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Iowa Liberal: The Gauntlet.

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:53:37 -0500

Hey, fiscal conservatives…how many of these can you get behind?

I counted nine, and could imagine many more methods along those lines (e.g. end Drug War). Of course, I’m a liberal therefore I cannot be fiscally responsible. The teabaggers would quarrel with just about every one of those budget control [...]

The Iowa Republican: Gibbons Tells Boswell to Get to Work

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:51:33 -0500

Number of comments: 1

Gibbons to Boswell: It’s time to get to work

Working only 17 days the first two months of 2010 does not represent Iowa values.

Des Moines, Iowa – Yesterday, the House released their calendar for the upcoming 2010 session. As it currently stands, the House will be voting only 17 days the [...]

Iowa Liberal: Well, Son…

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:46:36 -0500

Every once in awhile, people explain how the world works (hat tips to Sullivan and some other dude who netted it):

Remember too that when you have a progressive tax system, especially when there are surcharges on people making seven-figure incomes, you also have a system where for [...]

Iowa Liberal: What am I supposed to respond to, anyway?

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:10:33 -0500

WEAK WEAK WEAK! “They’ll wait us out!”

This is why we have to let our empire crumble for another three years? Sending blood and money overseas because it’s just so darn scary that Dick “Deficits don’t matter” Cheney might smirk at us and utter some new catchphrase?

Really, is it [...]

The Iowa Republican: Duncan Hunter to Stump for Christopher Reed in Iowa’s 2nd District

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:55:34 -0500

Number of comments: 1

Former Congressman and Presidential candidate Duncan Hunter will be in Iowa tomorrow to help raise funds for Christopher Reed’s campaign for Congress in Iowa’s 2nd District.

The details of the event are as follows:

With Special Guest Congressman Duncan Hunter

Saturday, December 5, 2009

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Iowa [...]

Iowa Liberal: I guess I have to talk about everything now.

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:59:42 -0500

Some people blog continuously. We don’t. We expect that you read lots of blogs and that we don’t need to repeat everything being said out there. We blog when we think it will be interesting on its own merits and as an art form. It’s a reserved, contemplative style. I [...]

Iowa City Theatre: Deathtrap Auditions this weekend

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:53:00 -0500

City Circle - Auditions for Deathtrap will be held Saturday, December 5 from noon-2pm at the Iowa Children's Musuem in the Coralville Mall. Email deathtrap@citycircle.org to schedule an audition. Auditioners are asked to prepare a two minute monologue that shows range and ability. Callbacks will be Sunday, December 6 from [...]

John Deeth: Rettig nominated

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:41:00 -0500

Number of comments: 0
Rettig nominated, Senate candidates speak

Not a surprise but now official-Janelle Rettig is the Democratic nominee for supervisor in the January 19 special election. Rettig handily won the vote at tonight's special convention.

Self-starter Mary Jo Meggers put her own name forward but the vote wasn't close-76 to' [...]

Coralville Courier: We have a national character to support

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:32:36 -0500

Number of comments: 0
"We are either a United people, or we are not. If the former, let us, in all maters of general concern act as a nation, which have national objects to promote, and a national character to support. If we are not, let us no longer act a farce by pretending" [...]

Coralville Courier: 62% Oppose Single-Payer Health Care System

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:29:16 -0500

Number of comments: 0

Only 27% of voters nationwide favor a single-payer health care system where the federal government provides coverage for everyone. That’s down five points from August.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 62% are opposed to a single-payer system [...]

Coralville Courier: Road Construction - S. Gilbert Street

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:26:08 -0500

Number of comments: 0
IOWA CITY, IA. -- Weather permitting, beginning on Monday, December 7, 2009, S. Gilbert Street will be reduced to one lane of northbound traffic from Lafayette Street to Bowery Street. Please note that in addition to the lane reduction, southbound traffic will not be able to turn left onto Bowery [...]

Puttin' on the Gaz: C3 overview for Siberian journalists

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:21:20 -0500

I will be discussing my Complete Community Connection business model Friday at a conference of the Press Development Institute-Siberia. This is the one-page handout. I am publishing it online, so I can use a Google translation into Russian for the participants. Here are the slides for my presentation. The business models that have supported [...]

Bleeding Heartland: Events coming up during the next two weeks

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:48:44 -0500

There aren't many political events during the second half of December, but there's plenty going on during the next couple of weeks. Event details are after the jump. Post a comment or send me an e-mail (desmoinesdem AT yahoo.com) if you know of something I've left out.

If I can shake [...]

Puttin' on the Gaz: Journalism in Siberia: familiar challenges

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:54:25 -0500

I’m a world away from American journalists, speaking through a Russian interpreter, but this still sounds somehow familiar: When I talk about new tools, new storytelling techniques and new business models, journalists ask whether this is still journalism. When I talk about new ways to present content, journalists ask how we will [...]

Caffeinated Thoughts: Tiger Woods’ Lesson for Us

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:21:50 -0500

Number of comments: 4

I debated blogging on this, but decided that I would. I too was disappointed when I heard that Tiger Woods had joined the ranks of other sports figures who have been unfaithful. AP reports:

In the last week, Woods has faced intense media scrutiny after a car [...]

Newton Independent: Campbell, quality management director at Skiff, to take similar post in Spencer

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:53:25 -0500

Number of comments: 0

Newton Independent

Bob Campbell, director of quality management at Skiff Medical Center, will leave the position he's held at the city-owned hospital since 1995 to take a similar post at Spencer Hospital in northwest Iowa.

Hospital officials in Spencer said Campbell has accepted the position of Quality Services Director and will begin' [...]

Questions, Comments & Insults: QCI Update with Special Correspondent, Harrison Young

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:03:00 -0500

Number of comments: 0
Alright QCI-ders... today is really kinda slow... news wise... 3 campaigns sent me updates... but everyone else is covering that... so... I figured I'd see if my nephew Harrison would help out with today's update... Good news! He agreed! Basically... He's gonna do his H Man thing... Now... my nephew' [...]

Bleeding Heartland: Here's a novel idea

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:33:00 -0500

"Stop USDA loans to factory farms":

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is using our tax dollars to make loans to hog and poultry factory farms at a time when we have too many factory farms, too much pork and poultry on the market, and record-low pork and poultry prices.

To make [...]

Iowa Politics Insider: Gibbons to Boswell: Time to get to work.

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:16:01 -0500

Republican candidate for Congress Jim Gibbons chided the Democratic leadership in Congress, and Des Moines’ U.S. House member Leonard Boswell, in light of the newly published 2010 House calendar.

It shows only 17 days where votes are scheduled in the first two months of the year.

Gibbons, of Des Moines, sent [...]

Mickelson's Podcast: Thursday December 3 2009

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:01:00 -0500

Obamanomics...new boss, same as the old. Children's books for 4 year old Democrats. Republicans? Congressman Duncan Hunter coming to Iowa for Chris Reed. Party Crasher overload?

[...]

Caffeinated Thoughts: An All American Christmas Contest

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:51:32 -0500

Number of comments: 4

Duane Lester over at All American Blogger is holding a Christmas giveaway, and he asked me to share this with my readers. He’s giving away $200 in prizes, they are:

A 90 minute DVD titled Ronald Reagan: Rendezvous with Destiny, hosted by Newt and Callista Gingrich [...]

Iowa Politics Insider: Brad Zaun launches campaign; calls U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell vulnerable

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:46:35 -0500

Next year is perhaps the best opportunity for a Republican to unseat incumbent U.S. Congressman Leonard Boswell, said Brad Zaun, a state senator who announced today he will seek his party’s nomination to challenge the seven-term Democrat.

“If you’re an incumbent, you’re vulnerable,” Zaun said at a hardware store on Des Moines’ south side where [...]

Bleeding Heartland: Zaun kicks off campaign against Boswell

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:58:22 -0500

State Senator Brad Zaun formally announced today that he is running against Representative Leonard Boswell in Iowa's third Congressional distirct. Charlotte Eby was there:

Zaun, 47, highlighted his experience as a legislator, small business owner and former mayor in his announcement speech.

Zaun cited a growing national deficit as one [...]

Iowa Insider: Zaun cites experience as mayor, biz owner in run for Congress in Iowa’s 3rd District

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:42:40 -0500

DES MOINES – State Sen. Brad Zaun, a Republican from Urbandale, kicked off his campaign for Congress in Iowa’s 3rd District Thursday

Zaun, 47, highlighted his experience as a legislator, small business owner and former mayor in his announcement speech.

Zaun cited a growing national deficit as one of his [...]

Iowa Politics Insider: Want to see Palin in Sioux City Sunday? Details below.

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:01:29 -0500

If you’re thinking of heading to Sioux City to catch Sarah Palin’s book-signing, better gas up the night before and head out early.

The event, at Barnes & Noble in Southern Hills Mall, is expected to be crowded, although store officials are making accommodations — like allowing people to wait in [...]

Iowa Politics Insider: Has Grassley damaged GOP’s womanizing abilities?

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:59:36 -0500

The Onion, a farce news Web site, has reported that Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley has “perhaps irrevocably” damaged the ability of his Republican peers to pick up women at bars.

Grassley, this week, answered a question about his participation in federal farm subsidy programs on C-SPAN as [...]

Newton Independent: TPI raises $26 million in growth capital

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:55:47 -0500

Number of comments: 0

Newton Independent

TPI Composites, a leading supplier of wind turbines with a plant in Newton, Iowa, announced today that it has raised $26 million in growth capital from Element Partners and existing investors.

"We continue to be excited about the growth prospects provided by the wind industry," said TPI President and CEO [...]

Politically Speaking: Lederman backs Daugaard for governor

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:49:57 -0500

I’m about to wrap up interviewing for a preview of the Sarah Palin stop in Sioux City Sunday. Talking to Republicans has shown some reluctance to tap her as the best GOP presidential candidate for 2012. South Dakota State Rep. Dan Lederman of Dakota Dunes said [...]

Iowa Independent: Grassley scrutinized for questionable comment

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:18:02 -0500

Number of comments: 1

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is no stranger to unwanted attention, and he has just earned himself another round of it.

After admitting on live television that he has “lived off the public tit” for decades as a member of congress, he attracted the attention of several satirical Web sites.

[...]

Newton Independent: Iowa court offices closed Friday; case priority schedule set

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:16:14 -0500

Number of comments: 0

Newton Independent

Court offices across the state will be closed on Friday as part of the Judicial Branch's decision to order all judicial officers and court staff to take 10 days of unpaid leave during the remainder of the fiscal year in response to the state's revenue shortfalls.

Friday's court system closure is [...]

Iowa Politics Insider: Iowa Dems call Rants’ ideas for governor “antiques,” Rants fires at Branstad

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:15:37 -0500

State Democrats criticized Republican candidate for governor Christopher Rants by saying his ideas are outdated and unoriginal.

They seem to be trying to use Rants’ own argument against him. Rants has called for Iowans to look to the future, instead of re-electing Republican Terry Branstad, who was governor in the 1980s [...]

Bleeding Heartland: Senate district 41 will be a race to watch in 2010

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:11:02 -0500

With Democrats defending 19 of the 25 Iowa Senate districts on the ballot next fall, we don't have many opportunities to make gains in the upper chamber. However, I've long felt that Democrats should make a serious play for Senate district 41 in Scott County. Dave Hartsuch is far [...]

Newton Independent: CDC warns of fraudulent emails concerning H1N1

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:55:51 -0500

Number of comments: 0

Newton Independent

The Centers for Disease Control is warning U.S. residents of reports it has received concerning fraudulent emails (phishing) referencing a CDC sponsored state vaccination program for H1NI. The emails request that recipients create a personal H1N1 flu vaccination profile on the CDC.gov Web site.

The CDC is warning that clicking [...]

Iowa Liberal: Goodbye Palin/Huckabee dream ticket.

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:39:26 -0500

Number of comments: 4

Jeromy and I were talking the other day about how we’re glad that it wasn’t a Democratic governor who pardoned Maurice Clemmons, the Arkansas parolee that shot four cops earlier this week in suburban Tacoma. I understand that might be construed as highly cynical but to those who would think [...]

Iowa Independent: Rants smacks Branstad’s conservative credentials

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:33:38 -0500

In an interview with the Dubuque Telegraph Herald, former Gov. Terry Branstad said those who say he’s not conservative enough for the Republican Party “don’t know me.”

One of Branstad’s rivals for the 2010 GOP gubernatorial nomination was quick to respond, saying the former governor’s critics know him all too [...]

Price of Politics: Incumbents and Tiger Woods

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:33:00 -0500

Number of comments: 0
Chet Culver, Chuck Grassley, Leonard Boswell...what are you thinking? Any worries about next year now? Yes, the general election is 11 months away. But it sure was interesting to see what happened to incumbents this week. A 23 year old challenger upset a man more than three times his age, [...]

The Iowa Republican: Your Trash is My Treasure – RPI ED Candidate Has a checkered Past

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:55:30 -0500

Number of comments: 10

Politics is a small, strange world. Politics is also a relationship business. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Sure, there are other professions in which that is the case, but politics is the ultimate networking game.

How else can you explain that the guy rumored [...]

Newton Independent: Letter: Obama needs our support

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:04:44 -0500

Number of comments: 3

To the Editor:

I am a liberal and I am not ashamed of that title so, as you might expect, the 30 or 40 thousand new troops now being sent to Afghanistan is a burden on my heart. But make no mistake about it; I am not ready to abandon Obama.

There [...]

The Iowa Republican: State of the Race: How Fong’s Departure Affects the Rest of the Field

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:09:06 -0500

Number of comments: 3

When Christian Fong suspended his campaign for governor, the Republican primary field shrunk to a four man contest. Yes, five candidates still remain, but State Senator Jerry Behn isn’t a serious candidate like the other four are. Behn has only attended a handful of events in [...]