Iowa
updated
10:40 p.m.
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U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., will be in Iowa next month, headlining the third annual Defenders of Freedom event organized by U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron. “Together Michele and I have led the charge in the U.S. House to fight the Obama/Pelosi/Reid health care nightmare,” King said in a statement. “It was her idea that sparked [...]...
Iowa Independent - 3:04 p.m.
Today’s Twitter lesson: Iowa’s women rock — not that it was ever in dispute. ~ Gov. Chet Culver, Democrat ~ David Roberts, energy policy reporter for Grist ~ Iowa Rep. Erik Helland, Republican ~ Jamie Kelly, media relations director at Cornell College ~ U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-CT ~ Iowa Rep. Tyler Olson, Democrat ...
Iowa Independent - 1:46 p.m.
Americans should launch a “Velvet Revolution”-style uprising against the federal government in order to put a stop to creeping socialism and defeat health care reform, U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, said Tuesday. King was a featured speaker at several “Kill the Bill” rallies in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday morning that were designed to stop health care [...]...
Iowa Independent - 11:41 a.m. - 4 clicks 
U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, has never been one to shy away from controversial statements, a trait that followed him to Iowa’s political Twitterverse. His Twitter account of a run in with a “crazy raccoon” got him in hot water with animal-rights group PETA, and his latest Tweet called the process Democrats are using to [...]...
Iowa Independent - 10:41 a.m. - 2 clicks
Iowa Democrats respond to Bob Vander Plaats press release by attacking Terry Branstad. FBI begins investigation of Iowa School Board Association. U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley gets a Republican opponent. Lots of shuffling going on in race to replace Sioux City legislative delegation. Independents disapprove of Republicans more than they do Democrats. The anti-abortion movement pushes the “black genocide”...
Iowa Independent - 9:49 a.m. - 3 clicks
The Des Moines Register is reporting that former Iowa Teacher of the Year Ruth Ann Gaines will run for the Iowa House seat held by Wayne Ford. Ford had repeatedly refused to clarify whether he was running for re-election again, with the deadline to file being this Friday at 5 p.m. Former state Rep. Ed Fallon [...]...
Iowa Independent - 9:20 a.m. - 3 clicks
State Representative Wayne Ford announced today that he will not seek an eighth term in the Iowa House. He plans to "to devote more time to expand statewide, nationally, and internationally" the non-profit organization Urban Dreams, which he founded 25 years ago. After the jump I posted Ford's press release, which recounts some of his accomplishments. His work on a 2007 law requiring blood screeni...
Bleeding Heartland - 9:05 a.m. - 3 clicks
The state House and Senate ways and means committees passed bills Monday reforming Iowa’s tax credit system, saving an estimated $115 million in the next few years. Democrats unveiled their ideas last week at a press conference. Both the Senate and House bill would suspend the film tax credit program for two years; lower the cap [...]...
Iowa Independent - 8:00 a.m.
Despite being asked numerous times by Dave Price, a reporter for Des Moines NBC affiliate WHO-TV, state Rep. Wayne Ford would not say whether he will run for re-election in Iowa House District 65. While guest hosting Chris Bradshaw’s afternoon radio show on WOW-FM, former state Rep. Ed Fallon reported that Ford was not seeking re-election [...]...
Iowa Independent - 5:02 a.m. - 2 clicks
Ed and Lynn Fallon's I'M for Iowa organization sent out an e-mail blast today containing the following tidbit: Monday, 1:00 - 4:00 pm, we talk about politics, and expose what appears to be a sneaky effort in the 65th House District in Des Moines to keep Wayne Ford's retirement a secret so party insiders can hand-pick a successor. We also talk about the Des Moines Register's love affair with Sena...
Bleeding Heartland - Mon 4:21 p.m.
Kudos to the Woodbury County Democrats for recruiting strong candidates for all three open Iowa House districts as well as both Iowa Senate districts representing parts of Sioux City. Two of those races became open very recently, when Democratic State Representative Roger Wendt announced his retirement from House district 2 because of a cancer recurrence and Republican State Senator Ron Wieck said...
Bleeding Heartland - Mon 10:28 a.m. - 4 clicks
I haven't posted any job listings here in a while, but I recently learned of a few opportunities in the environmental area. Those are posted below. If you know of political or progressive advocacy jobs available, feel free to send details to me (desmoinesdem AT yahoo.com), and I will try to spread the word. The big political event this week is the March 19 deadline for Iowa candidates to file no...
Bleeding Heartland - Mon 7:08 a.m. - 3 clicks
With the historic 2008 Presidential elections well behind us it's time to turn to a discussion of how progressives will be mobilized in 2010. As we've seen from recent Des Moines Register polling, being "progressive" isn't necessarily a Democratic or Republican issue. It's a question of "getting things done". Voters of all political stripes see major problems t...
Bleeding Heartland - Sun 2:22 p.m. - 2 clicks
Six weeks after revealing the overnight towns for the 2010 Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, the Des Moines Register announced the full 442-mile route that cycling enthusiasts will follow the last week of July. RAGBRAI XXXVIII will treat riders to one of the shortest and flattest routes ever as it winds through northern Iowa from Sioux City to Dubuque from July 25-31. That comb...
Bleeding Heartland - Sun 9:48 a.m. - 4 clicks
Share anything that's on your mind this weekend in the comments below. Yesterday the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Justice jointly hosted a workshop in Ankeny devoted to concentration in agriculture, antitrust issues and market practices. After some controversy over the speakers scheduled initially , more farmers and producers were able to speak during the workshop....
Bleeding Heartland - Sat 5:21 p.m. - 2 clicks
I've heard some strange arguments against marriage equality, but the latest from Iowa Family Policy Center President Chuck Hurley is a doozy. ...
DailyKos (Iowa) - Sat 7:03 a.m. - 8 clicks
I've heard some strange arguments against marriage equality, but the latest from Iowa Family Policy Center President Chuck Hurley is a doozy. Reacting to a new report on HIV and syphilis rates among gay and bisexual men , Hurley asserted , "The Iowa Legislature outlawed smoking [in some public places] in an effort to improve health and reduce the medical costs that are often passed on to t...
Bleeding Heartland - Sat 4:46 a.m. - 8 clicks
Bret Hayworth has the story at his Politically Speaking blog: David Dawson, a former prosecutor in the Woodbury County Attorney Office, will be the Democratic candidate in Iowa House district 1. He sounds like a great candidate for that Sioux City district. He will face Republican high school teacher Jeremy Taylor, who almost beat retiring State Representative Wes Whitead in 2008. Our previous...
Bleeding Heartland - Fri 9:02 a.m. - 4 clicks
The good news is, an important public safety bill went to Governor Chet Culver's desk on March 11. Senate File 2357 was one of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller's legislative priorities this year. The bill prohibits Iowans from owning guns and ammunition if they have been convicted of a domestic violence crime or are subject to a protective order. Since 1995, 205 Iowans have been killed in dome...
Bleeding Heartland - Fri 6:04 a.m. - 6 clicks
Republican operative Ralph Reed, who once headed the Christian Coalition , is building an Iowa branch for his latest venture, the Faith and Freedom Coalition . Reed spoke at an Iowa Christian Alliance event on Tuesday and promised the crowd that the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition will get "people who share our values" elected "from governor all the way down to the statehouse and school board...
Bleeding Heartland - Thu 1:06 p.m. - 8 clicks
As Iowa citizens brace themselves for another spring flood season, Iowa mayors, city council members and state lawmakers are doing everything they can to STOP even modest flood prevention planning from going forward in the Iowa Legislature. If you’re scratching you head and wondering why, it may be time to contact your elected officials and ask them. The following is an action alert sent ou...
Bleeding Heartland - Thu 9:51 a.m. - 4 clicks
Yesterday the Senate approved HR 4213, the Tax Extenders Act of 2009 , by a 62-35 vote . Tom Harkin voted for the bill, as did all but one Democrat. Chuck Grassley voted against the bill, as did all but six Republicans ( roll call here ). Harkin's office summarized some of the $140 billion bill's key provisions: o Extend the current federal unemployment benefits program through De...
Bleeding Heartland - Thu 8:25 a.m. - 6 clicks
So, I've been away. Bleeding Heartland has been one of my favorite Iowa blogs for sometime and I used to post relatively regularly, but my previous life working in the Iowa House limited my involvement with the community. Now, I've moved on to a new endeavor and I'll be resuming my regular posting to Bleeding Heartland. Of course, I will need to make a disclaimer...I&#...
Bleeding Heartland - Wed 4:48 p.m. - 6 clicks
State Representative Dolores Mertz announced yesterday that she will not seek a twelfth term in the Iowa House. First elected to House district 8 in 1988, she said she's in good health but wants to spend more time with her large family. House district 8 includes all of Humboldt and Pocahontas counties, plus parts of Kossuth and Webster counties ( map here ). Mertz has chaired the Iowa House ...
Bleeding Heartland - Wed 12:40 p.m. - 10 clicks
State Representative Rod Roberts continues to line up endorsements in his long-shot gubernatorial campaign. Bill Schickel just resigned as secretary of the Iowa GOP in order to endorse Roberts. Party officers are supposed to remain neutral in Republican primaries, but "I can no longer remain neutral," said Schickel, a former state representative and Mason City mayor. "Our party is curre...
Bleeding Heartland - Wed 10:07 a.m. - 5 clicks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 9, 2010 Contact: Eric Nost, Environment Iowa 515-243-5835 | enost@environmentiowa.org The Iowa Senate voted 37-13 Tuesday afternoon to allow Mid-Am...
Bleeding Heartland - Mar 9 - 9 clicks
Sioux City residents will replace their entire delegation in the Iowa House and Senate this November. Democrat Steve Warnstadt announced his retirement yesterday from Iowa Senate district 1, which comprises much of Sioux City ( map here ). Warnstadt is completing his second term in the Senate and has chaired the upper chamber's Commerce Committee . He is known for his work on veterans' issues...
Bleeding Heartland - Mar 9 - 7 clicks
Wellmark Blue Cross-Blue Shield recently announced premium increases averaging 18 percent for about 80,000 policy-holders. Tens of thousands of customers were facing rate hikes of 22 percent, effective April 1. Today Governor Chet Culver halted the planned increases by Iowa's largest health insurance provider. Details are after the jump. ...
DailyKos (Iowa) - Mar 8 - 2 clicks
Masturbating motorists across Iowa were relieved to hear that the Iowa Senate did not include “masturbation” as part of its bill outlawing texting-while-driving. Unlike the Iowa House’s version, the Iowa Senate passed a tougher bill that would not only ban texting while driving but would put the kibosh on reading text messages as well (although the bill made no explicit distinction between te...
Political Fallout - Feb 26 - 3 clicks
