There's roughly an hour before the debate for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District begins at 7 p.m. (Democratic incumbent Dave Loebsack and Republican challenger Mariannette Miller-Meeks are the two candidates participating.) Once things get underway, I'll be live blogging here.
7:00 p.m. -- The debate is being presented by KCRG and the Gazette. The panel asking the questions is comprised of KCRG anchors Bruce Aune and Beth Malicki and Gazette political reporter James Lynch.
Aune -- Iowans are feeling the pocket-book punch. What about the proposed economic stimulus plan?
Loebsack says, yes, we need to have another economic incentive. Focus has to be on jobs -- economists are saying that the unemployment rate could go to 7 or 9 percent. Loebsack says focus should be on infrastructure -- roads, bridges, schools and sewer systems.
Loebsack goes on to tout his "green schools" act.
Miller-Meeks agrees that focus needs to be on jobs, but disagrees on how to best attack. She says plan needs to focus on capital gains, employers.
Infrastructure, Loebsack repeats in rebuttal, has to be on jobs. He also plugs extending unemployment benefits.
Miller-Meeks says it might take too long to get into the economy. She recommends cutting the payroll tax.
Lynch to Miller-Meeks -- Why 'Do Nothing Dave'? What can we expect from you?
Miller-Meeks says this has been a do nothing Congress. "We haven't seen leadership... when it comes to flood relief or the bailout bill." She says Loebsack didn't plead for individual flood relief like Congressman Tom Latham has in the past.
Loebsack says that as a freshman in Congress he feels he has done a great deal. He highlights his work for higher education, military pain care management and the Grassley-Loebsack tax bill.
Miller-Meeks attacks Loebsack, saying that he "is no Chuck Grassley." She then goes on to talk about the challenges facing small businesses when there is no revenue.
Loebsack counters by saying that he also co-sponsored a bill by Steve King... and that he's proud of his work with Grassley.
Malicki -- Ethanol?
Loeback - I led the way in the House to make sure there was a renewable fuel standard in the farm bill. Said his leadership is not thrilled about supporting it, but he did so anyway.
Miller-Meeks said we need to look at the whole product -- not only the ethanol, but all the other products which come from an ethanol plant. "It's not just ethanol that comes from an ethanol plant."
Loebsack says corn ethanol is first-generation and we will need to move beyond it. We have to do more for all renewable fuels, including wind. He highlights the three wind energy plants in the district and ends on "jobs, jobs, jobs."
Miller-Meeks points out that she drives a high-efficiency car.
Aune -- No child left behind?
Miller-Meeks says parents want children to be prepared to go to work in workforce. We know we have excellent teachers at all levels -- Perhaps we need to measure students at the beginning, middle and end of a school term." We cannot compete globally when we are not putting out quality students.
Loeback hawks his credentials as a public school product, professor and then his wife's tenure as a teacher. "The idea is not to necessarily get rid of No Child Left Behind... the problem is that it was never properly funded ... and that it was punative to our schools, our teachers, our administrators and our students." He agrees with Miller-Meeks that we need to change the way we measure student success.
Miller-Meeks now hawks her creds as a military brat who has attended many public schools. She talks briefly about her 2nd grade teacher.
Loebsack says we need to look at special education students. For instance, he said, some are exempt by ability.
Lynch -- Foreclosure crisis?
Loebsack agrees it is a problem, even if Iowa doesn't have the high rates like other states. We've had some reforms in Congress to make certain that this doesn't happen again. He said that before that he feels the market was deregulated. He wants to allow bankruptcy judges to have a say on mortgages and houses.
Miller-Meeks disagrees with allowing the bankruptcy judges to readjust mortgage loans. She says there are things we could have done, but they were not done. Most lenders, she says, don't want to take over properties because they have to turn around and sell them in a down market.
Loebsack says we have to crack down on predatory lenders. He says there were some individuals who took advantage, but the predatory lenders were there too.
Miller-Meeks agrees that government officials who took regulations out of the system need to be held accountable.
Malicki -- cash disparity between you and your opponent/campaign finance reform?
Miller-Meeks restates the question to be public financing or not. She also says that raising funds is one of the ways a candidate "proves their metal." She ends on a money isn't everything note, then takes a swipe at Loebsack for taking PAC money while most of hers came from individual voters.
Loebsack agrees on the "shoe leather" issue of getting out and meeting people. He brings up the ghost of Jim Leach. "I'm very proud of how I ran that campaign and I'm very proud of how I'm running this campaign." He sets the record straight by saying he's never said that he wouldn't take PAC money. "The people I listen to when deciding on a vote are the people in this district." He ends by saying that he supports public campaign financing.
Miller-Meeks said Loebsack's Project Vote Smart said he wouldn't take PAC money. She then hits him on missing a meeting -- and voting twice on the bailout bill.
Loebsack goes on the offensive a bit after this, stating that he stays in touch and listens to the people in the district.
Aune -- Costs of Iraq war?
Loebsack starts by discussing veterans and the work he has put in on their behalf -- funding for the VA, as an example. "I've been working very hard to make sure we treat veterans as they should be treated." He adds that the VFW has endorsed him. He says the Iraq war is something that should not have happened -- that the focus should have been and must return to Afghanistan.
Miller-Meeks presses her credentials as a veteran and the fact that her husband is a veteran. She says she wants a Congressperson that will support our veterans. She adds that she does not believe the VFW makes endorsements, but that she is one of only 23 in the nation who have received the Vets for Freedom endorsement.
Loebsack said because of his work on the Armed Forces committee he is aware of many of the problems facing military families.
Miller-Meeks wants to decrease the age of retirement and offer better incentives for retention.
Malicki -- Personal accounts for Social Security?
Miller-Meeks says there will be 77 million baby-boomer retirees. She says the tax burden on our youth will be incredible -- points that Social Security should not have been raided. One solution, she says is to allow people to put a "small portion" of the money into private funds. Average gain of the stock market, she says, is 10 percent per year. "We won't always get 10 percent per year... but that's the average."
Loebsack says that when you look at a stock account there is always a disclaimer that past performance does not guarantee results. He said that the American people have already come out against privitizing Social Security when Bush was touting the possiblity. We need to change the cap on earnings that are subject to the Social Security Tax.
The greatest risk for placing your money is with the government, Miller-Meeks said. There are other ways to handle SS, as a small business owner pays 12.2 percent -- now you want more?
Loebsack said it is too risky -- need to protect Social Security trust fund.
Lynch -- Another terrorist attack? Criminal courts and military tribunals?
Loebsack -- we have to take care of Afghanistan because that's where the 9/11 attacks stemmed from. The experts have told me that this is where the terrorists are -- in Pakistan along the border. So, we have to improve relations with Pakistan. We really got to have a re-commitment to Afghanistan.
Miller-Meeks says we can say there is no terror attack because we are lucky or because of our actions. She focuses on the second part of the question... We want our surveillance to be with warrants. A civil court would place an unfair burden on our military. She says we need to provide economic development in other nations so they can become more stable.
Loebsack goes back to the latter part of the question and says that Miller-Meeks is exactly right. We need to allow our troops to do what they are trained to do. We need to make sure that we are a country of values, like we've always been.
Miller-Meeks says volunteer organizations are helpful. Now we are fighting a war on two fronts -- hopefully we can pull out of Iraq and focus on Afghanistan.
Aune -- Health care?
Miller-Meeks says the U.S. can develop the health care model for the world. need a system that is accessible, affordable and portable. "It's a slow process and will take a lot of effort -- we are rapidly losing the sustainability of what we have."
Loebsack says both affordable and accessible is the goal. "We've seen the problems, we know what those problems are. We have to address those problems." He says that Congress has tried, but was vetoed by Pres. Bush. He then hits on the children's Hawk-I Program in Iowa -- which many will remember was a big fight.
Miller-Meeks says the answer is not to expand the federal health care program. Expanding the program places the insurance system we have now in further danger she says as people move to the government, single-payer plan.
Loebsack said he supports Obama's plan.
Lynch -- Can people really have the Congressional health care plan?
Loebsack believes it is feasible -- the tax cuts for the wealthy should be allowed to expire. Drug costs could be better. Prevention could be better.
Single-payer system in Europe still has diabetes and obesity, Miller-Meeks said. The flaw in Obama's plan is that it is not portable & that people will still be tied to their jobs. We should be able to buy insurance across state lines, just like we buy our auto and home insurance. She says that we can do it.
Association health plans, Loebsack says are the wrong way to go because they remove mandates that require coverage for certain conditions, including pre-existing conditions.
Miller-Meeks said that Loebsack is wrong. I want to tailor my plan -- not pre-existing conditions, but picking the items a consumer wants.
Malicki -- Agriprocessors in Postville? (Oh, I know a lot about this one.)
Miller-Meeks says that no matter where you stand on immigration, Postville was a travesty. Employers must be held accountable, but they need to be given the tools they need to uphold the law. We need comprehensive immigration reform. "It shouldn't take you 16 years to become a citizen in our country." She supports a guest worker program. She says pay is very important, because lower pay displaces American workers.
Loebsack believes it will take a bi-partisan, comprehensive reform. He touts his vote for more border control agents on the southern border. He also says employers, such as Agriprocessors, need to be "cracked down." They have to be held accountable. He says that he's voted for e-verification while in Congress. (Does he mean E-Verify?)
Closing Statements
Loebsack -- Thanks everyone. Talks of growing up in poverty with a mom who suffered from mental illness. Said he ran in 2006 to work for people like himself -- that's why he's running again. He names some of the bills he's fought for -- Military Pain Mangement Act & Grassley-Loebsack tax bill that will help those impacted by flood.
Miller-Meeks -- I'm not a politician, political activist or political science professor. I'm a citizen that is frustrated. America is not divided. Congress is divided. She gives her own compelling biography. Thought I could help to build a bridge that could connect the division. We need leadership that is visionary and laudable. She says she is a candidate that has her finger on the pulse of the constituents represented. "My fight is your fight. My success is your success."
The debate is complete. I'm going to clean this up a bit and then will offer my thoughts on the happenings.
There's no doubt that Miller-Meek's closing statement was a home run. She appealed to all of us, political activists or not, who have had our hearts repeatedly broken by the men and women we've sent to public offices. She also spoke candidly about her reasons for seeking this position, and how her life experience has led her to this moment and this Congressional seat.
In contrast, Loebsack's compelling story got lost amid his own back patting. Yes, it's important for those in Congress to laud their own accomplishments. Loebsack, however, spent a lot of his time during the debate on the bills he's supported. Due to all this build up throughout the debate, a one sentence note of being proud of his accomplishments during the closing would have sufficed.
As for the actual debate and how each handled the issues, Miller-Meeks, a fiesty political upstart, did what she knew she had to do: Draw contrasts between herself and her opponent. Unfortunately, the attacks she launched seemed put on and as if they weren't a part of her typical demeanor.
Loebsack stayed steady and nearly unflappable throughout the quips. His posture drew even more attention to Miller-Meeks' tactics, which overall began to look more like a mask of desperation than heartfelt words based on convictions.
There were clear contrasts drawn tonight between the candidates -- thanks to the fine panel for a set of questions that contained no softballs or "gotchas." While each candidate had opportunity (and took advantage of it) to agree with one another on specific pieces within specific issues, both also had time to lay out differences on health care, Social Security, the economic crisis and the war on terror.
As a final note, although my understanding is that both candidates agreed that Green Party Congressional candidate Wendy Barth and Independent candidate Brian White could share the stage for this debate, the powers-that-be at KCRG and the Gazette denied Barth and White that opportunity. Indeed, the news organization denied the voters in eastern Iowa the opportunity to hear the voices of all candidates that will appear on the November ballot. While I have no inside knowledge as to the reasoning behind this decision, I'd like to go on record as disagreeing with it.
A democracy only works when citizens are given good information from available sources. To that end, news organizations should operate as an amphitheater and not as a sound-proofed room.
Final FINAL note: (I swear!) For those interested, Barth typed answers to the debate questions as the event happened. Hat tip to John Deeth for the link. You can click the link to his blog and read his live blog of the 2nd District debate.
Taking over a currently Republican seat in Congress, especially one that has been in Republican hands since the district was drawn in 2001 and one that is currently held by a congressman that has served since 1994, would be a boon for the women's political action committee. There is also little doubt that EMILY's List would like to claim at least partial credit for Iowa finally electing a woman to serve in Congress. No one is under the illusion, however, that Democratic challenger 
Iowans in the 4th District will probably be seeing a lot more of Becky Greenwald in few remaining days between now and the November election.
Shannon Meyer, who is currently serving as the chief executive officer of the Melbourne-Palm Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, has decided to return to her native Midwestern roots by accepting the position in Eastern Iowa. She will begin her new role on Dec. 1.
This photo of Emma Goldman was taken in 1901 in Chicago. It is her mugshot when she was implicated in the assassination of President McKinley. Leon Czolgosz assassinated the president, and although Goldman did not know him, the police and the press blamed her for McKinley's death. Czolgosz had attended one of Goldman's speeches earlier in the year.
Congressman Tom Latham, a Republican representing Iowa's 4th District, publishes a weekly report on a wide variety of topics. This week, in honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the column focuses on breast cancer awareness and the importance of early detection.
Mark your calendar ... the lunch is on us!
