Dear Iowa Elected Officials, Could VOICE Be Heard This Year?

Now that the Iowa House and Senate are back in session, do you think that Voter-owned Iowa Clean Elections could happen this year?

Rep. Pam Jochum and Senator Mike Connolly pushed this in 2007 and was shut out by her own party's leadership to get it voted up or down. if ever there was a need to clean up our election process so that good folks could make a legitimate run for public office, maybe we would get more substantive lawmaking done. Unfortunately Jochum's partner in VOICE will be retiring and she will be seeking his seat this summer.

In the meantime, Jochum has forwarded two bills to make elections a little more fairer. The Sioux City Journal reports:

The first bill would mandate disclosure for organizers or individuals who conduct push polling, otherwise known as persuasion polling.

Push polling attempts to influence respondents' political beliefs by planting a message for or against a candidate under the guise of gathering individuals' answers to questions.

The legislative proposal, which advanced out of a House subcommittee Wednesday, would mandate the organization or individual issuing such a "poll" label the phone call as a paid advertisement. If the call is backed by a particular candidate, that also would need to be disclosed.

Groups and individuals who conduct persuasion polling also would be required to register with the state.

Violators could be charged with a serious misdemeanor.
The second bill, which was approved by the same subcommittee Wednesday, would forbid candidates and political parties from knowingly making false statements or not checking the accuracy of such false statements.

If made law, opponents and political parties would be prohibited from lying about a candidate's voting record, public service history, endorsements and criminal history.

The formal prohibition on lying would only apply to these issues because they can be verified, said Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Ames.

"These are items that are provable," Wessel-Kroeschell said.

Different Question: What Kind of Government Do We Need?

A week ago or so I wrote an article called Do we need Government? Thanks to John Neff who offered a comment, I realize now that it was a goofy question. We have a government, we are going to have a government, but reading Frances Moore Lappe's book "Getting a Grip" made me think: How can we use government more effectively?

We know that government is widely lambasted for wasting our money, wasting the lives of our children (e.g., war), and not being responsive to the people so much as to corporate interests. However, what if government just was in the bar setting business? We want to eliminate poverty in 10 years--go to it people. We want to provide housing for everybody--sure, figure it out.

Lappe describes that we are living in a "Thin Democracy" --we vote, we let the market do its thing--that's democracy. The democracy she describes alternately as a "Living Democracy" or a "Learning Democracy" has five qualities:
1) It is dynamic
2) It is guided by values rather than dogma
3) It is learned
4) It is power-creating not controlling
5) It is not limited to government.

In application, it is a community that says, for instance, we have a problem with our kids not graduating from our schools. And, instead of blaming the schools, looks at their the community, brings people together to problem-solve and propose solutions which the school board helps to implement.

Typically this type of governance takes time to organize, requires patience, and is ultimately messy, but the end result, is positive, real change.

So, do we want a government that "represents us" or one that is a "partner" with us?

And John, yes, kids can participate in this too (although, you're right, we might want to keep firearms away from the kiddos).

US Troop Levels To Become Surge-ier

Reuters via the New York Times reports that we are likely to have more troops in Iraq than before the Surge.

The United States will probably have more troops in Iraq this summer than it did before pouring in forces last year - even after a planned drawdown, a U.S. general said on Friday.

There were some 132,000 U.S. troops in Iraq before President George W. Bush ordered a surge of about 30,000 more to curb rampant violence that threatened to plunge the country into all-out civil war.

By summer, U.S. commanders plan to have withdrawn more than 20,000 combat troops deployed as part of the surge. But officials indicated some support units sent around the same time would remain or be replaced.

"It's likely that... the (total) number will be a little bit larger than the 132,000 or so that was the number of personnel on the ground pre-surge," said Army Lt. Gen. Carter Ham, director of operations on the Pentagon's Joint Staff.

Sattler said he could not be more precise yet as commanders had still to complete their plans, but a Pentagon source said the number could be as high as 140,000.

At the same news briefing, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. John Sattler said Iraqi forces would continue to need substantial help from U.S. support troops in areas such as logistics.

"We will still be required for a period of time to provide those enablers," said Sattler, the Joint Staff's director of strategic plans and policy.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, on a visit to Baghdad this week, backed the idea of a pause in drawdowns after the extra combat troops have pulled out.

That increased the prospect that troop levels could still be around 130,000 when Americans choose a successor to Bush in early November.

If You Happen to See Karl Rove ...

Why were so many Black and Hispanic voters disenfranchised in 2004...Reporter Greg Palast tells the story:



Also read what Mona Shaw has to say about "Anti-Christ Rove."

Ohioans "Get" Hillary

This morsel from the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch:

“I really think the people of Ohio get me and get what I’m about,” Clinton
said. “We’re practical people. I’m from the Midwest. It’s kind of like,
‘Show me what you’re going to do.’ The best way to tell what somebody will
do is to find out what they have done. There is a big difference between
speeches and solutions and talk and action.”

So breaking it down, Hillary is from the Midwest and is practical, therefore Ohioans get her.
And, because Obama is about "speeches" and "talk" and Clinton is about "solutions" and "action," voters in Ohio will chose her.

Let's see, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, and Nebraska are all Midwestern states (and presumably full of practical people) and all have gone for Barack Obama. Therefore, Ohioans and Obama should "get" each other too.

Obama also won in Missouri, which as I recall is the "Show Me" state. So it could be argued that Obama also win in states that want "solutions" and "action."

Obama also won in Maine, which, as we have all heard, "As Maine goes, so goes the Nation."

On the other hand a recent study shows Clinton up 21% in the state over Obama. so we will have to wait and see who "gets" more votes.

Better Late Than Never: Clinton Wins New Mexico

It's about time--I hope no one demands a recount...

From the Boston Globe:

New Mexico Democratic Party officials announced this afternoon -- nine days
after their caucus -- that Hillary Clinton narrowly defeated Barack Obama.

Clinton received 73,105 votes to Obama's 71,396 votes, and her campaign
said she will get 14 of the 26 delegates because of proportional division.

More than 200 volunteers helped with the count, particularly of
provisional ballots, officials said. They said that the turnout nearly reached
150,000 and was the highest in decades for a nominating contest.

The result makes the final count from Super Tuesday 13 states for Obama
and nine for Clinton.

So that means that Clinton picked up two more delegates than Obama.

Clinton: Momma Said Knock You Out

Apparently the gloves are back off with regard to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

I'm not sure Hillary Clinton was paying homage to always cool rapper LL Cool J, but this picture is worth a thousand words.

Obama's response would probably be something like this.

First Annual Valentine's Day Progressive Love Lists

In keeping with the spirit of Valentine's Day, here are my top five lists of top progressives and why we should show them some love:

National Love

Special Shoutout: Former Senator John Edwards: Despite failing in his bid for the White House, he raised the level of dialogue concerning poorer Americans and the need to clean up politics from corporatization. Also, he is married to one of the finest people on the planet and I wish Elizabeth well in her continued battle with cancer.

5.(Tie) Cynthia McKinney and Cindy Sheehan: These women have taken one for the team with more huevos than anyone. McKinney Former Dem Representative from Georgia now asserting herself for the Green Party's presidential nominee has this weird notion that politics should actually work for the people. Cindy Sheehan, who is not afraid of being arrested for civil disobedience, is running against the disappointing Nancy Pelosi for her Congressional seat.

4. Chris Dodd, Russ Feingold: They tried to stop the FISA bill going through with Telecom immunity. Thankfully the House progressive Dems may have saved the day, with some help of their unwitting Republican counterparts.

3. Dennis Kucinich: Other than having a lovely Valentine of his own, Dennis K is largely responsible for the top issues that the Democrats have been campaigning on. Don't hate the man.

2. Patrick Leahy, as the current chair of the Senate Judicial committee he has raised more hell to improve civil liberties--he just needs a few good men and women to join him.

1. Barack Obama: Who knew that a charismatic first term Senator with a name that would be fodder for the Tightie Righties would turn out to be such a force to be reckoned with? He truly has given the idea of hope --hope. With his plans for health care, the environment, ending the war, righting our relationships globally and the uncanny ability to work with folks across the aisle, I feel change coming.

State Love

Special Shoutout: Des Moines Worker House that contains fine people like Mona Shaw, Frank Cordero and others who walk the walk with moral courage. They have reminded us all that democracy is in our actions not just in our ability to vote.

5. Denise O'Brien: though she fell short of the mark in her race with Bill Northup, she proved that progressive values are not out of sync with being Secretary of Agriculture. We won't be hearing the last of her.

4. Mike Mauro: Our new Secretary of state is tussling with the Governor to make sure every vote counts and he may just get his way. He understands the value of transparency in making sure every vote counts.

3. Joe Bolkcom: The Senate's right hand man, Joe has been a fighter for fairness to working men and women in Iowa and was successful in defeating the onerous "pay day loan" companies charging 300% interest on car title loans. and he's still fighting.

2. Pam Jochum: From mental health, to a living wage, to the Clean Elections Act, this state representative is a progressive's friend in the state house. If it can be done, Pam finds a way to do it. She'll be running for the senate in the next cycle.

1. Ed Fallon: He may have failed to stop the Culver Express, but he may be the next US Representative from Iowa's 3rd District despite a massive difference of cash on hand with Leonard Boswell. But Hey, DFA loves him.

Local Love

Special Shoutout: Mike Wright and Mitch Gross: These new Iowa City and Coralville council members defeated monied foes to gain their seats. Wright, as a historic preservation proponent, a former board of adjustment member, he brings a range of experience to the council and given time will shine. Gross is already making his presence felt and is a rising star in the area.

5. Regenia Bailey is the newest mayor in Iowa City and has progressive stripes. As a manager of meetings (e.g., through her leadership on JCCOG) she gets things done for the public good, as the soon to be done deal with the emergency communications center shows.

4. Janelle Rettig: If ever there was a fighter for the rights of the GLBT community, Janelle is the one. She is relentless in the pursuit of equal rights (including the choice of marriage for all).

3. Karen Kubby: Karen is the Queen Bee of all progressives in Johnson County. If there is a person who calmly and patiently works through issues, she is the model. Besides working with FAIR! and running the Emma Goldman Ctr., Karen finds time to tackle tough community problems like working with local affordable housing issues with dedication and tenacity.

2. Amy Correia: Now in her thid year on the council, Amy has found a strong voice on the subjects of youth engagement, housing, and continues to be unwavering in voting her conscience even if she is the lone voice.

1. Rod Sullivan: Now the chair of the Board of Supervisors, Rod has done yeoman's work in voicing a progressive vision on the BOS. With re-election this year, Rod will have his work cut out for himself, but he is respected and should be reseated.

Senate Nixes CIA Waterboarding, Bush Likely to Veto

The Senate voted 51 to 45 to prohibit the CIA from waterboarding and seven other "enhanced" interrogation techniques and using only the 19 methods of interrogation in the Army field manual. President Bush's spokeswoman Dana Perino said, "The president will veto that bill."

From Breitbart

The Senate voted Wednesdy to prohibit the CIA from using waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods on terror suspects despite President Bush's threat to veto any measure that limits the agency's interrogation techniques.

The prohibition was contained in a bill authorizing intelligence activities for the current year. The bill would restrict the CIA to the 19 interrogation techniques outlined in the Army field manual. That manual prohibits waterboarding, a method that makes an interrogation subject feel he is drowning. The bill passed on a 51-45 vote.

The House had approved the measure in December, so Wednesday's Senate vote set up a confrontation with the White House, where Bush has promised to veto any bill that restricts CIA questioning.

Welcome to City Manager Candidates

To the Iowa City Manager candidates: Welcome! You've picked a delightful time to come and visit--sorry about the snow. Iowa City is a great community and has been my favorite place for the last 8 years of my life. Who wouldn't want to live in a college town with the cosmopolitan feel of a bigger city and the commute time of a small town? A city where you can live rurally, suburbanly, or urbanly. A city full of art and music. A river runs through it. More parks and trails than you can shake a stick at. Vibrant. A great mix of young and old. The best health care in the state. One of the most diverse communities in Iowa per capita.

Our fair city has some administrative problems that you will no doubt enjoy working through with the residents, city departments and city council to solve.

- short supplies of salt hamper plowing and street maintenance
- University and City relations in need of repair
- a workable affordable housing policy needed
- a downtown that needs branding
- a trail system that needs connecting
- balancing the needs of bicyclists with those of motorists and pedestrians
- a Senior Center that needs to be more senior centered
- budget policies that keep 30% of taxes back for "rainy days"
- a fire station that needs to be built and staffed
- a police department that needs staff
- concerns about panhandlers, students, troubling downtown businesses
- A community shelter that is insufficent to meet the needs of the homeless
- An economy that is based on services much more than production
- a tax base that will be adversely affected if the state changes the formula for commercial taxation
- the influence of non-residents on city policy (e.g., business owners who work in Iowa City but live outside the city limits and absentee landowners)
- more stuff for families, kids, students, seniors, and tourists to do

These are a handful of the many things you'll likely get an earful of during your visit in meetings and interviews. To each of you, good luck and thanks for putting up with us. I hope you like what you see and leave with the sense that your experience is important to our future. And if you are not chosen, don't take it badly, Iowa City folks just want it all.

No Love For Rove From UI Anti-War Committee Who Plan Protest

From the University of Iowa Anti-War Committee:

The University of Iowa Lecture Committee may be paying Karl Rove $40,000 to speak on campus, but Rove's presence in Iowa City won't be met without opposition.

The UI Anti-war Committee is not opposed to Karl Rove because of his conservative viewpoint. We are opposed to him because his role in crafting Iraq war policy, exposing CIA operative Valerie Plame, and the politically-motivated firings of U.S. Attorney Generals makes him a traitor and a war criminal. If we lived in a functioning democracy, the only place Rove would be expressing his 1st Amendment rights would be inside a courtroom and then a prison cell.

Despite our opposition to Rove's presence on campus, and our disagreement with the UI Lecture Committee's decision to give a traitorous war criminal a $40,000 speaking fee, the UI Antiwar Committee and allies will not prevent Rove from speaking. Instead, we have negotiated a space inside the IMU to protest Rove. We will be protesting in the South Room, directly adjacent to the Main Lounge at 5:30 pm on Sunday February 27. If Rove is protected by the 1st Amendment, then the rights of large segments of the Iowa City community opposed to his presence must also be protected.

We know when Rove is coming into town, where he will be, and who he will be with. However, there are no plans to dog him at this time. The UI Anti-war Committee sees this as an opportunity to further educate the community about Rove's direct involvement in crafting Iraq war policy.

We are calling on federal authorities to arrest Rove in Iowa City for treason, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. If federal authorities are not available at this time, we are calling on the Iowa City Police Department and the University of Iowa Police to hold Rove in custody until such time that U.S. Federal Marshals may be dispatched to pick the traitorous war criminal up.

Supporting evidence and documentation:

Fact: In July 2002, a high-level classified British/UK government document, the Downing Street Memo, was written which reads in part:
"Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."
http://downingstreetmemo.com/
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article387374.ece

Fact: In August 2002, one month after the Downing Street Memo was written, the White House Iraq Group was formed "to sell Iraq War to Congress, Public, and Allies." The White House Iraq Group met once a week at the White House throughout 2002 and 2003, and Karl Rove chaired every meeting. Public rhetoric against Iraq was escalated by the White House Iraq Group, who came up with propaganda terms like "smoking gun" and "mushroom cloud".
http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/entity.jsp?entity=white_house_iraq_group
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/12/AR2006061200932.html

Fact: Bush Administration officials made at least 935 demonstrably false statements to the American people about the threat posed by Iraq prior to the invasion, according to the Center for Public Integrity.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/WarCard/

Fact: Karl Rove and Scooter Libby exposed Valerie Plame, a CIA operative, because her husband blew the whistle on the Bush Administration's demonstrably false claims.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/18/politics/18rove.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/01/AR2005100101317_pf.html
http://thinkprogress.org/leak-scandal#rove
http://www.npr.org/templates/dmg/dmg.php?prgCode=ATC&showDate=13-Jul-2005&segNum=2&mediaPref=RM&getUnderwriting=0

Fact: Rove has also been implicated in the illegal firings of several U.S. Attorney Generals. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee recently voted to hold Rove in "contempt" for refusing to testify and hand over documents related to the case. According to CNN:
"Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday in favor of handing out contempt citations to a former and current White House official for failing to comply with subpoenas issued in the investigation into the firings of eight U.S. attorneys last year.

The committee voted 11-7 to cite White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten for refusing to hand over documents related to the firings and to cite former White House adviser Karl Rove for refusing to testify and hand over internal documents."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/12/13/contempt-citations-recomended-for-rove-bolten/

Little Boxes

As Iowa City and other communities tackle affordable housing, we shouldn't forget the historical development of such projects. Followers of Showtime's Weeds get to hear this on a regular basis.

Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky tacky,¹
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.

And the people in the houses
All went to the university,
Where they were put in boxes
And they came out all the same,
And there's doctors and lawyers,
And business executives,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.

And they all play on the golf course
And drink their martinis dry,
And they all have pretty children
And the children go to school,
And the children go to summer camp
And then to the university,
Where they are put in boxes
And they come out all the same.

And the boys go into business
And marry and raise a family
In boxes made of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.

Frances Moore Lappe Rocks! Karl Rove Not so Much

“Some of the 20th century’s most vibrant activist thinkers have been American women—Margaret Mead, Jeanette Rankin, Barbara Ward, Dorothy Day—who took it upon themselves to pump life into basic truths. Frances Moore Lappé is among them.” —The Washington Post

For folks who are fed up with the politics as usual (That would include those folks who will protest Karl Rove's $40,000 spew-a-thon at the University of Iowa), do yourself a favor and pick up Frances Moore Lappe's latest called "Getting a Grip: Clarity, Creativity and Courage in a World Gone Mad" whose birthday was yesterday. If you are looking for inspiration, this book will rock you to the core!

I will talk more about this in future blog entries, as I am in the middle of it and finding it hard to put down. But here is some video that she has put together that spells it out. Also visit the Small Planet Institute and learn more about her work there.

If you don't know her, she's best known for her book "Diet for a Small Planet", which argued that global famine is caused not by overpopulation but by a failure of democracy to reach the people who need it most.

To the University of Iowa Lecture Committee, put her on your short list of speakers--she's actually worth listening to!

Don't Give the Telecoms a Walk--Call Loebsack!

Call Dave Loebsack Today!

Update 2/14: Liberal Democrats joined Republicans in voting down an extension to the Protect America Act. According to the NY Times,

The lapsing of the deadline would have little practical effect on
intelligence gathering. Intelligence officials would be able to intercept
communications from Qaeda members or other identified terrorist groups for a
year after the initial eavesdropping authorization for that particular
group.

If a new terrorist group is identified after Saturday,
intelligence officials would not be able to use the broadened eavesdropping
authority. They would be able to seek a warrant under the more restrictive
standards in place for three decades through the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Look up your representative's Washington, DC, office phone number at http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=WJk0VniMSWYjYEhKSXhhGDtk9SnQjRzY OR call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 (available 24 hours) and ask the operator to connect you.

The most important messages you can give your representative are these:
Do not give in to the FISA Amendments Act that the Senate passed on Tuesday. The RESTORE Act passed by the House in November offers stronger protections of Americans' Fourth Amendment rights.

Do not grant immunity to telecommunications companies. Allow the lawsuits to proceed so we can find out what laws the administration violated and how Americans' privacy has been compromised. The House-passed RESTORE Act does not grant immunity.

Do not vote for a bill that allows wiretapping on Americans without the warrants that the Fourth Amendment specifically requires for government searches.

Insist on the quarterly audits of the program by the Department of Justice's Inspector General, which the House-passed RESTORE Act would provide.

Make it clear that FISA must be the exclusive means for wiretapping in the US. The RESTORE Act does so.

Obama, McCain Get Hat Trick in Sweeping Potomac Primaries

With the polls barely closed in iced over Maryland, CNN and Reuters and other sources are already calling all three primary races in Virginia, D.C., and Maryland for Barack Obama and John McCain.

McCain and Mike Huckabee are close in Virginia, but Obama is a clear winner in all of his primaries currently winning in Virginia with 63% and D.C. with 75%).

In the Clinton camp, another shake-up--Mike Henry (he of the famous memo encouraging HRC to give up the ghost in Iowa long before the Caucus in our fair state).

Courting John Edwards

The press has widely covered the meeting between Hillary Clinton and John Edwards and the meeting that failed to gel with Barack Obama and Edwards. I think John Nichols at the Nation does a good job of talking about why John Edwards still matters to both Clinton and Obama.

In a nutshell Nichols says Clinton wants Edwards not to give an endorsement and Obama wants Edwards to endorse him. It is an interesting read, even if it is probably idle speculation.

Senate Caves in On Telecom Immunity

Despite the efforts of Senators Chris Dodd, Pat Leahy, and Russ Feingold, the Senate has given immunity to the telecoms as prescribed by George Bush in defeating the amendment proposed by Dodd and Feingold. Fortunately the House does not have the same provision in their bill, so it ain't over.

The Washington Post reports:

Senate voted today to preserve retroactive immunity from lawsuits for
telecommunications companies that cooperated with a government eavesdropping
program, decisively rejecting an amendment that would have stripped the
provision from a bill to modernize an electronic surveillance law.

Senators voted 67 to 31 to shelve the amendment offered by Sens. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) and Russell Feingold (D-Wis.). A filibuster-proof 60 votes had been
needed for the amendment to move forward.

The vote represented a victory for the Bush administration and a number
of telecommunications companies -- including AT&T and Sprint Nextel -- that
face dozens of lawsuits from customers seeking billions of dollars in damages.

Economic Justice Stimulus Package Idea

According to CNN, the collective campaigns for the presidency (minus Mike Gravel) have raised approximately $712.6 million dollars to date. So far, roughly $586 million have been doled out for campaign-related expenses.

According to the Center for American Progress, 37 million Americans live in poverty. This is 5 million more than in 2000. Of all those living in poverty 1 in 5 are children (17.6%).

Here's a thought, instead of donating to political parties otr candidates, get a tax deduction by:

Option 1: Donating to all persons living in poverty a share of the total cash given to the candidates. This is $19.70 a person, enough to have a hot breakfast for a week.

Option 2: Donating to only the 5 million who entered poverty since President Bush entered office. At $142.50, this is enough to keep someone's apartment heated for a month.

Option 3: Donating the money to only the children living in poverty which is 6.5 million kids. This is $109.60 or enough for school supplies for a year.

Culver Has Delusions of Grandeur

The Des Moines Register has this little morsel:

Chet Culver for president?

The first-term Iowa governor smiled when asked the question Friday in a meeting with Des Moines Register editors and reporters. He left no doubt he is leaving the door open to that eventual possibility.

"I love the job. I love the executive branch," he said. "I think it is a natural fit, and I want to be involved in public service as long as I can make a difference.

When asked if that means he might someday make a presidential run, Culver said: "You know, that is the great thing about America. You never know what is possible in this country, whether it relates to my future or my kids' future, you never know. I do believe that governors can slowly help to change the world and change the country.

Hello, Governor...you haven't made a difference in Iowa yet.

Prognosticating the Potomac Primaries

With Barack Obama and John McCain expected to take the three primaries today in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, Hillary Clinton and Mike Huckabee can score points by beating expectations.

Rasmussen Markets data shows that Obama is given better than a 95% chance of winning the Primaries in both Maryland and Virginia (current pricing for Obama to win: Virginia 97.5% Maryland 98.9%). Rasmussen Reports shows Obama with a 26-point lead in Maryland and an 18-point lead in Virginia.

As of a poll taken on 2/8-2/9 by Rasmussen:

• Maryland: Obama leads Clinton 53 percent to 36 percent when you combine strongly decided and leaning voters. It projects Obama winning 38 delegates, Clinton 26 and 6 being too close to call. Margin of error is 1.75 percent.
• Virginia: Obama leads 51 percent to 34 percent among strong and leaning voters. Margin of error is 1.48 percent. The poll projects Obama winning 45 delegates to Clinton's 32 with 6 too close to call.
• District of Columbia: Obama leads 63 percent to 27 percent, with the margin of error 2.82 percent. Obama wins 10 delegates to Clinton's 4, with 1 too close to call.

On the Republican side, McCain is given a better than 90% chance of winning in both Maryland and Virginia (current pricing for McCain to win: Virginia 86.1% Maryland 95.9%). The biggest prize is Virginia, which offers 63 delegates on a winner-take-all basis.

Def Sec Gates May Slow Down Drawdown

From the Washington Post

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Monday that it "probably does make sense"
to pause troop withdrawals from Iraq late this summer after the last of the
forces sent in as part of an offensive surge have gone home.

Gates told reporters traveling with him in Baghdad that he was leaning toward recommending "a brief period of consolidation and evaluation" before further reducing the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, according to a Defense Department release.

He spoke a day after a series of bombings targeting Iraqi security
forces and U.S.-backed Sunni guards killed as many as 37 people in northern
Iraq. The violence continued Monday, with two suicide car bombs detonating
outside the compound of a top Sunni tribal leader, Ali Hatam al-Suleiman,
killing at least eight people and wounding 23.

General Petraeus echoes the sentiment.

Which Side Are You On?

From Janelle Rettig who has done more than just about anybody to support human and equal rights in Johnson County:

Friends,

Yesterday (2/10/2008) the Des Moines Register did a major story, "Lawmakers take side on marriage". You might be surprised to know that Johnson County legislators didn't stand uniformly and proudly in support of marriage equality. Even some Iowa City Democrats chose to answer one question about the constitutional amendment and then failed to answer the question about marriage. I don't know what to make of that, but they should be asked. Some might be surprised to know that Senator Becky Schmitz and Representative Ro Foege believe marriage is only for straight citizens. I know I was saddened by this survey.

Overall our delegation needs a lot of help understanding how all citizens should be treated equal under the law. At the bottom you will find an email I sent Becky Schmitz and Ro Foege. I've spent some time working on both of those campaigns, but I guess I still don't rank as a full citizen.

Here were the questions the DMR asked and the Johnson County responses:

Do you believe marriage should be only between a man and a woman?

Yes:
Senator Becky Schmitz D
Senator James Hahn R
Representative Ro Foege D
Representative Sandy Greiner R (Sponsor of anti-marriage constitutional amendment)
Representative Jeff Kaufmann R (Sponsor of anti-marriage constitutional amendment)

NO:
Senator Joe Bolkcom D
Representative Mary Mascher D

Declined to say yes or no:
Senator Bob Dvorsky D
Representative Vicki Lensing D
Representative Dave Jacoby D

Would you vote yes or no on HJR 8 or SJR 2001, which would begin the process to amend the Iowa Constitution and define marriage as only between a man and a woman?

Yes:
Senator James Hahn R
Representative Sandy Greiner R (Sponsor of anti-marriage constitutional amendment)
Representative Jeff Kaufmann R (Sponsor of anti-marriage constitutional amendment)

NO:
Senator Joe Bolkcom D
Senator Becky Schmitz D
Senator Bob Dvorsky D
Representative Mary Mascher D
Representative Ro Foege D
Representative Vicki Lensing D
Representative Dave Jacoby D

Declined to say yes or no:
None

Here are the addresses of the Johnson County folks:
Becky.Schmitz
Vicki.Lensing
Joe.Bolkcom
Ro.Foege
Robert.Dvorsky
David.Jacoby
Mary.Mascher
James.Hahn
Sandra.Greiner
Jeff.Kaufmann

I still dream of a day when the people we elect to office actually lead. I wake up every day hoping for the day that I will actually be equal. Shame on me for investing my time, money, and efforts supporting candidates that believe I'm not fully equal to them.

Janelle's Letter:

I guess being good neighbors, good citizens, taxpayers isn't enough. We wake up very day fearful for our financial future because people like you don't believe we are worthy of marriage and the rights and responsibilities that entails. Imagine living in a world where after 19 years of a committed relationship, the government still considers us strangers. Imagine living in fear of a life threatening illness or even death and having your spouse denied access to your death bed or funeral. Imagine living in a world where you wake up and see in the front page of the newspaper that lawmakers are taking sides on whether you should be allowed to love and marry the person of your dreams. Imagine living in a world where our mere being makes us targets of hate, violence, and the wrath of politicians who consider us sinners and unworthy.

I would appreciate a response about why you think we are unworthy of marriage and being fully equal to you.

Are We Being Bio-Fuelish?

An article in the New York Times calls into question the current conventional wisdom about biofuels as a part of a solution to reduce global climate change. Two studies reveal that biofuels are not a zero-sum gain and may contribute to global warming through greenhouse gas emissions through both land use and refining methods.

Buses and bicycles anyone?

Podcast

Maine says "Yes We Can" to Obama

Barack Obama won a decisive victory in Maine's caucus today and the US Virgin Islands late Saturday making it a clean sweep for the Illinois Senator. With 99% of the precincts counted, Obama has garnered 59% of the votes and Obama is now in a virtual tie for delegates with Hillary Clinton. It was such a good weekend, Obama even won a Grammy.

Meanwhile over in the Clinton Camp, guess who got thrown under the bus? Who had Campaign Manager Patti Solis Doyle? The Divine Mrs. C is going with her former White House chief of staff Maggie Williams in an attempt to breathe renewed life into her flagging campaign.

With Obama favored in polls to win the Potomac primaries on Tuesday, Williams will have to hit the ground running and hope to keep things close.

Karl Rove's Rolling Thunder Tour

Well as you can imagine some folks are a little worked up over the presence of Karl Rove at the University of Iowa on Sunday, February 17th. Apparently there is limited love for the Architect of so many of Bush's "successes."

UI Anti-War committee is planning a response on Valentine's Day:

Thursday February 14th
6:30 PM
the Ohio State Room of the Iowa Memorial Union

Rove's Rolling Thunder speaking tour will also include Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut on Monday, February 11th, Penn University on February 20th.

I wonder what would have happened...

McCain's Double Talk Express

From Bob Greenwald at Brave New Films www.therealmccain.com website:

Iowa City Manager Candidate Profile: Michael Matthes

Michael E. Matthes, began work in the Des Moines City Manager’s Office in 1996 after obtaining a B.A. in History from Graceland College and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Iowa State University.

As the Assistant City Manager, he is responsible for a variety of special assignments with all City departments. In addition, Mike assumes all of the duties of the City Manager when the City Manager and Deputy City Manager are out of town.

Previously, Matthes served as the city’s housing agency director and is the interim director of Information Technology.

Matthes was a finalist for a city manager position in Blaine, Minnesota, but declined to interview.

Iowa City Manager Candidate Profile: Susan A. Stanton

Susan A. Stanton was formerly the City Manager of Largo, Florida, a city of 77,814 people, for 14 years supervising about 1,200 employees and a budget of $130-million. Prior to that, she was assistant city manager in Largo and a former city administrator in Berea, Kentucky.

Her MA in Public Administration from the University of Florida.

She recently was a candidate for the city of Sarasota, Florida city manager's position.

She has a son, Travis, who is 14.

Iowa City Manager Candidate Profile: Marketa G. Oliver

Marketa George Oliver, Windsor Heights City Administrator, is a graduate of Drake University (BA 1988: MPA 1990). After graduate school, Marketa left Iowa to accept a city management position with the City of Yakima, Washington, where she remained for ten years.

She returned to Iowa in 2000 because of the quality of life it offers her family. Oliver has an interest in redevelopment and helped guide the city through the Town Center revitalization. She has been an advocate for increasing opportunities for the public to comment and get involved with city projects, through the use of upgraded technology and website access.

Marketa is active in her professional association and community and was honored in 2003 by the Business Record as a member of the Forty under Forty class. The same year she received the Matt Parrot Integrity Award for Government. In 2006, Marketa was honored with the ICMA Program Excellence Award for professional support to the Council’s vision for Community Redevelopment and Marketing. Marketa is married with a daughter.

She loves travel and has studied overseas in both Austria and Australia, and enjoys movies, backgamon, cards, The Cure and the State Fair.

Obama Takes Two Caucuses and a Primary, Huckabee Hangs Tough

In what is a battle royale for the Democrats, Barack Obama, as expected, won in Louisiana, Nebraska, and Washington state on Saturday by two to one margins over Hillary Clinton.

However with many millions of dollars pouring to both campaigns ($10 million by 100,000 donors for Clinton and "more than Senator Clinton" with donations from 350,000 people for Obama), it is becoming more likely that this campaign will be settled in Denver this summer barring a financial or organizational collapse by Clinton on March 4 with major contests in Texas and Ohio to be decided.

Meanwhile on the Republican side, it looks like there may be some buyer's remorse among hardcore party activists over the apparent coronation of John McCain. Gov. Mike Huckabee won two of the three contests in Louisiana and Kansas and is neck and neck with McCain in Washington state with 86% of the caucus vote counted.

The wild card for the Republicans is now Ron Paul who garnered between 5 and 21% of the vote in Saturday's contests. If he left the race, who would benefit is anyone's guess.

Quotes of the day:

Barack Obama: "We won north, we won south, we won in between."

Hillary Clinton: "You'll never have to worry about me getting knocked out of the ring; I think I can go toe to toe."

Mike Huckabee: "I didn't major in math. I majored in miracles, and I still believe in them."

FactCheck Weekly Video

Iowa City Manager Profile: Art Chaudry

Currently M.A. "Art" Chaudry is the executive vice-president and chief financial officer of Kansas City's Union Station, an educational and . From 2003-07, he worked as chief administrative officer of Jackson County, Mo., (population 1 million).

He recently turned down an offer to be the county administator for Yuma County, AZ.

He also has worked as senior vice president of business operations and administration for the Kansas City Royals baseball team and vice president of strategy and tax product development for H&R Block at its headquarters in Kansas City, Mo.

According to an article by the Topeka Capital-Journal, Chaudry is a member of the American Muslim Council, Heartland Chapter in Overland Park, Kan. He also serves on the advisory council for KKFI, a non-profit community radio station.

Iowa City Manager Candidate Profile: Larry Delo

Larry Delo
City Administrator

The City of De Pere operates under a Mayor-Council-City Administrator form of government as provided by State law. City Administrator Lawrence M. Delo is the professional chief administrative officer for all City operations and is appointed by the Common Council. He reports directly to the Mayor and City Council and is responsible for executing the policies established by the De Pere City Council.

Was City Manager in Milton, WI and was previously a farmer.

Do We Need Government?

In browsing through the usual Press-Citizen comment fodder, it appears that a handful of people are very vocal about their distain and distrust of government at all levels. Being a civil liberterian, of sorts, I am more concerned by the government doing things like tapping our phones or reading our e-mail than whether it codifies the width of a stairwell for fire safety purposes. However, each of us has our own dissatisfactions with what government looks like, what it does, and how we are affected by it.

Do we really need government? Certainly there were periods of human history where governments did not exist. But for basic protection from other people who would harm us, to make rules so that the common good was served, and to keep the peace by having a code of laws, governments were formed and don't seem to be going anywhere.

Seemingly the problem of government stems from whose running it, what it does, and how it impacts our daily lives. Clearly the best sort of government has not been devised yet--otherwise folks wouldn't be as bent out of shape about government's shortcomings. So what would a better government look like? Here are some quick thoughts.

1) Everyone would have an equal say, kids too.
2) Government would be local rather than global.
3) Government would be a community service rather than a vocation and everyone would have to take their turn.
4) Law making would be limited to things affecting the common good.
5) Decisions would be made via concensus.
6) Taxes would be based on a community agreed upon budget and would be based on the person's ability to contribute.
7) Public/Government services would be decided on by the community.

What else?

Nebraska Supreme Court Nixes Electric Chair

The AP reports:

The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled Friday that electrocution is cruel and
unusual punishment, outlawing the electric chair in the only state that still
used it as its sole means of execution.

In the landmark ruling, the court said the Legislature may vote to have a death penalty, just not one that offends rights under the state constitution.

The high court made the ruling in the case of Raymond Mata Jr., convicted for the 1999 kidnapping and killing of 3-year-old Adam Gomez of Scottsbluff.

In its 6-1 ruling, the high court said the evidence shows that electrocution inflicts "intense pain and agonizing suffering" and that "(electrocution) has proven itself to be a dinosaur more befitting the laboratory of Baron Frankenstein than the death chamber" of state prisons.

"Contrary to the State's argument, there is abundant evidence that prisoners sometimes will retain enough brain functioning to consciously suffer the torture high voltage electric current inflicts on a human body," Judge William Connolly wrote in the opinion.

Chief Justice Mike Heavican wrote a dissent, saying that he did not think electrocution was "cruel and unusual."

"Speedy" Culver Pledges Support to Obama

Law school dropout and current Governor Chet Culver, never one to withhold an endorsement, bravely endorsed Barack Obama with this gubernatorial "warm and fuzzy" from the Gazette.

"Now it's on to Nebraska and Wisconsin, and I hopefully can make some difference in those Midwestern states," Culver said. "I also have some connections and ties in Maryland and Virginia, having gone to college in Virginia and lived in Maryland when my father was serving in Congress.

"I wanted to help at a time where I felt I could make a difference."

Note to Chet, Obama has been doing quite well without you in the Midwest. And unless you've kept close tabs on the boys down at the frat house in Virginia or your childhood pals in Chevy Chase, I'm not sure you are going to be much of a factor.

In more important news, the Governor did support a $114 million increase to Iowa schools.

Congressional Democrats Go Soft Again

Democrat Senator Harry "Gumby" Reid with Democrat House Leader Nancy "Pokey" Pelosi

``I don't think any change in the bill is really worth the delay,'' Pelosi said.

A vote on the President's economic stimulus bill by the US Senate and House that will provide rebate checks and add yet another $167 billion to the national debt while actually providing little relief to the American people. The Democrats made only the smallest of dents by getting the Republicans to agree to $300 rebates for 20 million older retired Americans and 250,000 disabled veterans while dropping demands to extend jobless benefits 13 weeks, offer heating aid for the poor, and give tax breaks to certain industries.

About 111 million Americans who show at least $3,000 in earned income or who pay income tax. Will receive a rebate check for $600 to $1200.

The rebates phase out for individuals earning more than $75,000 and couples earning more than $150,000. Any taxpayer who has children and qualifies for any rebate will receive an additional $300 per child.

The bill also doubles the amount of equipment costs a small business can expense in the first year to $250,000 and allows a 50 percent bonus depreciation for businesses that buy major equipment.

B.B. is the Only King

The is nothing more popular or progressive than the blues played the way they ought to be. Myself and the current Mrs. Klein went to see the never duplicated, the real King--Mr. B.B. King and Lucille tonight at Hancher Auditorium. He is 82 years old and believe me, the Thrill is not gone for him or the fans that packed the house.

In a tight set 90 minute set with a five piece horn section, and four on the floor (rhythm guitarist, bass player, drummer, and keyboardist)--B.B. talked and played through his repertoire like the consummate pro he is. He played the Bono/U2 (pronounced like "Sonny" Bono by Mr. King) penned "When Love Comes to Town" Of course, he saved "The Thrill Is Gone" until the end and left us wanting more.

If I get to be 82, I want to be like B.B.!

Torture is a Moral Issue

Take a look at this video and act.

And Then There Were Five - Iowa City Manager Candidates

The Iowa City Council has narrowed the list of qualified candidates from twelve to five after one candidate was unable to visit on February 15th for a public meet and greet at the public library in meeting room A from 4:30 to 6:30. The candidates include:

M.A. “Art” Chaudry, executive vice president and chief financial of Union Station in Kansas City, Mo.

Lawrence M. Delo, city administrator of De Pere, Wis., population 22,495.

Michael E. Matthes, assistant city manager in Des Moines, population 198,000.

Marketa G. Oliver, city administrator in Windsor Heights, population 4,000.

Susan A. Stanton, former city manager of Largo, Fla., population 78,000.

More later.

Rove To Spout Off in Iowa City

Karl Rove to disgust...I mean discuss a career in "public service" in UI lecture.

Karl Rove, former deputy chief of staff and senior advisor to President George W. Bush, will speak at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, in the Main Lounge of the Iowa Memorial Union on the University of Iowa campus.

Admission to Rove's lecture, "Reflections From The Architect," is free and open to the public.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. at the east entrance of the lounge only, and seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Hecklers welcome.

Like any vampire, I'll bet he can't see his own reflection.

Romney Suspends Race With Paranoid Rant

If ever there was a time to be glad Mitt Romney is not the nominee of any party, today's announcement to suspend his campaign is proof of his strategic failure to use the rhetoric of fear to win.


CNN Reports
Mitt Romney ended his presidential run Thursday, telling a conservative audience that continuing the race against rival John McCain would make it more likely Democrats would win the White House — and “in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.”

Boos rose from the audience at the mention of McCain’s name – and shocked calls of “no!” as he made his announcement. One young man in a blue sports coat grasped his head in his hands, his mouth wide open as he watched Romney on-stage.

“Barack and Hillary have made their intentions clear regarding Iraq and the war on terror. They would retreat and declare defeat,” said Romney.

“And the consequence of that would be devastating. It would mean attacks on America, launched from safe havens that make Afghanistan under the Taliban look like child’s play. About this, I have no doubt.”

The former Massachusetts governor, who conceded the mathematical odds standing between him and the nomination, told activists gathered for the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington that “I must now stand aside, for our party and our country."

Other quotes:

"In this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror. This is not an easy decision. I hate to lose," the former Massachusetts governor said.

"I am convinced that unless America changes course, we will become the France of the 21st Century - still a great nation, but no longer the leader of the world, no longer the superpower," he said.

"If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and frankly I'd be making it easier for Senator Clinton or [Barack] Obama to win," Mr Romney said at the conference.

Obama's Record on a Women's Right to Choose

Clinton supporters are trying to wrest votes away from Obama by criticizing his votes in the Illinois Senate on right to choose issues. In what can be seen as creating an issue where one doesn't exist, Clinton's camp is jumping on Obama for voting "present" instead of "no" on several occasions.

From Politifact

Is Barack Obama a pure supporter of abortion rights? Hillary Clinton and her supporters criticize him for opposing a bill by voting "present" instead of "no." Obama's defenders say the votes were a strategy to wrest a wedge issue away from Republicans.

As the Democratic race has tightened, the Hillary Clinton campaign has portrayed Sen. Barack Obama as inconsistent on abortion rights.

"In the Illinois state Senate, on issue after issue, my opponent voted ‘present,’ instead of yes or no. Seven of those votes were on a women’s right to choose," Sen. Clinton said in a December 2007 speech in Iowa. In the days leading up to Super Tuesday on Feb. 5, 2008, several other groups repeated the charge against Obama via e-mails.

The facts here are not in dispute. Obama did vote present on seven bills that attempted to restrict abortion. His defenders argue that it was a tactic to disrupt legislation that would be used against Democrats in swing districts.

It's worth pausing here to explain what the "present" vote means. The Illinois Legislature allows members to vote "yes," "no" or "present." Bills need "yes" votes to pass, so a vote of "present" counts the same as a "no." Thus, Obama's "present" votes on bills seeking to restrict abortion counted the same as if he had voted "no." All of the bills passed in the Senate by sizable margins.

Pam Sutherland, president and CEO of the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council, said Obama was helping advance a prochoice agenda by voting present.

"He always was going to vote 'no' on these bills. We needed to keep some of our moderate Democrats from voting yes, which is something you never want to happen," Sutherland said. By having a well-known supporter of abortion rights also vote present, it gave other Democrats cover, she said.

Added 2/15/08 after reading discussion on Daily Kos:

Weary Wednesday

Like a lot of folks, I was up late last night watching the returns. Like a lot of folks, I am reading the tea leaves this morning and wondering how the Democrats are going to choose a candidate. Even if you want them to be a ticket, who is the top and who is the bottom? Heres some pluses and minuses:

Clinton
+ Wins fewer but huge big states - strong on coasts (won 8 contests last night)
+ Raises big money with big donors
+ Well-known commodity, can "take a punch" from Republican attackers
+ March 4 primaries play to her strengths

- High disapproval ratings in public opinion polls
- Seen a too liberal among independents
- Hasn't won in the bread basket

? Would be first female President
? More policy wonk than natural leader

Obama
+ Wins many smaller states and large home state-- strong in mid-section and has won races in all four corners (won 14 contests last night)
+ Raises big money from smaller donors
+ Charismatic, bringing in new voters
+ Independents like him despite his voting record
+ Next two weeks of primaries and caucuses play to his strengths

- Hasn't proven he can win the big blue states
- Less battle tested against Republican attack machine
- Kennedy family endorsements don't pan out

? Would be first African American President
? More natural leader than policy expert

There does not seem to be a sense of inevitability about either candidate given the mixed bag that last night produced and the national convention in Denver could lead to death by a thousand cuts if the candidates aren't able to make peace. However, as winning the White House is about which party has the power, I believe that personal feelings will give way to what is best for the party-- though it might make for some uncomfortable photo opportunities.

Over on the Republican side, it looks better and better for John McCain as Mike Huckabee sucked more of the wind out of Mitt Romney's chances with his wins in West Virginia and the deeper south. This coupled with Romney's lack of success in the states he has spent a bazillion dollars might close down the store.

McCain/Huckabee? It could happen. What McCain lacks in Fundamentalist appeal, Huckabee makes up in pulpit-tude. Plus I can imagine hearing Huckabee adding the bottom to "Dance to the Music."

CIA: Yes We Can--Waterboard

From the BBC

The CIA has for the first time publicly admitted using the controversial method of "waterboarding" on terror suspects.

CIA director Michael Hayden told Congress however that it had only been used on three people, and not at all for the past five years.

He said the technique had been used on high-profile al-Qaeda detainees including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Abu Zubaydah, and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri.

Mr Hayden was speaking as National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell presented his annual threat assessment.

Waterboarding is an interrogation technique in which the detainee is put in fear of drowning.

Some critics describe it as torture and Congress has been debating banning its use by the CIA.
President Bush has threatened to veto such a bill.

In the recent past, US national intelligence chief Mike McConnell has said the interrogation technique of water-boarding "would be torture" if he were subjected to it.

Mr McConnell said it would also be torture if water-boarding, which involves simulated drowning, resulted in water entering a detainee's lungs.

He told the New Yorker there would be a "huge penalty" for anyone using it if it was ever determined to be torture.

The US attorney-general has declined to rule on whether the method is torture.
However, Michael Mukasey said during his Senate confirmation hearing that water-boarding was "repugnant to me" and that he would institute a review.

Among Lobbyists: Clinton and McCain in the Lead

Bloomberg News


Democrat Hillary Clinton has raised more money from lobbyists than any other presidential candidate while Republican John McCain has more of them assisting his campaign.

Clinton took in $823,087 from registered lobbyists and members of their firms in 2007 and the second-biggest recipient was McCain, who took in $416,321, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington-based group which tracks political giving. Barack Obama, Clinton's rival for the Democratic nomination, doesn't take money from registered lobbyists, although he received $86,282 from employees of firms that lobby, according to the center.

McCain has 26 registered lobbyists as campaign advisers or fundraisers compared with 11 for Clinton and none for Obama, according to review of records compiled by Public Citizen, a Washington-based group that favors stronger disclosure laws for lobbyists.

More

The Market Cries Uncle (Sam)

From Bloomberg News

With U.S. mortgage foreclosures set to top 1 million this year and home prices falling at the fastest pace since the Great Depression, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. Vice Chairman Thomas Russo says the government must take action to prevent a recession.

``The direction we are heading in isn't a good one,'' Russo said in an interview. ``We need significant fiscal and monetary intervention.''

The worst drop in new home sales on record has turned financial leaders into champions of big government with everyone from Russo to executives at Citigroup Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. supporting public measures to keep the housing market from sinking the economy. It's a change from Wall Street's usual stance that markets work best without government interference.

``Sentiment can change when there's money on the line, even in an industry that up to now has been doctrinally opposed to government having a role in the markets,'' said Thomas Schelling, a Nobel laureate in economics who taught at Harvard University for 30 years.

Wall Street fueled the growth of subprime lending by packaging home loans into securities and marketing them as low- risk investments. As demand rose, lending standards dropped, driving the homeownership rate to an all-time high of 69.2 percent in 2004. The median U.S. home price reached a record $230,200 in July 2006. Last month it was $208,400.

More

Stimulating Conversations from Des Moines

As the Gazette reports, Iowa Senate Republicans are forwarding a penny-wise, pound foolish plan to stimulate Iowa's economy. Read on...

The Iowa Senate's top Republican said today his minority caucus wants to extend the state's two-day sales tax holiday to all taxable items and temporarily reduce state income tax rates uniformly by $200 million to stimulate the economy.

However, Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, nixed those ideas in favor of boosting Iowa's earned income tax credit and funding programs that will provide long-term economic benefits for the state.

Senate GOP Leader Ron Wieck of Sioux City told reporters Republicans favor a one-time sales tax-free weekend in August that would coincide with the arrival of expected federal rebate checks of $600 to $1,200 to encourage Iowans to make big-ticket purchases that would fuel economic activity.

Currently, the two-day sales tax holiday applies to clothing, shoes and school-related items of up to $100 and generally provides about $3 million in tax relief. State officials said daily sales tax collections average $5.3 million but the expanded tax holiday likely would net a larger benefit if consumers made more and larger purchases to take advantage of the exemption.

Wieck also favored an across-the-board reduction in state income tax rates and withholdings to start as soon as an agreement could be reached and run through the end of 2008 that would produce a $200 million tax cut for working Iowans.

"We're talking about an infusion of money back into the economy," he said.

Wieck said he plans to offer the package when Gov. Chet Culver and legislative leaders resume talks on Monday aimed at formulating state efforts to stimulate Iowa's economy.

Culver estimated Iowans will net about $1.5 billion in federal rebates which state leaders have agreed to exempt from state taxation, and he is pushing for a $12 billion package of Medicaid and discretionary funding to states that could spur $150 million in transportation infrastructure improvements in Iowa.

"I would argue our tax relief has to be much more targeted and that we need to keep our eye on the ball by continuing our investments in education and health care and clean environment," Bolkcom said.

"Everybody has an idea about how to stimulate the economy. We have some in terms of our investments in continuing to educate our kids and keeping college affordable and the like," he added. "We think those are better investments to stimulate the economy at this point and it would be my sense that those (GOP) proposals are unlikely to move forward."

Another Meaningless Poll

Steal This Link

Abbie Hoffman would have been proud. Life in the Blogosphere is never boring and occasionally, you learn about some really great ideas. Below is one of them! Good reading too.
To celebrate the milestone of the Facebook group "I Bet I Can Find
1,000,000 People Who Dislike George Bush!" reaching one million
members, Amazon best selling political activism author Heather
Wokusch is giving away her books for free to every single member.
Until midnight Pacific Standard Time on February 18th, you can
download both volumes of The Progressives' Handbook: Get the Facts
and Make a Difference Now series, as well as digital excerpts that
have been linked for easier online activism. Feel free to share this
URL with your friends:

http://www.progressiveshandbook.com/1000000

Heather Wokusch is a blogger and the author of The Progressives'
Handbook: Get the Facts and Make a Difference Now series. Her
political awakening came in 1986 when she spent a year doing
development work in the Philippines and witnessed the People Power
Revolution firsthand. Her commentary is regularly featured on major
progressive sites and her articles have appeared in publications such
as The Baltimore Sun, In These Times, Foreign Policy in Focus and
Germany's Süddeutsche Zeitung. Heather's a former jazz singer, has an
MA in clinical psychology and more than 20 years of experience in
education. 

An Endangered River Runs Through Us

One of the many cool things about living in Iowa City are the excellent opportunities that present themselves. Cory Sanderson who works with English professor Barbara Eckstein, sent this golden opportunity to learn more about the river that runs through our fair city (and cheap date). If you can make it, it sounds like an excellent (and free) educational event.

There will be a guided bus and walking tour that leaves from the south foyer of the UI Main Library at 3 on Friday February 8th. It includes stops at the IIHR Columbia River model dams, the Coralville Dam where the Corps of Engineers will give a tour, Johnson County creeks and a Lake Macbride beach where water quality is being tested, the Iowa River construction project and species relocation at Iowa Avenue, and an Iowa River photographic exhibit and reception in the second floor, north room of the UI Main Library. A box supper will be provided. At 7, Jacques Leslie, author of Deep Water: The Epic Struggle over Dams, Displaced People, and the Environment, will read and lecture at the Iowa City Water Treatment Plant on Dubuque Street north of I-80. The bus returns to the south entrance of the Main Library by 8 to 8:30 pm.

Sponsored by The University of Iowa Office of the Provost, the Office of the Vice President for Research, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Perry A. and Helen Judy Bond Fund for Interdisciplinary Interaction, the Departments of English, History, and American Studies. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Cory Sanderson, in advance, at 319-353-1021 to register.

The Paper (Ballot) Chase

The Iowans for Voting Integrity are busy trying to convince the Governor that Michael Mauro's judgment is better than his (and in my estimation, either path is better than the road we are on--but I agree paper ballots are easiest to deal with in case of a recount). See below.

A citizen group voiced support for Iowa Secretary of State Michael Mauro's
request to the Assembly for full funding of a statewide system of optically
scanned paper ballots, and praised lawmakers in both parties for their
endorsement of the proposal. Secretary Mauro's proposal received extensive
coverage in Sunday's Des Moines Register.

“Secretary Mauro's proposal is
right on track. Voter-marked paper ballots offer the most reliable record of the
voter's intent,” said Sean Flaherty, co-chair of Iowans for Voting Integrity.
“The ballots are durable, and can be recounted easily by hand.”

To comply with Iowa's new law requiring a paper trail voting systems, counties that
use touch screen voting machines must either intall ATM-style printers to the
machines, which show voters a printout of their choices on a continuous roll, or
they can scrap the touch screens and purchase a paper ballot system, in which
voters mark individual paper ballots by hand or by using an assistive device for
voters with disabilities. The paper ballots are then read by an optical scanner
and can be recounted by hand.

The ATM-style printers for the touch
screens have come under criticism from all sides in recent years. They store
votes on a continuous roll, raising voter privacy concerns, and are prone to
printer jams, which can cause votes to be lost. Studies have shown that the
paper trail printout is not checked by a significant number of voters, and
expert security reports from Ohio and California showed that the paper roll is
easily damaged either maliciously or by accident.

The user-friendliness
of touch screens is also questionable. Last year members of Iowans for Voting
Integrity did a study of undervotes in the statewide races on the November 2006
ballot, and found that for all the contested statewide races, counties that used
only voter-marked paper ballots with optical scan had the lowest undervote,
counties that used a mix of paper ballots and touch screens had the
second-highest undervote, and counties that used only touch screens at the
polling place had the highest undervotes. An undervote is the difference between
the number of valid ballots cast in the election, and the number of votes
tallied for an office. Undervotes are considered by many voting experts to be
the single most reliable measure of a voting system's effectiveness and
usability. “When you see the undervote correlate with the equipment in all the
contested races, you have a good idea what the best system is,” said Flaherty.

After the state gets optical scan equipment, the next step in securing
the vote is mandating random hand counted audits after the election to check
electronic ballot tallies. Computer scientists who study voting systems have
called strongly for routine hand audits. Over a dozen states already plan to do
audits of the November 2008 election. “You can't just have the paper; you have
to use it for it to matter, “ Flaherty said.

Mauro's push for optical
scan puts Iowa on the same path as a number of other states. Last month,
Colorado Governor Bill Ritter announced an agreement with his state's lawmakers
to advance legislation requiring a statewide optical scan system by November,
and last week Maryland's governor announced funding for a statewide conversion
from touch screens to optical scan. Florida plans to convert all polling places
to optical scan by November.

Click here to sign Verified Voting's alert urging
Governor Culver and legislators to fund paper ballot voting systems, with
optical scanners and ballot-marking devices for voters with disabilities. Call
the Governor as well at 515-281-5211. Then please forward this on

Budget Teach In

Although the snow kept a number of people away, FAIR!s budget teach in was successful in bringing city and county leaders together to talk about how they approach their budgets and what their priorities are. Channel 4 recorded he program and it will be available on DVD and for broadcast later. John Deeth was there and live blogged and did a follow-up so I will limit my comments to analysis.

Iowa City Mayor Regenia Bailey and council member Amy Correia discussed prioritizing funding to hire three fire fighters a year from 2009-2011 to ramp up to opening a northside fire station. They discussed capital improvement projects such as improving the Sandusky storm sewer because of flooding that has affected that neighborhood. Additional "sexy" projects are the Wetherby Splash Pad (which is a neighborhood city joint project), and trail lighting for City Park.

Among policy discussions, the city is looking at its ending balance policy which currently is at 30% of income. As these are our tax dollars, the council is considering reducing this "rainy day fund".

More later on Coralville, North Liberty and the County.

Reports Only a Wonk Could Love: Courtesy of Sen. Joe Bolkcom

If you don't subscribe to Joe Bolkcom's Networker e-mail, it is always worth a look. He does a good job of writing about issues. This week, he provided links to several interim reports that may be of interest to you:

Interim Reports Issued

Several legislative committees met during the 2007 Interim. This week their reports were issued by the Legislative Services Agency. You can view the reports electronically or print them by accessing the interim committees' Internet pages by clicking on any of the links below and then clicking on the “Additional Information” link:

Animal Feeding of Distillers Dried Grains Study Committee
http://www.legis.state.ia.us/aspx/Committees/Committee.aspx?id=220

Legislative Commission on Affordable Health Care Plans for Small Businesses and Families

http://www.legis.state.ia.us/aspx/Committees/Committee.aspx?id=208

Skilled Worker Shortage Study Committee

http://www.legis.state.ia.us/aspx/Committees/Committee.aspx?id=219


State Prison System Planning Study Committee

http://www.legis.state.ia.us/aspx/Committees/Committee.aspx?id=214


TIME-21 Transportation Funding Study Committee

http://www.legis.state.ia.us/aspx/Committees/Committee.aspx?id=210

FactCheck Debunking the SOTU Address N' More

MoveOn Members Strongly Endorse Obama

With hundreds of thousands of ballots cast across the country, for the first time in MoveOn's history, we've voted together to endorse a presidential candidate in the primary. That candidate is Barack Obama.

Something big is clearly happening. A few weeks ago, MoveOn members we surveyed were split. But with John Edwards bowing out, progressives are coming together. Obama won over 70% of the vote yesterday, and he's moving up in polls nationwide. As comments poured in from MoveOn members across the country, the sense of hope was inspiring. Here's how Christine Y. in New Jersey put it:

"I've never felt so strongly about any one candidate in my entire life. He's truly an inspiration to all of us—especially the younger generation. I will stand by him 100% for as long as he's willing to stand up and fight for this country!"

What does MoveOn's endorsement mean? People-power. Together, we are 3.2 million Americans who care about our country and want change. Half of us live in states with primaries or caucuses this coming "Super Tuesday."

We know how to roll up our sleeves and win elections, and if we all pitch in together between now and Tuesday, we can help Sen. Obama win the biggest primary day in American history. Think about it: volunteering during the next four days could mean four years of a progressive president. Can you sign up right now to volunteer for Obama's campaign? Click here:

There are lots of ways to help. You can call voters from home, go door-to-door with others in your community, travel to "Super Tuesday" states, donate, put up a yard sign, volunteer in a campaign office, or join a local meetup. Senator Obama is running a grassroots campaign, and there's a role for everyone.

Olbermann on FISA Mess

Nobody summarizes this issue better than Keith Olbermann. Listen to the link to the current AG and the Telecoms. It is well worth 9 minutes of your time.

Hilbama or Oblinton?

While it is always fun to speculate, this is an awkward moment during last night's debate on CNN.