1. Will Jonathan Narcisse be able to meet the petition requirement to place his name on the Democrat primary ballot? I’ve been told time and time again that it will not be a problem, then someone told me that his Facebook status this week was, “If 100 people each get 50 signatures we’ll be good.”

That’s not a good sign, I don’t care what people say. If Narcisse fails to get on the ballot, he instantly becomes irrelevant in the process. In addition to worrying about collecting enough petitions, he also has to be concerned about somebody challenging them. If I was in the Culver camp that’s something I’d do in a heartbeat.

2. There is a little speculation that maybe Brad Zaun doesn’t file to run for Congress in the 3rd district. I understand where people are coming from with this line of thinking, but I just don’t buy it. Zaun will be in, the big question in the 3rd CD is not about Zaun, its about how many candidates will actually be on the ballot.

3. Staying in the 3rd CD, as of right now Gibbons, Funk, and Scott Batcher are on the ballot. I assume both Funk and Ress will make the cut too. That makes for five candidates on the ballot. I tend to think that’s all we are going to get. So will Pat Bertroche be on the ballot? What about some of the other names we have seen? I doubt it.

4. Not much attention has been given to the 1st CD race. There could be three or four candidates on the ballot over there. I think Ben Lange has the most in the works, but with so many unknowns over there, it’s anyone’s ball game.
I think the main thing to watch is Narcisse. All that media attention goes away if he can’t get his name on the ballot.

I think that Iowans are in the same sort of boat. I think a majority of folks know that their marriage to Chet Culver and the Democrats in the legislature is not working out. It is my concern that some of these people are not yet ready to file divorce papers because they feel like the relationship can be salvaged.

So while this may be painful, I think it’s time for an intervention so that the people of Iowa can come to terms with the true facts about the political party that they have entrusted to lead this state.

The following is the list of scandals that Iowa has had to endure under its current Democratic leadership.

Entire year of 2006 – CIETC Scandal
Most of 2006 and 2007 – Touchplay Scandal
Spring of 2008 – Culver Florida Vacation Scandal
Fall of 2008 – Mari Culver Busted for Smoking in a State Vehicle
Winter of 2008 – Culver Entertains Selling the Lottery
Spring of 2009 – RIO Office Scandal
Spring of 2009 – Department of Public Safety official bailed out State Rep. Kerry Burt for drink driving
Spring of 2009 – Atalissa Bunk House Scandal
Spring of 2009 – Glenwood Death Scandal
Spring of 2009 – IPERS Investment Scandal
Summer of 2009 – Iowa Film Office Scandal
Fall of 2009 – Culver SOS Scandal
Spring of 2010 – Culver continues to go through campaign managers and Chief of Staff’s like Mari goes through cigarettes. Hell, I’ve lost count, but now I’m hearing rumors that John Frew isn’t a happy guy and wants out.
Spring of 2010 – Union Leader calls new member a “Scab” in email
Spring of 2010 – Misuse of Federal Flood Recovery Funds Scandal

Does this look like a healthy relationship to you?

I’m sure that some liberal who is paid to moderate this site is going to swoop in and say that Culver and the Democrats are not responsible for any of this, but it all happened on their watch. Can you think of another time in this state’s history where some many scandals have occurred? I can’t.

I understand that Culver being illegally lobbied by Bonnie Campbell and the folks for Scientific Games didn’t result in the state selling the lottery, but low and behold we now have a push to expand the lottery and build new casinos.

I know that Culver using Bill Knapp’s condo seems like an insignificant story, but when you take into account that he used Mid-American Energy’s jet to get fly to travel to Florida, that’s a problem. Mid-American is the state’s most regulated company. And we wonder why Alliant didn’t get the green light to build a clean coal plant in Marshalltown.

It was Kerry Burt who chose to drink and drive last year, not Chet Culver. Yet, I’m the only one who asked why a person who works in the Department of Public Safety was the one to bail him out.

Those are just some of the insignificant scandals.

The fact that we have the FBI investigating the Iowa School Board Association is disturbing. Democrats call the shots in these types of organizations and they take care of their own. The Feds also say that the state misused federal flood money. And let’s not forget that the audit of the Secretary of State’s office under Culver also showed a misuse of federal funds. These are no longer isolated incidents, it’s a trend.

The scandals that will really haunt Culver and the Democrats are Atalissa, Glenwood, and the Film Office mess. They each show the administrations incompetence in managing the daily operations of state government.

The worse development for Democrats is that Iowa School Board Association scandal. The timing couldn’t be worse to have another CIETEC scandal emerge.

Again, does this look like a healthy and productive relationship?

Iowa needs to divorce itself from Democratic Leadership.

Senator Harkin told a crowd of Democrats in Davenport this week that Republicans are in for a surprise this November. Harking said, “This thing is going to turn, and it’s going to turn big. Once a healthcare bill gets passed, people will see the benefits.”

Really Tom?

Look, we all know you don’t live here and thus don’t have a firm grasp on what is of concern to Iowans, but this is some of the craziest stuff I’ve heard lately. I think Senator Harkin needs to take a page out of Chuck Grassley’s book and hold a few town hall meetings over the Easter break.

I understand that he needs to be the cheerleader for Democrats in Iowa, but the thought that the current political environment is going to whip a $hitter and back the Democrat’s nationalized health care proposal is idiotic.

Senator Harkin, spend a little time with normal hard working Iowans, maybe then you will not sound like such an idiot.

http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/government-and-politics/elections/article_ea3b705a-2f1d-11df-9a04-001cc4c03286.html

Norm Sterzenbach

Norm is the Executive Director of the Iowa Democratic Party. Last week he sent out an email following the Iowa Christian Alliance event. In his email, Sterzenbach wrote, “No new ideas were offered, just a blast from the past filled with platitudes and insults against Governor Culver, President Obama, and others.”

He’s about as clueless as Tom Harkin.

I bet Rod Roberts tear up when he has to break out the fly swatter at the family picnic. While I’ve seen Roberts, Branstad, and Vander Plaats rightfully criticize Culver and the Democrats, it has never gotten close to be called mudslinging, like the email goes on to say. Furthermore, Terry Branstad defended his record, and Bob Vander Plaats talked about jobs. Not a whole lot of Dem bashing went on at that ICA event.

If Sterzenbach is so concerned about mudslinging, maybe he should do a better job of putting a muzzle on IDP chairman Mike Kiernan. That guy is a complete tool who attacks anything that walks by sending out countless of negative and nasty press releases.

I know how politics are played, but if you’re going to hammer someone for mudslinging, it better be true. Nothing I heard about the ICA event had anything to do with attacks on Democrats.

So what in the hell are you even talking about Norm? You look like an idiot.

The Iowa Legislature

Let’s see. They can suspend the rules when it comes to texting while driving, but they can’t do it to allow the people of Iowa the right to vote on the definition of marriage. Nice.

A few days later, they protect the way that the Marshalltown Maid Rite store cooks their meat. If you have ever had one of the delicious sandwiches you would know not to mess with a good thing, but this is just another example of the legislature responding to public outcry about everything EXCEPT marriage.

Democrats is the legislature look like idiots for doing all they can on issues dealing with text messaging and a local sandwich shop, but nothing on the marriage. All of these little things build a very bad narrative for Iowa Democrats. Idiots.

The Des Moines Register

Last month, when the Register published the results of one of their polls, they made us buy an actual paper to see the results. The polling results were put online later that evening. It’s a ploy to get people to buy an actual paper. I wonder how long until they do the same with the RAGBRAI route information? Isn’t it the same thing? The Register has information that people want so instead of putting it on line they make you buy the paper?

They way the Register is going, maybe they should just do away with its website. That would force people to buy the paper. Another option would be to require anyone who wants a RAGBRAI wristband to purchase a subscription to the paper. Maybe the bigger question at hand in how long until they sell the naming rights to the greatest bike ride in the country. Don’t laugh, it will probably happen.

I thought I would offer a few ideas to help my friends over at the Register. They need help because they are a bunch of idiots.

For all those “Branstad is Evil” folks out there, I find it telling that Branstad’s first detailed proposal won acceptance by his opponents.  More telling is the fact that this is something he waned to do when he was Governor but the Republican legislature said no.

I was under the impression that the only good things he did was because the Republicans finally took control of the legislature, and all the bad stuff he did was because he’s just a liberal at heart.  Momma always told me I would learn something new every day.

Anyway, Obradovich’s article jumps to a conclusion that I have not heard Branstad or any other gubernatorial candidate advance.  She claims that since the budget is proposed for two years there is no need for the legislature to convene in a non-budget year.

That notion couldn’t be further from the truth.  First, just because a budget is proposed by the governor and approved by the legislature doesn’t meat that everything is in place and no changes will be made to the budget, heck even with annual budgeting Culver has had to go in and make sweeping changes.

Kathie contends that Branstad’s proposal is some sort of power grab, yet nowhere in her article does she talk about how Culver has refused to let the legislature deals with the current budget mess.   Last fall when the budget was out of whack, Culver opted to do a massive across-the-board cut instead of calling the legislature back so they could make more targeted cuts.  Isn’t that a power grab?  The result will be a massive property tax increase.

We need our Governor and the legislature to set budgets that serves the state’s long term interests, not just we can afford for the next year.  Additionally, this process will allow for more oversight and more legislative input.

In the non-budget years, the legislature can look for places to save money, eliminate programs that overlap, and make government more efficient.  It is the current process that is broken.

These are the type of ideas we need to be seeing from our gubernatorial candidates.  This is what Republicans in this state have been longing for.  Let’s continue to find ways to reform government.

I would point to Tom Tancredo’s endorsement of Mitt Romney. It was a meaningful endorsement for Romney but the most significant result was Tancredo flushing any credibility down the tubes. Likewise, Rick Santorum was in Iowa yesterday apologizing for his 2004 endorsement of Arlen Specter. He made that endorsement eight years ago and he is still dealing with it. This article isn’t about the endorsements that people like Tancredo and Santorum make, it’s about the endorsements that are made by members of the Republican State Central committee.

Every two years, grassroots activists who attend district conventions elect people to represent them on the State Central Committee. That group serves as the board of directors for the Republican Party here in Iowa. The role of a state central committee member is to oversee that the state party is run properly and to elect Republicans.

Perhaps the greatest responsibility that makes all things possible for the party to be successful in those endeavors is our First in the Nation Caucus. Aspiring presidential candidate are already sprouting up in Iowa. It’s just a matter of time before their start staffing up and organizing republicans, and the generating buzz and enthusiasm that helps all republicans at every level, not to mention the cash they dole out to candidates on the local ballot.

In order for us to maintain our beloved First in the Nation status, we must keep the process above even the slightest perception of favoring one particular candidate over another. The integrity of the caucus and the party is at stake which means nobody will come and participate. That includes the Ames straw Poll too folks.

Nothing infuriates the grassroots like seeing state party officials stick their noses into primaries. If a member of the central committee wishes to endorse, they can do so while not representing the State Party. It’s as simple as that. Former SCC member David Chung of Linn County set a good example of this when he resigned in order to support a candidate for governor. It would be preferable that he not endorse nor resign but at least he tried to do the right thing for the good of the party and the integrity of the position.

In some of the recent endorsements of Rod Roberts, the endorsee has states that they reason they chose Roberts is that he is the only candidate in the race that can unify the party after the primary. That may be true, but when I see State Central Committee members like Bill Schickel say this I scratch my head.

In addition to serving on the board of directors of the party, SCC members are also the ambassadors for the party. Frankly, it’s not their job to endorse the candidate who can unite the party, it’s their job to work with all the candidates and campaigns to ensure that the Republican Party emerges stronger than it was before the primary.

This is why I was critical of Kim Lehman’s actions in the lead up to the 2008 general elections. The horror stories of the national committeewoman Kim Lehman’s endorsement of Peter Teahen and eventual sour grapes in the general are well documented here and elsewhere, but let’s take a look at what is going on this year. Bill Schickel of the 4th CD has publicly endorsed Rod Roberts for governor, but gives us the caveat that he will step down as RPI’s secretary although not as a SCC member. What? So your endorsement of Roberts will create problems with how you function as secretary but not as a SCC member? Wes Enos, of the 3rd CD has taken a paid position with Bob Vander Plaats’ primary campaign for governor. Joni Scotter of the 2nd CD endorsed Gov. Terry Branstad just a few short weeks after pledging to remain neutral in order to win a seat on the SCC.

If we want a strong and robust Republican Party of Iowa, we need State Central Committee members who will put the party above any personality that runs for office. The reason the Republican Party in Iowa sucks is because nobody actually cares about the party itself, they only care about the individual candidates that they support.

When Ron Corbett was elected as Cedar Rapids Mayor, Republicans across Iowa celebrated. RPI Chairman Matt Strawn trumpeted Corbett’s victory as an indication that Republicans were on the move again. Some even speculated that Corbett’s return to politics might mean that he is looking at a run for Governor or the U.S. Senate sometime down the road.

Well you can put all that statewide campaign speculation to bed. Last week, Corbett publically pushed that a prevailing wage would be paid on the cities large flood related projects. You just have to love it when a Republican back home undermines our Republican legislators in Des Moines.

The ironic part of this is that Corbett works for the same company as House Minority Leader Kraig Paulsen does. So while Paulsen is in Des Moines doing everything he can to stop these labor bills, the guy in the office down the hall from him is giving the union agenda the green light locally.

It’s not the first time this happened in Cedar Rapids. Republican Linn County Supervisor Brent Oelson tried to help find the 51st vote for prevailing wage just over a year ago. No wonder Linn County is so messed up for Republicans.

Corbett is an idiot for selling out to the unions. You can bet this will haunt him if he does ever want to run for higher office.

http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/government/2010/03/03/corbett-to-push-for-prevailing-wage-on-flood-construction-projects

Chuck Grassley

Now, I’m just having a little fun with Grassley, but I think he needs a little twitter and Facebook advice. Grassley attended three county conventions, then called it a day and had lunch at Hickory Park in Ames.

Like I said, I don’t have any problem with it, but I bet there are some county activists who would have loved to see their Senator on Saturday. Now you can’t make them to all the counties, but I probably wouldn’t have broadcast the fact that I only went to three conventions.

At least he went to a good restaurant, so while he shouldn’t have tweeted his easy schedule on Saturday, nobody is an idiot for going to Hickory Park.

Stu Iverson

I told you all in November that Iverson had his eyes on McKinley Bailey’s House Seat. This past weekend he made it official. Now, I would prefer a Republican in Bailey’s seat any day of the week, but what does Iverson really bring to the table?

Is there really nobody else that we could run in that seat? Is Stu the best we can do?

I’ll predict McKinley Bailey will win re-election this November. I think that the six-pack of pro-business Democrats are probably the toughest to run against for any Republican, let a lone a guy who was kicked to the curb in the State Senate.

Iverson is going to look like an idiot when he loses to Bailey in November.

If you think this is not a big deal, think again. In previous years, the state convention has been held in either Des Moines or Cedar Rapids. For the past decade, the Republican Party of Iowa has held its conventions in Des Moines because activist from southwest Iowa voiced their displeasure with having to drive to Cedar Rapids in the past. This year, Sioux City seems to be the the front runner for the Republican convention.

According to Google Maps, it’s only a 400 mile, or six and a half hour trip, from Keokuk to Sioux City. A little less if you are traveling from Davenport, and only a 300 mile or 2 hour trip for those living in Polk County. As you can probably guess, I think this is a bad idea.

Look, I understand that delegates from the boarder communities get sick of traveling to Des Moines all of the time, but it is located in the center of the state. I also think that having an off year convention outside of Des Moines is a recipe for disaster.

Conventions are pointless without participation. I’ve never seen Polk County fill their entire delegation at a convention when it was held in their backyard, imagine what it would look like if they had to drive a couple hours. I think everyone would agree that to win elections Republican must do better in eastern Iowa. So why on earth would we tell these activists to travel five or more hours to attend the convention? Seems counterproductive to me.

If the goal is to find the cheapest place to hold the convention then I’m sure Sioux City makes sense. While being frugal is important, so having a well attended state convention. Since this is an off year convention and people are not vying to be national delegates there isn’t much of a reason to go. I would just play it safe and keep it in Des Moines, but that not what I think is about to happen.

I’m sure there are pros and cons to all the possible convention sites, but what say you?

Now you would think that a guy like Culver, who has insisted that his Iraq trip was not a photo op, would have then realized that it would be stupid to send out a campaign email entitled, “Pictures from Iraq.” But as we all know, Chet’s not the sharpest crayon in the box and he sent the email anyway.

Culver has said that he was using the trip to build support for the ten bills the Department of Defense is lobbying for, like a bill that would offer unemployment benefits to people who must quit their jobs when a spouse is deployed by the military. Now, last I checked, Culver was the Governor and Democrats had huge majorities in the Iowa House and Senate, so what’s the hold up?

In his campaign email, Culver said, “Those that are silent need to speak. Those that value a few cents instead of helping military families need to re-think their priorities. And those that would play politics and try and stop this legislation need to get out of the way and let us lead.”

What are the names of the Democrats that are holding this up, Governor?

While I don’t think that Culver and the U.S. Military are in cahoots to get the beleaguered Governor some good press, I do think that Culver is using this trip to help him politically. I think that’s just obnoxious.

Our brave guardsmen and women should not be used as political pawns to help get anyone elected. If Culver really wanted to show them that he supports them he could have pushed for these bills in his condition of the state speech, he could have demanded that the legislature pass them. Instead when he returns from his trip, his campaign sends an email about the trip.

Folks that is the definition of a photo-op.

My purpose today isn’t to pile on Vander Plaats but to praise him. I also might pose a couple of questions, but those are born out of pure curiosity and nothing else.

Vander Plaats has had a good week on the trail. He followed up Mike Huckabee’s visit last Wednesday by challenging Branstad and Roberts to a series of debates, a smart and well timed move. Yesterday, he filed his nomination papers with the Secretary of State’s office. Filing the papers on the first day candidates are allowed to was also a wise move. While it’s not front page news, it does show that his campaign is functioning well.

Challenging his primary opponents to a debate was smart, but I do question the timing. That said, the only thing that I would have done differently was I would have issued this challenge at the Huckabee events in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines. If he had, it would have been the sound bite that the media used in covering the events. Instead the news coverage had very little to do with Vander Plaats’ campaign.

Still, Vander Plaats was able to remain in front of the media and be on offense by issuing the challenge on Friday. I don’t think that the Branstad campaign will suddenly agree to debate at the next Madison County Republican meeting, but I do expect him to debate his opponents before the June 8th primary.

The jury is still out on whether or not Vander Plaats has it in him to challenge Branstad like Rep. Chris Rants did while he was running for governor. If Vander Plaats is going to have any chance at winning the Republican primary he’s going to have to sharpen his tone and go after Branstad and Rod Roberts, who seems to be picking up steam.

I think most people assume that State Representative Jodi Tymeson will be Vander Plaats’ running mate should he win the nomination. Tymeson is a well respected legislator who also serves as the Vander Plaats 2010 campaign chair. I think she would be a great pick, but for the Vander Plaats supporters who like to focus on previous associations, her support of Mitt Romney in the 2008 Iowa caucuses could cause some concern. Announcing who his running mate will be could also provide a boost for his campaign.

The other person I could see Vander Plaats picking is Peter Teahen. Teahen unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2008 in the 2nd Congressional District. Teahen is Vander Plaats’ Linn County chairman and I’m told spoke at all of the Huckabee events in Cedar Rapids last week.

While Rep. Tymeson would be the safest pick, I think the eventually nominee will look to eastern Iowa to add some geographical balance to the ticket. I think you all know where I stand on Teahen, but people like me don’t get to determine who Vander Plaats picks as a running mate.

To be fair, I’m also concerned about who Branstad would pick to be on the ticket with him. I think the Lt. Governor nominees are of critical importance for Iowa Republicans this year. Not because of the role that they will play within the administration, but because they will set the tone of the future of the Republican Party for years to come.

I don’t blame a Democrat for wanting to primary Governor Chet Culver. Culver is vulnerable, and if I was a Democrat, I’d be trying to find a way to get him off the ballot next November. Challenging Culver to a primary is smart, I just don’t know if Narcisse is the right guy to do it.

Narcisse let it be known that he’s running for Governor for almost six months now. We all assumed he would be running as an independent, then the media seized on the fact he was a Democrat. Like a fly attracted to a bug zapper, Narcisse could not resist the gravitational pull of a Democratic primary challenge.

The reason I think Narcisse is an idiot is because he said win, lose, or draw he will be on the ballot this fall. Meaning if he loses, he will just run as an independent. I don’t think running as an independent because you lost the Democratic primary makes a person look like a credible candidate. However, this is the same guy who tried to motivate a student by encouraging him not be like some former athlete who asks customers for money for wine and offering (oral sex) for money.

There is no possible way that this guy will ever be the governor, but he could have made an impact on the general election. I think this latest development benefits the Republicans. Not because he is in a primary against Culver, but because it makes him irrelevant when he ultimately runs as an independent.

Narcisse is having an identity crisis. Only an idiot would announce that they will run as an independent if he loses his primary for governor.

Mike Huckabee

Huckabee was back in Iowa last week to help Bob Vander Plaats. It’s the second time he has come to Iowa to help out. Regardless if you like the man or not it seems as if he is loyal to the people who helped him in the 2008 caucuses.

Huckabee made the list because he said that he wasn’t up to speed on IFPC’s position on sitting out the general election if Branstad win the Republican nomination. IFPC’s position has been one of the most hotly debated issues in this year. Either he wanted to avoid taking such a strong position against Branstad or IFPC and Vander Plaats kept him in the dark. Maybe that explains why the usually approachable Huckabee didn’t talk to Des Moines media on his swing through the state.

Huckabee is an idiot for not knowing what he was walking into. You do that too many times in Iowa, and your presidential aspirations go up in flames.

Chet Culver

Governor Culver visited Iraq last week. I’m sure the trip had been in the works for awhile, but taking a trip to Iraq when the number of Iowans there is at an all time low seems pointless.

Culver also said, “I’m also here out of respect for the 18 Iowa guardsmen and women who have been killed in Iraq and in respect for their families as well and for the 200 Iowans who have been injured in this country.”

You needed to go to Iraq to do that Chet?

I used to think this guy was an astute campaigner, but lately he’s proved me wrong. The best thing that Governor Culver could do right now is be a better governor. That would mean skip the overseas trip to Iraq, stop using taxpayer’s money to campaign around the state, and grow a set and try to lead this state for the ten months you have left.

Does anyone else think that Culver’s trip and the firing of three more state employees in relation to the film tax credit fiasco is more that convenient timing? I do. This guy is never around when the media wants to ask a difficult question. I think the people of Iowa deserve to know why it took five months for these firings to occure.

Iowans will be idiots if they don’t send him back home to Virginia.

President Obama/Harry Reid/Nancy Pelosi

Last week’s healthcare summit was a yawner, but Krusty Kudos to the Republicans for not doing something stupid like compromise on the Democrat’s bill. Obama came off as arrogant, Pelosi sounded stupid, and Harry Reid was pissed off. Reid is probably pissed off because he is probably the only guy in the room that’s not going to get re-elected this fall.

Anyway, instead of Democrats accepting the defeat of their massive government takeover of healthcare plan, they seem adamant to shove it down American’s throats. Regardless of what you think of the bill, doing so would be the biggest political blunder in modern history.

The healthcare debate shows the difference between Republicans and Democrats. When Republicans were in power, President Bush tried to reform Social Security. The public rejected the plan and Republicans stopped perusing it. The same is now happening with healthcare, except the Democrats refuse to listen to the people.

The Democrats are idiots if they opt for the nuclear option and shove this bill through.