 a year
Raise cigarette tax by $1 per pack
Create Iowa Power Fund to encourage renewable/alternative energy
Add sexual orientation/gender identity to protected civil rights classes
Create safe zones to keep sexual predators away from children
Give injured workers choice of doctor
Take steps to limit greenhouse gas emissions
Ease water-based requirements for landed casinos
Allow same-day voter registration
Extend school infrastructure sales tax statewide
Raise compulsory school attendance age to 18
Give incentives to attract film-making projects in Iowa
Require ``paper trail'' for voting machines
Cap interest rates at 21 percent for car-title loans
Ban ownership or possession of a wild animal
Empower local smoking regulation
Give counties more say in hog-lot siting decisions
Adopt tough ``zero tolerance'' penalties for sexual predators
Establish private cause of action for consumer fraud
Lower legal threshold for boating while intoxicated
Bar parent-teacher conferences on general election day
Remove unarmed combat fight from regulation by state labor commissioner
Require kids under 13 to wear floatation jackets on boats
Require back-seat passengers under age 18 to be restrained
Change cable franchise laws
Expand Great Places program
Create crime for abuse of a human corpse
Create statewide voluntary 4-year-olds preschool program
Establish community-based wind energy program
Regulate body piercing and require parental consent for minors
Register beer kegs
Give school district reorganization incentives
Bar remote control or Internet hunting of wild animals
Limit campaign contributions for statewide/legislative elections
Shield personal identifiable information in county records
Require landlord to have good cause to end mobile home rental pact
Establish program for home visits for all families with a newborn child
Exclude unarmed combat fighting from boxing and wrestling regulation
Require state to convert state-owned vehicles to alternative fuel vehicles
Negotiate bottle bill changes
Restrict investment in Sudan
Reimburse students the cost of advanced placement exams
Prohibit people younger than 17 riding in the open bed of a pickup
Replace ``idiot'' with ``mentally incompetent'' in Iowa Constitution
Delineate core curriculum standards
Prohibit tobacco use on school property

Bill s that are "D.O.A." (Foo Fighters or for old schoolers Van Halen)
Allow Touch-Play machines in liquor permit establishments
Reinstate death penalty
Establish hunting season for mourning doves
Raise maximum speed limit on primary highways
Tighten open meeting/open records laws
End state inheritance tax
Guarantee tuition at regent universities for four years
Modify voting hours to close polls at 7 p.m.
Direct school boards to ban sale of unhealthy food items in middle/high schools
Bar novice drivers from using cell phones while driving
Alternate order of political parties listed on election ballot
Amend Constitution to require public approval of tax or fee hikes
Amend Constitution to change and limit legislative terms
Enact statewide smoking ban in public places
Set five-year sunset for state government programs
Require proof of legal residency when applying for driver's license
Establish online prescription drug retail price comparison
Repeal Iowa's official English law
Restrict uses of the Senior Living Trust
Exempt active duty pay from state income tax
Allow justifiable use of reasonable force

And Speaking of Corn Politics...

From the always reliable and sharp Toledo Blade

Demand for corn is rising as more ethanol plants come online and others are constructed. The rush to the corn-based fuel additive has pushed prices for corn over $4 a bushel on commodities markets, up from about $2.25 a year ago.

As a result, some people worry that as ethanol producers, grain exporters, and the U.S. food industry jockey for the nation's supply of corn, retail food prices may rise. "The higher corn prices have resulted in higher prices for poultry and livestock producers," said Wallace Tyner, an agricultural economist at Purdue University.

Quick Corn Fact

The world's 4 largest producers of sweet corn are:

1.) USA
2.) France
3.) Hungary
4.) Thailand

Check out King Corn

Not that most of us will be in Austin, Texas next week for SXSW. But if you are interested in the politics of corn, you will definitely want to check out the documentary King Corn (Click here for the Trailer) which was filmed right here in Iowa and will be premiering on March 11th. If for some reason you can't make it, you can buy the DVD from the filmmakers .

Civil Rights for All

From GayIowa

Lt. Governor Patty Judge and Senate Leader Mike Gronstal joined the Iowa Pride Network College Coalition at a press conference today at the State Capitol to advocate for the Iowa Civil Rights Code to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons.

“Our state’s civil rights code has a glaring omission – our LGBT community is not protected. We know that gays and lesbians are discriminated against in our society, and they currently have no recourse or protection under the law. This simply is unacceptable,” said the Lt. Governor. “Discrimination and intolerance have no place in our society, and that is why the Governor and I are supporting this simple, yet inclusive, change to our civil rights code.”

Ain't No Sunshine--Yet

'Sunshine' laws update put on hold from the Gazette

The sun will come out tomorrow … or next year, legislative advocates of upgrading Iowa's ``sunshine'' laws promised Tuesday.``Our commitment is as firm as ever,'' Sen. Mike Connolly, D-Dubuque, said about efforts to update the open meetings and public records laws.

Although the commitment is there, Connolly said lawmakers looking at the open meetings law that took effect in 1979 and the open records law enacted in 1986 are finding it to be more time-consuming than expected.``We're overwhelmed with pushing bills through the process. This is bigger than any of us thought,'' he said.Friday marks the first ``funnel'' deadline for the 82nd General Assembly -- a requirement that non-money bills clear at least one committee in the House or Senate to remain eligible for action this year.

Connolly and Rep. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, plan to ask that an interim committee be appointed to look at proposed changes and make recommendations for action in the second year of the 2007-08 General Assembly.``We're going to take out time and do it right,'' Connolly said.

The Dodd Squad

Reuters Reports
While front-runners Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama were soaking up most of the political publicity Sunday, Chris Dodd quietly won the York County, S.C., straw poll.

About 100 Democratic activists voted for their 2008 presidential choices that day, and Dodd got 28 percent of the vote.

Trailing were Obama at 24 percent; Clinton, 18 percent; 2004 vice presidential nominee John Edwards, 11 percent; and Delaware Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., 5.5 percent. Former Vice President Al Gore, a write-in, got 8 percent.

Dodd’s strategy has been to campaign the old-fashioned way, meeting with small groups in the four early 2008 primary and caucus states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.

Military Can't Fix Iraq Alone

According to CNN --"The new commander of U.S. troops in Iraq has warned that military force alone will not be enough to quell the country's violent insurgency.
Speaking publicly Thursday for the first time since taking charge in Baghdad last month, General David Petraeus said military action was necessary to improve security in Iraq but "not sufficient" to end violence altogether.
"There is no military solution to a problem like that in Iraq, to the insurgency of Iraq," Petraeus told a press conference, adding that political negotiations were crucial to forging any lasting peace."

Iowa City Politics

It is March and this is typically the time that the candidates start announcing their intentions to run for Iowa City Council. Curiously, the grapevine is quiet which either indicates a sense that regardless of who runs, the outcome is likely to be status quo or folks are looking for an issue to hitch their wagons (like the ever popular "21 Ordinance").

Who's Definitely In?

Regenia Bailey (Mayor Pro-tem) running for re-election - District C
Ross Wilburn (Mayor) running for re-election - Disctrict A

Who's likely to be in?

Dee VanderHoef running for re-election - At-large

Who's widely rumored to be in?

Terry Smith (currently a Planning & Zoning member)

Who's Out?

Bob Elliott - incumbent At-large


The big mystery is who will be running for the empty seat and will the incumbents be challenged? Stay tuned.

Hogwash-ington, D.C.

Truthout reports

Kevin Kiley, the three-star general in charge of all Army medical facilities, seemed stumped as he testified yesterday about his responsibility for the Walter Reed scandal.
"I'm trying not to say that I'm not accountable," he told members of the House oversight committee.
But try as he might, he couldn't fix blame on himself.
How could he not have known that wounded soldiers were living in squalid conditions across the street from his own home? "I don't do barracks inspections at Walter Reed," he said.
Why did he assure Congress in 2005 that the Walter Reed bureaucracy was improving, even though many soldiers were languishing in neglect at the facility? "In my role as the MedCom commander," he said, "Walter Reed was not my only command."
What did he do when a government report in 2006 found numerous problems at the now-infamous Building 18? "My staff informed me that the Walter Reed staff was working it."
Lawmakers on the committee, who were visiting Walter Reed Army Medical Center for a field hearing yesterday, quickly tired of the general's I-don't-do-windows routine. Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) accused him of spouting "hogwash." Rep. Chris Shays (R-Conn.) called his position "dishonest."

Scooter Libby Goes down in Plames

I've been waiting a long time to use that headline.

Libby, 56, faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a fine of $1 million.

Libby was convicted of:
obstruction of justice when he intentionally deceived a grand jury investigating the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame;
making a false statement by intentionally lying to FBI agents about a conversation with NBC newsman Tim Russert;
perjury when he lied in court about his conversation with Russert;
a second count of perjury when he lied in court about conversations with other reporters.


http://CNN.com

Primary War Between the States

The AP reports that New Hampshire may move its primary ahead of Nevada. But will it pull a fast one on Iowa?

Bill Gardner is a modest man with an awesome power: the ability to set the date of the nation's earliest presidential primary.
In 31 years as New Hampshire's secretary of state, Gardner has not hesitated to upset the best-laid plans of other states or national political parties by moving up the date _ and he's poised to do it again in 2008.
The Democratic National Committee wants to squeeze Nevada between Iowa's leadoff caucuses on Jan. 14 and the New Hampshire primary on Jan. 22, but state law requires Gardner to hold the primary on a Tuesday a week or more before any "similar election."
Even if Gardner decides the Nevada caucuses don't meet that definition, he can set the primary as early as he wants, thanks to the "or more" clause.
In past election cycles, Gardner has announced the date as late as December, after other states have set their calendars. In 2008, he is widely expected to leapfrog six days ahead of Iowa, which would be Jan. 8, but no one knows for sure.
"His office can do an election in three weeks, as long as they have the ballot prepared. No other state can come close," said Democratic state Rep. Jim Splaine, who sponsored laws giving Gardner his power. "That's the threat that they have to worry about."
Whatever his decision, it will stem from his sense of history and his passionate conviction that the state's tradition of citizen involvement in government gives candidates with little money or national recognition a chance, while requiring those with early visibility to answer voters' questions at unscripted events.
More

Subprime Conditions

The lower 35-50% of income earners of our country can't get a break in trying to be included in the American Dream. Because of loan policies, often their credit scores do not allow them to qualify for prime-rate loans, meaning that because they are seen as "high risk", they are more likely to be offered subprime interest rates or "programs" like adjustable rate mortgages that balloon after a set period of time.

For example:
•In 2004, John Silva refinanced the modest home he and his wife own in Willow Springs, N.C. Today, with their mortgage at almost 10 percent, he worries he's just a "hiccup" away from foreclosure.

•Ten months ago, newly divorced Tammy Myers got a no-down-payment loan to buy a house in Denver. The interest rate is now so high it's difficult to make her monthly payment.

•Susie Smith – a retired social worker who's too embarrassed to use her real name – almost lost the house in St. Paul, Minn., she had lived in for most of her life. That was after she refinanced it and her monthly payments more than doubled from $675 to more than $1,400 a month.

The API reports that the market for subprime mortgages "exploded during the housing boom, from fewer than 5 percent of all new mortgage loans in 1994 to an estimated 20 percent currently, or $600 billion."

Foreclosures among high-risk U.S. mortgages could create the worst mortgage crisis since the 1980s, a published report said Friday. Rising foreclosures and defaults have pushed more than 20 lending companies into bankruptcy, The Christian Science Monitor says.

Some housing specialists worry the mortgage industry will respond by raising its lending standards so high that would-be homeowners with less-than-perfect credit will be frozen out, extending the current U.S. housing slump.

'It`s the most serious threat to the economy,' Mark Zandi of Moody`s Economy.com says. 'It has the potential to set the housing market back another big notch since there could be a whole class of people who can`t get credit.'

Bush Administration's Latest Nuke-le-Headed Idea

The Bush administration has selected the design for America's first new nuclear warhead in nearly two decades.

US officials say the warhead will not add to the country's nuclear arsenal, but will replace existing missiles.

Critics have complained it sends the wrong signal at a time when the White House is leading efforts to curb Iran and North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

The chosen design was developed in a Californian laboratory and is based on a warhead already tested in the 1980s.

The US Congress authorised design work on a new warhead in 2005 on the basis that there would not be any fresh missile tests.

No nuclear underground tests have been conducted since a ban in 1992.

The new warhead, due to be operational in five years' time, will be used to replace Trident missiles on submarines.

PEACE Offering

UPDATED 3/5/07

Over 100 people attended the grand opening of the PEACE Iowa. If you weren't able to make it, here's what the Press-Citizen had to say.

"The people behind the new Peace Education & Action Center of Eastern Iowa believe there is power in numbers.

"A number of groups has wanted a peace center for years. This allows us to coordinate our efforts," said Lori Nelson, 41, who soon will be announced as the director of PEACE Iowa. The organization is based at Old Brick, 26 E. Market St. in Iowa City.

The center celebrated its grand opening Sunday at Old Brick. The center is a project of Iowans for Peace, a coalition of more than 20 political, religious, community, professional and student organizations throughout Eastern Iowa.

"It's been amazing," said Nelson, who lives in Iowa City. "We have never had so many people volunteer."

More


Please join us THIS SUNDAY for the grand opening of PEACE Iowa!

Peace Education & Action Center of Eastern Iowa
GRAND OPENING!SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2:00-4:30
Old Brick, GROUND FLOOR
Music, brief speakers, food, kids’ activities
Yard signs, bumperstickers, information, petitions, etc.

PARKING: There is very limited parking behind Old Brick, and most of it is reserved. We recommend parking (1) On the street (free on Sundays) near Old Brick-- Clinton St., Market St. before Clinton St., etc., or (2) In the parking ramp under Pappajohn Business Building, which is across Market St. from Old Brick; the entrance is on Clinton St.

ACCESSIBILITY: The Clinton St. door is the wheelchair accessible entrance to the area of the building where PEACE Iowa is located. There is one handicapped parking place in the Old Brick parking lot. The route between the parking lot door and PEACE Iowa has about 4 steps.

PEACE Iowa- Old Brick 26 E. Market St. (corner of Market St. & Clinton St.) Iowa City

Affordable Housing and County Housing Trust Funds

There is no question that Iowa's low income housing situation is bad. Since the 1980's, publicly-funded housing has marched steadily backwards putting states, counties, and cities in the position of trying to patch together housing options that meet the needs of communities. Iowa, in 2002, ranked 47th (per capita) for the amount of state revenue spent on housing. Funding from the state for housing and housing assistance programs has been cut by $10 million in the last three years.

In Iowa, there are three county housing trust funds (in Dallas, Johnson, and Polk counties). The purpose of housing trust funds, according to the Center for Community Change, "systemically change reliance on annual budget allocations by shifting to committing dedicated public revenue to affordable housing through the creation of housing trust funds. There are now nearly 600 housing trust funds in operation. They dedicate in excess of $1.6 billion to help address critical housing needs throughout the country."

The Housing Trust Fund of Johnson Countyis a little over two years old, receiving funds from a variety of sources including the State of Iowa, HUD, local governments and individual and corporate contributors. All Trust Fund moneys support homes for households at or below the $58,000 level for a four person household. Funding is intended to be a layer of financing that is offered at attractive terms to help make more affordable housing financially feasible in a very expensive housing market.

Funding is limited to organizations, businesses and governments because the Trust Fund is not set up to administer the application, funding and monitoring processes involved in funding individual funding requests. HTFJC is currently staffed by one part time employee.

Learn more.

PATRIOT Act Rears Its Ugly Head

From the Bill of Rights Defense Committee

PATRIOT Act Provision Sends Several U.S. Attorneys Packing

A little-known provision in the USA PATRIOT Act authorizes the Attorney General to appoint interim U.S. attorneys for indefinite periods, clearing the way for the recent dismissal of several prosecutors. Officials have repeatedly cited "poor job performance" to explain their decision to fire the eight attorneys, yet at least six of them received positive evaluations during Internal Justice Department performance reviews. A bill recently proposed by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) sought to change the appointment procedure, but it was stopped short by members of the GOP. Congressional committees in the House and Senate are planning hearings on the issue. Click here for more on those upcoming hearings.

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Last week, the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Inspector General released a report (PDF) that shows (1) the Department's statistics on terrorism cases are inaccurate and (2) the Department counts every arrest that results from a Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) investigation "terrorism" or "terrorism-related," even after it has been proven to have no connection to terrorism.

Given these reports, here are some questions for our members of Congress:
Why accept the administration's "war on terror" justification for any program or legislation that curbs civil rights and liberties, for holding people indefinitely without charge or habeas corpus review, or for using torture, given that the administration's strategy in Iraq has made the U.S. and the world much more vulnerable to terrorist attacks?

Given that in many cases, the only information the DOJ reports to Congress on how it has used the powers granted by the PATRIOT Act is the number of times it has used those powers, don't the Inspector General report's findings indicate that Congress's limited oversight, which relies on those figures, is completely worthless?

IVF Fails the Smell Test

Iowa Politics points to a Des Moines Register article which reports the obvious about the Iowa Values Fund--it isn't working as advertised.

Iowa economic development leaders need to better report how its leading economic development fund is performing, State Auditor David Vaudt said in a report released today. The report also suggested the state economic development better monitor and track companies’ efforts to create pledged jobs and that lawmakers revisit the salary requirements that companies must meet before getting incentives.

The audit shows that the Iowa Department of Economic Development reported that companies had pledged to create 30,732 jobs through Grow Iowa Values Fund for fiscal years 2003 to 2006. Companies had contracts to create 13,115 jobs and had created 10,961 of them.

But the state was still negotiating contracts with companies that would create 17,617 jobs. The contracts outline details like jobs created, company investment, maintenance of new jobs, among other issues.

The audit notes that nearly 5,000 of the jobs pledged do not meet wage requirements for incentives but are part of the project. And companies had declined incentives for projects with nearly 900 jobs.