Monday, February 9, 2009

Big Labor Week

Big Labor is going to be the focus this week in the State Legislature. While we celebrated the defeat of Fair Share and the expansion collective bargaining agreement is years past, they keep coming back, and they will continue to do so until their wish list is enacted.

This year the game plan is to spread the field. So instead of focusing on what they really want, they instead are advancing four separate pieces of legislation; Fair Share, Prevailing Wage, Choice of Doctor, and expanding Iowa’s collective bargaining law.

With this approach they will get some of this legislation passed. The question is how much and which ones. If I was a betting man, I think their main objective is passing some version of Fair Share. The rest will be determined by what type of opposition the Republicans put up. If they roll over without a fight, they might just pass all four of these.

IDP and RPI tab Executive Directors

If you ever wanted some proof that Republicans have turned the corner in this state, one needs to only look at who will be running the day-today operations of the political parties in Iowa. Strawn’s choice is Jeff Boeyink, the former President of Iowans for Tax Relief. Boeyink brings a ton of experience to the table.

Leading the Iowa Democrats is Norm Sterzenbach. Sterzenbach ran Patty Judge’s gubernatorial campaign, and then was Culver’s deputy campaign manager in 2006. This last cycle Sterzenbach served as Political Director at IDP. There is no doubt that Culver and Judge are making sure that their people are running their Party, but the best and brightest Iowa Dems are now out of state.

Krusty Kudos to Strawn, this is a good move.

Krusty Wish List


I really want to see Tom Harkin head to HHS. Why? To get him out of the Senate, but also I would love to see a 2010 cycle with two US Senate campaigns and a Gubernatorial Campaign. Man that would be awesome, and good for Republicans too. Unless we help the Dems pass the Gas Tax….

9.7 trillion!?!

The stimulus package the U.S. Congress is completing would raise the government’s commitment to solving the financial crisis to $9.7 trillion, enough to pay off more than 90 percent of the nation’s home mortgages.

Think about that for a second.

11 comments:

  1. Paying off the mortgages would make more sense than the pork they're recommending. I'm just not too crazy about the $4 BILLION going to ACORN. That's economic stimulus? I don't think so.

    Sen. Thune also offered an amendment simply stating that each taxpayer get $5,000 or $10,000 for each couple.

    Which would you rather have, your $5,000 or over $4 BILLION for that criminal enterprise, ACORN?

    I want my $5000.

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  2. John Thune for President...seriously.

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  3. I don't know if anyone has asked it...how is RPI able to afford Boeyink?

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  4. Perhaps ITR is still paying him a salary since the party has traditionally been a front group for them anyways.

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  5. Jeff carried ITR during their glory years. They are very little without him. This is a big get for the state party. Certainly light years better than what the IDP calls their executive director.

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  6. ITR has long been the most powerful interest group in the party. The party is in tatters. Why doesn't ITR bear some responsibility for that?

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  7. Just another lobbyist, more or less?

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  8. When Peter promises to rob from Paul, Democrats will always vote for Peter. This is how we got where we are.

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  9. Anyone seen the new article on Matt Elliott in the DM Register???

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  10. How much money does ED make?

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  11. Iowans for Tax Relief is the worst thing that ever happened to the GOP.

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