iowa underground blog

Here is a very good Letter to the Editor in the Muscatine Journal about Jim Leach’s lack of integrity. So to all Democrats, we have 2 themes this year…1 Nussle is a slimeball and 2 Leach has no integrity.

Don’t buy Leach’s claims of integrity
By David Bradley, West Liberty, IA

Since the choosing of a new majority leader for the Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, I have been giving some thought to Jim Leach and his claims of integrity that he made a focal point of his last campaign. It was such a focal point that his advertising obscured the fact that Leach is a Republican. In the past year, the Republican Party has been rocked by scandal after scandal. One of these scandals cost Tom DeLay his job as majority leader. The choice of replacement came down to two men whose credentials were almost as bad as Tom DeLay’s. Why wasn’t a man of self-proclaimed integrity, Jim Leach, among those to seek the job? At the very least, why didn’t Mr. Leach speak out about the lack of integrity of those who sought the job? This got me to thinking about some of the other ongoing scandals and Leach’s response to them. The sitting president illegally spies on his own citizens without court permission. Jim Leach’s response is … nothing. No comment either on the president declaring through signing statements which laws he will follow. This almost makes Congress unnecessary. How about the Valerie Plame outing? We are still waiting for a comment. Leach also brings his integrity into question with votes to uphold most of the Tom DeLay’s agenda over the past six years. Much of this agenda has given tax breaks to the rich while taking much-needed programs from the poor. Integrity is not something that comes and goes according to the issue. When injustices are committed, those who claim integrity must speak up and speak loudly. Mr. Leach’s silence speaks volumes. I wonder if Mr. Leach will try to hide his party affiliation in the House race this year as he did last time. I would if I were him. Not much to be proud of there. Will he also tout his so-called integrity this year? Let us hope that the good people of the 2nd District are no longer fooled by this unwarranted claim.

-noneed4thneed

So, the Iowa GOP is now filing ethics charges against Tom Vilsack for financial transactions between his campaign funds and the “Heartland PAC”.

The Iowa Republican Party on Tuesday filed an ethics complaint against Gov. Tom Vilsack, claiming he violated campaign finance laws by transferring $50,000 between campaign committees he’s created.

Cullen Sheehan, executive director of the state GOP, cited two $25,000 contributions from Vilsack’s campaign committee to a new committee he’s created called Heartland PAC.

It’s nice to see that the Iowa GOP is coming out strongly in favor of campaign finance reform. Can we now introduce a bill proposing Voter Owned Elections into the Legislative calendar?

Rep. Pam Jochum (D-Dubuque) has introduced House File 224 (HF224), a bill that would give Iowans a Voter-Owned Elections system for all statewide campaigns.

The bill is currently in the House State Government Committee waiting to be assigned to a subcommittee.

In 2005, Rep. Jeff Elgin (R – Cedar Rapids) failed to assign HF224 to a subcommittee – though it is a very simple task. It is his responsibility as Chair of the State Government Committee to make sure this gets done.

Oh, to solve the problems….

• Sousy

David Yepsen kibitzes this morning about dirty politics in Iowa:

The attacks from Democrats and left-of-center groups on Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Nussle have started early.

It’s too bad. Iowa would be better off if political parties and interest groups spent less time savaging their opponents and more time outlining positive visions for what they want to do.

One reason Iowa lags behind in so many areas is that recent gubernatorial campaigns have been more negative than positive. As a result, governors have failed to build consensus or a mandate for changing anything in Iowa.

It started a few weeks ago, when the Iowa Democratic Party unveiled a “strategy memo to Iowa reporters” in which the party outlined the plans and rationale for its attacks. Environmentalists have also weighed in. And the radio barbs have started. As the federal budget debates unfold, we can expect other groups to pile on. Nussle will be criticized for not cutting the deficit – and then criticized when he does. Of course, none of it is coordinated.

On top of that, the whispering about Nussle’s divorce can also be heard, though it’s not clear who is doing it.

Yepsen is wholeheartedly agreeable in that the gubernatorial races have been nasty, ugly affairs. Of course, Yepsen contributes to the debate by demagouging Democratic candidates whenever he can, and pays no attention to statements like this:

“We are going to win, and the Democrats are scared of what Vander Plaats and Nussle are going to do throughout this campaign to win,” [Vander Plaats] said.

Here’s the situation as it exists: the Democratic Party currently holds the “policy bench” – folks like Mike Blouin, Mike Fitzgerald (whom I think would have made an interesting candidate), Ed Fallon (the only candidate willing to honestly discuss land use and DHS reforms) and Chet Culver. Right now, the GOP is bringing home a guy that has made Washington politics his career and pairing him with a guy that couldn’t hold his own in any primary without the backing of wealthy donors.

Nussle and Vander Plaats have simply been standing on the sidelines (or been doing other things) and really have no idea as to what’s going on with Iowa policy making outside of the typical GOP fodder: school vouchers, fiscally unsound tax cuts, etc., etc. So of course this campaign is going to be dirty and ugly, with no one talking about the issues that might actually upset the “donor crowd”.

... and we’ll all be much worse of because of it.

Mr. Yepsen: if you want to improve the ‘tone’ of these things, it can begin with you – arguably the most widely read political columnist in Iowa. How ‘bout spending some time investigating the issues that you promote (like economic development) during the political offseason and investigate where the candidates actually stand on these issues? That would be vastly more helpful to all of us than talking about candidates “being too liberal” or “not being the right __“, or even helping to spread whatever “whisper campaigns” might be going on? (Note that a “whisper campaign” never goes anywhere unless someone starts shouting it.)

To be honest, the best political coverage these days seems to come from the people who’ve set up blogs or personal sites – if I want to read about total nonsense as it relates to the political scene in Iowa I usually start with the far right hand column in the Des Moines Register opinion pages.

• Sousy

In an attempt to show just how ridiculous talks of banning gay parents from adopting is, an Ohio State Senator has introduced a bill that would ban Republican parents from adopting.

Here is the entire article from TPM Cafe.

Banning Republican Adoption
By Nathan Newman

With recent bills by anti-gay forces to ban adoption by gays, it was only a matter of time before the potential parenting skills of all manner of groups come under fire.

Ohio State Senator Robert Hagen has introduced a bill to bar Republicans from adopting children or becoming foster parents, since as he argues:

section break

“[C]redible research’’ shows that adopted children raised in Republican households are more at risk for developing ``emotional problems, social stigmas, inflated egos, and alarming lack of tolerance for others they deem different than themselves and an air of overconfidence to mask their insecurities.’’

Hagan admits that he has no scientific evidence to support the above claims, but then he notes, neither do those who argue gays are a threat as parents.

As a teacher, I see so many children that need a stable home environment. If a responsible adult is willing to adopt a child and provide a loving, safe home, then they should be able to regardless of sexual orientation or political party.

-noneed4thneed

I’m amused.

I won’t detail further, but instead point you to the forums here and here.

• Sousy

The Des Moines Register reports that Maytag will eliminate 50 positions

Maytag will lay off 50 workers tomorrow

February 23, 2006

Maytag plans to lay off 50 production workers at its Newton plant on Friday, a union leader said today.

Ted Johnson, president of United Auto Workers Local 997, said the layoffs will cut the plant’s production work force to about 1,000 workers.

Johnson said the company said the layoffs were necessary because there has been no growth in sales of products produced at the plant.

The plant produces three lines of washers and their companion dryers. The lines are Maytag’s original Neptune front-load washing machine, a long-standing topload washer known as the Dependable Care and a topload called Atlantis.

Johnson blamed the company for the flat sales of Newton products, saying sales have stagnated because the company no longer advertises the machines.

Company representatives weren’t immediately available for comment.

The plant’s work force dropped to 1,000 last August, but a number of workers had been called back, putting the number back to 1,050 before the new round of layoffs, Johnson said.

The plant’s work force was 2,600 in 2001, he added.

However, jobs have been cut since then, with the company saying it would not put any new product lines in the plant until costs were cut.

The company, citing wages and benefits paid to union workers, says the Newton factory is the company’s highest-cost plant.

The union has said the workers’ pay is deserved because of their productivity. Johnson says the plant continues to be profitable.

Is it just me, or is anyone reminded of that TV commercial that aired during the Super Bowl with the “cost cutting executive” leading a meeting with the one remaining employee? (“I eliminated our workforce – what have you done to save the company money?”)

What seems bizarre: evidently there was enough product demand to recall 50 employees, just to announce the hard times you’re going through is causing you to lay off 50 people. How ‘bout focusing a little harder on moving product than cutting costs?

(Tune into this afternoon’s Rush Limbaugh program to learn how unions are the downfall of American manufacturing.)

• sousy

A tip to the Iowa Bacon Blog on Chuck Larson’s “extracurricular” activities.

Bacon’s post focuses on a budding controversy over political ads claiming to represent “truth in Iraq” or other such stuff we’ve seen for the past three years. (Why is it that people telling the “truth” need to produce slick 30 second advertisements full of sapppy music instead of arguing a case?)

Several groups that are active in lobbying Larson at the legislature – and would be interested in currying favors from the former chairman of the Republican party and chair of the Nussle campaign – have contributed to Families United, including the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, the Iowa Motor Truck Association, Barr-Nunn trucking, Casey’s, Handi-Mart Food Stores, and Guaranteed Roofing. Elsco, a tech company in Linn County that employs Larson as general counsel, also contributed. It’s uncertain whether they would be as eager to contribute if Larson didn’t hold some sway in the statehouse. It’s also uncertain whether Larson draws a salary for his work.

Something important to note: Larson is co-chair of the Senate ethics committee.

Evidently, ethics does not preclude taking “non-campaign” donations while serving as a sittiing State Senator. It’s time for Senator Larson to decide if he wants to be a Senator or a political fundraiser – it is inherently unethical to do both.

Addendum: Thanks for further information from Iowa Bacon. Comparisions to make: Families United Donors in Iowa, Follow the Money’s list of Chuck Larson’s Campaign donors (from 2002, his most recent Senate run – there have also been donations since then but naturally, not as many) – plus it would be interesting to compare donations to Nussle’s campaign – where Larson is the state chair.

Addendum II: This resignation call is very simple – either lobby or govern. It’s not that difficult – and one that Larson himself seems to notice by not running for re-election to his Senate seat this year.

• Sousy

From the Press Release:

Isabel Bloom Recommits to Retaining Local Art and Local Jobs

Owners say they listened; Quad Cities response made all the difference.

Davenport, Iowa, February 21, 2006 – The owners of Isabel Bloom have reconsidered a business decision that would have taken all production overseas. “We clearly believe in listening to the voice of our customers, despite perceptions to the contrary in recent days,” says Jeff Gilfillan, one of the three Bloom owners. “We apologize for failing to fully recognize the priorities of our local customers and we accept full responsibility for this error in judgment.

“As a result, we have decided to continue local production of our original concrete sculpture – sold in our four studio stores in Davenport, Moline, Naperville and West Des Moines – through existing quality retailers in the region and through our Web and toll-free business,” continues Gilfillan. Therefore, all 50 positions that would have been impacted now will be retained.
...
”Isabel Bloom, L.L.C. remains dedicated to the company’s long-term success. “The untold story,” says Gilfillan “is the mistaken belief that the production change was made only to grow the business nationally or to increase short-term profits.” Since a peak sales year in 2000, sales have decreased by 30 percent and profitability has shrunk by 75 percent despite modest sales growth from outside the Quad Cities such as in Des Moines. “While Isabel Bloom, L.L.C. is financially stable, this sales trend underscores the need for change to ensure a healthy future for the company. We clearly wish to serve as responsible stewards of the company for years to come,” says Gilfillan.
“While continuing to make our original concrete sculptures proves to be the right decision locally, the reality of staying in business still must be confronted,” says Gilfillan. “Therefore, we will continue to investigate opportunities to expand our market. We anticipate sculptures sold through any part of a national expansion will be made with the new cast stone produced overseas.”

I think the owners could answer a very simple question: why does expansion need to be done with overseas suppliers? There seems to be a very single truth in the retail world: in order to sell more product, you need to differentiate yourself from your customers. What’s going to make “Isabel Bloom made in China” any different than any of the other low dollar crap that fills the “gift store” shelves?

Something I do not know: how good is a job at Isabel Bloom? What are the pay/benefits like?

Addendum: More discussion on the forums.

Addendum II:: The Quad City Times Reports

• Sousy

A post this morning at TPM Cafe points out something interesting in the dustup over port operations – why is it that we trust the operation and security of our nations seaports to private interests in the first place?

Suddenly it’s as if Dubai Ports World had peppered a guy with birdshot.

I reserve judgment on whether the deal to turn American port terminals over to a UAE company is the stupidest move in history or not. But am I the only one who finds it mighty peculiar that this week we’re fervently debating an item that nobody noticed last week? Did the proposed sale really pop up out of the blue?

Evidently vast portions of American infrastructure are routinely farmed out to companies scurrying around this (as Tom Friedman reminded us with his trademarked adjective again this morning) flat world. Without rising to the level of front-page news.

Americcan infrastructure is being “globalized” without anyone really noticing – shouldn’t we be a bit concerned? We sell our airwaves, our military operations and daily services to the lowest bidder – why does in matter who buys them if we’re willing to put them up on the market in the first place?

Addendum: More discussion on the forums.

Addendum II: This is another case of “It’s not the people – it’s the ideology.” We’ve seen a lot of that over the past year.

• Sousy

Lloyd Miller of Des Moines writes an outstanding letter. Gosh, who would think that the society we actively create would have effects on young people being raised in that society? Kids learn exactly what we teach them.

Change culture to change schools

In the Feb. 13 dialog on teacher pay, both Linda Lantor Fandel and Andie Dominick are right (“Pay Teachers More?”). Iowa teachers deserve better salaries because their pay is abysmal, and, no, higher pay probably will not improve student learning.

Schools are run by adults and thus reflect their values and behavior. High school students are astute observers of adult behavior. They recognize the contradictions between what adults say and what they do.

They’re told that learning is important but see exceptions made for the best athletes and experience social promotion irrespective of academic performance. They’re told to revere their teachers but see that teacher pay is less than that of any profession requiring comparable levels of education.

They’re told that values such as honesty, integrity, care and concern for the welfare of fellow human beings and the planet are important. What they see are politicians who lie, corporate heads who cheat, and people in power who are grossly incompetent. Few are held accountable. Many students decide that personal accountability is just not that important.

To improve schools, we must understand that our cultural behavior often has consequences beyond what we intend, and if those consequences are harmful, we need to change the behavior.
— Lloyd Miller, Des Moines.

• Sousy

The Des Moines Register this morning picked up the story of AFCSME’s endorsement of Mike Blouin in Iowa’ gubernatorial race.

Democrat Mike Blouin’s campaign for governor received a big boost Tuesday by landing a key labor endorsement.

Iowa Council 61 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees has backed the winning candidate in Iowa Democratic gubernatorial primaries dating from 1986, the first year the union made a primary endorsement, union officials said.

There is an obvious ‘win’ here in terms of campaign organization and grassroots involvement for Blouin. However, it’s interesting to note how much influence that AFSCME ( a public sector union) might have on the electorate as a whole. Following the last election, Bruce Bartlett asked the question: do union endorsements matter anymore?

Bartlett’s article looked at older union membership statistics – here are statistics from 2004.

Code	State	Sector	Obs	Employment	Members	Covered	%Mem	%Cov
42	Iowa	Total	3,316	1,344,936	141,040	170,653	10.5	12.7
42	Iowa	Private	2,783	1,127,889	80,659	91,484	7.2	8.1
42	Iowa	Public	533	217,047	60,381	79,169	27.8	36.5
42	Iowa	Priv. Construction	166	66,953	11,994	12,814	17.9	19.1
42	Iowa	Priv. Manufacturing	589	236,534	47,388	51,794	20.0	21.9

Data From unionstats.com

Something that is important to note – Iowa’s “union voice” is becoming increasingly that of the public sector unions. Note that while Iowa’s private sector employs approximately one million more workers, the union membership totals only have a gap of 20,000. (Hence the note that while nearly 36.5% of Iowa’s public sector employees are union members, only 8.1% of private sector employees belong to a union.)

Bartlett notes an “issue gap” between the growing influence of public sector unions versus private sector unions:

Since public-sector unions have less concern for the meat-and-potatoes economic issues that primarily motivate private-sector union members, they tend to be much more ideological, often involving themselves in issues outside the direct economic interests of their members. These would include supporting strict environmental regulations that cost jobs for their private-sector brethren. Consequently, it is no surprise that government employee unions backed Howard Dean over Dick Gephardt.

As it turned out, both the private-sector unions and the public-sector unions took a hit in Iowa. According to entrance polls, union members accounted for just 23 percent of Iowa caucus attendance, down from 33 percent as recently as 2000. Of those union members voting, 29 percent backed John Kerry; Dean and John Edwards each got 22 percent, and Gephardt got just 19 percent. The polls also indicate that just 50,000 of Iowa’s union members, less than a third, are now registered as Democrats.

It seems that this difference between public and private sector employees is becoming a stumbling block. After all, several aspects of Iowa’s labor law need to be significantly retooled, yet the candidates backed by the public sector unions seem to show no interest in revisiting the regulations on the books. (Of course, the Iowa GOP influence in the Statehouse doesn’t help things, either.)

Some of this is naturally organizational, but Iowa Democrats need to realize the importance of labor law (and private sector unions) not only from a policy perspective but a strategic perspective as well: workers who are actively engaged in union organization are more likely to consider economics when casting votes – not the constant drum beating of the “culture war” that seems to crop up every election cycle.

• Sousy

Mike and his guest-bloggers are, excuse the phrase – new kids on the block. Having been in existence for just a few months now, the quality and variety of writing is nevertheless quite excellent. This week, Mike’s friend Ali, currently visiting family in Pakistan, is chiming in:

People here are taking to the streets and rioting, because of some cartoon they have never seen or read. They are destroying their own government buildings, they are destroying their own buses, attacking their fellow men who have nothing to do with the situation they are supposedly protesting about.

Now the focus of their hatred are the Danish and Norwegian embassies, to the point that the government of Pakistan has recalled their ambassador from at least one of those countries. What is interesting to note is that these countries do a lot of developmental work in Pakistan. They send millions of dollars in aid to NGO’s who are doing relief work for the victims of the earthquake.

It is also important to note that it is countries like this who send their NGO’s or money to the local NGO’s, who are the ones that have developed a lot of the rural areas of Pakistan. They have brought education to a lot of areas neglected by every government of Pakistan that has been in power at least since my 30 years of life.

So by rioting and burning down embassies, recalling ambassadors from countries such as this, what do people hope to gain?

It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world……..

Indeed it is. And of course the offensive cartoons are just the tip of the iceberg when trying to piece together what lurks behind current Islamist rage. More on that in the forums here.

Visit Iowa Liberal early and often!

• tristero

There have been rumors swirling around Iowa blogdom the past month or so that Bob Vander Plaats is going to drop out of the governor’s race and become Nussle’s Lt. Governor. Those rumors intensified over the weekend and today the Des Moines Register, Radio Iowa, Cedar Rapids Gazette came out with stories.

From the Des Moines Register…

Republican Bob Vander Plaats is expected to end his bid for governor Wednesday and become rival Jim Nussle’s running mate, top Iowa Republicans confirmed today.

The decision by the Sioux City business consultant, who ran unsuccessfully for the 2002 GOP nomination, seals the ticket three months before the June primary and allows Nussle to marshal his war chest for the general election campaign.

Here is the story from Political Forecast with more links.

• noneed4thneed

From this morning’s Des Moines Register, Iowa’s cities are again tilting against the windmill of Iowa’s Home Rule statutes.

Old municipal ordinances are being dusted off and city attorneys are exploring strategies in an effort to restrict the Iowa Lottery’s controversial TouchPlay gambling machines.

Whether cities have an ability to order the removal of TouchPlay machines isn’t clear, although some lawyers say state laws authorizing Iowa Lottery games probably override any regulatory effort attempted by local governments.

You can see a quick rundown of a few other tests of “local control” here.

Addendum: another item from this morning’s Register – someone actually comes to the shocking conclusion that human waste in Iowa’s rivers is gross.

• Sousy

We take this brief respite from political fodder to bring you this story of perversity from the Iowa countryside. This guy has to be a Republican though, right??

Via Smoking Gun

Repulsive “Wifely Expectations” pact emerges in Iowa kidnap case

FEBRUARY 17—This country, as you know, is filled with the deranged. And then there’s Travis Frey, a 33-year-old Iowa man who is facing charges that he tried to kidnap his own wife (not to mention a separate child pornography rap). Frey, prosecutors contend, apparently is a rather demanding guy. In fact, he actually drew up a bizarre four-page marriage document—a “Contract of Wifely Expectations”—that sought to establish guidelines for his spouse in terms of hygiene, clothing, and sexual activities. In return for fulfilling certain requirements, Frey (pictured right) offered “Good Behavior Days,” or GBDs. Each GBD, Frey wrote, could be redeemed by his wife to “get out of doing the things” he requested daily. A copy of the proposed contract, which Frey’s wife never signed and later provided to cops, can be found below. While we normally point out the highlights of most documents, there are so many in this demented, and very graphic, contract, we really can’t do it justice. So set aside ten minutes—and prepare to be repulsed. (4 pages)

More discussion on metafilter here.
News story: KCCI.

As always, it’s important to remember that Travis should be considered innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law. What two consenting adults do behind closed doors should remain their own business, of course. What sets this story apart, aside from the child pornography rap, that is – is that the wife was apparently never a consenting party to the ‘contract’.

• tristero