JCR Blog

The race for House District 29 took an interesting turn this past week with the financial disclosures filed by the candidates running for office in this District.

The 10 year incumbent, Ro Foege, Democrat, Mount Vernon, reported taking a very hefty sum of $41,000 in donations for the period from July 19th to October 19th.

However, a deeper look at the numbers reveal a very disturbing picture.

Of the $41,000 dollars, nearly 53% or $24,000 came from PACs. An additional 32% or $11,000 of his donations came from OUTSIDE of Linn and Johnson counties. Only 15% of Foege's donations came from within Linn and Johnson Counties. A grand total of 43 PAC donations were made to Foege's campaign.

So what does this say about the current Representative from District 29? Answer: His allegiances are bought and paid for by the Democrat special interest lobby.

Ro Foege has bragged for years about how well he represents the people of District 29.
The facts however, tell a far different story.

The votes that Ro Foege has cast prove that he is merely a tool of the special interests. For example, Foege voted AGAINST allowing small businesses and associations to pool together to gain lowered health insurance costs.

Foege also voted to have taxpayers repay every dime that was wasted in the CIETC scandal by fraudulent and criminal mismanagement of taxpayer dollars.

Foege also voted against the so called "People's Amendment" which would have required a majority vote of the people of Iowa before any tax increase would be enacted.

So, you ask what is the solution to the problem that is representative Ro Foege? Simple...Elect Emma Nemecek to House District 29 on November 7th.

Emma is the hardest working candidate for Iowa House in the entire state, having door-knocked on over 15,000 doors in House District 29. Homes across the district are sprouting a wave of blue Nemecek for House yard signs.

Its time for a change in House District 29. Its time for a leader who's not beset by the special interests. That leader is Emma Nemecek.

If you're looking for a more reasoned endorsement today, Johnson County citizens need only look up the road to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, which today endorsed Jim Nussle for Governor.

Jim Nussle can be a great leader of Iowa. He has the right philosophy about limited government and the right experience in the trenches of budget-making and government reform. The Manchester Republican has proven his ability to work in moderate and bipartisan fashion, a fact most apparent from his eight successful congressional elections out of an Eastern Iowa district with Democratic leanings.

The Gazette was not alone in reflecting the mainstream values of Iowans better than a certain paper in Des Moines. Nussle has now gained endorsements from the daily newspapers in Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, Dubuque, Fort Dodge, Estherville.

UPDATE: You can also add the newspapers of Ames, and Marshalltown.

I am generally skeptical of claims of a liberal media bias -- yes the media has a number of biases including toward conflict, simple story-lines, and others, but I normally hold out that it's predominantly not ideological. And yes, I know that editorial endorsements are the one time when the media are supposed to take a political stand -- but I had no idea (or at least had deluded myself into forgetting) how out of touch the Register editorial board truly is.

Not only did they endorse Iowa's need for a "big lug" (yes, that's what they called him), bu they endorsed every Democrat congressional candidate except for our own Congressman Jim Leach. Leach certainly deserves their endorsement (and our votes on Nov. 7), but I couldn't help but feel like the only reason they chose not to toe the entire party line was to give themselves at least the appearance of objectivity.

Endorsing neophyte Selden Spencer over one of our most experienced and hardworking Representatives, Tom Latham? And they're really tilting at windmills to suggest with any seriousness that voters should defeat Steve King. I expected their usual defense of Boswell and support of Braley -- but what really sold them on Braley was his "respect for the U.S. Constitution"???? That's about as good as using support of apple pie, the Fourth of July and ethanol a basis of support. The Constitution is an amazing document, and I love it too, but Republicans are the ones who support Judges who actually follow it.

And then back to "the big lug".... wow, you couldn't ask for a better Extreme Makeover than the Register gave him. You can honestly disagree with either of the candidates on the issues, and I fully expected the Register Editorial Board to disagree with Nussle on several, but to suggest that Culver is more diligent, prepared, and well-thought-out that Nussle is unbelievable. They must not have watched the debates I saw -- or else they're just bitter that Nussle only stomachs reading their paper once a day.

I might have to reconsider even that.

UPDATE: Here's Krusty's take on the Register's endorsements.

The Press-Citizen endorsed Congressman Jim Leach for re-election this morning:

Given the polarized nature of contemporary political debate, the last
message we want to send to our political leaders in Washington is that they will
be punished electorally for failing to toe the party line. This is especially
true for a congressman who has served his constituents well for 30 years. Thus,
we endorse Republican Rep. Jim Leach for re-election to the U.S. Congress.

. . .

[T]rue moderates like Leach are a desperately endangered species that we as
a nation cannot allow to become extinct. We need statesmen who can translate and
can negotiate between their more ideological colleagues. Leach is proof positive
that representatives of the same political party as the president need not be
rubber stamps for that president's desires.

We need to send Jim Leach back to Washington, and we need to encourage him
to be a more assertive moderate.

If you haven't been following, they also endorsed Republicans, State Senator David Miller and State Rep. Jeff Kauffman.

About a dozen local Republicans of all ages took time out of their day to welcome Chet Culver to Iowa City today. Though we were able to visit with many students and motorists, and the few Democrats heading into hear Culver speak, Culver himself seems to have caught word of our welcome committee and snuck inside out of our sight -- once again ducking the public cries about his support from touch play special interests.

UPDATE: Here's coverage of our protest (and Culver's visit) in the Press-Citizen.

$25,000 is all it takes to get Chet Culver in your pocket. While Jim Nussle led the charge to get Touchplay slot machines out of Iowa's gas stations, grocery stores, and restraunts, Chet was silent. Bill Krause, Kum & Go kingpin and one of the predatory purveyors of Touchplay machines who are suing Iowa's taxpayers, was once a Nussle supporter. Krause swapped sides when he realized that Jim Nussle would not sell out our state. It seems Krause has found a willing partner in Chet Culver. Culver's charging $25,000 for his new found interest in returning slot machines on every street corner. Pretty cheap price for your principles, Chet.

Also: Krause's behavior should cause Iowans to think twice before filling our tanks at Kum & Go.

According to the Washington Post, if Nancy Pelosi becomes Speaker of the House she would appoint Alcee Hastings as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Hastings "was impeached and removed from his federal judgeship in 1989 for conspiring to take a $150,000 bribe and give light sentences to two convicted swindlers."

I can't believe it's even being considered....

It would appear that Chet Culver has once again contracted foot in mouth disease.

During Monday night's debate against Jim Nussle, Culver made the claim that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce had ranked Iowa as having the fifth best business climate in the country.

Only one problem with that: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce doesn't compile business climate rankings.

In fact, a spokesman for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says that he doesn't know what Culver is talking about.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce magazine did do an article earlier this year about rankings done by another group, the Tax Foundation. The Tax Foundations most recent report on business-tax climate, released just last week, ranked Iowa 43rd best in the country.

Culver's campaign team has said that Culver had merely "misspoke" during the debate, and that Iowa still has a "strong business climate"

Now I don't know about you all, but there's a big difference between being 43rd best..and 5th best..and there's a bigger difference between 43rd best and a made up statistic.

This wasn't a case of being "misspoken"..this is a case of Chet Culver saying and doing anything he can to get elected Governor. Facts...who needs facts? Just throw some numbers out there, make it sound all impressive and you'll look like a leader out there, right Chet?

Bill Dix blogging for the Des Moines Register.

Following last night's debate, it seems Ed Fallon was overheard making a less than supportive comment about the Democrat's "big lug," Chet Culver.

Ed Fallon was overheard just outside the IPTV studios saying: "That guy makes it hard for me to go out and say vote Chet Culver." I don't know if that means Jim Nussle makes it hard or if Chet Culver makes it hard - either way, even Ed Fallon knows Jim Nussle waxed Culver in last nights debate.

David Yepsen gives Jim Nussle the edge in tonight's debate.

Missed it? You can check it out here.

I don't know that Culver could have pulled a more tacky move than trying to bring the Foley debacle into the debate. Nussle handled it masterfully.

Krusty's got some great analysis.