18 Iowa State Legislators Pledge Support for John Kerry

[DJcairo]

"The total number of sitting legislators publicly supporting John Kerry is more than that of Gephardt and Dean combined, and double any other candidate. Kerry’s supporters include Democratic leaders Mary Mascher, the Minority Whip in the Iowa House of Representatives and Brian Quirk, Assistant Leader in the Iowa House. Representative Quirk, a Gulf War veteran, is also a member of the leadership team for Iowa Veterans for Kerry."

http://johnkerry.com/news/releases/pr_2003_0908.html

[AWD]

1. For the record...

"Public support" of someone is far from an "endorsement".

For example, I (as a candidate) publicly support several Dem candidates. I have officially endorsed none (but will do so soon).

These same legislators may be publicly supporting others as well.

[Nicholas_J]

3. The word ENDORSEMENT is used.

Support from Kerry in the Senate consists of over one fourth of the Democratic caucus in the Senate, including revered members Senator Jack Kibbie and Senator Mike Connelly. Those backing Kerry represent diverse populations from all over Iowa, both rural and urban, and their endorsement signifies the strength of his candidacy here.

http://johnkerry.com/news/releases/pr_2003_0908.html

[sandnsea]

13. Here's the quote

I have a couple people on ignore too, it really does reduce the stress level on this board, I agree.

But since the poster that you don't want to know who it is is on ignore, you didn't get the quote.

"Support from Kerry in the Senate consists of over one fourth of the Democratic caucus in the Senate, including revered members Senator Jack Kibbie and Senator Mike Connelly. Those backing Kerry represent diverse populations from all over Iowa, both rural and urban, and their endorsement signifies the strength of his candidacy here."

[Nicholas_J]

2. There have been large numbers

Of letters to the editors from Vermonters, particularly farmers who lost their small family farms due to Denas loosening of laws that protedted small family farms and placed restrictions on large corporate farms that made corporate farms unprofitable in Vermont. Plus Deans re-zoning of areas that were adjacent to agricultural areas for commercial and residential development were the death knell to these farms. Dean was responsible for the largest reduction of small family farms in the history of his state, and Kerry's plans for agricultural legislation, developed out of knowledge of Deans record, were designed to assure Iowans he would strongly support laws protecting small family farms.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[liberalnurse]

7. It's done.....

Forever to be ignored.....I have set myself free. :bounce:

My first attempt to put on ignore, I hit the buddy button... :puke:

[blm]

8. Then don't applaud when Deanies do it to other candidates.

Consistency is a virtue.

[sandnsea]

14. Is the info wrong?

If it is, refute it. Otherwise he's only posting information. Hardly Rovian.

[MercutioATC]

6. Small family farms should NOT be "protected"...

...any more than generic small business programs allow. If they're not economicaly viable, they suffer the consequences. To encourage small businesses with programs such as low-cost loans and mentoring is great. To protect small businesses (farms included) that can't compete in today's marketplace is foolish.

[Nicholas_J]

9. Again

Sounds like Deans "Econmies of scale" speech.

Sorry, Eighty percent of ALL Jobs in the U.S. are created by small businesses rather than LARGE corporate entities.


THis is one of the primary reasons that though the economy and stock marketis picking up, businesses arenot crteating nerw jobs as fast as job creation would be happening if small businesses were being stimulated.

You are using the conservative argument for favoring big business.The same erwasons they give for giving Haliburton and Bechtel the bids for rebuilging Iraq.

you a proving that Dean policies are closest to those of George Bush.

You have not proven that these large businesses are the engines that drive our economy.

I made the point that Dean destroyed lots of small family farms. Iowans are also terrified that this is being allowed to happen in Iowa, and want it stopped. Anyone with a record of not stopping it and taking the point that you are stating is correct will LOSE Iowa as they find out about this record. They dont want it, and the especially will not want someone who beleives that it is better to do it that way.



Family Farms, Not Factory Farms


Updated January 31, 2003


Family Farms, Not Factory Farms

Iowa is an agricultural powerhouse. It is number one in the nation for pork, corn and soybean production. Twenty-four percent of all hogs nationally are raised in Iowa. Many of the state's industries are related to agriculture including meatpacking, which is a major source of jobs in many areas of the state. As an agricultural state, farming issues greatly impact all of Iowa's residents, effecting everything from water quality to property taxes.

There have been drastic changes in the rural economy in the last decade. While farmers and their families are working hard to make ends meet, agribusiness interests, particularly industrial livestock facilities, are infiltrating our rich farmland and pushing the family farmer out of business. As factory-style animal production has gained a stranglehold in Iowa, thousands of Iowa's family farmers go under every year. The livestock factories that replace the family farms greatly distress Iowa's environment and rural economy.

http://yawp.com/ican/program/farms.shtml

Campaign for Family Farms Hails
Senate Action to Ban Packer Ownership of Livestock

Senators Wellstone and Johnson lead passage of amendment


Campaign for Family Farms
Washington, D.C.


On December 14, 2001 the U.S. Senate passed, by a 51-46 vote, an amendment to their version of the Federal Farm Bill that would ban meatpackers from owning livestock and make them divest all of the livestock they currently own.

The Campaign for Family Farms, a coalition of Midwest grassroots family farm organizations, hailed the passage of the amendment. “This is a big victory in the fight against corporate concentration in agriculture. The Campaign for Family Farms stepped up our organizing for this vote four months ago. We worked closely with Senator Wellstone who showed great leadership, as did Senator Johnson. The House of Representatives better follow the Senate because this is the direct voice of the people saying ban packer ownership of livestock,” said Paul Sobocinski, a hog farmer member of the Land Stewardship Project and spokesperson for the Campaign for Family Farms.

http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/ra01/packers.html


Stopping Factory Farms,
Supporting Family Farms

Since 1995, CCI members have led the fight against factory farms in Iowa. They have: stopped nearly three dozen factory farms from being built; won property tax reductions in at least 5 counties (for property devaluations due to factory farms); stopped hog factory giant Heartland Pork from getting a $700,000 property tax break in 1998; got the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to levy nearly a dozen manure violations and fines against 4 hog factory corporations; and helped initiate at least six nuisance lawsuits in the past three years. To date, three suits have resulted in damage awards for neighbors who live near factory farms, including a $1 million award in 2002.

CCI has also been at the forefront of key policy changes in the state. In 2000, CCI launched a state-wide campaign to establish clean air standards for factory farm emissions (hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, etc.). In 2002, CCI's grassroots pressure resulted in the passage of Senate File 2293 which will force more hog factories to apply for construction permits and called for the establishment of air quality rules. At the local level, CCI helped pass factory farm moratoriums in four counties and passed ordinances in four other counties.



http://www.iowacci.org/rural/factory.htm



Deans record gets out, Dean is dead in Iowa, and it is starting to get out. I know Vermonters who acre actively reporting Deans history regarding family farms in Vermont through letters to the editors from displaced family farmers.

I am absolutly certain that all of those Iowa Family farmers will see it Deans way and your way and allow Dean, for the good of efficiency to destroy their lives and generations of family business. Yes, they will all agree that Dean is the best accessor of efficiency, and the massive environmental damge that the shortcuts that these large farms take to be "MORE EFFICIENT" are no problem at all. Worth it all to be poisoned for efficiency.


Argue your point till the cows come home... Iowans are dont see it that way, and eventually they will see that Dean does not represent THEIR best interests.

[Nicholas_J]

10. But you do not change the balance of laws

To favor the large businesses in order to bring them in, and so weaken the small businesses.

Dean brought Urban Sprawl to Vermont. HE favored large business at the expense of small ones. There is a great differnce

Another factor is that the money earned in small busnneses in gneral stays in the state. It is deposited in local banks, it supports other local businesses, and does not get sent to big banks in other states, and out in dividends to pay to shareholders all over the U.S. and the World.

Bringing in large, non environmentally pollutin g businesses that do not displace local businesses, is a sounder policy for job creation. Brining in large businesses that will displace smaller local businesses is a formula fro destroying a states economy.

[sandnsea]

11. WOW!!!

Did you make a wrong turn somewhere along the way? Every candidate is promoting small business protection, except maybe Dean based on his Vermont farm record. But I mostly hear all of them saying it is critical for the US worker to help small business because that's where the bulk of US jobs are. Help them with tax credits for keeping jobs in the US, tax credits to help provide health insurance, all kinds of things. And protecting family farms, that's our traditional values, that's everything America is about. Turn over our food production to a bunch of unconcerned corporatists and who knows what we would be eating. I can't even comprehend living in a country with no family farms. If we lose them, we'll all be at the mercy of corporations for our very existence. I don't want that kind of country.

[MercutioATC]

16. My family shut down their dairy farm because it couldn't compete...

I KNOW what it's like. I can't, however, support artifically protecting businesses that can't make it on their own. Giving them assistance is a completely different story. Making loans and professional advice available is great. Penalizing larger operations because they're more economically viable isn't.

[Nicholas_J]

18. Changing the laws so they can be more efficient

When you would not let the smaller businesses use those procedures isc also giving the larger farms an unfair advantage.

[MercutioATC]

19. Unfair advantages? That's not what shut down MY family's farm...

It was costs vs. income. The government dropped milk supports while the cost of fertilizer and seed went up. The large farms were able to run a more efficient operation due to VOLUME, not legislation.

[Nicholas_J]

17. Not just small farms

Dean brought Wal-Marts, Toys R'US and other such large chains into the state. Not only this, he insisted on placing them in the down town areas where they put large numbers of small family owned businesses in any number of types of business out of business, as well. By all accounts Dean is held largely responsible for brining massive Urban Sprawl into Vermont, and created job shifting, rather than new jobs. Low income workers saw a DECLINE in their salaries while Dena was governor, as more and more people moved from jobs in small family owned businesses to the large corporate chains.
Dean gave speech after speech about preserving small famrs all the while bringing in large factory farms, loosening environmental rules so these farms could use aerial spraying of pesticides where prior to this, it was not allowed forthe small famrs to do the same.

Again, Dean talks a good talk, saying what people want to hear, but bottom line is to stop up your ears when he talks and look at what he did while governor.

Its the ONLY way to tell what he us all about.

[MercutioATC]

20. Please show me the large truck Dean used to "bring" superstores to Vermont

Dean "brought" nobody.

We have a basic philosophical difference in how to best deal with modernization, it seems (no big surprise there). I believe in keeping the legislative playing field level and letting the market decide the rest. Protectionism simply results in weaknesses. If a business can't survive on its own, why is it right to artificially support it?

Measures are being taken by individuals. I've seen pickets outside local K-Marts and a lot of negative press about WalMart. The fact is, the market doesn't care. People want one-stop discount shopping. They're not willing to pay 20% more for groceries and household items in order to support local businesses. The people have spoken.

I'd encourage anybody who feels differently to shop their conscience. However, I don't feel that it's the government's responsibility to deal with the problem.

[molly]

12. This is great news!

[DJcairo]

15. from the AP story

"State lawmakers are precisely the type of activists who are
heavily courted by the candidates for the Democratic nomination.
They typically are opinion leaders in their communities and have
close ties to local party operations that can pay huge dividends
among the relatively few activists who will decide the caucuses.
While there are more than 600,000 registered Democrats in the
state, only about 100,000 are expected to actually attend the
caucuses. The role of opinion leaders is crucial because the
caucuses are essentially neighborhood meetings where activists must
publicly declare their allegiances."