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From: Richard Kissack [rkissack@cis.net]
Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 2:44 PM
To: DEMOCRATS OF CLINTON COUNTY
Subject: Clinton County Democrats' Newsletter
“We have an administration that has
taken a number of actions seen as
seriously inconsistent with American
values and expectations.”
(Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker, former
general counsel to both the NSA and the CIA.)
http://www.clintoncountydemocrats.org
March 3, 2006
Saturday, March 4, 2006 at
THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS CONTINUES
v Registration and social interaction
will begin at 9:00 A.M. at which time we will be serving a continental
breakfast.
v The convention will convene at 10:00
A.M.
v Candidates for office will be
speaking whenever they arrive throughout the convention.
v Lunch will be served at noon.
v We will be discussing, debating and
voting on the planks in the County Democratic platform that was put together by
the platform committee from proposals received at the precinct caucuses.
v We plan to be finished by 3:00 P.M.
v We will have an auction of Democratic political memorabilia to raise money
for the county political expenses. So
far among the material we have received are several magazines from the
Kennedy/Johnson years, books and a pair of Lyndon Johnson salt and pepper
shakers. If you have material you would
like to donate phone or email Jean Pardee at 242-8111 or jmpardee@mchsi.com
COMING EVENTS
Friday, March 3 4:00-7:00
P.M. “Meet Your Legislator”
State
Representative Tom Schueller
Soup
and
Eagles
Club,
Featured Speakers
Gubernatorial
Candidates: Mike Blouin and Chet
Culver
Congressional
Candidates: Bruce Braley, Rick
Dickinson and Bill Gluba
State
Senator Roger Stewart State
Representative Polly Bukta
Saturday, March 4 9:00
A.M.
Sunday,
March 12 4:00-7:00 P.M. Fund raising dinner to help pay mounting
medical expenses for Patsy Nichols at
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller will be among the speakers during the convention.
Other
speakers throughout the convention will be candidates for the first district
congressional seat, Rick Dickinson, Bill Gluba, Dennis Heath and Bruce
Braley. State Senators Roger Stewart
and Frank Wood, State Representatives Tom Schueller and Polly Bukta, County
Supervisor Grant Wilke, Sheriff Rick Lincoln, County Auditor Charlie Sheridan
and Supervisor candidate Dennis Starling will be speaking at various times
throughout the convention. One or more
candidates for Governor may be able to attend part of the convention.
The
convention presents an opportunity for citizens to be heard for the betterment
of our County, State and Nation.
Delegates will debate, discuss and adopt a statement of Party principles
and platform planks concerning agriculture, the environment, the economy,
commerce, labor, education, human resources, health care, international affairs
and transportation.
Delegates
will be elected to the Congressional District and State Conventions which are
the next stages in the democratic process.
“Not since 1994 has the
party in power -- in this case the Republicans -- faced such a discouraging landscape
in a midterm election. President Bush is weaker than he was just a year ago, a
majority of voters in recent polls have signaled their desire for a change in
direction, and Democrats outpoll Republicans on which party voters think is
more capable of handling the country's biggest problems. The result is a
midterm already headed toward what appears to be an inevitable conclusion:
Democrats are poised to gain seats in the House and in the Senate for the first
time since 2000. The difference between modest gains (a few seats in the Senate
and fewer than 10 in the House) and significant gains (half a dozen in the
Senate and well more than a dozen in the House) is where the battle for control
of Congress will be fought.
“The contest begins with
Republicans holding 231 House seats and Democrats holding 201, with one
Democrat-leaning independent and two vacancies, split between the parties. Democrats need to gain 15 seats to dethrone
the GOP majority. In the Senate, Republicans hold 55 seats to the Democrats'
44, with one Democrat-leaning independent. Democrats need six more seats to
take power.
“At this point, the biggest
challenge facing the Democrats is the narrow size of the battlefield. To win
control of the House or Senate, Democrats must either capture the overwhelming
percentage of genuinely competitive contests or find a way to put more races
"in play" than is the case now.
"The
danger is in a bad year, as Democrats should remember from 1994, you have
supporters who stay home."
Another
prime pickup opportunity for Democrats comes in this eastern
From: Richard Kissack [rkissack@cis.net]
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 9:13 PM
To: DEMOCRATS OF CLINTON COUNTY
Subject: Clinton County Democrats' Newsletter
“The people sent a clear
message—cut the warfare, cool the rhetoric, find
common ground and fix the
problems together. Message received!”
(Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger)
http://www.clintoncountydemocrats.org
March 11,
2006
COMING EVENTS
Sunday, March 12 PATSY NICHOLS BENEFIT There will be a fund raising ham
dinner
to help
pay mounting medical bills for Patsy
Nichols. Serving will be from 4:00
P.M. to 7:00 P.M.
in
Fellowship Hall,
Make
checks payable to: Patsy Nichols
Benefit. Proceeds from this meal will be
matched by
Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans. Call Evelyn
Dymkowski, 242-6845 or Jean Pardee, 242-8111
for
tickets. Tickets may also be purchased
at the door. You can read more about this benefit on
page one
of the Clinton Herald, Saturday, March 4.
Tuesday,
March 21 7:30 P.M. Clinton County Democratic Central
Committee meets
at
Democratic Headquarters.
Saturday,
April 29 First
Congressional District Convention
Saturday,
May 27
Congress
will not be in session, so we hope to
have
a nationally prominent speaker.
Tuesday, June 6
Saturday,
June 17 State
Democratic Convention in
THE LAST
1000 DAYS OF THE GEORGE W. BUSH ADMINISTRATION
We’re beginning the joyful countdown for one of the most partisan,
divisive, belligerent, dismissive, arrogant, secretive, tactless, incompetent,
ineffective and inarticulate presidencies in history. Mr. Bush’s inability to express himself
clearly has resulted in a presidency that cannot inspire or persuade. He leaves the electorate in a state of
depression.
President Bush failed to consult with Congress including Republican
leaders about his plan to award operational control of six ports to a company
owned by the
THIS WE BELIEVE
(Taken from
the Clinton County Democratic Party 2006 platform statement of principles.)
We reaffirm that the Democratic Party should be the party of the common
person and should stand strongly for jobs at a living wage, decent and
affordable housing, adequate health care and a fiscally sound social security
system for all.
FULL
DELEGATION SELECTED FOR DISTRICT AND STATE CONVENTIONS
We will be
traveling to Peosta for the District convention and to
delegation
representing the Democrats of Clinton County.
These Democrats were selected at the
Delegates: Connor Anderson, Diane Bolte, Polly Bukta, David Carrol, Penny Fullerton, Tom Gibbons,
Bev Hermann, Howard Keefer, Dick Kissack, Walt Knapper, Larry Kness, Bob Krajnovich, Cammie McGuire,
Carol McGuire, Robert Miller,
Ethel Soesbe, Judy Schaaf, Charles Sheridan, Charles Smith, Myrna Weller,
James Winkel.
Alternates: John Bonte, Martha Bonte, Ray Fredericksen, Dan Fullerton, Wendy Krajnovich, Gary Kremer, Susan Miller,
Art Ollie, Pat Outzen, Ken Reed, Marilyn Schmidt, Bob Soesbe, Mary
Soesbe, Philip Webb.
MR. TOUGH GUY
“I am
concerned about the accumulation of power by the White House and the secrecy
surrounding decision making. When Vice President
Dick Cheney says ‘This is a battle for the future of civilization,’ he evokes
an obsession with a grandiose and exaggerated sense of himself. There is no question that terrorists pose
dangerous threats around the world, but I am more immediately afraid of powers
in my own country. Delusions of grandeur
and absolute thinking lead to poor insight, dangerous decision making and
little respect for other points of view.
I thought we were fighting a war for democratic ideals in policymaking.” (Sandy Stork of
“Mr. Cheney
said that the Watergate era marked ‘the nadir of the modern presidency in terms
of authority and legitimacy.’ It has
apparently not occurred to him that the nadir was brought about by the
arrogant, self-serving abuse of authority by President Nixon. The current administration is repeating the same
mistake.” (Edith Neimark of
COMMENT: Do you suppose that when Mr.
Cheney writes his autobiography he will include an account of “Mr. Tough Guy”
leading the troops into battle? Didn’t
Mr. Cheney receive his training in politics as a member of the Nixon
Administration?
Democrats failed last week
to force a last-ditch vote on raising
But Sen.
Ron Wieck,
From: Richard Kissack [rkissack@cis.net]
Sent: Sunday, March 19, 2006 7:26 AM
To: DEMOCRATS OF CLINTON COUNTY
Subject: Clinton County Democrats' Newsletter
“When the President
takes measures incompatible with the expressed
or implied will of Congress, his power is at its
lowest ebb.”
(Supreme Court Justice
Robert Jackson)
http://www.clintoncountydemocrats.org
March 20,
2006
COMING EVENTS
Tuesday, March 21 7:30 P.M. The
will
meet at Democratic Headquarters. We will
have
a
guest speaker on working families.
Saturday,
April 8 Senator
John Edward Event in
4:40-6:15
P.M. Wine and Cheese Reception across
from the
Redstone Inn
6:15 P.M Free Public Rally –
Saturday,
April 29 First
Congressional District Convention
Saturday,
May 27
Congress
will not be in session, so we hope to
have
a nationally prominent speaker.
Tuesday, June 6
Saturday,
June 17 State
Democratic Convention in
November 7, 2006 National and
State Elections
THE FOLLOWING
EDUCATION BILL HAS PASSED
THE
HF 2733 – The bill
increases the State sales tax from 5 percent to 6 percent. The increased revenues are deposited into a
new secure and advanced vision for education fund to be distributed to all
school districts. Those revenues are to
replace the local option sales and services tax for school infrastructure
purposes. A statewide amount per pupil
is computed each fiscal year based upon the estimated amount that would be
generated by a one percent local sales and services tax, if one is imposed,
divided by combined enrollment of all school districts. Each district will receive an amount equal to
the amount that that it would have received under the formula if the local sales
and services tax for school infrastructure was imposed. (Frevert, et. Al)
COMMENT: The one percent sales tax for
school infrastructure is one of the most progressive education measures ever
passed by the Iowa Legislature. Making
the tax State-wide will enable school boards to do effective long range
planning for their districts. Research
shows that spacious and attractive buildings positively affect student
learning.
THIS WE BELIEVE
(Taken
from the Clinton County Democratic Party 2006 platform.)
The
HEALTH CARE ONCE AGAIN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BUSH BUDGET
“The President’s FY07 budget reflects the President’s misplaced priorities
by slashing Medicare funding $36 billion, eliminating vital medical research
initiatives and raids education by proposing the largest cut in history.
“The President’s budget reminds us that there is no such thing as a free
lunch. The Senate passed another $70
billion in tax breaks, mostly for the wealthy. The bill came due, to be
paid by seniors on fixed incomes, the working poor, people with disabilities,
cancer patients, and public school children. A budget is a moral document, and the
President’s budget flunks the most basic moral test. It calls for literally
hundreds of billions in additional tax cuts, with the lion’s share going to
those making more than $1 million a year. And it calls for deep cuts to
programs that our most vulnerable citizens depend on for their very survival.” (Senator Tom Harkin)
BRUCE BRALEY’S PRESCRIPTION TO
CHANGE MEDICARE
Democratic Candidate for Congress www.brucebraley.com
Bruce
Braley has written a four-point plan to correct fundamental flaws in the
Medicare prescription drug benefit, commonly known as Medicare Part D. “Sadly,
it seems like the “D” here stands for “disaster.” Letting industry
lobbyists write the original Medicare prescription drug law resulted in a
confusing plan that leaves Iowa seniors without prescription drug benefits they
need and deserve.’
· Eliminate the Signup Period. Currently, there is a May 15th
deadline for eligible seniors to sign up for the Medicare drug benefit
plan. Seniors are penalized for signing up late—a requirement that only
benefits the big drug companies. Eligible seniors should have the freedom
to choose when and if they sign up for the benefit, without the fear of
penalty.
· Grant Medicare the Power to
Negotiate Lower Drug Prices. Medicare should have the ability to use its bulk
purchasing power to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs. The Veterans
Administration currently does just that—and its 5.2 million beneficiaries pay
less for prescription drugs than Medicare beneficiaries.
· Allow Importation of Safe,
FDA-Approved Drugs from
· Eliminate the “Doughnut Hole” Gap in
Coverage. As
it stands, Medicare Part D does not cover prescription drug costs that total
between $2,250 and $5,100. This “doughnut hole” in coverage costs seniors
thousands of dollars, benefiting only the big drug companies. The law
should be reworked to eliminate this huge coverage gap, using savings from
lower negotiated prices and re-importation to cover the cost.
I’d love to
hear your comments, questions or concerns. Please don’t hesitate to
contact my campaign at 319-233-0861, or send comments via my website: www.brucebraley.com.
DID YOU KNOW? The Federal deficit
has gone from a $236 billion surplus to a record $423 billion deficit because of
George W. Bush’s failed leadership.
(Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee)