Vander Plaats Fires A Shot At Rants
- Thursday, June 18, 2009, 4:45
- Iowa, Top Story
- 1,902 views
- 66 comments
Bob Vander Plaats fired the opening salvo of the 2010 Republican gubernatorial campaign yesterday. In his crosshairs was Chris Rants, the former Speaker of the Iowa House and current member of the Iowa House of Representatives, who is drumming up support for a gubernatorial campaign of his own.
Vander Plaats launched his attack while doing an interview with Bill Salier who is filling in for Jan Mickelson on WHO Radio. Vander Plaats said that, if elected, he would sign an executive order banning same sex marriage that would allow people the opportunity to vote on the controversial issue.
Rants has made statements saying that the Governor doesn’t have the authority to overrule the court with just an executive order, but has vowed to fight to bring a marriage amendment to the people for a vote. Rants successfully passed the marriage amendment in the House while he was Speaker and played a critical role in bringing the issue to a vote in that chamber this past legislative session.
Vander Plaats said, “With all due respect to Representative Rants, I believe that’s the kind of leadership that’s brought us from being the majority in the state to being the minority in the state. When you give complete power over to the Supreme Court, you’ll have tyranny not liberty.”
Vander Plaats also told those in attendance at his event with Mike Huckabee last week that he “would be the Governor who would sign the executive order to let people vote on marriage.”
A number of people in addition to Rants have questioned the legality of Vander Plaats’ use of an executive order as a way to ban gay marriage. Many people believe that an executive order would simply create a legal battle between the state Supreme Court and the Governor if Vander Plaats is elected. Other Republicans instead want to focus their efforts on passing a marriage amendment through the legislative process.
It is interesting that Vander Plaats has chosen to attack Rants before he has officially entered the race. Longtime GOP activist Bob Haus believes that both candidates would be better served to focus on Governor Culver’s terrible tenure thus far.
“These two candidates should remember that Chet Culver is the target, not each other. While they argue over the separation of powers, Iowans are being separated from their jobs, and taxpayers are being buried in debt. No executive order will stop the tsunami of red ink heading our way. Only replacing Chet Culver will,” Haus said.
While Vander Plaats has sought the GOP gubernatorial nomination twice before, this is the first time he has been in the position of the frontrunner and the first time he has really gone on the offensive against a primary opponent in this cycle. This is especially interesting given that this particular primary opponent has yet to officially announce his campaign.
With the first shot now fired in the GOP gubernatorial campaign, it’s safe to say that the intensity of the campaign is about to reach another level.
About the Author
Craig Robinson has written 700 stories on this site.
Craig Robinson serves as the founder and Editor-in-Chief of TheIowaRepublican.com. Prior to founding Iowa's largest conservative news site, Robinson served as the Political Director of the Republican Party of Iowa during the 2008 Iowa Caucuses. In that capacity, Robinson planned and organized the largest political event in 2007, the Iowa Straw Poll, in Ames, Iowa. Robinson also organized the 2008 Republican caucuses in Iowa, and was later dispatched to Nevada to help with the caucuses there. Robinson cut his teeth in Iowa politics during the 2000 caucus campaign of businessman Steve Forbes and has been involved with most major campaigns in the state since then. His extensive political background and rolodex give him a unique perspective from which to monitor the political pulse of Iowa.
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This cheap shot by VP shows how desperate he is to become governor.
Maybe we should be running Haus for governor. He shows much wisdom in his words.
This goes to show what an idiot BVP is. How many lines of these posts have been spent on Civics 101 to show that an executive can NOT overrule the Court’s decision on gay marriage by executive order? Talk about tyranny. The fact that BVP takes this position is sufficient reason to reject him as a serious candidate. As much as Rants is a polarizer I admire him for at least telling the truth about how to deal with the Court’s decision. How I miss Robert Ray.
anyone that Bill Salier likes is a sure fire way to get me to vote against them. did he happen to say what he will do ti fix the budget,education or our economy or is banning gay marriage the way to fix all of the real issues in the state ? again, ITS THE ECONOMY STUPID !!!!! focus on that and we can win.
I think that we have confirmed that this site should be renamed The Iowan for Vander Plaats. It is simply too early to declare a “frontrunner.” There is no frontrunner, because there is no one running. Even if some of these people are deemed to be running, is there any evidence other than Mr. VP’s own exhortations to declare a frontrunner? Given the other gossip from this and related pages, one could just as easily declare Mr. Rants a frontrunner because he apparently is raising financial commitments across the state at a good clip. Focusing on the content of this article, it is time for someone to address an issue other than the mechanics of challenging gay marriage. We have heard the sad news over the past few days that the current state government financing is totally unsustainable. I’d like to hear some specific proposals about how these “candidates” are going to change thinks beyond spending lots of time and money hiring lawyers at state expense to challenge court decisions.
so bob will protect separation of powers by destroying separation of powers ? the logic here is laughable. Rants may be a jellyfish, but at least he is honest about it.
Rants is no jellyfish and he has a thorough knowledge of the budget and the hole the Democrats are creating.
Rants gave an honest answer which means a lot regarding the signing of an executive order.
At this point, Rants is the guy with the knowlege and the honesty to do the job. It’ easy for those who have never held elective office to say what needs to be done but once you attain the seat you want, you have to put your words into actions and that may not be as easy.
Talk is cheap.
Anon–Amen. The news from the LSB yesterday is not surprising. The State is in trouble. We need diciplined leaders to nurse us back to health. People do not talk about gay marriage (except on these posts). What they talk about is the economic smack down we are experiencing and what kind of legacy (read burden) we are leaving for our children and grandchildren. As far as Salier, he is a polarizing flamethrower. Moreover, he is a hypocrite. His rants are undermined by the fact he is a John Deere welfare queen. If he were true to his convictions he would reject goverment farm subsidies.
It’s refreshing to see someone like Christopher Rants use logic to make a reasoned arguement, at least he has actually done something about the issue besides run off at the mouth! Too bad so many refuse to accept the reality of this situation and instead choose to offer platitudes and empty rhetoric, all the while tearing down anyone that isn’t “pure” enough to pass their litmus test on the social issues.
I just love how people begin attacking BVP for actually trying to do something rather rest on his heels. He has admitted that the executive order would not overrule the Supreme Court but would instead force to legislature to take action on the issue. Something the Dems in this state are afraid to do.
I believe Bob VP was very respectful to Rants. After all, Rants has already questioned Bob’s stance on an executive order so why is it a cheap shot for Bob to question Rants’ position on the issue?
I think Craig is trying to use subliminal messaging on us. If he mentions the words “Vander Plaats” and “frontrunner” every time he discusses the governor’s race, he hopes it will stick in our minds.
Very clever, Mr. Robinson.
Here are the first paragraphs from the press release that was released by the VP campaign at 10:30 yesterday am. This would have been ready for release before he even went on the air.
“CONTACT: ERIC WOOLSON
515-681-3967
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2009
VANDER PLAATS: UNLIKE OTHER CANDIDATES, I’LL STAND UP FOR SEPARATION OF CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS
DES MOINES – Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats said today his willingness to take a strong stand to protect the separation of powers and hold activist courts in check distinguishes him from at least one of his primary election opponents, former House Speaker Christopher Rants.
Vander Plaats said during the Jan Mickelson program on WHO Radio with guest host Bill Salier that he would sign an executive order banning same-sex marriages as part of an effort to give Iowans the right to vote on the issue. Rants, who has said he does not believe the governor has the authority to sign an order, would limit his attempts to using the bully pulpit of the office.
“With all due respect to Representative Rants, I believe that’s the kind of leadership that’s brought us from being the majority in the state to being the minority in the state,” said Vander Plaats, who defeated Rants by more than a two-to-one margin in a poll conducted last week by TheIowaRepublican.com. ““When you give complete power over to the Supreme Court, you’ll have tyranny not liberty.”
Noting that Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order that defied a Supreme Court decision, Vander Plaats added, “Executives need to lead. This is not about winning the office it’s about leading. That’s what separates me from anyone else out there.”
Al: No one is attacking VP for trying to do something rather than rest on his heels. VP is being criticized for taking shots at Rants instead of Culver. This is negative campaigning and we don’t need it in a Republican primary.
I had had an open mind about this but now VP is way down my list.
Bob Haus says it best–we need to keep our eyes on Culver and the Democrats.
I honestly don’t see that as an attack. I think that he is differentiating himself from his opponents.He is pointing out what he would do that his opponent wouldn’t do.
Al – come on. BVP: ” I believe that’s the kind of leadership that’s brought us from being the majority in the state to being the minority in the state.”
That is an attack. No question.
In my view, Bob Vander Plaats’ experiences have prepared him to be not only the best GOP candidate for Iowa Governor in 2010, but also to be the most effective leader of either party to move our state in a more positive direction. Bob is not only a successful business owner, but also a proven leader in education. His vision includes a vibrant economy, world class schools, access to excellent health care, a hand up to those in need, energy independence, and embracing a stewardship mentality regarding our natural and fiscal resources. In a nutshell, it all comes down to Bob’s rare political qualities of honesty and integrity. Bob’s candidacy may be a defining moment for the Iowa GOP. Even though he has had some impressive poll results that reflect broad support, the “establishment” will do anything they can to stop him. Christians, along with traditional Iowans must do more than hope for a brighter future. Hope is not a strategy. If America has a chance of survival, the fire needs to start right here in the heartland. The bottom line is this: Either you will change our country or your opponents will. We were promised “change we can believe in” but all we are seeing is “change we can’t believe.” Iowa, and America needs Bob Vander Plaats
Call it whatever you want, but what Bob VP says is true. According to the Iowa Constitution the Governor has this power. While a marriage amendment is great, someone needs to stand up to the courts to prevent what has happened in California TWICE. Out of control courts. Even if you don’t care about the gay marriage issue, you have to care about that the courts are taking away the will of the people which our Constitution states is the final authority. The sky is the limit on what the courts will do if no one stands up to them. And, yes, it is also about the economy. The National Review had a great article a couple of weeks ago on how social and economic conservatism are joined at the hip. Bob VP understands this and is addressing ALL issues important to Iowans.
“the “establishment” will do anything they can to stop him.”
Knock it off. This is another cheap shot and totally off base. Produce your evidence that anyone in “the establishment” is trying to stop him.
Just a deeper hole here.
While we’re at it, who is “the establishment”?
A stupid attack by an uninformed candidate. Hopefully, Rants will show his maturity by ignoring this ridiculous press release. Sorry, Lori Jungling, you’re incorrect. The constitution does not provide for the Governor to simply overrule the Supreme Court by fiat. That is why we must amend the constitution if we want to ban gay marriage. There is a right way to do this.
Mr. Vander Plaats, please train your fire on the real enemy. Haus is right, and so are a number of the posters here. That you choose to start attacking a fellow Republican before there is even a single announced candidate in the race proves that you’ve spent far too much listening to and learning from Mr. Deace, who rarely meets a Republican he wouldn’t go after.
Surely Bob, on your third try for this office, we could expect better.
PS DVFO, the establishment is anyone who disagrees with BVP or Steve Deace.
“PS DVFO, the establishment is anyone who disagrees with BVP or Steve Deace.
”
Thanks for the clarification. But then I guess I would have to listen to Deace to get names and I’m not willing to do that.
DVFO,
“Produce your evidence that anyone in ‘the establishment’ is trying to stop him.” How about Doug Gross saying on WHO Radio that he doesn’t want BVP to be the nominee. I’m perfectly okay if you don’t like BVP or Gross (or you like one or the other), but don’t tell me the establishment isn’t trying to stop him.
By the way, the establishment is people like Moderation in Everything (who again “cares so much about the GOP” but has the self-control to call our only candidate at this point an idiot in post #2)…
Wait a second, thats not called self-control. What’s it called when you just say whatever comes to mind without thinking about it first? Oh yeah, lack of self-control. But I know, Moderation, you just care about winning! And I think a great way to win is to call one of our potential candidates an idiot!!!
And besides, I’m sure good Catholics are taught in Church to call others idiots…yeah, now I believe your religious zeal you were talking about a couple of weeks ago! (No dig on the Church, just on Moderation’s understanding of it)
But you don’t want to force your beliefs on people…or apparently yourself…because that would just be an “idiotic” thing to do…
“How about Doug Gross saying on WHO Radio that he doesn’t want BVP to be the nominee. I’m perfectly okay if you don’t like BVP or Gross (or you like one or the other), but don’t tell me the establishment isn’t trying to stop him.”
Are you expecting VP to have no opposition? With your definition, anyone who supports another candidate would be part of the “establishment” trying to stop him.
Maybe we can call VP part of the “establishment” because he is trying to stop all others. Maybe you’re part of the “establishment” because you’re trying to stop others.
This is paranoia.
I don’t think there is much of an establishment anymore. There are country club Republicans and grassroots Republicans but not much of an establishment.
Thinking: You left your thinking on the floor. Moderates being called establishment in this State. You’re delusional. Sorry, but BVP is an idiot. Read his comments.
Call me a Republican who wants to get rid of these lousy RATs who have taken over this state and run it into the ground. I pledge I will be supporting whomever wins the Republican primary.
It is too early to be doing negative campaigning. We don’t even know who is running and it is never a good idea to go negative in the Republican primary. We’ve had many lessons which taught us that.
Culver is such a huge target we don’t need to be firing at each other.
The establishment are those who want our party to moderate away from our platform which was passed in the convention by the grassroots. Grassroots activists wrote the platform, therefore that is what we follow. If you are not in line with it and try to drift, get out of the party. It is that simple. When you look at the moderate presidential candidate we had, we can clearly see that IT DON’T WORK! The establishment does not want a Christian conservative like VanderPlaats in the leadership role. Get used to it because no one else has a shot.
Christian: Wrong. I appreciate that the “grassroots” has written a platform that comes right out of an evangelical prayerbook. However, the venerable GOP has been hijacked into irrelevance by Christian zealots who want to use politics as a platform to advance evangelism. People like you have sent off the likes of Hucklebee and Robinson to oblivion. Query whether anyone who has a chance of winning a national race will even participate in the caucuses. The dems are rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of the likes of BVP being the Repub nominee for governor. Why play into their hands. If Marvin Pomerantz were alive he would haven one of this foolishness.
MIE,
Get a clue, the platform is more than social issues. It is obvious that you have no clue what is in it. We want Republicans that understand this is what is expected of them.
How about Item 3.1 We believe environmental problems can be solved more efficiently with innovation and technology than with more litigation and more government regulation.
Or how about 3.3 We support Iowa’s Right to Work Law
Then there is item 3.15 We call for the reduction of the corporate tax rate and we call for the elimination of the capital gains tax.
Of course we can’t forget about 7.1 either. We call for a dramatic reduction to the size and scope of government at all levels. We believe the federal government should be strictly limited to the eighteen enumerated powers in the United States Constitution and that all others should be left to the States and to the people in accordance with the Tenth Amendment.
I am sure that you get the picture now. I am sure that you still don’t care. I am sure that in your mind the fact that fiscal issues far out number social issues in the platform doesn’t matter you. Just the fact that social issues are even included is insulting to you. The platform was crafted by individuals that hold all of the points dear, not just one or two as you seem to think.
“Cycho Killa,” I never once said that Bob Vander Plaats would overturn the court’s ruling. I believe he said he would issue a stay so the law could be passed in the correct manner, which is by the people or the legislature whom the people elect.
Also, it would help if you actually read the Iowa Constitution. Article IV Section1 states “The supreme executive power of this state shall be vested in a chief magistrate, who shall be styled the governor of the state of Iowa.” Also, I have been noticing something. The Bob VP supporters on here have not been bashing Rants but there has been plenty of trashing Bob VP and it has nothing to do with the issues. Now who is driving the party into the ground?
Al: Wrong. I would be glad to go through the platform as I have done before and point out to you the over the top rubbish such as promoting creationism in schools. I admit that a number of the planks are sensible and worthy. However, its the social stuff that scare moderates and the vast middle. It makes Repubs look like kooks. The problem is as I point out. Instead of solving problems you and those like you want to foist your religious beliefs onto others. Robert Ray would never tolerate this sad state of affairs or in the worst case, ignore such goofiness.
Bob is not supporting tyranny by calling issuing an executive order when he is in office. He is not the one that will make law. He is not allowing the Supreme Court to make law either, BUT he is allowing WE THE PEOPLE to make law. We need to vote, the legislature passes the bill and it becomes law. That is why bills are not sent to the Supreme Court, they are passed through congress because the represent the people. The Supreme Court doesn’t represent the people. They have no one to hold them accountable. It you issue a marriage ammendment like Rants wants the Dems will overule it. We need to vote like they did in liberal California.
The last few lines of my paragraph above are confusing. We need to vote on marriage. The legislature is supposed to represent us, not the other way around. We need a marriage ammendment, but I doubt it will pass if Iowans don’t take a stand and vote themselves. It was brought up many times in the house/senate even with a Republican majority. How do we expect it to pass with a Dem. Majority?
Stacia: Civics 101 please. It might help. The only way to change the outcome is amend the Iowa Constitution.
Moderation, go ahead and take out those planks from the religious kooks in the Republican party platform. The party will lose 100 votes for every one it gains. Not a winning strategy in my book.
Moderation: Have you read the Democrat’s platform? Talk about kooks. Why doesn’t that scare off the moderates? It surely has to work both ways…right?
MIE,
You have no clue what my religious beliefs are. So to assume that I am attempting to “foist” my religious beliefs on others is nothing more than unadulterated bull.
What is so bad about providing alternate viewpoints to let students decide come to their own conclusions. It would actually allow children to become more productive members of society by allowing them to become critical thinkers themselves.
So go ahead MIE, come up with some over the top planks from the platform.
And MIE, BVP is not trying to change the outcome of the Supreme Court opinion. He wants to throw it back to the legislature where they can pass the constitutional amendment for the people of Iowa to vote on it contrary to what some have been saying. You should really attend an event and ask him yourself.
CD: To be honest with you, none of the leaders of either party pay attention to the platforms. They cynically view platform work as drudgery and the province of drones. To answer your question, yes the democratic platform is abhorent. It doesn’t scare the mod dems because it took 40 years for the mod dems to take the party back from the McGovern wackos. We now suffer from the same phenomenon. Yhe extremists have taken over the GOP. My fervent hope is that it won’t take 40 years for Repubs to get the sensible middle.
MIE,
I’m with them. You’ve never been right on this point.
You think the moderates are in charge and have “taken over” the Democrat Party? Are you seriously nuts? Pelosi, Obama, Reid…those names even ring a bell?
Peggy: Believe me. I know where you stand. All I can say is I beg to differ with you on your political judgment but love you to death for your religious judgment (and defense of the Faith).
MIE~ At the state and federal level, the moderates have been in control for the past four years. Name one peron in a leadership position who has “hi-jacked” our party who you consider a religious wingnut. Also, in your last statement about politicians not paying attention to the platform, we want them to come out and openly admit that as their campaign stump speech. For the drones that vote for them, it is very important. If you openly denounce the platform, you are obviously in the wrong party. What an ignorant philosophy you have. Talk about us kooks…hmmmm……
CD: Obama is a centrist. Look at how mad all the tradtionally democratic constituents (trial attorneys, gays) are with him. He is so centrist he looks like Bush on governmental intervention in the economy. Obama will end up being a great triangulator like Clinton. He will preside while Repubs wither with the likes of Steele and Limbaugh running the show. We have a long way to go to get back to the days of Robert Ray, Art Neu, Ben Webster, Steve Roberts and Jim Leach.
Moderation,
So let me get this straight. I’m a kook because I believe in all of the Republican platform (including abortion and gay marriage), but you are not a kook because you only believe in those things at church? You say that people who don’t believe in gay marriage make us look like idiots (i.e. Geiger), but you aren’t an idiot when you believe it at church?
If BVP really wants to throw this back to the legislature, maybe he should focus his fire against Culver and the dems instead of his fellow Republicans and help us all try to win back a majority in the House and Senate so we will have the votes to actually do something about it besides blow smoke on the radio(and this blogsite)!!!
Christian (BTW–I love your name-seriously), if you are referring to McCain, the problem with McCain is might have won had he stuck with his instincts and ran as a moderate. Instead, he bowed to the extremists and carried their water for them. As a result he looked insincere and lost. His choice of Palin (mother of the year) did’t help either.
No supporter of Bob Vander Plaats I know has any remote inkling that seeing him elected Governor will somehow “promote evangelism.” What? Not only is that a ludicrous intention, it’s not even Biblical. Advancing political remedies to our nation’s moral ills are no cure for the underlying spiritual problems. Of all people, Christians know that our efforts must be primarily focused on proclaiming the truth that can set people free. Lives, not just laws, need to be transformed before America (or Iowa) will be in a position to ask for and expect God’s blessing. The throngs of people I know who are enthusiastically supporting Bob is because he is an honest, true conservative. Bob is a man of experience and conviction who possesses communication skills even President Obama would envy. Integrity trumps everything. There is a blueprint for how to win landslides and it doesn’t include expanding the tent. True conservatism is what it is. It does not need to be redefined or “moderated.” If the Iowa GOP chooses this route, so be it. Governor Culver will sleep well, assured of his future.
MIE,
Sorry to break this to you, but McCain has always looked insincere and lost. The majority of the footage the Dems used against him came from long before the Presidential race.
Thinking–exactly, I am a fervent believer in church. To the extent I use politics as a mechanism to advance the prerogatives of the Holy Roman Catholic Church then I am a kook. That’s been my point since I started blogging. I believe gay marriage is sinful. As a conservative in politics, I don’t believe the government and you have any business i intruding into the personal business of others, including gays. Let me put it more bluntly. As a Catholic I have big problems with the protestant faith. You don’t want me using politics to interfere with the beliefs of protestants. Conversely, I don’t want protestants messing with my Catholic Faith via politics. So, read serious conservative thought (start with Burke and Disraeli) and realize that the conservative movement was based on reaction to the excesses associated with ideological purity. The conservative movement is now the flip side of Marxist philosophy–an ideology based on tests of doctrinal purity with an emphasis on class (cultural) differences.
Thank you Randy for at least being honest about your beliefs. There you have it. The pup tent party.
MIE,
If you are looking for what is wrong with the GOP. Here is a little story for you.
http://tinyurl.com/n8kmpg
Hey Al. Like your blazing guns. Sorry but they are shooting blanks. Look at the new WSJ poll. Only 25% of those polled have a favorable view of the GOP. An all time low for the poll. Good job jihadists. The vast middle is waiting for you with open arms.
And the largest demographic – conservative! Kind of blows your theory out of water doesn’t it MIE?
MIE,
Go ahead and blame the social issues for the GOP’s problems. That ain’t it. The real problem is that the party is seen as the old white mans party. Check out my link above for further information.
CD: I agree. This country and state are conservative. I have never contended otherwise. What is sad is that consevatives have no faith in the Party that is supposed to be advancing their interests. Why? Because the vast middle is worried about the ChristianTaliban taking over the Party and getting involved in private matters. If you aren’t alarmed by the WSJ poll then look at similar results in the NYT poll. No way to sugar coat it. Your whistling through the graveyard won’t cut it. We are in trouble. Big time.
Al–I agree that is part of the problem. Realize however that only 22% of the electorate consider themselves evangelical. The extremists are scary to the vast middle.
Good lord, this idiot is back on the executive order to overturn a supreme court ruling kick again. Anyone who actually professes to believe that BS should never become governor, the man is a moron and so are his followers.
Silence
moderation, I love the “christian taliban” line. You should copyright that phrase, until then I fully intend to plagarize it from you, if that is OK.
Silence
Al, it is viewed as the old white man’s party, but also concerned with outdated social and moral issues of old white men.
Silence
Silence,
The social issues are only considered outdated by those with no morals.
As Christians we realize that the spiritual and moral decline in our state and nation can not be reversed through legislation and political reform alone. This decline is merely the symptom of our nation’s spiritual malaise, and we dare not confuse the symptom with the disease. The cure for a brain tumor is not aspirin to make the headache go away. Likewise, we understand the cure for America’s spiritual ills is not simply the reform of some laws and policies. Morality and “religion” alone will not gain our nation an ounce of divine favor. America could be both moral and “more religious”, and yet not escape divine judgment. Biblical Christianity clearly teaches that “moralism” isn’t the full answer to what ails America. The gospel is. God blesses only one thing: saving faith in His Son. At the same time, it is right for us to oppose the sins of our society, and it is right that believers as individuals should voice our objection in the voting booth and by speaking out in other ways. My support of Bob Vander Plaats is obviously not because I think a Governor Vander Plaats would create some sort of “haven for Christians” in Iowa. Instead, it’s because he is a man of impeccable character with a stellar reputation and is recognized for his solid fiscal and social conservative credentials. Our party nominee must distinguish himself from Governor Culver and I believe Bob can do the job! I would encourage those of you who may not really know Bob to get his book “Light from Lucas.” This book will give you a little glimpse into the caliber of individual that is being labeled an “idiot” and a “moron” on this thread. I realize that in heated political debate it’s easy to type something that does not sound quite the way it was intended, and that’s all part of being human. However, if the GOP will unite behind Bob, we can have a greater opportunity of reaching one goal we could all agree on…”Farewell, Governor Culver.”
Al, it is fairly offensive and arrogant to think anybody who has different morals than you, don’t have them at all. You and the christian right are not the final arbitars of what is proper morals. Personally, I think it is moral for all to have healthcare, to help the poor, protect the enviroment, I think these are all things Jesus would support, unforunately, the christian right doesn’t find these issues to be “christian” enough for them. personally I find that immoral.
Silence
To return to the original story, I’m not convinced BVP’s words constituted (no pun intended) “firing a shot ” or that that was indeed his intention. I for one am going to try to refrain from overreacting, jumping to conclusions, and name calling during this election process. Even though I’m very good/experienced at doing those things, I don’t think they are the methods by which we’re going to elect the best governor of Iowa, in fact quite the opposite.