........... Polk County Republicans for re-electing me as your Chairman. Leading you in our rebirth over the last six years has been the greatest honor and privilege of my life. Re-elction to a fourth consecutive term is confirmation that we are on the right track, the greatest compliment that I could receive.
I cannot begin to individually thank everyone who has contributed to the great strides we have made in what has always been viewed as a Democrat bastion, so thank you to everyone who has contributed to our reform movement. One person I can, indeed must individually thank is my last Executive Director, former CoChair, party Secretary, ally and friend, M. Rebekah Brandmeyer. The Polk County Republicans are temporarily losing a great servant. Sister, we are keeping your seat warm.
We have come far and we have far yet to travel, but that day is coming. Our job is to hurry things along. So, please be looking forward to many future changes that will help us accelerate local history.
41 comments:
Good for Polk Co. Republicans. Now if we could just get you the state party chairmanship, we might get somewhere.
Off topic, to continue the discussion from an earlier thread.
On the energy issues, it’s easy to shoot the political messenger, be it Gore, Edwards, or even McCain, Pataki or Schwarzenegger. But now even those famously radical corporate leaders are piling it on:
The U.S. government should follow in Europe’s footsteps and require mandatory reductions in carbon emissions, a group of U.S. investors and companies said. The group includes some of the nation’s largest companies, and makes up “the biggest array of U.S. private sector leaders that has so far come together to call for radical action on global warming,” the Financial Times reported yesterday.
Investors and Business for U.S. Climate Action includes the chief executives of Alcoa, BP America, DuPont, Sun Microsystems and PG&E Corp. and represents more than $4 trillion in investor capital, the FT reported. The group said Congress should set an economy-wide carbon price to stimulate the formation of a cap-and-trade program.
“In the absence of strong federal leadership there is a risk that U.S. businesses may get left behind, losing ground against competitors in the rapidly growing global market for low-carbon solutions,” the coalition said.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20070321-0538-czech-environment-.html
Or - there is this to consider:
By Jan Lopatka
REUTERS
5:38 a.m. March 21, 2007
PRAGUE – Czech President Vaclav Klaus said on Wednesday that fighting global warming has turned into a a 'religion' that replaced the ideology of communism and threatens to clip basic freedoms.
The president, a free-market champion, wrote to the U.S. Congress that adopting tough environmental policies to fight climate change would have destructive impact on national economies.
'Communism has been replaced by the threat of an ambitious environmentalism,' Klaus wrote in response to questions from the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Klaus said poor nations would also be hurt by efforts to impose limits and standards on emissions of gases believed to cause global warming.
'They will not be able to absorb new technological standards required by the anti-greenhouse religion, their products will have difficulty accessing the developed markets, and as a result the gap between them and the developed world will widen,' he wrote.
'This ideology preaches earth and nature and under the slogans of their protection – similarly to the old Marxists – wants to replace the free and spontaneous evolution of mankind by a sort of central, now global, planning of the whole world,' he added.
'No government action can stop the world and nature from changing.
Therefore, I disagree with plans such as the Kyoto Protocol or similar initiatives, which set arbitrary targets requiring enormous costs without realistic prospects for the success of these measures,' he said.
Congratulations Ted! Is this the 4th one?
Nobody is saying this energy stuff will be easy to solve. While I understand how and why some may see the climate change issue as religion-like phenomenon, I would hardly compare it to communism. Some of the methods being suggested and implemented are very much in line with capitalistic principles. For example, the cap & trade models handsomely reward innovation. Cap emissions at a certain level, and then let the free market find the best ways to achieve the goals. Entrepreneurial spirits all over the world will work on best solutions, and the best minds will reap huge rewards. And no matter how you feel about the science or fairness of the whole climate change issue, I want American companies to fiercely compete in this lucrative new technology market. The Czech president or even the U.S. president will not prevent those markets from growing rapidly. See what happened to our auto industry when our politicians were unwilling to demand innovation from them. Do we just give up because some think it’s too hard?
DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas unveiled his latest WH '08 'cattle call' ranking "where these candidates sit in the race today."
On HRC: "She wussed out on the Fox News debate thing. ... Her campaign's hissy fit over David Geffen betrayed how afraid they are of Obama. A campaign that believed their spin about "inevitability" wouldn't be so twitchy.
On Obama: "When you are drawing crowds in the five-figures 10 months before the election, you know you've got a special something. However, a disproportionate percentage of his support is from young people. ... Obama's fate will depend, in large part, on 1) how much of this vote turns out, and 2) how effectively Obama can expand into other demographics.
On John Edwards: "Edwards was the big winner of the Fox News debate mess, showing clear and early leadership pulling out of the propaganda network's attempt at legitimacy. He is also apparently the big winner as Clark looks less and likely to enter the fray. Clark's supporters appear to be gravitating toward Edwards in large numbers."
On Richardson: "Richardson ended up on the right side of the Nevada Fox News debate, squeezing in his withdrawal right before the whole event imploded, just a couple of days of being the sole candidate to confirm his attendance (the campaign should pay greater heed to their netroots coordinator). So they snapped a little victory from the jaws of a major embarrassment. And Richardson remains the sole candidate to increase his support in every single one of the last six dKos straw polls."
Some reporting on the Edwards energy speech in Iowa:
"I believe the American people are ready ... to take the steps that are necessary," Edwards said. "They're actually ready for the president of the United States to ask them to do something other than go shopping."
Pretty good from the imperfect messenger.
See what happened to our auto industry when our politicians were unwilling to demand innovation from them.
I disagree - the unions ruined the US automakers, not a lack of government armtwisting. (innovation)
Unions don't get that most of them are simply widgets. Unions have made labor a commodity. Cars are a type of commodity. It can be built in Korea or the United States. The only difference is the price of labor.
Even though they would prefer to deny it or feel they can change it, it is a global economy and will always be. Ford has to compete with KIA, not just GM.
Automaking is shifting to countries where they are unburdened of the needs of spoiled rotten unions who have overreached.
It's only their jobs that are going overseas - We have 95.5% employment. The only jobs being lost are in the manufacturing - UNION - sector. They are moving to countries where people are thrilled to have such great jobs.
No wonder they are pissed and bullying everyone. They only have themselves to blame.
"I believe the American people are ready ... to take the steps that are necessary," Edwards said. "They're actually ready for the president of the United States to ask them to do something other than go shopping."
yea - like building a 28,000 square foot house for three people. How much shopping do you suppose is going on there?
Mo Rocca tells readers who he most feels sorry for in the whole Obama/Clinton YouTube war:
There's a scruffy twenty-something year old sitting in his cubicle at Clinton headquarters. He's on the team that tracks the blogosphere for what's being said about his candidate. (He spends most of his time on YouTube.) He's a window into what younger voters want. (Help me out here, is he wearing a Metallica t-shirt? Whatever he's wearing, it's kind of ironic.)
But at this very moment, Clinton operative Howard Wolfson -- or maybe even Mrs. C herself - is bearing down on this guy: "Listen, Seth. We need a response ad to that Obama hatchet job - that bulls**t 1984 Orwell hit job. You come up with something just as funny, edgy, and untraceable. And it better get 2 million hits by the end of the day." ... Right now, there's no other person I'd rather not want to be.
rf - what does edwards want us to do? did he say? He sure insulted a whole lot of americans with that bit of nasty sarcasm.
Do you think you only shop? Are you that shallow? Or, was he just insulting republicans.
Can you tell me the speech in which any president, including the devil himself, Bush 43 - told anyone to go shopping?
Name it, date it and quote it.
An Oct. 29 trial is set for four people indicted on federal charges in the Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium pay scandal. The four people set to appear in court are Ramona Cunningham and Karen Tesdell, former executives of the now-defunct job training agency; Archie Brooks, former chairman of organization's board of directors and a former Des Moines city councilman; and Jane Barto, former deputy director of Iowa Workforce Development. These individuals, along with John Bargman, CIETC's former chief operating officer, have been charged with 27 counts of fraud and conspiracy. Bargman pleaded guilty to his charges and is expected to testify against the others. A state auditor's report last March detailed "excessive" compensation to CIETC's top executives - nearly $2 million in taxpayer money.
so, the taxpayers give wellmark $20 million dollars to move across the street???? And, Mr Forsyth, CEO of Wellmark wants us to pay another penny in sales tax for "ameneties" I didn't realize I had to have?
Will the taxpayers then have to help out Des Moines by replacing the empty buildings with NEW buildings or pay $20 million to bring in Wells Fargo from WDM to DSM?
Wellmark might get a $20 million incentive package from West Des Moines if it moves its headquarters out of downtown Des Moines. What's the point? "Economic development" incentives are almost always bad for taxpayers.
By Alexander Bolton
March 21, 2007
Peace activists armed with poetry occupied the Capitol Hill office of Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Tuesday to protest Democrats’ support for a bill funding the Iraq war. They camped out in his office for nearly eight hours, reading verse and reciting the names and biographies of soldiers killed in Iraq, punctuating each by banging on a gong they had brought with them.
The protesters also taped pictures of soldiers onto the walls of Van Hollen’s office. They were finally led out of the office at 11:35 p.m. by Capitol Police, said Kevin Zeese, the director of Democracy Rising and one of the organizers of the protest.
Zeese and his fellow activists live in Van Hollen’s Southern Maryland district and are angry with him because they say his anti-war rhetoric does not match his support for legislation funding the U.S. military mission in Iraq.
OFFICIALS FORCIBLY REMOVE HILLARY PROTESTER AT FUNDRAISER
(03/20/2007) CODEPINK's Desiree Fairooz interrupts Hillary Clinton Fundraiser with the "Why, Why, Hillary Why?" song to the tune of "American Pie" as another CODEPINK protester Jodie Evans gets dragged out by 3-4 secret service officers.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=960_1174488595&p=1
Check out the video link from Drudge.
More charm from the far left - explaining in picture book form how they support the troops. - They burn US troops in effigy.
Nice.
http://linfield.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012088&l=c6305&id=65201211
ya know...it really is a Viet Nam timewarp. I feel like I'm back in elementary school thinking the 60's generation was a bunch of nuts. Still do, actually. They are still nuts at the age of 60. Is this the 60's echo generation? Are these the children of the spoiled rotten flower children?
If so, bring on the 70's echo generation. A return to normalcy and reasonableness is on the horizen. - just like when we took over from the drop out generation 30 years ago...
Now, our kids need to take out these neo hippie freaks.
Will Tom Cruise do a remake of the 4th of July?
Oops. Meant - Born on the 4th of July. or whatever it was. you all know which movie I mean.
dang memory.
Damage blamed on frustration
Some predict violent protest may be sign of things to come
By MEG JONES and DON BEHM
mjones@journalsentinel.com
Posted: March 20, 2007
One day after 21 people were arrested during a demonstration that vandalized a U.S. Army recruiting office on Milwaukee's east side, Wisconsin peace activist groups on Tuesday said some protesters might increasingly turn to destruction as their frustrations mount.
It's the third time in about two years that Doug Mack, a glass installer for T&L Glass, has had to replace broken glass at the Army recruiting office on Oakland Ave. Mack replaced the glass Tuesday.
Monday night's violence was an anomaly, said Judy Miner of Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, who noted protesters were peaceful at dozens of demonstrations, marches, rallies and vigils held Monday throughout the state.
"That's what impressed me," said Miner. "People have been very respectful of the fact that violence doesn't get us anywhere
Yes, turn to destruction when you can't get your way. It never worked very well for me with Mom.
Did YOUR Mom let you get by with that?
"That's what impressed me," said Miner. "People have been very respectful of the fact that violence doesn't get us anywhere
It's the third time in about two years that Doug Mack, a glass installer for T&L Glass, has had to replace broken glass at the Army recruiting office on Oakland Ave. Mack replaced the glass Tuesday.
This part just completely cracks me up.
One day after 21 people were arrested during a demonstration that vandalized a U.S. Army recruiting office on Milwaukee's east side, Wisconsin peace activist groups on Tuesday said some protesters might increasingly turn to destruction as their frustrations mount.
An anti-war rally at O'Donnell Park on Saturday drew a large crowd that listened to several speakers, including U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee), before marching to the Reuss Federal Plaza, Enslow said.
The peaceful gathering contrasted sharply with the arrests Monday night at the Army recruiting center near the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus, where protesters broke a window and threw smoke bombs, paint and human excrement, police said. There were no injuries reported.
"Soldiers defend the right of all Americans to peacefully express their point of their view. We're dismayed that their actions are anything but peaceful," Grobschmidt said
A good nugget from the Rush/Arnold interview today:
RUSH: Well, look I'm not looking at it ideologically. You and I both want the same things: we want what's best for people.
GOV. SCHWARZENEGGER: Right.
RUSH: But ideology is a fundamental argument in that. I believe conservatism is the best way to provide the most opportunity and success for the vast majority of people.
Government simply can't do it. You mentioned the minimum wage and compromising. You compromised on the price, but you still accepted the premise of liberalism that minimum wage is a somehow going to improve people's lot in life, and it doesn't.
The whole interview is very interesting. They are debating liberalism - conservatism in the context of topical legislation being debated across the country. Rush is very thorough and sure doesn't throw softballs, he is always instead, intellectual. You sure don't get this kind of conversation anywhere on TV.
This is why his show works and the shouting shows do not (Air America for instance)
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_032107/content/01125106.guest.html
RUSH: The problem with that is the liberals and the Democrats are not going to punt their ideology because it defines them, and so when we end up agreeing with them just to get compromise, even if the numbers they want are not as much as they wanted, we are still compromising our ideology, they are not --
---and this is what people are upset about. It's happening in Washington
Wow! Someone was on a roll tonight. Some thoughts in response.
I agree to a certain degree about the labor union stuff. To be fair and not just blame the companies, labor unions have been out there with the U.S. carmakers whining how they can’t compete with others. What losers and defeatists!
But labor is only one of the factors. We all know healthcare costs are a huge factor for U.S. carmakers. But I still maintain that lack of innovation and quality is the biggest contributor. Just look at the marketing incentives U.S. automakers need to use to sell their cars compared to Honda & Toyota. Compare resale values.
As I said in the earlier thread, it’s fair to point out Edwards’ hypocrisy on the energy stuff. That’s why I said “imperfect messenger.” But it does not mean his message is not valid. If every hypocrite is unfit to serve, we’ll likely have no contenders left in the presidential field.
Info on Edwards’ plan: http://johnedwards.com/news/headlines/20070320-energy-plan/
Here is one “go shopping” quote: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/12/20061220-1.html
I can’t find the exact quote soon after 9/11 about W encouraging people to shop to defeat the terrorists. Thus, you appear to have a point in that people may have been paraphrasing him. But I think we all remember the sentiment, no matter what his exact words were.
I don’t know why people would be offended by Edwards’ quip. On the other hand, I find it highly offensive that we launch this supposedly critically important life-and-death war in Iraq, but we are not even willing to pay for the war. I would think veterans of past wars and those who sacrificed and paid for those wars would be offended by these spoiled brat conservatives.
As a former Fallon supporter, not surprising that I agree on the corporate welfare stuff. Something I feel many D’s and R’s can agree on. Corporate welfare is the ultimate zero-sum game. I wish we could completely outlaw it nationwide. States and localities should compete with the quality of their workforce, quality of life, regulatory climate, actual climate, etc.
“Rush… intellectual.” – Well, that’s something I would consider a stretch. However, I have to admit I first discovered the value of actually listening to the other side on long lonely drives I had to do for my job, listening to Rush and the other right-wing nuts on the radio when nothing else was on. Despite their arguments often being completely one-sided and illogical, there usually is a nugget of truth or valid reasoning in those arguments. If even these wing nuts have some sort of a point, I have concluded that a truly intelligent and reasonable R must really be worth listening to.
Iowa's unemployment rate in January dropped to 3.4 percent as a result of 4,700 new jobs, according to Iowa Workforce Development. The rate is down from 3.5 percent in December and 4 percent a year ago.
John Edwards said a biopsy of her rib had showed that the cancer had returned.
The bone is one of the most common places where breast cancer spreads, and once it does so it is not considered curable.
But how long women survive depends on how widespread the cancer is in the bone, and many can survive for years. The longer it takes for cancer to spread after the initial tumor, the better the prognosis. She was diagnosed in 2004.
Chemotherapy and radiation are standard treatments, along with use of drugs that specifically target the bones called bisphosphonates. Other treatments include hormone therapy if the cancer is responsive to estrogen
rf-on a roll yourself. Good thread on this as I check in after posting.
The auto industry is a perfect example of the failings of American health care and industrial policy, as well as the great success of our economy in providing the most affluence to the largest percentage of people in the history of man.
We need an industrial revolution of sorts. We have to figure out a way to maintain wages and benefits-which can only be done through increased innovation and productivity. Innovation and productivity can only be assured through profitability, which cannot happen until we make changes in, more than anything else, the healthcare packages offered to retirees based on projections from the 50s-early 80s that no longer bear any relationship to reality, and, of course, how unfair is that?
This is truly a problem that our smartest people better address and damn soon or the American car is going to be a relic, which I mourn.
US President Tim Kalemkarian, US House Tim Kalemkarian, US Senate Tim Kalemkarian: best major candidate.
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