From the Christian Science Monitor
When historians finally take stock, Vermont may look like the mouse that roared – the tiny state that brought the nation's mighty auto industry to heel by requiring cars that emit fewer greenhouse gases.
This is one scenario that could unfold following a federal judge's ruling Wednesday, which upheld a Vermont law patterned after California's mandate that the carbon-dioxide emissions of cars sold in the state must be slashed 30 percent by 2016.
The judge's finding – that federal fuel-economy laws are not in conflict with state emissions laws – is particularly significant, coming on the heels of a US Supreme Court decision in April. That ruling found that the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions, legal experts say.
On the one hand, Wednesday's decision strengthens the hand of states that want to take action against global warming. But in the longer term, the impact from the ruling could lead to one nationwide standard, which is already expected by many.
In addition to the 12 states with California-style laws on the books, another six are close to acting.
The ruling this week could start dominoes falling by:
• Prompting the US EPA to grant California a waiver from the Clean Air Act allowing it, along with Vermont and the 10 other states with identical laws, to begin enforcing greenhouse-gas requirements for cars sold within their borders.
• Causing six additional states – Arizona, Florida, New Mexico, Utah, Illinois, and Minnesota – to proceed with their own similar emissions requirements. Altogether, the 18 states that have such laws – or are leaning toward them – make up about half the US auto market.
• Spurring Congress to reconsider the new fuel-efficiency standards it is currently weighing, which are not as demanding as Vermont's, and mandate a tougher federal requirement that would also reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.
• Causing federal judges in two similar cases brought by the auto industry – one in California, the other in Rhode Island – to dismiss those cases if they determine the industry has had its day in court and further proceedings would be redundant, according to environmental lawyers.
The efforts by the 12 states with laws in place could cut emissions by 100 million tons annually. By comparison, however, US cars and light trucks emit 1.5 billion tons annually.
Thursday, September 13
Local Politics: Mid-American Agreement Being Pushed Through?
Are Iowa City politics pushing a tentative franchise agreement with Mid-American Energy?
The timing of this agreement and the city council primary in mid-October causes speculation that without this being a done deal, at-large city council candidate Terry Smith, who is in upper management with MidAmerican, would be in a "rock and a hard place" position. Clearly, if the franchise is not approved before the new year, Smith would have to recuse himself from voting on it. However, if it is approved, he would still be in a position to vote on projects that directly benefit his company, including easement agreements, commercial and residential housing developments.
The City Council will vote Tuesday on whether to set public hearings on Oct. 2 to consider ordinances granting MidAmerican electric and natural gas franchises. The majority of the council would then have to vote in favor of the ordinances for the franchises to take effect. A public hearing is required under Iowa Code.
The deal spans 10 years, including the option for a ten year and five year renewal.
The franchises would be for a period of 10 years, with options for 10-year and five-year renewals for a total of 25 years.
Iowa law prohibits another municipal power vote for four years following an unsuccessful referendum. Also, a city-run system cannot be considered while a franchise agreement is in effect.
The timing of this agreement and the city council primary in mid-October causes speculation that without this being a done deal, at-large city council candidate Terry Smith, who is in upper management with MidAmerican, would be in a "rock and a hard place" position. Clearly, if the franchise is not approved before the new year, Smith would have to recuse himself from voting on it. However, if it is approved, he would still be in a position to vote on projects that directly benefit his company, including easement agreements, commercial and residential housing developments.
The City Council will vote Tuesday on whether to set public hearings on Oct. 2 to consider ordinances granting MidAmerican electric and natural gas franchises. The majority of the council would then have to vote in favor of the ordinances for the franchises to take effect. A public hearing is required under Iowa Code.
The deal spans 10 years, including the option for a ten year and five year renewal.
The franchises would be for a period of 10 years, with options for 10-year and five-year renewals for a total of 25 years.
Iowa law prohibits another municipal power vote for four years following an unsuccessful referendum. Also, a city-run system cannot be considered while a franchise agreement is in effect.
Al "Be Seeing You" in Iowa
Outgoing US AG "You can call me" Al Gonzales is making his first visit(and last in his current capacity) to Iowa today.
The Gazette reports from Des Moines:
"It's a great privilege to serve in this position and when you serve in these positions obviously sometimes there are tough decisions, there are tough times that occur. But I think we did a lot of good things," he said.
Gonzales said "I think we've done a lot of good things in protecting our country from another terrorist attack and I think we've done a lot of good things ensuring that our neighborhoods are safer from violent gangs."
Asked if he had any regrets as he steps down, Gonzales said "We're all human and all of us make mistakes. The thing that's important is to identify when those mistakes are made, acknowledge the mistakes, correct the mistakes and then you
move on."
Today's stopover was Gonzales first trip to Iowa.
The Gazette reports from Des Moines:
"It's a great privilege to serve in this position and when you serve in these positions obviously sometimes there are tough decisions, there are tough times that occur. But I think we did a lot of good things," he said.
Gonzales said "I think we've done a lot of good things in protecting our country from another terrorist attack and I think we've done a lot of good things ensuring that our neighborhoods are safer from violent gangs."
Asked if he had any regrets as he steps down, Gonzales said "We're all human and all of us make mistakes. The thing that's important is to identify when those mistakes are made, acknowledge the mistakes, correct the mistakes and then you
move on."
Today's stopover was Gonzales first trip to Iowa.
Dems Looking Good to Iowans and Others
From Bloomberg News
Democrats have the advantage with voters in Iowa and New Hampshire, states that plan to hold their presidential nominating contests in January and are likely to be battlegrounds in November 2008.
A new Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll shows voters favoring a Democratic candidate by a 16 percentage-point margin in Iowa, which went narrowly for President George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential race. The party has a 21-point lead in New Hampshire, a swing state that the Democratic candidate, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, won last time.
Even in South Carolina, which hasn't voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1976, Republicans have a lead of just 10 percentage points. Bush took the state in 2004 with an 18-point margin of victory.
New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina are slated to hold the nation's first electoral contests, and polling trends in those states are often considered a better indicator of the direction of presidential races than many national polls. Iowa, for example, has picked the winner in three of the last four presidential elections.
Democrats have the advantage with voters in Iowa and New Hampshire, states that plan to hold their presidential nominating contests in January and are likely to be battlegrounds in November 2008.
A new Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll shows voters favoring a Democratic candidate by a 16 percentage-point margin in Iowa, which went narrowly for President George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential race. The party has a 21-point lead in New Hampshire, a swing state that the Democratic candidate, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, won last time.
Even in South Carolina, which hasn't voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1976, Republicans have a lead of just 10 percentage points. Bush took the state in 2004 with an 18-point margin of victory.
New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina are slated to hold the nation's first electoral contests, and polling trends in those states are often considered a better indicator of the direction of presidential races than many national polls. Iowa, for example, has picked the winner in three of the last four presidential elections.
Check Out the Mashup
If you haven't had a chance to check it out, Charlie Rose and Bill Maher provide great questions to the Democrat candidates and you can get a good look on their views (as opposed to simple 60 - 90 sound bites) on Iraq, Education, and Healthcare (and wildcard questions from Bill Maher) on the Yahoo, Slate, Huffington Post Mashup.
Edwards Poised to Rebute Bush Iraq Address
In the clamor of Democrats assailing President Bush on Iraq, presidential candidate John Edwards has found a way to be heard after Bush addresses the nation Thursday night: He's buying time for a rebuttal.
Edwards has bought two minutes of air time on MSNBC, scheduled to air after Bush's 15-minute televised speech from the White House at 9 p.m. EDT.
Bush is expected to announce plans to reduce the American troop presence in Iraq by up to 30,000 by next summer, but say that he will condition those and further cuts on continued progress.
"Unfortunately, the president is pressing on with the only strategy he's ever had _ more time, more troops, and more war," Edwards says in the ad, according to excerpts provided by his campaign.
The ad was taped at Edwards' home in Chapel Hill, N.C. MORE
Edwards has bought two minutes of air time on MSNBC, scheduled to air after Bush's 15-minute televised speech from the White House at 9 p.m. EDT.
Bush is expected to announce plans to reduce the American troop presence in Iraq by up to 30,000 by next summer, but say that he will condition those and further cuts on continued progress.
"Unfortunately, the president is pressing on with the only strategy he's ever had _ more time, more troops, and more war," Edwards says in the ad, according to excerpts provided by his campaign.
The ad was taped at Edwards' home in Chapel Hill, N.C. MORE
21 Ordinance Debate at University of Iowa Tonight
Blake Carpenter from the student run think-tank, Roosevelt Institution at the University of Iowa, writes:
"Come see a panel debate on the proposed [21-only] Ordinance this Thursday at 8 pm in the Lucas-Dodge Room of the IMU. The debate is sponsored by the Roosevelt Institution on campus, Go to http://uiowa.rooseveltinstitution.org for more information."
It should be a great debate.
The Roosevelt Institution is a non-profit, non-partisan national network of campus-based student think tanks. Its members conduct policy research on the pressing political issues facing our world, from environmental protection to equality under the law to trade and taxes. The Roosevelt Institution connects the fruits of that research to the policy process, delivering sound, progressive proposals to policymakers and advocacy groups at all levels of government as it organizes, trains, and empowers the next generation of progressive leaders.
"Come see a panel debate on the proposed [21-only] Ordinance this Thursday at 8 pm in the Lucas-Dodge Room of the IMU. The debate is sponsored by the Roosevelt Institution on campus, Go to http://uiowa.rooseveltinstitution.org for more information."
It should be a great debate.
The Roosevelt Institution is a non-profit, non-partisan national network of campus-based student think tanks. Its members conduct policy research on the pressing political issues facing our world, from environmental protection to equality under the law to trade and taxes. The Roosevelt Institution connects the fruits of that research to the policy process, delivering sound, progressive proposals to policymakers and advocacy groups at all levels of government as it organizes, trains, and empowers the next generation of progressive leaders.
Wednesday, September 12
Money Makes the Campaign Go Around
Where does it come from? The money to run for president--Open Secrets gives us the skinny on the top ten contributors to the 2008 presidential contenders through the second reporting quarter:
Democrats
Hillary Clinton's Top 10 Donors: DLA Piper $293,400, Citigroup Inc $160,500, EMILY's List $138,953, Skadden, Arps et al $134,960, Goldman Sachs $134,050, Cablevision Systems $116,575, Kirkland & Ellis $116,550, Morgan Stanley $113,700,
Viacom Inc $102,500, and Greenberg Traurig LLP $100,200
Barack Obama's Top 10 Donors: Goldman Sachs $311,228, Lehman Brothers $226,550, Exelon Corp $189,350, Sidley Austin LLP $187,750, Citadel Investment Group $168,650, JP Morgan Chase & Co $156,580, Citigroup Inc $152,750, UBS AG $136,000, Jones, Day et al $133,325, and Skadden, Arps et al $112,650
John Edward's Top 10 Donors: ActBlue $1,651,027, Fortress Investment Group $187,850, Stearns, Weaver et al $94,700, Lerach, Coughlin et al $91,850, Goldman Sachs $77,400, Beasley, Allen et al $61,400, Watts Law Firm $61,000, Skadden, Arps et al $55,200, Whitten, Nelson et al $52,300, and Deutsche Bank North America $48,100
Bill Richardson's Top 10 Donors: State of New Mexico $277,230, ActBlue $239,635, American Income Life Insurance $36,600, University of New Mexico $31,950, Sutin, Thayer & Browne $31,365, Bgk Group $27,500, Forest City Enterprises $22,400,
Brownstein, Hyatt et al $20,950, National Recreation Properties $20,700, and Qwest Communications $20,600
Chris Dodd's Top 10 Donors: SAC Capital Advisors $344,100, Citigroup Inc $147,050,
United Technologies $137,250, Royal Bank of Scotland $121,950, Bear Stearns $120,350, Goldman Sachs $99,000, St Paul Travelers Companies $98,800, The Hartford $93,700, American International Group $81,800, and Merrill Lynch $73,400
Joe Biden's Top 10 Donors: Simmons Cooper LLC $62,200, Pachulski, Stang et al $39,000, Cooney & Conway $38,500, Weitz & Luxenberg $36,800, Weil, Gotshal & Manges $34,200, Bank of America $33,200, Broadway Partners $29,900, Adler Group $28,250, Skadden, Arps et al $27,325, Boies, Schiller & Flexner $26,800, and Kasowitz, Benson et al $25,700
Dennis Kucinich's Top 10 Donors: Institute For Democracy Studies $6,300, Krasner Law Office $4,200, Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers $2,500, Larry Flynt Publications $2,300, Swig, Weiler & Arnow $2,300, Joyce $2,300, Conval School District $2,300, Kayline Enterprises $2,300, Free Reign $2,300, and Shirley Bogs Estate $2,100
Mike Gravel's Top 10 Donors: Decode Biostructures $2,008, Ogim $1,000, Ccg $1,000, Urburn Univiersity $1,000, Worldwide Media $1,000, VOTEC Corp $1,000, Apple Inc $1,000, Witness for Peace $1,000, Whole Foods Market $580, and Harry Jones Co $500
Republicans
Mitt Romney's Top 10 Donors : Goldman Sachs $175,975, Merrill Lynch $124,250, MarriotInternational $113,050, Bain Capital $107,600, Bain & Co $99,400, Morgan Stanley $91,800, Kirkland & Ellis $84,100, Citigroup Inc $75,100, Compuware Corp $73,650, and Hig Capital $71,175
Rudy Guiliani's Top 10 Donors: Elliott Management $225,850, Ernst & Young $213,500, Credit Suisse Group $151,800, Bear Stearns $136,791, Merrill Lynch $124,200, Lehman Brothers $123,850, Citigroup Inc $103,250, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher $91,425, Bracewell & Giuliani $91,100, and Station Casinos $88,300
John McCain's Top 10 Donors : Blank Rome LLP $138,600, Citigroup Inc $113,250, Greenberg Traurig LLP $113,037, Merrill Lynch $107,475, Univision Communications $79,500, MGM Mirage $74,000, IDT Corp $72,150, Goldman Sachs $71,050, Irvine Co Apartment Community $69,400, and Bank of New York Mellon $69,000
Sam Brownback's Top 10 Donors: Koch Industries $23,600, Watco Companies $17,100, Omega Advisors $14,300, Martins Famous Pastry Shoppe $13,800, Murray Energy $7,500, Lario Enterprises $6,700, VGX Pharmaceuticals $6,700, David Stanley Consultants $6,000, Lario Oil & Gas $4,900, Wareing, and Athon & Co $4,700
Ron Paul's Top 10 Donors: Huffines Communities $9,700, US Navy $6,405, US Army $6,350, Microsoft Corp $4,906, US Air Force $4,800, Dunn Capital Management $4,600, Packaged Concrete $4,600, City of Providenct Ri $4,600, Andres Re $4,600, and Geocapital Partners/Equity Mgmt Assoc $4,600
Tom Tancredo's Top 10 Donors: Nussknacker Haus $7,600, US Immigration Reform PAC $5,000, Droste Design & Development $4,400, Millennium Ranch $3,100, Boeing Co $2,801, D&S Printing $2,800, Shore Water $2,300, General Motors $2,300, Omni Anesthesia Assoc $2,300, and Evergreen Analytical $2,300
Duncan Hunter's Top 10 Donors: Milliken & Co $13,850, Maxor Pharmacies $10,200, Trex Enterprises $7,150, Downey Financial Corp $6,900, Dupont Aerospace $6,300, General Atomics $6,000, RA Capital Advisors $5,600, SAXPAC $5,000, Contran Corp $5,000, and McMillin Companies $4,850
Mike Huckabee's Top 10 Donors: Stephens Inc $25,250, Stephen's Group $11,500, State of Arkansas $10,750, First Tape & Label $9,200, Challenger Inc $9,200, Wal-Mart Stores $8,050, Life Outreach International $8,000, Grubbs Infiniti $6,900, Mt Vernon Investments $6,600, and Friday, Eldredge & Clark
Interestingly, Open Secrets points out that all but 1% of campaign contributions come from individuals. It would be interesting to know who the top 99% of individual contributors work for.
Democrats
Hillary Clinton's Top 10 Donors: DLA Piper $293,400, Citigroup Inc $160,500, EMILY's List $138,953, Skadden, Arps et al $134,960, Goldman Sachs $134,050, Cablevision Systems $116,575, Kirkland & Ellis $116,550, Morgan Stanley $113,700,
Viacom Inc $102,500, and Greenberg Traurig LLP $100,200
Barack Obama's Top 10 Donors: Goldman Sachs $311,228, Lehman Brothers $226,550, Exelon Corp $189,350, Sidley Austin LLP $187,750, Citadel Investment Group $168,650, JP Morgan Chase & Co $156,580, Citigroup Inc $152,750, UBS AG $136,000, Jones, Day et al $133,325, and Skadden, Arps et al $112,650
John Edward's Top 10 Donors: ActBlue $1,651,027, Fortress Investment Group $187,850, Stearns, Weaver et al $94,700, Lerach, Coughlin et al $91,850, Goldman Sachs $77,400, Beasley, Allen et al $61,400, Watts Law Firm $61,000, Skadden, Arps et al $55,200, Whitten, Nelson et al $52,300, and Deutsche Bank North America $48,100
Bill Richardson's Top 10 Donors: State of New Mexico $277,230, ActBlue $239,635, American Income Life Insurance $36,600, University of New Mexico $31,950, Sutin, Thayer & Browne $31,365, Bgk Group $27,500, Forest City Enterprises $22,400,
Brownstein, Hyatt et al $20,950, National Recreation Properties $20,700, and Qwest Communications $20,600
Chris Dodd's Top 10 Donors: SAC Capital Advisors $344,100, Citigroup Inc $147,050,
United Technologies $137,250, Royal Bank of Scotland $121,950, Bear Stearns $120,350, Goldman Sachs $99,000, St Paul Travelers Companies $98,800, The Hartford $93,700, American International Group $81,800, and Merrill Lynch $73,400
Joe Biden's Top 10 Donors: Simmons Cooper LLC $62,200, Pachulski, Stang et al $39,000, Cooney & Conway $38,500, Weitz & Luxenberg $36,800, Weil, Gotshal & Manges $34,200, Bank of America $33,200, Broadway Partners $29,900, Adler Group $28,250, Skadden, Arps et al $27,325, Boies, Schiller & Flexner $26,800, and Kasowitz, Benson et al $25,700
Dennis Kucinich's Top 10 Donors: Institute For Democracy Studies $6,300, Krasner Law Office $4,200, Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers $2,500, Larry Flynt Publications $2,300, Swig, Weiler & Arnow $2,300, Joyce $2,300, Conval School District $2,300, Kayline Enterprises $2,300, Free Reign $2,300, and Shirley Bogs Estate $2,100
Mike Gravel's Top 10 Donors: Decode Biostructures $2,008, Ogim $1,000, Ccg $1,000, Urburn Univiersity $1,000, Worldwide Media $1,000, VOTEC Corp $1,000, Apple Inc $1,000, Witness for Peace $1,000, Whole Foods Market $580, and Harry Jones Co $500
Republicans
Mitt Romney's Top 10 Donors : Goldman Sachs $175,975, Merrill Lynch $124,250, MarriotInternational $113,050, Bain Capital $107,600, Bain & Co $99,400, Morgan Stanley $91,800, Kirkland & Ellis $84,100, Citigroup Inc $75,100, Compuware Corp $73,650, and Hig Capital $71,175
Rudy Guiliani's Top 10 Donors: Elliott Management $225,850, Ernst & Young $213,500, Credit Suisse Group $151,800, Bear Stearns $136,791, Merrill Lynch $124,200, Lehman Brothers $123,850, Citigroup Inc $103,250, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher $91,425, Bracewell & Giuliani $91,100, and Station Casinos $88,300
John McCain's Top 10 Donors : Blank Rome LLP $138,600, Citigroup Inc $113,250, Greenberg Traurig LLP $113,037, Merrill Lynch $107,475, Univision Communications $79,500, MGM Mirage $74,000, IDT Corp $72,150, Goldman Sachs $71,050, Irvine Co Apartment Community $69,400, and Bank of New York Mellon $69,000
Sam Brownback's Top 10 Donors: Koch Industries $23,600, Watco Companies $17,100, Omega Advisors $14,300, Martins Famous Pastry Shoppe $13,800, Murray Energy $7,500, Lario Enterprises $6,700, VGX Pharmaceuticals $6,700, David Stanley Consultants $6,000, Lario Oil & Gas $4,900, Wareing, and Athon & Co $4,700
Ron Paul's Top 10 Donors: Huffines Communities $9,700, US Navy $6,405, US Army $6,350, Microsoft Corp $4,906, US Air Force $4,800, Dunn Capital Management $4,600, Packaged Concrete $4,600, City of Providenct Ri $4,600, Andres Re $4,600, and Geocapital Partners/Equity Mgmt Assoc $4,600
Tom Tancredo's Top 10 Donors: Nussknacker Haus $7,600, US Immigration Reform PAC $5,000, Droste Design & Development $4,400, Millennium Ranch $3,100, Boeing Co $2,801, D&S Printing $2,800, Shore Water $2,300, General Motors $2,300, Omni Anesthesia Assoc $2,300, and Evergreen Analytical $2,300
Duncan Hunter's Top 10 Donors: Milliken & Co $13,850, Maxor Pharmacies $10,200, Trex Enterprises $7,150, Downey Financial Corp $6,900, Dupont Aerospace $6,300, General Atomics $6,000, RA Capital Advisors $5,600, SAXPAC $5,000, Contran Corp $5,000, and McMillin Companies $4,850
Mike Huckabee's Top 10 Donors: Stephens Inc $25,250, Stephen's Group $11,500, State of Arkansas $10,750, First Tape & Label $9,200, Challenger Inc $9,200, Wal-Mart Stores $8,050, Life Outreach International $8,000, Grubbs Infiniti $6,900, Mt Vernon Investments $6,600, and Friday, Eldredge & Clark
Interestingly, Open Secrets points out that all but 1% of campaign contributions come from individuals. It would be interesting to know who the top 99% of individual contributors work for.
Kids Kontributing to Kandidate Koffers
The USA Today Reports
At 8 years old, Matthew Mardirossian is too young to vote. But he and his 7-year-old sister, Karis, each contributed $4,600 to help Democrat Barack Obama win the White House.
In Arizona, 15-year-old actor Hunter Gomez gave $2,300 to Republican John McCain, his home state senator.
Under federal rules, minors can make political donations — as long as it's their money and decision to contribute.
Massie Ritsch, spokesman for the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, said it's a way people "use their family members to circumvent the limits on individual contributions," which is $2,300 each for the primary and general elections.
"Chances are slim that a 6- or 7-year-old would knowingly give their money to a candidate. They would prefer to spend their money on G.I. Joes or Barbie dolls," said Paul Ryan of the Campaign Legal Center.
How crazy is this? It looks like a legal loophole to allow more donations to be made by adults in the names of their children or worse, to allow minors to fritter away their inheritances on politicians. Yet another reason to support publicly funded elections.
At 8 years old, Matthew Mardirossian is too young to vote. But he and his 7-year-old sister, Karis, each contributed $4,600 to help Democrat Barack Obama win the White House.
In Arizona, 15-year-old actor Hunter Gomez gave $2,300 to Republican John McCain, his home state senator.
Under federal rules, minors can make political donations — as long as it's their money and decision to contribute.
Massie Ritsch, spokesman for the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, said it's a way people "use their family members to circumvent the limits on individual contributions," which is $2,300 each for the primary and general elections.
"Chances are slim that a 6- or 7-year-old would knowingly give their money to a candidate. They would prefer to spend their money on G.I. Joes or Barbie dolls," said Paul Ryan of the Campaign Legal Center.
How crazy is this? It looks like a legal loophole to allow more donations to be made by adults in the names of their children or worse, to allow minors to fritter away their inheritances on politicians. Yet another reason to support publicly funded elections.
John Edwards Response to Bush: "The president taking credit for this withdrawal is like taking credit for gravity"
"President Bush has stated that he will withdraw 30,000 troops by next summer. The truth is that because the president's Iraq policy has brought our military close to the breaking point, these forces would have been withdrawn anyway—unless the president planned to extend tours to an unconscionable 18 months. The president taking credit for this withdrawal is like taking credit for gravity.
"It's time to end this sad game of excuses and Beltway double-talk. Last November, the American people voted for real change in Iraq, but instead the president has clung to the status quo and Congress has caved. For over a year, I have called for an immediate withdrawal of 40-50,000 troops—not by next summer, but today—to jump-start the comprehensive political solution that will end the violence in Iraq and allow a complete troop withdrawal within a year. In the face of the president's irresponsible tactics, Congress must stand united and say with one voice: No timetable, no funding. No excuses."
"It's time to end this sad game of excuses and Beltway double-talk. Last November, the American people voted for real change in Iraq, but instead the president has clung to the status quo and Congress has caved. For over a year, I have called for an immediate withdrawal of 40-50,000 troops—not by next summer, but today—to jump-start the comprehensive political solution that will end the violence in Iraq and allow a complete troop withdrawal within a year. In the face of the president's irresponsible tactics, Congress must stand united and say with one voice: No timetable, no funding. No excuses."
The Local Cost of War
According to the National Priorities Project
As of 11 am this morning
The War In Iraq Costs Iowa City: $64,328,356
Instead, we could have built 579 additional housing units.
The War In Iraq Costs for Johnson County: $131,446,103
Instead, we could have hired 2,277 additional public school teachers for one year.
The War In Iraq Costs Iowa: $3,414,043,992
Instead, we could have insured 2,044,337 children for one year.
As of 11 am this morning
The War In Iraq Costs Iowa City: $64,328,356
Instead, we could have built 579 additional housing units.
The War In Iraq Costs for Johnson County: $131,446,103
Instead, we could have hired 2,277 additional public school teachers for one year.
The War In Iraq Costs Iowa: $3,414,043,992
Instead, we could have insured 2,044,337 children for one year.
So Much For the Liberal-Bias on the Opinion Page
According to a report by Media Matters,
"Sixty percent of the nation's daily newspapers print more conservative syndicated columnists every week than progressive syndicated columnists. Only 20 percent run more progressives than conservatives, while the remaining 20 percent are evenly balanced.
In a given week, nationally syndicated progressive columnists are published in newspapers with a combined total circulation of 125 million. Conservative columnists, on the other hand, are published in newspapers with a combined total circulation of more than 152 million.
The top 10 columnists as ranked by the number of papers in which they are carried include five conservatives, two centrists, and only three progressives.
The top 10 columnists as ranked by the total circulation of the papers in which they are published also include five conservatives, two centrists, and only three progressives.
In 38 states, the conservative voice is greater than the progressive voice -- in other words, conservative columns reach more readers in total than progressive columns. In only 12 states is the progressive voice greater than the conservative voice.
In three out of the four broad regions of the country -- the West, the South, and the Midwest -- conservative syndicated columnists reach more readers than progressive syndicated columnists. Only in the Northeast do progressives reach more readers, and only by a margin of 2 percent.
In eight of the nine divisions into which the U.S. Census Bureau divides the country, conservative syndicated columnists reach more readers than progressive syndicated columnists in any given week. Only in the Middle Atlantic division do progressive columnists reach more readers each week.
Though they have suffered slow but steady declines in readership over the last couple of decades, newspapers remain in many ways the most important of all news media. The Newspaper Association of America estimates that each copy of a weekday paper is read by an average of 2.1 adults, while each Sunday paper is read by an average of 2.5 adults,3 pushing total newspaper readership for daily papers to more than 116 million and Sunday papers to more than 134 million. This means that some columnists reach tens of millions of readers, and one, conservative George Will, actually reaches more than 50 million.
Furthermore, newspapers are the preferred news medium of those most interested in the news. According to a 2006 Pew Research Center study, 66 percent of those who say they follow political news closely regularly read newspapers, far more than the number who cite any other medium.4 And an almost identical proportion of those who say they "enjoy keeping up with the news" -- more than half the population -- turn to newspapers more than any other medium. These more aware citizens are in turn more likely to influence the opinions of their families, friends, and associates.
Syndicated newspaper columnists have a unique ability to influence public opinion and the national debate. And whether examining only the top columnists or the entire group, large papers or small, the data presented in this report make clear that conservative syndicated columnists enjoy a clear advantage over their progressive counterparts."
"Sixty percent of the nation's daily newspapers print more conservative syndicated columnists every week than progressive syndicated columnists. Only 20 percent run more progressives than conservatives, while the remaining 20 percent are evenly balanced.
In a given week, nationally syndicated progressive columnists are published in newspapers with a combined total circulation of 125 million. Conservative columnists, on the other hand, are published in newspapers with a combined total circulation of more than 152 million.
The top 10 columnists as ranked by the number of papers in which they are carried include five conservatives, two centrists, and only three progressives.
The top 10 columnists as ranked by the total circulation of the papers in which they are published also include five conservatives, two centrists, and only three progressives.
In 38 states, the conservative voice is greater than the progressive voice -- in other words, conservative columns reach more readers in total than progressive columns. In only 12 states is the progressive voice greater than the conservative voice.
In three out of the four broad regions of the country -- the West, the South, and the Midwest -- conservative syndicated columnists reach more readers than progressive syndicated columnists. Only in the Northeast do progressives reach more readers, and only by a margin of 2 percent.
In eight of the nine divisions into which the U.S. Census Bureau divides the country, conservative syndicated columnists reach more readers than progressive syndicated columnists in any given week. Only in the Middle Atlantic division do progressive columnists reach more readers each week.
Though they have suffered slow but steady declines in readership over the last couple of decades, newspapers remain in many ways the most important of all news media. The Newspaper Association of America estimates that each copy of a weekday paper is read by an average of 2.1 adults, while each Sunday paper is read by an average of 2.5 adults,3 pushing total newspaper readership for daily papers to more than 116 million and Sunday papers to more than 134 million. This means that some columnists reach tens of millions of readers, and one, conservative George Will, actually reaches more than 50 million.
Furthermore, newspapers are the preferred news medium of those most interested in the news. According to a 2006 Pew Research Center study, 66 percent of those who say they follow political news closely regularly read newspapers, far more than the number who cite any other medium.4 And an almost identical proportion of those who say they "enjoy keeping up with the news" -- more than half the population -- turn to newspapers more than any other medium. These more aware citizens are in turn more likely to influence the opinions of their families, friends, and associates.
Syndicated newspaper columnists have a unique ability to influence public opinion and the national debate. And whether examining only the top columnists or the entire group, large papers or small, the data presented in this report make clear that conservative syndicated columnists enjoy a clear advantage over their progressive counterparts."
Tuesday, September 11
Mortgage Rate Jumps May Put Out More Home Owners and Housing Bills to Watch
A recent surge in defaults on subprime mortgages and a slump in the housing market have caused growing concern over the state of the U.S. economy. Supbrime mortgages are high-risk loans given to people with weak credit histories. Some lenders have been forced into bankruptcy as a result, and the effect has been felt in other sectors of the economy. Adding to the concern is that many other adjustable-rate mortgages—perhaps 2 million—are scheduled to increase over the next year, which could cause many borrowers to lose their homes. .
Here are some bills in Congress dealing with housing:
S.788, the Moving to Work Charter Program Act of 2007: Bill would authorize the Moving to Work Charter program to enable public housing agencies to improve the effectiveness of Federal housing assistance.
S.1078, the Housing America's Workforce Act: Housing America's Workforce Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a business tax credit for up to 50 percent of the qualified housing expenses paid for the benefit of their employees. Defines "qualified housing expenses" to include homeownership assistance and rental assistance. Limits the amount of such credit to the lesser of $10,000 or six percent of an employee's home purchase price, or up to $2,000 for rental assistance.
H.R. 1227, to assist in the provision of affordable housing to low-income families affected by Hurricane Katrina
Here are some bills in Congress dealing with housing:
S.788, the Moving to Work Charter Program Act of 2007: Bill would authorize the Moving to Work Charter program to enable public housing agencies to improve the effectiveness of Federal housing assistance.
S.1078, the Housing America's Workforce Act: Housing America's Workforce Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a business tax credit for up to 50 percent of the qualified housing expenses paid for the benefit of their employees. Defines "qualified housing expenses" to include homeownership assistance and rental assistance. Limits the amount of such credit to the lesser of $10,000 or six percent of an employee's home purchase price, or up to $2,000 for rental assistance.
H.R. 1227, to assist in the provision of affordable housing to low-income families affected by Hurricane Katrina
Why Ray McGovern was Thrown Out of the House
'Swear Him In'
by Ray McGovern
That's all I said in the unusual silence on Monday afternoon as first aid was being administered to Gen. David Petraeus' microphone before he spoke before the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees.
It had dawned on me that when House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) invited Gen. Petraeus to make his presentation, Skelton forgot to ask him to take the customary oath to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I had no idea that my suggestion would be enough to get me thrown out of the hearing.
I had experienced a flashback to a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in early 2006, when Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) reminded chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) that Specter had forgotten to swear in the witness, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, and how Specter insisted that that would not be necessary.
Now that may or may not be an invidious comparison. But Petraeus and Gonzales work for the same boss, who has a rather unusual relationship with the truth. How many of his senior staff could readily be convicted, as was the hapless-and-now-commuted Scooter Libby, of perjury?
So I didn't think twice about it. I really thought that Skelton perhaps forgot, and that the 10-minute interlude of silence while they fixed the microphone was a good chance to raise this seemingly innocent question.
The more so since the ranking Republican representatives had been protesting too much. Practicing the obverse of "killing the messenger," they had been canonizing the messenger with protective fire. Ranking Armed Services Committee member Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) began what amounted to a SWAT-team attack on the credibility of those who dared question the truthfulness of the sainted Petraeus, and issued a special press release decrying a full-page ad in today's New York Times equating Petraeus with "Betray-us."
Hunter served notice on any potential doubters, insisting that Petraeus' "capability, integrity, intelligence … are without question." And Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, rang changes on the same theme, unwittingly choosing another infelicitous almost-homonym for the charges against Petraeus – "outrageous."
Indeed, Hunter's prepared statement, which he circulated before the hearing, amounted to little more than a full-scale "duty-honor-country" panegyric for the general. On the chance we did not hear him the first time, Hunter kept repeating how "independent" Petraeus is, how candid and full of integrity, and compared him to famous generals who testified to Congress in the past – Eisenhower, MacArthur, and Schwarzkopf. Hunter was smart enough to avoid any mention of Gen. William Westmoreland, commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam, who fell tragically short on those traits.
If memory serves, the aforementioned generals and Westmoreland were required to testify under oath. And this was one of the more embarrassing sticking points when CBS aired a program showing that Westmoreland had deliberately dissembled on the strength of Communist forces and U.S. "progress" in the war. When Westmoreland sued CBS for libel, several of his subordinates came clean, and Westmoreland quickly dropped the suit. The analogy with Westmoreland – justifying a White House death wish to persist in an unwinnable war – is the apt one here.
If Petraeus is so honest and full of integrity, what possible objection could he have to being sworn in? I had not the slightest hesitation being sworn in when testifying before the committee assembled by John Conyers (D-Mich.) on June 16, 2005. Should generals be immune? Or did Petraeus' masters wish to give him a little more assurance that he could play fast and loose with the truth without the consequences encountered by Scooter Libby?
With the microphone finally fixed, much became quickly clear. Petraeus tried to square a circle in his very first two paragraphs. In the first, he thanks the committees for the opportunity to "discuss the recommendations I recently provided to my chain of command for the way forward." Then he stretches credulity well beyond the breaking point – at least for me:
"At the outset, I would like to note that this is my testimony. Although I have briefed my assessment and recommendations to my chain of command, I wrote this testimony myself. It has not been cleared by, nor shared with, anyone in the Pentagon, the White House, or Congress."
Is not the commander in chief in Petraeus' chain of command?
As Harry Truman (D-Mo.) would have said, "Does he think we were born yesterday?"
by Ray McGovern
That's all I said in the unusual silence on Monday afternoon as first aid was being administered to Gen. David Petraeus' microphone before he spoke before the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees.
It had dawned on me that when House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) invited Gen. Petraeus to make his presentation, Skelton forgot to ask him to take the customary oath to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I had no idea that my suggestion would be enough to get me thrown out of the hearing.
I had experienced a flashback to a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in early 2006, when Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) reminded chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) that Specter had forgotten to swear in the witness, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, and how Specter insisted that that would not be necessary.
Now that may or may not be an invidious comparison. But Petraeus and Gonzales work for the same boss, who has a rather unusual relationship with the truth. How many of his senior staff could readily be convicted, as was the hapless-and-now-commuted Scooter Libby, of perjury?
So I didn't think twice about it. I really thought that Skelton perhaps forgot, and that the 10-minute interlude of silence while they fixed the microphone was a good chance to raise this seemingly innocent question.
The more so since the ranking Republican representatives had been protesting too much. Practicing the obverse of "killing the messenger," they had been canonizing the messenger with protective fire. Ranking Armed Services Committee member Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) began what amounted to a SWAT-team attack on the credibility of those who dared question the truthfulness of the sainted Petraeus, and issued a special press release decrying a full-page ad in today's New York Times equating Petraeus with "Betray-us."
Hunter served notice on any potential doubters, insisting that Petraeus' "capability, integrity, intelligence … are without question." And Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, rang changes on the same theme, unwittingly choosing another infelicitous almost-homonym for the charges against Petraeus – "outrageous."
Indeed, Hunter's prepared statement, which he circulated before the hearing, amounted to little more than a full-scale "duty-honor-country" panegyric for the general. On the chance we did not hear him the first time, Hunter kept repeating how "independent" Petraeus is, how candid and full of integrity, and compared him to famous generals who testified to Congress in the past – Eisenhower, MacArthur, and Schwarzkopf. Hunter was smart enough to avoid any mention of Gen. William Westmoreland, commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam, who fell tragically short on those traits.
If memory serves, the aforementioned generals and Westmoreland were required to testify under oath. And this was one of the more embarrassing sticking points when CBS aired a program showing that Westmoreland had deliberately dissembled on the strength of Communist forces and U.S. "progress" in the war. When Westmoreland sued CBS for libel, several of his subordinates came clean, and Westmoreland quickly dropped the suit. The analogy with Westmoreland – justifying a White House death wish to persist in an unwinnable war – is the apt one here.
If Petraeus is so honest and full of integrity, what possible objection could he have to being sworn in? I had not the slightest hesitation being sworn in when testifying before the committee assembled by John Conyers (D-Mich.) on June 16, 2005. Should generals be immune? Or did Petraeus' masters wish to give him a little more assurance that he could play fast and loose with the truth without the consequences encountered by Scooter Libby?
With the microphone finally fixed, much became quickly clear. Petraeus tried to square a circle in his very first two paragraphs. In the first, he thanks the committees for the opportunity to "discuss the recommendations I recently provided to my chain of command for the way forward." Then he stretches credulity well beyond the breaking point – at least for me:
"At the outset, I would like to note that this is my testimony. Although I have briefed my assessment and recommendations to my chain of command, I wrote this testimony myself. It has not been cleared by, nor shared with, anyone in the Pentagon, the White House, or Congress."
Is not the commander in chief in Petraeus' chain of command?
As Harry Truman (D-Mo.) would have said, "Does he think we were born yesterday?"
Harkin's A Fry, Baby
Exerpted From Iowa Politics (www.iowapolitics.com):
This weekend six declared Democratic candidates -- Obama, Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards and Richardson -- are set to join thousands of Iowans at the 30th anniversary of Harkin's trademark fundraiser. The event is set for 1 p.m. Sunday just east of Indianola.
"This will be a unique opportunity to see our candidates articulate their vision at one of Iowa's largest Democratic gatherings," Harkin said. "The Steak Fry has become my signature event of the year, and I look forward to celebrating 30 years of history and tradition."
When it comes to the Harkin event, presidential candidates and the top names in Democratic politics turn out to appear at the Warren County fundraiser. Leading up to the last presidential election more than 3,000 turned out for the 2003 steak fry, which featured former President Bill Clinton and a field of Democratic candidates that included Howard Dean, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Sen. John Kerry, Edwards and Carol Moseley-Braun.
General admission tickets for the steak fry are $30 apiece (students can get in for $15), while those wishing to give more can sign on as sponsors ($500) or hosts ($200). Harkin, who already had more than $2.6 million in the bank as of June 30, faces re-election in November 2008. Cedar Rapids businessman Steve Rathje, who is making his first Senate run, is seeking the Republican nomination.
Harkin has yet to endorse any presidential candidate, and it does not appear an endorsement is coming in the future either. "Unlike my wife, I have not made a decision to support, nor do I plan to endorse, any of the Democratic presidential candidates," Harkin said in his campaign blog. "I have worked closely with many of them, and I am extremely proud of each of them for their commitment to public service. I remain focused on my own re-election campaign in 2008 and look forward to working with a Democrat in the White House."
This weekend six declared Democratic candidates -- Obama, Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards and Richardson -- are set to join thousands of Iowans at the 30th anniversary of Harkin's trademark fundraiser. The event is set for 1 p.m. Sunday just east of Indianola.
"This will be a unique opportunity to see our candidates articulate their vision at one of Iowa's largest Democratic gatherings," Harkin said. "The Steak Fry has become my signature event of the year, and I look forward to celebrating 30 years of history and tradition."
When it comes to the Harkin event, presidential candidates and the top names in Democratic politics turn out to appear at the Warren County fundraiser. Leading up to the last presidential election more than 3,000 turned out for the 2003 steak fry, which featured former President Bill Clinton and a field of Democratic candidates that included Howard Dean, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Sen. John Kerry, Edwards and Carol Moseley-Braun.
General admission tickets for the steak fry are $30 apiece (students can get in for $15), while those wishing to give more can sign on as sponsors ($500) or hosts ($200). Harkin, who already had more than $2.6 million in the bank as of June 30, faces re-election in November 2008. Cedar Rapids businessman Steve Rathje, who is making his first Senate run, is seeking the Republican nomination.
Harkin has yet to endorse any presidential candidate, and it does not appear an endorsement is coming in the future either. "Unlike my wife, I have not made a decision to support, nor do I plan to endorse, any of the Democratic presidential candidates," Harkin said in his campaign blog. "I have worked closely with many of them, and I am extremely proud of each of them for their commitment to public service. I remain focused on my own re-election campaign in 2008 and look forward to working with a Democrat in the White House."
Loebsack Recommended Reduction "Doesn't Go Far Enough"
"I have argued we need to disengage immediately in Iraq," said Loebsack, who sits on the committee. "Reductions to 130,000 by next summer doesn't go far enough for me, or for the people of the 2nd District, either."
He said he favored beginning to remove U.S. troops over the course of the next few months and a full withdrawal by next year, if possible. Loebsack expressed disappointment that Petraeus never said how long he thought U.S. forces should remain involved in Iraq. He said Congress will require similar reports twice yearly.
Loebsack said he was concerned that conditions may worsen for Iraqi civilians after a U.S. pull-out but noted that it is important to keep in mind the conditions U.S. troops face now. "For me, the fact is we have American troops in the middle of the civil war," said Loebsack. "If our troops were to be called to duty anywhere in the world, (we would not be ready)," Loebsack said. "The bottom line is, our troops are in the middle of a civil war, and they should not be in that position any longer."
He said he favored beginning to remove U.S. troops over the course of the next few months and a full withdrawal by next year, if possible. Loebsack expressed disappointment that Petraeus never said how long he thought U.S. forces should remain involved in Iraq. He said Congress will require similar reports twice yearly.
Loebsack said he was concerned that conditions may worsen for Iraqi civilians after a U.S. pull-out but noted that it is important to keep in mind the conditions U.S. troops face now. "For me, the fact is we have American troops in the middle of the civil war," said Loebsack. "If our troops were to be called to duty anywhere in the world, (we would not be ready)," Loebsack said. "The bottom line is, our troops are in the middle of a civil war, and they should not be in that position any longer."
Monday, September 10
A Profile in Couric
MoveOn says:
Did Katie Couric do it?
Media need to strongly challenge Bush's Iraq lies.
Did Katie Couric do it?
9 US Troops Killed
While General Petraeus discussed war progress, 9 more US troops were killed in Iraq. In Iowa related terms, the number of troops killed is equal to the approximate population of Monticello (3,771).Seven soldiers were killed in a transport accident in western Baghdad, as well as two detainees. 11 additional troops were injured.
Another soldier was killed when his vehicle overturned and caught fire east of Baghdad on Monday, the military announced. Another died from injuries sustained from rocket fire in the northern city of Kirkuk while on patrol on Sunday.
This is What Democracy Looks Like...
| Compiled from CNN, US News and World Report, and The Raw Story. Protesters could be heard yelling "war criminal" at Army Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, who were about to testify about conditions in Iraq. At least one woman could be heard shouting briefly, before Ike Skelton (D-MO) ordered anyone who disrupted the proceedings to be removed from the hearing room. "Out they go," Skelton said. He paused a few seconds, then asked no one in particular, "Are they gone?" The long awaited testimony of General David Petraeus on the status of the Iraq war, took even longer Monday as the microphone for the top commander malfunctioned. After opening statements from the Democratic chairmen and ranking Republicans at the Joint Hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Armed Services Committee, the room fell silent as Petraeus began to speak. And it stayed silent, as the general waited for technicians to fix the problem. Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton called a five minute recess. But not all the microphones were broken. After one of the several protesters in the audience was escorted out after shouting, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee shared his thoughts on the matter. The protesters "really p—- me off," Skelton said, further characterizing them as "ass——s." Rep. Duncan Hunter, the ranking Republican on the committee, then leaned over and drew Skelton into quieter conversation farther from the microphone, leaving Skelton's further phraseology to the arena only of informed speculation. |
Later in the hearing more protesters were removed, including one who appeared to be Adam Kokesh, an Iraq veteran who has become a leading figure in the anti-war movement. Several more Code Pink members and other anti-war activists remained in the hearing room, and some members worried about further disruptions.
As Petraeus was delivering his testimony, another protester began shouting, "That's a lie," as Petraeus accused Iran of supporting insurgents in Iraq.
"Would the entire group that's back there supporting that person be removed," Skelton requested.
The Testimony:
What General Petraeus said.
What Ambassador Crocker said.
Here's Some Audio/Video:
Letting the Free Market Decide
The University of Iowa has famously run an electronic futures market called the IEM that has been more accurate than most polls in predicting the outcome of the presidential elections--sort of like putting your money where your mouth is. The key to its success, I think, is that it asks people to speculate on who they think will win, rather than who they support and to shell out cash to "vote." Emotions run high in politics and arguably, less so in the stock market.
Check out the IEM.
Check out the IEM.
Michiganders Slanders Iowa Caucuses
According to the Des Moines Register yesterday:
"The Levin brothers are at it again. The senator and House member from Michigan have spent years trying to strip Iowa and New Hampshire of their first-in-the-nation status in the presidential nominating process and now are launching a new attempt in Congress.
Rep. Sander Levin and his brother, Sen. Carl Levin, last week unveiled bills in each chamber that would set up six primary or caucus dates between March and June, with each state representing a different geographic region.
Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, is also a supporter. As he explains it, the order of states within each region would rotate every four years. That order would be determined at the beginning, by lot. States that enjoyed the limelight then would move to the back of the pack.
And, of course, there would be no exceptions for Iowa or New Hampshire." More
It is always interesting to see folks wanting to level the playing field when they are in a ditch.
"The Levin brothers are at it again. The senator and House member from Michigan have spent years trying to strip Iowa and New Hampshire of their first-in-the-nation status in the presidential nominating process and now are launching a new attempt in Congress.
Rep. Sander Levin and his brother, Sen. Carl Levin, last week unveiled bills in each chamber that would set up six primary or caucus dates between March and June, with each state representing a different geographic region.
Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, is also a supporter. As he explains it, the order of states within each region would rotate every four years. That order would be determined at the beginning, by lot. States that enjoyed the limelight then would move to the back of the pack.
And, of course, there would be no exceptions for Iowa or New Hampshire." More
It is always interesting to see folks wanting to level the playing field when they are in a ditch.
Polar Bears Goners US Study Says
Global Climate Change is the reason that the polar bear population will decline drastically, a US Geological Survey projects.Josh Hill at Green Options reports: "At the moment, polar bears number somewhere close to 16,000, and reside throughout the Arctic in Russia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland. Already, areas such as the Northwest Passage have almost totally disappeared, and experts are predicting anywhere between a 40% to total drop-off of summer ice by 2050.
The reports executive summary concluded that by the mid 21st century, a full two-thirds of the bears population could be gone, with remainders living in Canadian Arctic islands and the west coast of Greenland.
The polar bear has recently also been the subject of a potential addition to the Endangered Species Act list. Unable to successfully hunt on land – being too acclimatized to hunting in the water and on ice – the polar bear would probably begin to suffer in its cub’s inability to survive past adolescence, and the females unable to successfully reproduce.First making its way on to the ecological landscape some 40-50,000 years ago, the polar bear has adapted to the icy conditions of the northern icecaps. In that intervening period, earth has not suffered a warming to such an extent that its caps have depreciated as they are now. It is this unaccustomed warming that worries experts."
Also contributing to the eradication of the polar bear population is trophy hunters. Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) introduced the "Polar Bear Protection Act," in May, which would prohibit trophy hunters from bringing polar bear carcasses into the US from Canada. The bill would restore the 1972 moratorium on the importation of marine mammal trophies, which mostly enter the United States from Canadian hunts. The ban would repeal a 1994 exception that let the Interior Department issue permits, which allowed hunters to bring polar bear carcasses across the border from hunts in Canada.Sunday, September 9
The Full Court Press the Way Forward
"We are kicking ass" in Iraq, our cowboy president has said. Fox News and other unofficial mouthpieces for the president are pointing out the many reasons why we should be cautiously optimistic about winning in Iraq. Sen. Lindsey Graham said, "Within the next weeks, not months, there will be a major breakthrough on the benchmarks regarding political reconciliation. And after the last two weeks of being a reservist, you could see Sunnis and Shia and Kurds taking a second look at Iraq."
And we have already been marinated by "leaked" reports that point out that while all benchmarks haven't been met, some have and what General Petraeus is likely to say is the surge is tarting to work. Despite past history regarding the reading of intelligence, the DC storyline will be "stay the course."
The bottom-line is that the war is going to continue as long as George Bush is in the White House and it ultimately will be decided on election day 2008 what the exit strategy will be. Politically, the Democrats can trial balloon, protest, and threaten, but the truth is that unless the Republicans in the Senate jump ship wholesale on the president, it will be more of the same.
For General Petraeus, as the co-pilot said in "Snakes on a Plane" to protagonist Neville Flynn (Samuel L. Jackson)-- "It sucks to be you right now, huh."
And we have already been marinated by "leaked" reports that point out that while all benchmarks haven't been met, some have and what General Petraeus is likely to say is the surge is tarting to work. Despite past history regarding the reading of intelligence, the DC storyline will be "stay the course."
The bottom-line is that the war is going to continue as long as George Bush is in the White House and it ultimately will be decided on election day 2008 what the exit strategy will be. Politically, the Democrats can trial balloon, protest, and threaten, but the truth is that unless the Republicans in the Senate jump ship wholesale on the president, it will be more of the same.
For General Petraeus, as the co-pilot said in "Snakes on a Plane" to protagonist Neville Flynn (Samuel L. Jackson)-- "It sucks to be you right now, huh."
Protecting America from the PAA
The ill-named Protect America Act of 2007, which justifies the warrantless interception of any international communications by U.S. persons without any restriction on the subsequent review and data mining of the metadata concerning those calls or the content of the communications themselves, is being considered for review by the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees to once again delve into the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and reinsert much needed privacy protections that were lacking in the last iteration.
Groups like the ACLU, People for the American Way, and the Bill of Rights Defense Committee have sent a letter requestint the following to Majority Leaders Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.
1) No amendments to FISA should be made permanent until Congress and the public receive answers about what surveillance activities have been conducted over the last six years and the legal basis for those programs.
2) Any further legislation must reiterate that FISA is the exclusive means of intelligence gathering on U.S. soil, and the legislation must include automatic consequences for violating this exclusivity.
3) Interceptions of U.S. persons’ communications within the United States should continue to be included within, and, therefore, be protected by the definition of “electronic surveillance.”
4) Collection and isolation of the particular communications sought by the government should be conducted by the telecommunications industry itself – the government should not be given direct and unfettered access to telecommunications infrastructure.
5) The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) must play a meaningful role in ensuring compliance with the law. First and foremost, interception of communications to and from the US should be authorized by the FISC. The Court must also have regular access to information about how many U.S. communications are being collected.
6) Under any new amendment to FISA established in your legislation, when the government intercepts a communication to which a person in the U.S. is a party, there should be a presumption requiring the NSA to immediately destroy that communication except in narrowly defined circumstances providing for judicial oversight.
7) Once the government has reason to believe that there is a substantial likelihood that a specific account, person or facility will have contact with someone in the United States, the government should be required to return to the FISC to obtain a court order for continued surveillance of that account, person or facility. Reliance on the FISC will help ensure the privacy of U.S. persons’ communications.
Go here to read the full letter.
Groups like the ACLU, People for the American Way, and the Bill of Rights Defense Committee have sent a letter requestint the following to Majority Leaders Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.
1) No amendments to FISA should be made permanent until Congress and the public receive answers about what surveillance activities have been conducted over the last six years and the legal basis for those programs.
2) Any further legislation must reiterate that FISA is the exclusive means of intelligence gathering on U.S. soil, and the legislation must include automatic consequences for violating this exclusivity.
3) Interceptions of U.S. persons’ communications within the United States should continue to be included within, and, therefore, be protected by the definition of “electronic surveillance.”
4) Collection and isolation of the particular communications sought by the government should be conducted by the telecommunications industry itself – the government should not be given direct and unfettered access to telecommunications infrastructure.
5) The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) must play a meaningful role in ensuring compliance with the law. First and foremost, interception of communications to and from the US should be authorized by the FISC. The Court must also have regular access to information about how many U.S. communications are being collected.
6) Under any new amendment to FISA established in your legislation, when the government intercepts a communication to which a person in the U.S. is a party, there should be a presumption requiring the NSA to immediately destroy that communication except in narrowly defined circumstances providing for judicial oversight.
7) Once the government has reason to believe that there is a substantial likelihood that a specific account, person or facility will have contact with someone in the United States, the government should be required to return to the FISC to obtain a court order for continued surveillance of that account, person or facility. Reliance on the FISC will help ensure the privacy of U.S. persons’ communications.
Go here to read the full letter.
Friday, September 7
DOJ: Promotes Separate and Unequal Internet
From the BBC
The US Justice Department has said that internet service providers should be allowed to charge for priority traffic. The agency said it was opposed to "network neutrality", the idea that all data on the net is treated equally.
The comments put the agency at odds with companies such as Microsoft and Google, who have called for legislation to guarantee equal access to the net.
The agency submitted its comments to the Federal Communications Commission, which is investigating net access.
Several US internet service providers (ISPs), including AT&T and Verizon, have previously said that they want to charge some users more money for certain content.
This has particularly become an issue with the rise of TV and film download services.
The Justice Department said imposing net neutrality regulations could hinder development of the internet and prevent ISPs from upgrading networks.
The US Justice Department has said that internet service providers should be allowed to charge for priority traffic. The agency said it was opposed to "network neutrality", the idea that all data on the net is treated equally.
The comments put the agency at odds with companies such as Microsoft and Google, who have called for legislation to guarantee equal access to the net.
The agency submitted its comments to the Federal Communications Commission, which is investigating net access.
Several US internet service providers (ISPs), including AT&T and Verizon, have previously said that they want to charge some users more money for certain content.
This has particularly become an issue with the rise of TV and film download services.
The Justice Department said imposing net neutrality regulations could hinder development of the internet and prevent ISPs from upgrading networks.
Congress: Get It in Writing
From Inside the Ringblog
A major political event unfolding Monday will be the report to President Bush by Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander in Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker.
A senior military officer said there will be no written presentation to the president on security and stability in Iraq. "There is no report. It is an assessment provided by them by testimony," the officer said.
The only hard copy will be Gen. Petraeus' opening statement to Congress, scheduled for Monday, along with any charts he will use in explaining the results of the troop surge in Baghdad over the past several months.
That testimony will follow the meeting of the president, Gen. Petraeus and Mr. Crocker at the White House.
Gen. Petraeus is expected to tell the president the surge is working but that more work is needed. He is not expected to recommend withdrawing significant numbers of U.S. troops, as the U.S. troop presence is still needed to bolster the slowly growing Iraqi security forces' capabilities.
The picture presented by Mr. Crocker will be critical of the new Iraqi government for not doing more to foster political stability.
A major political event unfolding Monday will be the report to President Bush by Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander in Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker.
A senior military officer said there will be no written presentation to the president on security and stability in Iraq. "There is no report. It is an assessment provided by them by testimony," the officer said.
The only hard copy will be Gen. Petraeus' opening statement to Congress, scheduled for Monday, along with any charts he will use in explaining the results of the troop surge in Baghdad over the past several months.
That testimony will follow the meeting of the president, Gen. Petraeus and Mr. Crocker at the White House.
Gen. Petraeus is expected to tell the president the surge is working but that more work is needed. He is not expected to recommend withdrawing significant numbers of U.S. troops, as the U.S. troop presence is still needed to bolster the slowly growing Iraqi security forces' capabilities.
The picture presented by Mr. Crocker will be critical of the new Iraqi government for not doing more to foster political stability.
The Politics of Greed
Perhaps he'll visit the Riverside Casino...
U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, already a millionaire and heir to the Kimberly-Clark fortune, is on a lucky streak.
The Republican hit it big in 1997 with a $250,000 jackpot in the District of Columbia lottery. Then, last spring, he won $1,000 prize in the Wisconsin lottery, and he won another $1,000 in that lottery last week.
"I got lucky," Sensenbrenner said.
Sensenbrenner, 64, was born into a family that helped build Kimberly-Clark Corp., maker of Kleenex tissue and Scott paper towels, and he recently reported a net worth of about $11.6 million. He said he spends about $10 a week on lottery tickets.
The latest winnings came in a Super 2nd Chance drawing, in which people who mail in at least $5 in losing tickets vie for 10 $1,000 prizes each week. Lottery officials put the odds of winning just one time at 1 in 5,000.
U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, already a millionaire and heir to the Kimberly-Clark fortune, is on a lucky streak.
The Republican hit it big in 1997 with a $250,000 jackpot in the District of Columbia lottery. Then, last spring, he won $1,000 prize in the Wisconsin lottery, and he won another $1,000 in that lottery last week.
"I got lucky," Sensenbrenner said.
Sensenbrenner, 64, was born into a family that helped build Kimberly-Clark Corp., maker of Kleenex tissue and Scott paper towels, and he recently reported a net worth of about $11.6 million. He said he spends about $10 a week on lottery tickets.
The latest winnings came in a Super 2nd Chance drawing, in which people who mail in at least $5 in losing tickets vie for 10 $1,000 prizes each week. Lottery officials put the odds of winning just one time at 1 in 5,000.
Where Does This Man Get His Facts From?
According to the Sydney Morning Herald of Australia, the president gave a more-to-the-point assessment [about the Iraqi War] to Australia Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile.
Here's video from Jack Cafferty at CNN
"We're kicking ass," Bush said to Vaile Tuesday, according the Herald, after the deputy prime minister inquired about his trip to Iraq.
With 3750 soldiers killed, assessments from our own government's GAO office disputing progress on benchmarks, a full blown civil war--seems like the shoe is on the other foot.Here's video from Jack Cafferty at CNN
How Many More?
Insurgents killed seven American servicemen in two separate attacks in Iraq on Thursday, US military officials have said.Four marines were killed while conducting combat operations in the western province of Anbar. No further details were given.
Three soldiers were killed in the northern province of Nineveh, when their vehicle was caught in a blast.
Eighteen US servicemen have died in operations in Iraq this month.
Levels of violence in the vast, predominantly Sunni province of Anbar had dropped recently. President Bush visited Anbar on Monday and praised the improved security there.
The latest casualties mean more than 3,750 US soldiers have been killed in Iraq since the start of the US-led invasion in 2003.
Thursday, September 6
Suicide Is Not Painless: Helping the Veterans
The VA estimates that approximately 5000 Vets commit suicide each year and the suicide rate for Iraq Vets is 35% higher than the general population. Earlier this year, the House passed a bill introduced by Congressman Leonard Boswell and it passed with a vote of 423 to zero.
Senator Tom Harkin has introduced a bill in the Senate (Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act) that is being held up by Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma. Why? According to Harkin "Out of the blue, Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma objected to the unanimous consent request. And his principal reason for doing so is completely baseless. He speculates that if we have mandatory screening of all veterans for suicide risk, the resulting medical data might be used to deny a veteran the right to purchase handguns."
What's in the bill:
It empowers the VA to develop and carry out a comprehensive program designed to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans. Requires the program to include: (1) mandatory training for appropriate staff and contractors of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) who interact with veterans; (2) screening for suicide risk factors veterans who receive medical care at a Department facility; (3) tracking of veterans; (4) referral of at-risk veterans for counseling and treatment; (5) designation of a suicide prevention counselor at each Department medical facility; (6) research on best practices for suicide prevention; (7) mental health care for veterans who have experienced sexual trauma while in military service; (8) 24-hour veterans' mental health care availability; (9) a toll-free hotline; (10) outreach and education for veterans and their families; and (11) peer support counseling.
Watch Sen. Harkin discuss this bill.
Senator Tom Harkin has introduced a bill in the Senate (Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act) that is being held up by Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma. Why? According to Harkin "Out of the blue, Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma objected to the unanimous consent request. And his principal reason for doing so is completely baseless. He speculates that if we have mandatory screening of all veterans for suicide risk, the resulting medical data might be used to deny a veteran the right to purchase handguns."
What's in the bill:
It empowers the VA to develop and carry out a comprehensive program designed to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans. Requires the program to include: (1) mandatory training for appropriate staff and contractors of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) who interact with veterans; (2) screening for suicide risk factors veterans who receive medical care at a Department facility; (3) tracking of veterans; (4) referral of at-risk veterans for counseling and treatment; (5) designation of a suicide prevention counselor at each Department medical facility; (6) research on best practices for suicide prevention; (7) mental health care for veterans who have experienced sexual trauma while in military service; (8) 24-hour veterans' mental health care availability; (9) a toll-free hotline; (10) outreach and education for veterans and their families; and (11) peer support counseling.
Watch Sen. Harkin discuss this bill.
The Farm Bill and Locally Grown Food
My friends at the American Farmland Trust remind me:
Every hour, we lose 125 acres of farm and ranch land. That’s 3,000 acres a day and over 1 million acres a year!
Eighty-six percent of America’s fruits and vegetables are grown in metro regions in the path of development.
Over half of America’s land is managed by farmers and ranchers, and their decisions affect our air, water, wildlife and food. The farm bill influences those decisions and is up for voting this fall.
What would a world without farms and ranches mean? Probably a growing dependence on the center aisles of our grocery stores—processed foods enriched with ingredients you can’t pronounce.
But what about our water and the air we breathe? Over half of the U.S. is working agriculture land, and well managed farms and ranches provide critical environmental benefits like water filtration, flood control, air quality improvements, carbon sequestration, renewable energy and wildlife habitat. But our farms and ranches are threatened; thankfully we have a chance to make a change.
The 2007 Farm Bill debate is heating up, but it’s not just a battle to be fought on Capitol Hill. It affects the availability and cost of fresh, healthy food both in the U.S. and worldwide. The farm bill impacts how farmers manage their land and their ability to be good stewards of our air, water and wildlife—it shapes what tools are available for communities to fight sprawl and protect local farms and ranches.
Instead of subsidizing overproduction on marginal lands, let’s support America’s farmers and ranchers so they continue to provide fresh and healthy food and protect our environment. Learn more from American Farmland Trust at www.farmland.org/farmpolicy.
If You Care About Your Money and Your Health, Pay Attention to the Farm Bill
This fall, the United States Congress will enact this nation's most important legislation affecting the environment, healthy food and our local communities. It’s the 2007 Farm Bill. Now is our opportunity to demand a more balanced farm bill that will end subsidy distortion, protect our farms and ranches from sprawl, support local and healthy foods, and protect our air, water, land and wildlife.
In a land of plenty, 35 million Americans do not have enough to eat. Yet we continue to subsidize the overproduction of cheap sugars and fats despite skyrocketing healthcare costs linked to diet related illnesses like obesity and diabetes. Meanwhile, fresh and healthy foods are in the path of development. 86% of America's fruits and vegetables are grown in metro regions threatened by sprawl.
The Senate will begin writing their version of the farm bill this September. Please let them know you want farm and food policy that will support farmers and ranchers, your community, the environment and all Americans. Take action at action.farmland.org.
Every hour, we lose 125 acres of farm and ranch land. That’s 3,000 acres a day and over 1 million acres a year!
Eighty-six percent of America’s fruits and vegetables are grown in metro regions in the path of development.
Over half of America’s land is managed by farmers and ranchers, and their decisions affect our air, water, wildlife and food. The farm bill influences those decisions and is up for voting this fall.
What would a world without farms and ranches mean? Probably a growing dependence on the center aisles of our grocery stores—processed foods enriched with ingredients you can’t pronounce.
But what about our water and the air we breathe? Over half of the U.S. is working agriculture land, and well managed farms and ranches provide critical environmental benefits like water filtration, flood control, air quality improvements, carbon sequestration, renewable energy and wildlife habitat. But our farms and ranches are threatened; thankfully we have a chance to make a change.
The 2007 Farm Bill debate is heating up, but it’s not just a battle to be fought on Capitol Hill. It affects the availability and cost of fresh, healthy food both in the U.S. and worldwide. The farm bill impacts how farmers manage their land and their ability to be good stewards of our air, water and wildlife—it shapes what tools are available for communities to fight sprawl and protect local farms and ranches.
Instead of subsidizing overproduction on marginal lands, let’s support America’s farmers and ranchers so they continue to provide fresh and healthy food and protect our environment. Learn more from American Farmland Trust at www.farmland.org/farmpolicy.
If You Care About Your Money and Your Health, Pay Attention to the Farm Bill
This fall, the United States Congress will enact this nation's most important legislation affecting the environment, healthy food and our local communities. It’s the 2007 Farm Bill. Now is our opportunity to demand a more balanced farm bill that will end subsidy distortion, protect our farms and ranches from sprawl, support local and healthy foods, and protect our air, water, land and wildlife.
In a land of plenty, 35 million Americans do not have enough to eat. Yet we continue to subsidize the overproduction of cheap sugars and fats despite skyrocketing healthcare costs linked to diet related illnesses like obesity and diabetes. Meanwhile, fresh and healthy foods are in the path of development. 86% of America's fruits and vegetables are grown in metro regions threatened by sprawl.
The Senate will begin writing their version of the farm bill this September. Please let them know you want farm and food policy that will support farmers and ranchers, your community, the environment and all Americans. Take action at action.farmland.org.
RFK JR in Iowa City Next Week
| Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Wednesday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m. (arrive early, seating often is limited) in the Iowa Memorial Union Main Lounge. Free and open to the public. Kennedy's speech "Our Environmental Destiny," is the centerpiece of a month of environmentally focused programming on the UI campus and in the Iowa City community. Kennedy, an environmental attorney and president of Waterkeeper Alliance, has defended several of the environmental causes by initiating a series of successful legal actions. He is the author of the bestseller "Crimes Against Nature," published in 2004. |
Edwards Gets Served...It's TWU
The Transport Workers Union of America (TWU), “the union that moves America,” announced today that it is endorsing Sen. John Edwards for President of the United States and the union will now work to move its members in New York and across the nation to support the Edwards candidacy.
In making the announcement, TWU President James C. Little said, “Some candidates seem to be figuring out how to best triangulate on campaign issues. John Edwards takes on subjects such as job security, health care, retirement and the growing gap in wealth between the rich and the middle class in a straight forward way that the country and working families desperately need.”
In his remarks to TWU members from around the country and others gathered at the union’s national headquarters in New York, Little noted that numerous polls show Edwards to be the most electable Democrat in the general election. The TWU president also said, "The next election must provide America with a President who will reverse the failure of leadership of the past seven years. We feel that Sen. Edwards best amplifies the issues that most concern our members,including issues of security against terrorism on our nation's transportation systems, as well as safety for workers and passengers on our nation's highways, railroads, mass transportation networks and airlines."
The Edwards endorsement followed an extensive discussion among TWU activists and officers. One of the most politically active unions, TWU has in recent years placed more volunteers in the field on a per-capita basis than any other AFL-CIO union. The union’s membership is especially strong in the early primary and caucus states of Nevada, Oklahoma and Florida.
Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) represents 200,000 workers and retirees, primarily in commercial aviation, public transportation, passenger railroads, and public utilities. Among TWU’s members are employees of Amtrak, the MTA in New York City, SEPTA in Philadelphia, ground workers at American Airlines and ground workers and flight attendants at Southwest Airlines. The union is an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. More information is available at www.twu.org.
In making the announcement, TWU President James C. Little said, “Some candidates seem to be figuring out how to best triangulate on campaign issues. John Edwards takes on subjects such as job security, health care, retirement and the growing gap in wealth between the rich and the middle class in a straight forward way that the country and working families desperately need.”
In his remarks to TWU members from around the country and others gathered at the union’s national headquarters in New York, Little noted that numerous polls show Edwards to be the most electable Democrat in the general election. The TWU president also said, "The next election must provide America with a President who will reverse the failure of leadership of the past seven years. We feel that Sen. Edwards best amplifies the issues that most concern our members,including issues of security against terrorism on our nation's transportation systems, as well as safety for workers and passengers on our nation's highways, railroads, mass transportation networks and airlines."
The Edwards endorsement followed an extensive discussion among TWU activists and officers. One of the most politically active unions, TWU has in recent years placed more volunteers in the field on a per-capita basis than any other AFL-CIO union. The union’s membership is especially strong in the early primary and caucus states of Nevada, Oklahoma and Florida.
Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) represents 200,000 workers and retirees, primarily in commercial aviation, public transportation, passenger railroads, and public utilities. Among TWU’s members are employees of Amtrak, the MTA in New York City, SEPTA in Philadelphia, ground workers at American Airlines and ground workers and flight attendants at Southwest Airlines. The union is an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. More information is available at www.twu.org.
Wednesday, September 5
Coralville to Consider Human Rights Ordinance
City leaders here are considering adopting a human rights ordinance for Coralville that prohibits discrimination based on age, race, religion, sexual orientation and other personal reasons.“We probably waited a little longer than we should have but we're ready to move forward,'' Mayor Jim Fausett said at a recent council meeting.
Although cities with populations of fewer than 29,000 people are not required to form human rights commissions, growing cities like Coralville, whose estimated population is 18,000, are being encouraged to take early steps and adopt ordinances.
Cities like Decorah and Grinnell already have formed commissions, even though their populations are less than 29,000.
Ralph Rosenberg, executive director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, has urged the Coralville council to form a human rights commission because of the city's growth. “We want Iowa to be a welcoming state, and you can play a major role here,'' he said.
Fausett said the council is interested.
The Iowa Civil Rights Act of 1965 was changed on July 1, adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected personal matters when dealing with employment, housing, credit, public accommodations and education.
Johnson County adopted a human rights ordinance that took effect at the beginning of this year, banning discrimination based on age, color, race, national origin, creed, religion, disability, marital status, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.
Although cities with populations of fewer than 29,000 people are not required to form human rights commissions, growing cities like Coralville, whose estimated population is 18,000, are being encouraged to take early steps and adopt ordinances.
Cities like Decorah and Grinnell already have formed commissions, even though their populations are less than 29,000.
Ralph Rosenberg, executive director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, has urged the Coralville council to form a human rights commission because of the city's growth. “We want Iowa to be a welcoming state, and you can play a major role here,'' he said.
Fausett said the council is interested.
The Iowa Civil Rights Act of 1965 was changed on July 1, adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected personal matters when dealing with employment, housing, credit, public accommodations and education.
Johnson County adopted a human rights ordinance that took effect at the beginning of this year, banning discrimination based on age, color, race, national origin, creed, religion, disability, marital status, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.
The School Board Election
| Next Tuesday (9/11), Johnson County residents in the Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty areas will have the opportunity to vote to choose two members of the school board. Based on what I saw in the debate yesterday and read in the news, progressive voters will have a limited choice. Respectfully, I will say that the three candidates for the board are offering their commitment and should all be applauded for their willingness to serve. The ICCSD schools operate on a $70 million budget which is far larger than Iowa City's annual budget of $47.4 million for 2007. This makes choosing a board of directors an important matter, particularly because the job is a volunteer position and a three year commitment. How to handle the district’s rapid growth has become a hot-button issue. It is appropriate for the school board to be proactive and concerned about how SILO dollars are spent, as well as the "per pupil" dollars that come from the state. Some of the older school buildings are more like "edifice wrecks" when compared to the newly built (and apparently, overfilled) schools like Van Allen elementary. These older schools need to be retrofitted to meet existing and future needs. In addition, the needs of some lower achieving schools for more educational enrichment programming to raise performance requires going beyond conventional thinking. As of last week, 11,370 students were enrolled in the district — a 3.4 percent increase from the fourth day of school last year, when 11,000 attended. Of those students, there will be star students of course, but more likely, there will be students who have learning deficiencies because of prior educational opportunities. We need to adequately resource those needs. Additionally, with the national need for more science and math ability, we need to consider "academies" to promote more creative and practical ways to instill a love of STEM fields. Lastly, we need to look at the facilities of schools with a single question in mind, "how will this project enrich the educational opportunities for students?" A snack bar/ticket stand may be nice to have, but a state-of-the-art classroom to improve reading ability is necessary. In the mean time, incumbent Gayle Klouda, deborah Thornton and Michael Cooper are on the ballot. Check out the story in the Gazette or watch the replay of the forum from last night and learn who you feel will best serve you. |
Renewable Hope
This weekend in Solon, The 16th annual I-Renew Energy EXPO hosted by the Iowa Renewable Energy Association (I-Renew) will be held on September 8 & 9 at Solon High School, a school built with green and energy efficient technologies. The EXPO features workshops and speakers covering many topics- from renewable energy, green building, energy efficient technology, renewable fuels, alternative transportation, advocacy, and more!
SOLON HIGH SCHOOL
600 WEST FIFTH ST.SOLON, IA
ADMISSION: $5 INDIVIDUAL, $10 FAMILY
Carpool or bike if you can!!
SOLON HIGH SCHOOL
600 WEST FIFTH ST.SOLON, IA
ADMISSION: $5 INDIVIDUAL, $10 FAMILY
Carpool or bike if you can!!
Options for Withdrawal
IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL
Last year's bipartisan Iraq Study Group (ISG) strongly advised against a precipitate withdrawal of US troops.
Such a move would create greater sectarian violence, regional destabilisation, a threat to the global economy and award a propaganda coup to al-Qaeda, it warned.
The war has become hugely unpopular in the US and polls show most Americans want their leaders to come up with some kind of Iraq withdrawal plan.
But a sudden pullout of all troops is not considered feasible on Capitol Hill.
The most precipitous withdrawal plan being put forward in Congress is from Democratic Senator Chris Dodd.
He has proposed legislation that would begin withdrawing troops within a month, pulling them all out by the end of the year.
The New York Times editorial board earlier this year recommended a total pullout that would be completed within as little as six months.
PHASED WITHDRAWAL
Most advocates of total withdrawal - an idea gathering political momentum - suggest a gradual drawdown, as recommended by the ISG.
The phased pullout option is championed by Democrats and gaining support among centrist Republicans.
In April, Congress backed a Democratic-sponsored proposal for withdrawing the troops, but President George W Bush vetoed it.
The plan from the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives was narrowly supported by the Senate, where there is a slim Democratic majority.
It called for a troop pullout to begin by October this year and be completed by March 2008.
Similar proposals have been tabled by other Democratic Senators, such as Carl Levin, Jack Reed and Russ Feingold.
Democratic candidates in next year's presidential elections have made Iraq a defining issue of their campaign.
Frontrunners Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and John Edwards all back withdrawal plans of between 12 and 20 months.
Some kind of reduction in troop numbers in the near future seems increasingly likely.
Even US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said recently some troops might be brought home by the end of the year.
STAY THE COURSE
The ISG recommended that with nearly 100 Americans dying every month in Iraq and the US spending $2bn a week on the war, too much blood and treasure was being shed to make staying the course an option any longer.
"Staying until the job is done" is a stance championed by a dwindling number of politicians and commentators.
Most Americans now believe an open-ended US troop commitment will only exacerbate Iraq's problems.
However, President George W Bush this week warned that "to withdraw without getting the job done would be devastating".
He warned Americans that "this enemy would follow us home."
That is a sentiment broadly backed by most Republicans, who have labelled a timetable for withdrawal a "cut and run" or a "surrender date".
The main Republican candidates - Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney - all want to stay the course - for now.
But tellingly, John McCain, who has been the staunchest cheerleader of Mr Bush's Iraq policy, has seen his support melt away.
His steadfast backing for Mr Bush's security surge, the injection of 30,000 extra US troops into Iraq, has hurt him in the polls, say analysts.
Tensions have emerged between the US and its UK ally recently amid American hawks' concerns that new Prime Minister Gordon Brown could be planning to withdraw the bulk of British troops from southern Iraq in the near future.
The die-hards in the Bush administration are pinning their hopes on the outcome of a progress report by Gen David Petraeus, the senior military commander in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the US ambassador, which is to be released to Congress in September.Bremer Says Bush Okayed Dismantling of Iraqi Army
Also from the BBC: The man who ran Iraq after the 2003 invasion, Paul Bremer, has insisted that President George W Bush approved plans to dismantle Iraq's army.
Mr Bremer released a series of letters to the New York Times detailing the need to take "robust" action against the toppled regime of Saddam Hussein.
But in a book published on Tuesday, Mr Bush says the agreed policy was to keep Iraq's army intact.
The disbanding is now widely seen as a mistake that fuelled Iraq's insurgency.
In a letter dated 22 May 2003, Mr Bremer, the former head of the US-led civilian administration in Iraq, appears to propose the dismantling of the army to Mr Bush.
"We must make it clear to everyone that we mean business: that Saddam and the Baathists are finished," Mr Bremer wrote in the letter quoted in the New York Times. 
President George W Bush
Letter to Paul Bremer, May 2003
"I will parallel this step [dismantling the Baath Party] with an even more robust measure dissolving Saddam's military and intelligence structures to emphasise that we mean business.
"We are seeing signs that the outlawed organisations are behind some of the street violence here."
The next day Mr Bush replies, according to a second letter published in the Times: "Your leadership is apparent. You have quickly made a positive and significant impact. You have my full support and confidence."
Petraeus to Recommend Troop Reductions?
From the BBC: The most senior US commander in Iraq has hinted that he may recommend a reduction in US troop numbers to avoid placing a strain on the army. Gen David Petraeus told US television there were limits to what the military could do, and agreed that next March was "about right" for reductions. The general is due to present his much anticipated assessment of US military strategy in Iraq to Congress next week.
Richardson on Lobby Bucks: "What Am I Supposed to Do?"
CNN reports Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson said Tuesday that he has no problem taking money from federal lobbyists.
"What am I supposed to [do]?" the New Mexico governor asked. "I have enough trouble raising money to run a campaign."
Two other Democratic candidates, former Sen. John Edwards and Sen. Barack Obama, have turned the issue of not accepting campaign contributions from Washington lobbyists into a major staple of their campaigns. But not Richardson.
"The unions have lobbyists in Washington," Richardson said. "I take money from them. Nurses, environmentalists, senior citizens."
At a forum in early August, Richardson said it was "silly" to refuse lobbyist money. He told the crowd the candidates are "sucking up to you… [with] slogans that get you cheering."
Tuesday, September 4
From Senator Tom Harkin: Close Gitmo
Dear Friend,
The successor to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will face a number of tough challenges, but none of them will be as critical as restoring our Constitution and the public's confidence and trust in the rule of law.
That is why I am calling on my colleagues in the Senate to only confirm a nominee for Attorney General who among other items, shows his or her commitment to upholding the rule of law and restoring fundamental rights and freedoms by supporting efforts to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.
Click here to sign my petition to tell the Senate to only confirm a nominee for Attorney General who supports closing down the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay today.
By continuing to isolate detainees on Guantanamo Bay without bringing charges against them, we have forfeited our moral leadership and hindered our ability to rally support in our fight against terrorism. Closing this facility is our single best opportunity to rally our allies in a more effective fight against terrorism and to reduce the risk to Americans traveling abroad.
In May, I introduced legislation that would require President Bush to order the Department of Defense to close the prison at Guantanamo, to resolve the legal status of detainees, and to transfer those accused of a crime to maximum security prisons in the United States.
The chief responsibility of the Attorney General is to enforce the rule of law and uphold the Constitution of the United States. It is irreconcilable for any current or future holder of this office to both enforce the rule of law and to condone indefinite detention at Guantanamo Bay.
That's why I believe the next Attorney General must support efforts to close down the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. And I call upon the Senate to only confirm a nominee for this position who will do so.
Please click here to sign my petition to only confirm a nominee who supports efforts to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.
Thank you for your support.
Senator Tom Harkin
The successor to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will face a number of tough challenges, but none of them will be as critical as restoring our Constitution and the public's confidence and trust in the rule of law.
That is why I am calling on my colleagues in the Senate to only confirm a nominee for Attorney General who among other items, shows his or her commitment to upholding the rule of law and restoring fundamental rights and freedoms by supporting efforts to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.
Click here to sign my petition to tell the Senate to only confirm a nominee for Attorney General who supports closing down the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay today.
By continuing to isolate detainees on Guantanamo Bay without bringing charges against them, we have forfeited our moral leadership and hindered our ability to rally support in our fight against terrorism. Closing this facility is our single best opportunity to rally our allies in a more effective fight against terrorism and to reduce the risk to Americans traveling abroad.
In May, I introduced legislation that would require President Bush to order the Department of Defense to close the prison at Guantanamo, to resolve the legal status of detainees, and to transfer those accused of a crime to maximum security prisons in the United States.
The chief responsibility of the Attorney General is to enforce the rule of law and uphold the Constitution of the United States. It is irreconcilable for any current or future holder of this office to both enforce the rule of law and to condone indefinite detention at Guantanamo Bay.
That's why I believe the next Attorney General must support efforts to close down the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. And I call upon the Senate to only confirm a nominee for this position who will do so.
Please click here to sign my petition to only confirm a nominee who supports efforts to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.
Thank you for your support.
Senator Tom Harkin
Coming Soon: "21 Only" Fever
Up until now, I have tried to keep my "street cred" on the down low in blogging as Gark. But, many readers know that I am Garry Klein and I ran (unsuccessfully) for City Council in Iowa City in 2005. So the following can be taken in the spirit it is offered.
When I ran for city council, the "21 Ordinance" was looming large on the horizon. At that time, I thought that passing an ordinance from the council would have significant consequences (mostly negative because there was no discussion of what other tools were needed, past the ordinance, to make it workable). Certainly alcohol abuse is a significant issue in our community--the results of binge drinking in terms of risk to self (and others--DUI, rape, assaults, etc.) can't be ignored.
In this go round because it is a referendum item, the council candidates are quietly betting on or against it passing and publicly discussing what will be needed if it does. For instance, with a designated "redlight district," you can mass police patrols to enforce law, but what happens when you spread underage drinking out into the neighborhoods? It means you will need more public safety officers. Certainly the police chief is pushing that point with a request for 40 additional officers.
The Catch 22 is that bars equal tax base and Iowa City government doesn't want to detract from its tax base. I'm sure if bowling alleys did as well as bars, downtown would be covered in bowling alleys.
This kind of conflict of values is not new, but the balance between the welfare of the public's health and the welfare of the city's tax base is the dance that voters will participate in and ultimately decide on.
There is a lot of information available, both from the "for 21" side and the "no to 21" sides, but what is true will be harder to decipher. If you want to start educating yourself, here are two places to begin:
http://www.voteyesforthelegalage.org/
http://www.bloc21.com/
The nature of referendums is that they are better for yes or no questions. The 21 referendum will simply answer the question "should people under the age of 21 be allowed in bars after 10 pm?" It will not deal with the problem of underage or binge drinking (at any age).
This is a larger issue. In a culture that embraces alcohol as socially okay, unless we are willing to devise a community strategy with a lot more tools than kicking people under 21 to the curb at 10:00 pm and a keg registration law, we may have the experience that Ames had with VIESHA, UNI had in the past (and they actually had and repealed the 21 there), or East Lansing did a year or so ago.
To all the candidates that have entered the fray, it is my sincere hope that you have thought carefully about what your solutions to this issue are and can articulate them well. It is further my hope that you listen to both sides of this issue very carefully. This is a wedge issue for this campaign and it may be all anyone will want to know about you.
I believe, and voiced this in 2005, we need a community solution for a community problem. City Council would better be used to form a community task group to look into a holistic solution to alcohol abuse than to create a piecemeal approach via referendum.
However, because City Council has vacated its responsibility to do this up to now, if the referendum passes, a standing commission should be formed to deal with the consequences, both intended and unintended.
When I ran for city council, the "21 Ordinance" was looming large on the horizon. At that time, I thought that passing an ordinance from the council would have significant consequences (mostly negative because there was no discussion of what other tools were needed, past the ordinance, to make it workable). Certainly alcohol abuse is a significant issue in our community--the results of binge drinking in terms of risk to self (and others--DUI, rape, assaults, etc.) can't be ignored.
In this go round because it is a referendum item, the council candidates are quietly betting on or against it passing and publicly discussing what will be needed if it does. For instance, with a designated "redlight district," you can mass police patrols to enforce law, but what happens when you spread underage drinking out into the neighborhoods? It means you will need more public safety officers. Certainly the police chief is pushing that point with a request for 40 additional officers.
The Catch 22 is that bars equal tax base and Iowa City government doesn't want to detract from its tax base. I'm sure if bowling alleys did as well as bars, downtown would be covered in bowling alleys.
This kind of conflict of values is not new, but the balance between the welfare of the public's health and the welfare of the city's tax base is the dance that voters will participate in and ultimately decide on.
There is a lot of information available, both from the "for 21" side and the "no to 21" sides, but what is true will be harder to decipher. If you want to start educating yourself, here are two places to begin:
http://www.voteyesforthelegalage.org/
http://www.bloc21.com/
The nature of referendums is that they are better for yes or no questions. The 21 referendum will simply answer the question "should people under the age of 21 be allowed in bars after 10 pm?" It will not deal with the problem of underage or binge drinking (at any age).
This is a larger issue. In a culture that embraces alcohol as socially okay, unless we are willing to devise a community strategy with a lot more tools than kicking people under 21 to the curb at 10:00 pm and a keg registration law, we may have the experience that Ames had with VIESHA, UNI had in the past (and they actually had and repealed the 21 there), or East Lansing did a year or so ago.
To all the candidates that have entered the fray, it is my sincere hope that you have thought carefully about what your solutions to this issue are and can articulate them well. It is further my hope that you listen to both sides of this issue very carefully. This is a wedge issue for this campaign and it may be all anyone will want to know about you.
I believe, and voiced this in 2005, we need a community solution for a community problem. City Council would better be used to form a community task group to look into a holistic solution to alcohol abuse than to create a piecemeal approach via referendum.
However, because City Council has vacated its responsibility to do this up to now, if the referendum passes, a standing commission should be formed to deal with the consequences, both intended and unintended.
Primary in IC City Council At-Large Race
One that slipped through the cracks. The official word on the Iowa City council race from the Gazette
A primary election will be held Oct. 9 to whittle down the field of City Council candidates running for two open at-large seats.
Five people filed papers by the Thursday night deadline to run for the at-large seats. One will be eliminated after the primary, with other four moving on to the Nov. 6 general election.
The five are: council member Dee Vanderhoef and challengers Matt Hayek, Brandon Ross, Terry Smith and Mike Wright.
Mayor Ross Wilburn and council member Regenia Bailey are running unopposed as they seek reelection to the seats they currently hold, A and C, respectively.
A primary election will be held Oct. 9 to whittle down the field of City Council candidates running for two open at-large seats.
Five people filed papers by the Thursday night deadline to run for the at-large seats. One will be eliminated after the primary, with other four moving on to the Nov. 6 general election.
The five are: council member Dee Vanderhoef and challengers Matt Hayek, Brandon Ross, Terry Smith and Mike Wright.
Mayor Ross Wilburn and council member Regenia Bailey are running unopposed as they seek reelection to the seats they currently hold, A and C, respectively.
Obama and Clinton Removing Kit Gloves?
Change versus experience (See latest Gallup Poll), the oldest political themes since the Garden of Eden. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton took turns claiming they have both, but in different ways and at the expense of each other.
According to Newsday in Sioux City and Manchester, New Hampshire:
Clinton, speaking to a union picnic in Iowa, mocked Obama's "Politics of Hope" while Obama told a labor rally in New Hampshire that Clinton represented "divisive special-interest politics" in the Bush-Cheney style.
"You just don't do by hoping it happens, you need the experience to make it happen," Clinton said during a joint appearance with Bill Clinton here on the banks of the Missouri River. "I know how important it is that you do it in a way that gets enough Republicans to vote for you."
Obama, hitting a make-or-break period in his campaign, told supporters in Manchester: "George Bush and Dick Cheney may have turned divisive, special-interest politics into an art form, but it was there before they got to Washington" -- a reference to the Clintons' eight years in power.
"There are those who tout their experience working the system in Washington," he added. "A lot of people who've been in Washington a lot longer than me ... they go [to the] right dinner parties, they know how to talk the Washington talk ... but I believe I have the experience America needs right now."
According to Newsday in Sioux City and Manchester, New Hampshire:
Clinton, speaking to a union picnic in Iowa, mocked Obama's "Politics of Hope" while Obama told a labor rally in New Hampshire that Clinton represented "divisive special-interest politics" in the Bush-Cheney style.
"You just don't do by hoping it happens, you need the experience to make it happen," Clinton said during a joint appearance with Bill Clinton here on the banks of the Missouri River. "I know how important it is that you do it in a way that gets enough Republicans to vote for you."
Obama, hitting a make-or-break period in his campaign, told supporters in Manchester: "George Bush and Dick Cheney may have turned divisive, special-interest politics into an art form, but it was there before they got to Washington" -- a reference to the Clintons' eight years in power.
"There are those who tout their experience working the system in Washington," he added. "A lot of people who've been in Washington a lot longer than me ... they go [to the] right dinner parties, they know how to talk the Washington talk ... but I believe I have the experience America needs right now."
Afghani Farmers: Just Say "Free Market Economy"
The always interesting Onion made sport of this depressing news, but Afghanistan, which once produced 70% of the world's opium supply is back at it.
According to a report from the BBC, United Nations drug officials say the new Afghan Government has failed miserably to eradicate the opium poppy crop despite a government campaign that was launched in April.
According to a report from the BBC, United Nations drug officials say the new Afghan Government has failed miserably to eradicate the opium poppy crop despite a government campaign that was launched in April.
The UN estimates that more than a billion dollars worth of the crop is now being produced in farms in the country. The UN says production levels are now close to those of the late 1990s before the Taleban banned poppy cultivation entirely.
The UN report says that 90,000 hectares (factoid: a hectare is 2.47 acres) of poppy were planted this year, and 60,000 to 70,000 hectares will have been harvested by the end of the year.
A sad fact is that poppy production has also reduced the area of irrigated wheat by about 10%, meaning that opium production is far more profitable than growing wheat to feed people and animals.
"The returns and employment opportunities are high and the risks are seen to be low given the large numbers of farmers involved and the perceived improbability of prosecutions," concluded the UN report.
Haleh Esfandiari, Iranis Arrested by US a Prisoner Exchange?
Is it coincidental that 8 Iranis held by our military in Iraq and US scholar Haleh Esfandiari were released yesterday? Iran and the US continue to rattle sabers in Cold War fashion.
From the BBC
A leading Iranian-American academic who was jailed for three months in Iran on spying charges has left the country.
From the BBC
A leading Iranian-American academic who was jailed for three months in Iran on spying charges has left the country.
Haleh Esfandiari's husband, Shaul Bakhash, told the Fars news agency that she had flown to Austria, and would later return to the US.
Ms Esfandiari works for a research institute in Washington.
Three other Iranian-Americans are being detained in Iran - academics Ali Shakeri and Kian Tajbaksh, and journalist Parnaz Azima.
The detentions came amid ongoing tension between the US and Iran.
Analysts say the Iranian authorities are highly suspicious of attempts by the Bush administration to promote democratic change in Iran.
Ms Esfandiari, 67, heads the Middle East programme at the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Also from the BBC
The US military has admitted to what it called a "regrettable incident" after it arrested a group of eight Iranians in Baghdad.
The Iranians were held at a checkpoint and detained overnight. They were freed after the Iraqi government intervened.
Iran says the men were in the city at the invitation of Iraq's government, and that the US action was unjustified.
An aide to the top US commander in Iraq later said the US accepted that the Iranians were on official business.
Dr Saadi Othman, adviser to Gen David Petraeus, told BBC News that the incident had "nothing to do" with US President George W Bush's speech on Tuesday, in which he strongly criticised Iran for its alleged interference in Iraq.
Monday, September 3
Happy Labor Day
Most of us are too young to remember the golden age of labor unions. But most of us are living in the relative affluence that we do because of the labor movement. However, it has been far from sunny for the unions since the early 1980's when they were at the apex of their influence. Union membership stood at 12% in 2006, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics - down from 12.5% a year earlier. The rate has declined steadily from 20.1% in 1983, the first year for which comparable data is available, the BLS said. And when it comes to union membership, workers in the public sector outnumber private-sector employees five-to-one.
The labor movement in the US is working hard to remain relevant in the US. Protecting jobs is second only to development of new union memberships. With the poor record of the Bush Administration (actually any Republican administration) where union workers are concerned, it is no wonder that they are camping with Democrat frontrunners John Edwards and Hillary Clinton, as well as long-time union supporter Chris Dodd.
Unions are in need of a shot in the arm, especially in so-called "right to work states." Even with the recent raise in the minimum wage (factoid: 2.1% of union members earn the minimum wage v. 12% in the general work population) , the average union worker earns 21 to 32% more than the average non-union worker. This translates as a starting wage to be between $8.87 to $9.68 as compared the average minimum wage earner will earn in January of 2009 nationally.
The strategy for manufacturers has been to outsource manufacturing to countries with weak labor laws. For the skilled service sector, outsourcing has occurred as well. According to Common Dreams, "The number of U.S. high-tech and service jobs that have been moved overseas so far is relatively small, but ... the pace is quickening. Cambridge, Mass.-based Forrester Research estimates about 830,000 such positions will be relocated to India, Russia and other low-wage nations by the end of 2005, and that 3.4 million jobs representing $136 billion in U.S. wages will be lost by 2015."
The bright side has been that unions are spreading to so-called white collar jobs in the aerospace industry, universities, and retailing. In addition, they continue to grow in the government sector.
While union gorwth has actually declined, it is important to remember that labor gained strength when poor labor practices were in place and when unemployment increased. With the current practices of corporations, these two factors are likely to revisit us.
Happy Labor Day union workers, its good you are here!
The labor movement in the US is working hard to remain relevant in the US. Protecting jobs is second only to development of new union memberships. With the poor record of the Bush Administration (actually any Republican administration) where union workers are concerned, it is no wonder that they are camping with Democrat frontrunners John Edwards and Hillary Clinton, as well as long-time union supporter Chris Dodd.
Unions are in need of a shot in the arm, especially in so-called "right to work states." Even with the recent raise in the minimum wage (factoid: 2.1% of union members earn the minimum wage v. 12% in the general work population) , the average union worker earns 21 to 32% more than the average non-union worker. This translates as a starting wage to be between $8.87 to $9.68 as compared the average minimum wage earner will earn in January of 2009 nationally.
The strategy for manufacturers has been to outsource manufacturing to countries with weak labor laws. For the skilled service sector, outsourcing has occurred as well. According to Common Dreams, "The number of U.S. high-tech and service jobs that have been moved overseas so far is relatively small, but ... the pace is quickening. Cambridge, Mass.-based Forrester Research estimates about 830,000 such positions will be relocated to India, Russia and other low-wage nations by the end of 2005, and that 3.4 million jobs representing $136 billion in U.S. wages will be lost by 2015."
The bright side has been that unions are spreading to so-called white collar jobs in the aerospace industry, universities, and retailing. In addition, they continue to grow in the government sector.
While union gorwth has actually declined, it is important to remember that labor gained strength when poor labor practices were in place and when unemployment increased. With the current practices of corporations, these two factors are likely to revisit us.
Happy Labor Day union workers, its good you are here!
Edwards Endorsed by Miners and Steelworkers Unions
From NY Times
PITTSBURGH – In a city that still maintains strong ties to the steel and mining industries, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards received the endorsement of two powerful unions that represent their workers.
Today the United Steelworkers and United Mine Workers of America, which have a combined 1.8 million members, threw their support behind Mr. Edwards. His campaign said the endorsements gave him “the largest bloc of union support” of any of the presidential candidates so far.
In a statement announcing the Labor Day endorsement, the steel union cited Mr. Edwards’s electability in the general election — a theme his campaign has been pushing as a way to set him apart from top rivals Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.
“The union movement is not just important for the past, it is crucial to strengthening and growing the middle class in America, crucial to lifting millions of Americans out of poverty,” Mr. Edwards said while visiting a region of the country where the steel and manufacturing businesses have declined.
Wearing blue jeans and a windbreaker displaying the U.S.W. and U.M.W.A. logos, Mr. Edwards spoke for about ten minutes to union members and supporters who gathered outside the Mellon sports arena here. He used the opportunity to highlight his health care plan, trade policies and the issue of safety for mine workers in the wake of the Utah mine disaster.
“I promise you that when I am president of the United States we will not have a mine company executive who is responsible for the safety of mine workers,” he said. “We will have somebody who actually understands what needs to be done to keep workers safe who are toiling in the mines every single day.”
As president, Mr. Edwards also pledged to help strengthen the union movement in America by making the case to Congress and the public for labor law reform that would ensure the right to organize and collectively bargain.
The former North Carolina senator has been campaigning hard for the organized labor vote, and last week he also won the backing of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, which has about half a million members.
From CNN
- Joe Biden says if he doesn't do well in Iowa caucuses, his campaign is over
- Senator says he needs to come in first, second, or a strong third
- "We're gaining some traction in Iowa," Biden says, despite lagging polls
- Political experts not so sure; one says Biden is considered "a loose cannon"
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, behind in polls and campaign money, is betting the farm on Iowa's leadoff caucuses, hoping a strong showing will rocket him to the top of the field.
If not, Biden admits he'll be an early footnote in the race for his party's nomination.
"I'm counting on Iowa a lot," Biden said in an interview with The Associated Press. "My expectation is that I come in first, second or an indistinguishable third. To tell you the truth, if I don't, then this has been a nice exercise and I'll see you again when you come to visit Washington."
"I don't need $100 million to compete in Iowa," Biden said. "My observation over time is you Iowans are kind of contrarians. You don't anoint front-runners."Biden seems to relish the nonstop campaigning. His schedule can take him through a half-dozen stops a day. He routinely runs late, slapping backs and schmoozing as he makes the sale one voter at a time.
"I'm a pretty good retail campaigner," he said.
That, he contends, will pay off this fall as the caucuses near and Iowans begin paying closer attention.
Although he's betting everything on Iowa, Biden said the movement of large-population states to the start of the nominating process means a poor showing in the leadoff caucuses would be disastrous for any candidate. Without the boost from a top finish in Iowa and New Hampshire, even the front-runners will be in trouble, he said.
That dictates a simple campaign strategy, Biden said.
"It's kind of like Iowa, Iowa, Iowa, Iowa," Biden said. "New Hampshire, New Hampshire, New Hampshire."George Carlin on Education, the Owners of America, and the Big Club
"You know why they call it the American Dream don't you? You have to be asleep to Believe It".
Caution: harsh language ahead...
Caution: harsh language ahead...
Jim Wallis to Lecture at U of I
On Thur., Sep. 13, 2007, U. of I. Memorial Union Main Ballroom, 7:30 p.m., a lecture by Jim Wallis will address national political issues in America. Wallis is a progressive evangelical preacher, theologian, activist, and commentator; he's editor-in-chief of Sojourners Magazine and emphasizes social justice. His Feb. '06 Sojourners article was about the national budget being a moral document, and was also sited in the 1-10-06 Christian Century Magazine. The lecture is part of the UI Geneva Lecture Series.
http://www.uiowa.edu/~geneva/lecture/lecture.html
http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=get_connected.events
http://imu.uiowa.edu/cic/calendar/gen_dates/091307.html
Saturday, September 1
School Board Race: Slim Pickings for a Progressive
There are slim pickings in the school board race in Iowa City/Johnson County. None of the three announced candidates are exactly "progressive" in their values, but somehow the Press-Citizen editorial board managed to "greenlight" registered Republican Deborah Thornton and Gayle Klouda for the seats. Mike Cooper, who has potential conflicts of interest due to his connections to educational testing giants, Pearson Educational and ACT, Inc. was not endorsed.
To learn more about these candidates, there will be a Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors Candidates' Forum on Tuesday, September 4, 7:00 - 9:00 pm in the Board Room of the ICCSD Central Administration Office, 509 S. Dubuque Street.
This will be the public’s opportunity to hear the candidates talk about their vision for the Iowa City school district and to ask the candidates questions. The school board election is Tuesday, September 11. This event is co-sponsored by the Districtwide Parents’ Organization and The Gazette.
To learn more about these candidates, there will be a Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors Candidates' Forum on Tuesday, September 4, 7:00 - 9:00 pm in the Board Room of the ICCSD Central Administration Office, 509 S. Dubuque Street.
This will be the public’s opportunity to hear the candidates talk about their vision for the Iowa City school district and to ask the candidates questions. The school board election is Tuesday, September 11. This event is co-sponsored by the Districtwide Parents’ Organization and The Gazette.
Edwards Receives Carpenter's Union Endorsement
After carefully considering all the candidates from both parties, the Carpenters Union chose Edwards as the candidate with the best chance of winning the White House and the person who will best represent hard-working families. Following a meeting with the union's executive board and 35 key leaders from throughout the United States last week in Las Vegas, they voted overwhelmingly to endorse Edwards.
Edwards' courting of labor finally paid off with his first national union endorsement from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. The union has 530,000 members, one-third who say they are registered Republicans, and was friendly with President Bush although it stayed out of the 2004 race.
Edwards' endorsement is the union's first endorsement in the primaries in several presidential cycles.
"I am honored to receive the support of the Carpenters Union," said Edwards. "For more than a century, they have been fighting for working Americans and standing up for the values that have made our country great - hard work, responsibility, and fairness. America was built by men and women who worked with their hands, and it is labor that made our country great. I look forward to joining with the Carpenters to build One America, where every person has the chance to work hard and get ahead."
"Our endorsement is based on the Senator's outspoken support for all of organized labor and his focus on America's working families," said Carpenters President Douglas J. McCarron. "In addition to his support for labor, our leadership was particularly impressed with the Senator's strong stand on trade."
Edwards' courting of labor finally paid off with his first national union endorsement from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. The union has 530,000 members, one-third who say they are registered Republicans, and was friendly with President Bush although it stayed out of the 2004 race.
Edwards' endorsement is the union's first endorsement in the primaries in several presidential cycles.
"I am honored to receive the support of the Carpenters Union," said Edwards. "For more than a century, they have been fighting for working Americans and standing up for the values that have made our country great - hard work, responsibility, and fairness. America was built by men and women who worked with their hands, and it is labor that made our country great. I look forward to joining with the Carpenters to build One America, where every person has the chance to work hard and get ahead."
"Our endorsement is based on the Senator's outspoken support for all of organized labor and his focus on America's working families," said Carpenters President Douglas J. McCarron. "In addition to his support for labor, our leadership was particularly impressed with the Senator's strong stand on trade."
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