Updates

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• Apr 18, 2008 Action Neededon CAFO Bill Dear Friends, Legislative leadership continues to ignore the public clamor for fairer regulation of confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Time to act on this is limited.   The following information came to me today from a source inside the State Capitol.   I...    more...
• Apr 11, 2008 Action Needed on Transportation Bills Dear Friends, For many reasons ranging from environmental to fiscal, transportation in America is at a crossroads.   We can either (1) continue along the decades-old path of new highway construction at the expense of all else, or (2) shift our focus to maintaining...    more...
• Apr 2, 2008 Politics At Its Worst Dear Friends, I’M for Iowa focuses primarily on state-level issues.   When the Legislature is in session, we help you let your voice be heard.   We give kudos and criticism to Democrats and Republicans alike.   We’ve had good things to say about Secretary...    more...
• Mar 29, 2008 Kansas Governor Takes On Coal Dear Friends, Pressure continues to build on Governor Culver.   Across the state, but especially in Marshall and Black Hawk counties, people want him to speak out against the proposed coal-fired plants in Marshalltown and Waterloo .   Last fall,...    more...
• Mar 20, 2008 Eminent Domain Proposal Needs Your Help Dear Friends, Several bills were offered in the Iowa Legislature this year to further refine Iowa ’s 2006 landmark eminent domain legislation.   None were allowed out of committee.   Three were resurrected in the House as amendments, but Speaker Pat Murphy refused to...    more...
• Mar 17, 2008 More Than CAFOs Stink Dear Friends, The Iowa state legislative session is more than halfway over, but in all honesty, any hope to see attention given to the regulation of CAFOs seems to have been eradicated with the dismissal of Rep. Mark Kuhn’s addition/amendment to the odor regulation study in...    more...
• Mar 7, 2008 Funding Appeal Dear Friends, Once a year – ok, maybe twice a year, if necessary – Lynn and I make a pitch for financial support for I’M for Iowa .   It’s the only fundraising we do, so it’s pretty important.   I’d like to ask each person receiving this update to consider a...    more...
• Feb 29, 2008 Secure This Fall's Election Dear Friends, Kyle Lobner – former Fallon for Governor Communications Director now with Common Cause of Iowa – sent me an important e-mail message this morning.   In a legislative environment where “we the people” seem to lose more battles than we win, it’s encouraging to see...    more...
• Feb 16, 2008 State Transportation Funding Update Dear Friends, Last year, I’M for Iowa promoted the 2007 Iowa State University Wildness Symposium, organized by Mary Swander.   The event was a watershed experience for me.   Lynn and I had supper with Bill McKibben and then listened to him talk about global...    more...
• Feb 2, 2008 A Class Act Bows Out Dear Friends, Well, my guy for president – John Edwards – dropped out this week. I was sad, of course, but really proud of the campaign he ran.   The speech he gave in New Orleans announcing the end of his campaign was filled with hope and promise.   You can read...    more...
• Jan 25, 2008 Secure Our Voting System Dear Friends,   Armed with truth and darn good ideas, Iowans for Voting Integrity are doing great work at the Statehouse this year.   Their concerns have found a receptive ear with the new Secretary or State, Mike Mauro.   The group strongly...    more...
• Jan 12, 2008 Running for Congress! Dear Friends, As some of you know, I’ve decided to run for Congress.   Lynn and I will continue to publish I’M for Iowa updates and maintain the I’M for Iowa website.   Through those tools, we’ll encourage your involvement with key state issues, including...    more...
• Jan 7, 2008 Choose President with Rock, Paper, Scissors Dear Friends, I’ve heard lots of entertaining stories from this year’s Iowa Caucuses, but none beat the following. In my caucus, a handful of Kucinich supporters were not viable.   I laid out my case why John Edwards should be their second choice.   A young...    more...
• Dec 28, 2007 Drag Your Carcass to the Caucus Dear Friends, With the Iowa Caucuses less than a week away, I want to strongly encourage you to participate.   What Iowans do on January 3 rd is critically important, not just to America but to the world.   If you can get there, do . . . and bring a friend or...    more...
• Dec 18, 2007 Why John Edwards? Dear Friends, First, I’d like to plug an event I’m co-hosting with Tom Carsner tomorrow, Wednesday, December 19 th , from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. at Fair Grounds Coffeehouse, 345 S. Dubuque Street in Iowa City .   Tom and I will lead a discussion of John Edwards’...    more...
• Dec 13, 2007 A Christmas Reflection Dear Friends, First, I want to invite those of you in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area to join me this Saturday, December 15 th from 10:00 – noon at the Cedar Falls Community Center at 6 th and Main streets.   Local organizers are planning a spirited...    more...
• Dec 5, 2007 Water Quality Alert Dear Friends, First, I regret to have to tell you that the global warming plunge scheduled for December 8 th at Gray’s Lake in Des Moines has been cancelled. Second, Iowa ’s streams and rivers need your help.   While I am no water-quality wizard, I have...    more...
• Nov 25, 2007 Microsoft Lawsuit Dear Friends, In terms of our usual updates, this one will strike you as odd.   Today, we’re not advocating for an issue.   Instead, we’re helping you, Joe and Jane Average Citizen, participate in a class-action lawsuit that will land you $100 - $200 and help keep...    more...
• Nov 21, 2007 Go Jump In A Lake Dear Friends, Seriously.  I promise not to write about the global climate crisis every week.  And I promise to keep today’s Update short.  But this is such an important issue that I have to bring your attention to an upcoming event that didn’t make the Update last week.  It’s...    more...
• Nov 15, 2007 Update from November 15, 2007 Dear Friends, Every week – nay, every day – some new news on climate change hits the fan, underscoring the reality and severity of Earth’s rising temperature.   Yesterday, the Associated Press (AP) published a story entitled “Climate panel seen as too conservative.”  ...    more...
• Oct 30, 2007 Update from October 30, 2007 Dear Friends,  Last Wednesday, I attended parts of the Livestock Odor Study Committee meeting.  I did so because I’M for Iowa is part of the Coalition for a Healthy and Sustainable Iowa (CHSI), which is working for responsible regulation of hog confinements.  One presentation...    more...
• Oct 12, 2007 Update from October 12, 2007 Dear Friends, The headline of a short blurb buried in The Des Moines Register this week read “Greenhouse gas emissions already at critical level, scientist warns.”   The article should have been broadcast in bold across the front page.   It referenced comments by a...    more...
• Oct 4, 2007 Update from October 4, 2007 Dear Friends, Here’s a generous plug for a conference planned for October 26 – 28 in Cedar Rapids.  It’s called “Sustainable Living, Renewable Resources and the Future,” and will focus on local foods, green buildings, renewable fuels and grassroots political organizing. This is the...    more...
• Sep 28, 2007 Update from September 28, 2007 Dear Friends, This week four of us were privileged to have dinner with former Congressman, Dr. Bob Edgar.  He was named President and CEO of Common Cause in May 2007.  Common Cause is a nonpartisan nonprofit advocacy organization. The group is committed to honest, open and...    more...
• Sep 20, 2007 Update from September 20, 2007 Dear Friends, A hearty thank you to Lynn Fox (who’s with Fox Insurance Agency in Dallas Center) for mailing me a recent article from The Minneapolis Star Tribune.  The article is about the late Senator Paul Wellstone (In The Name Of His Father, August 28), and it discusses Democrats who...    more...
• Sep 10, 2007 Update from September 10, 2007 Dear Friends, I’d like your help with four matters related to education. 1. VOTE IN TOMORROW’S SCHOOL ELECTION Tomorrow, September 11, every registered voter in Iowa can make a difference in the quality of our kids’ education.  It’s an embarrassment that only about 5% - 10% of...    more...
• Sep 4, 2007 Update from September 4, 2007 Dear Friends, This Friday, I’m hosting Mickelson in the Morning from 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. on WHO Radio, 1040 AM.  This is my third stint as guest-host, and this show will focus on . . . YOU!  Call to talk about whatever pressing issue you want to discuss.  I’ll do my best to give...    more...
• Aug 28, 2007 Update from August 28, 2007 Dear Friends, This morning, I’m sitting at Sargent’s Garage in Des Moines’ inner city, waiting for an oil change for the van.  Graham Gormley, one of the owners, is particularly hot under the collar.  He’s talking to me and reading big business and big government the riot act. ...    more...
• Aug 25, 2007 Update from August 25, 2007 Dear Friends, CALLING ALL CANDIDATES! If you live in one of Iowa’s 950 cities, we need YOU to run for city council.  The deadline to file to run is either August 30 (this coming Thursday) or September 20, depending upon your city.  Filing requires a simple, notarized form and between...    more...
• Aug 6, 2007 Update from August 6, 2007 “How I Spent My Summer Vacation (RAGBRAI)”…or “A Birds-Eye View of Community in Action” by Lynn Heuss Not a terribly political heading, is it?  Maybe not at first glance, but our RAGBRAI trip reminded me of the importance and many benefits of true community and why we all need to get or...    more...
• Jul 19, 2007 Update from July 19, 2007 Dear Friends, An article in today’s on-line version of Time Magazine really caught my attention, and I feel compelled to share it with you.  It talks about Edwards’ recent poverty tour, about the connection between poverty and health care, and tangentially about another ugly side to coal....    more...
• Jul 9, 2007 Update from July 9, 2007 Dear Friends, Regarding tomorrow’s vote on the proposed local option sales tax for Polk, Dallas and Warren counties . . . we’ve been asked to share our opinion on the matter.  (For those outside the Des Moines metro, this may be relevant in your community some day, so please bear with...    more...
• Jul 4, 2007 Update from July 4, 2007 Dear Friends, Ed will replace Jan Mickelson as the host of WHO Radio’s morning talk show . . . well, at least for one show this week.  We invite you to tune in Friday, July 6th from 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. on 1040 AM to hear Ed moderate a debate between opposing sides of the “Yes to Destiny”...    more...
• Jun 29, 2007 Update from June 29, 2007 Dear Friends, Yesterday, a group of leading Iowa environmentalists met with Chet Culver’s staff to ask the Governor to help stop a proposed coal-fired plant in Waterloo.  This request should be an easy one for the Governor, especially given a statement he made two months ago when he signed...    more...
• Jun 21, 2007 Update from June 21, 2007 Dear Friends, In response to last week’s Update, a friend wrote to say, “Good message -- but still not at the heart of the problem. The real problem is lack of spiritual connection, to each other, to the planet, to Life itself.  Until this separation issue is addressed, everything else will...    more...
• Jun 14, 2007 Update from June 14, 2007 Dear Friends, My entrée into political work began in earnest in the mid-1980s over concern about the threat of nuclear war.   To me at that time, the possibility of nuclear war presented the most serious challenge facing humanity.   I cut my teeth as an organizer...    more...
• Jun 8, 2007 Update from June 8, 2007 Dear Friends, Hello.  This week’s update is brought to you by Lynn Heuss.  We’re launching our website today!  You can find it at: www.imforiowa.com .  It is a work in progress and, with your help, will continue to grow and evolve into a resource you will often...    more...
• Jun 1, 2007 Update from June 1, 2007 Dear Friends, This month, our weekly update will announce the launching of a new website for An Independence Movement for Iowa (I’M for Iowa ), analyze the recent legislative session, and make a pitch for you to run for office (that’s right: YOU!).    We’ll also...    more...
• May 24, 2007 Update from May 24 2007 Dear Friends, I’ve been active in the Iowa Caucuses since 1987, and this is by far the best field of Democratic candidates I’ve ever seen.   While it’s no secret that I’m backing John Edwards, progressives are all over the board regarding candidate preference.   Many...    more...
• May 17, 2007 Update from May 17, 2007 Dear Friends, April is my favorite month.   Usually, I’m imprisoned at the Statehouse.   For the first time in fifteen years, I did something in April other than grind through the closing weeks of a legislative session.   Lynn and I hit the road, and the journey...    more...
• Apr 12, 2007 Update from April 12, 2007 Dear Friends, Attention to the major problem of global climate change is heating up, so to speak.   The issue has grown in prominence after a number of recent events: (1) the release of a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluding that human activity...    more...
• Apr 6, 2007 Update from April 6, 2007 Dear Friends, Lynn and I have spoken and written about VOICE (campaign finance reform) and CAFO (confined animal feeding operation) legislation extensively over the past three months.   The response from you and many other concerned Iowans has been tremendous, and both HF...    more...
• Mar 30, 2007 Update from March 30, 2007 Dear Friends, Did you catch the interview between Katie Couric and John and Elizabeth Edwards earlier this week?   Over the past year, I have come to admire and respect John and Elizabeth.   Not only do their politics resonate with me, but on a personal level they...    more...
• Mar 23, 2007 Update from March 23, 2007 Dear Friends, Despite overwhelming support from citizens and community leaders, two of the most important pieces of legislation of the 2007 session are on life support at the Statehouse.   HF 805 (SF 553), the Voter-Owned Iowa Clean Elections law (VOICE), and HF...    more...
• Mar 16, 2007 Update from March 16, 2007 Dear Friends, Like many Americans, I’m increasingly concerned about global warming.   With the recent release of a special report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, there is no longer any doubt:   the scientific community is united on the reality of...    more...
• Mar 6, 2007 Update for March 6, 2007 Dear Friends, I’m giving a talk this Thursday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Student Center , 1150 28 th Street in Des Moines .   It’s the annual Stringfellow Lecture, and the subject of my talk is “Politics as a Religious Vocation.”  ...    more...
• Feb 23, 2007 Update for February 23, 2007 Dear Friends, In this update, I want to limit our conversation to two things:   (1) my support for John Edwards, and (2) campaign finance reform legislation before the Iowa House. JOHN EDWARDS Many if not most of you know that I am supporting John ...    more...
• Feb 15, 2007 Update for February 15,2007 Dear Friends, After a balmy start to the New Year, February has blessed us with deliciously cold weather.   “Real winter,” as I like to call it.   Lately, I’ve even had to alter my practice of biking to meetings.   Yet whenever possible, I’ve been walking or ...    more...
• Feb 8, 2007 Update for February 8, 2007 Dear Friends, A NEW VOICE! I’d like to introduce myself, Lynn Heuss , and tell you why I’m involved with I’M for Iowa . I met Ed three years ago while serving as director of a free meal program for the homeless, low-income and working poor in downtown...    more...
• Feb 1, 2007 Update for February 1, 2007 Dear Friends, As the first month of the 2007 legislative session ends, it’s encouraging to see the Voter-Owned Iowa Clean Elections (VOICE) initiative receiving serious attention.   More and more Iowans are weighing in on the issue.   About 75 people from 15...    more...
• Jan 25, 2007 Update for January 25, 2007 Dear Friends, Over the past week, the work that Lynn, Carol and I have focused on includes organizational restructuring, constituent service (more on this next week), candidate recruitment and legislative action.   In this week’s update, I want to talk about the latter –...    more...
• Jan 19, 2007 Update for January 19, 2007 Dear Friends, Thanks to all of you who responded to last week’s update kicking off I’M for Iowa .   It seems we’ve tapped a niche that needs filling, judging by the wealth of commentary we received. At the Iowa Statehouse, debate on a number of key issues is off and running...    more...
• Jan 11, 2007 Update for January 11, 2007 Dear Friends, For those of you who have been asking, “So, Ed.  What are you going to do next?” . . . drum roll please! Out of the ashes of my gubernatorial campaign a phoenix arises.  We’re calling it I’M for Iowa, which is an acronym for an Independence Movement for Iowa.  ...    more...
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