Iowa: January 2008 Archives

A partnership has been formed in the battle to reduce unintended pregnancies in Iowa.

Today, the University of Northern Iowa has announced a research program, funded by $11.5 million over the next five years, to determine the effectiveness of education projects aimed at increasing knowledge and utilization of pregnancy-planning services. The program is a part of the recently announced Iowa Initiative, headed by former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack.

Mary Losch, assistant director of the UNI Center for Social and Behavioral Research and associate professor of psychology, will direct the research efforts. She was selected to lead the project because of her long-standing work in the field of maternal and child health in Iowa.

The Iowa Initiative is focusing on women between the ages of 18 and 30. The research program through UNI is also targeting that age group.

"Our goal is to gain a solid understanding of the best ways to increase knowledge and influence attitudes and behaviors that will result in fewer unintended pregnancies and fewer abortions," Losch said.

In Iowa, roughly half of all pregnancies are unintended -- either mistimed or unwanted. The majority of women who do not want to be pregnant report that neither they nor their partners were using contraception at the time of conception. The research project hopes to better understand Iowa women's attitudes and beliefs about contraception and how community partners may be able to increase referrals to services designed to reduce unintended pregnancies.

The overall research effort will include five individual projects led by faculty collaborators at UNI, the University of Iowa College of Public Health and College of Pharmacy, and the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Each of the projects will test the efficacy of a specified method that educates about family planning and contraceptive services. Projects will take place throughout the state and all will partner with local businesses and organizations. At least one project will be a statewide effort.

"We are excited about this partnership," said Vilsack. "Research and education are key to this effort. From talking to women in local diners to hair salons and everywhere women in Iowa gather to chat, we need to get the word out about where women can find accurate information and access to contraceptives that work for them. UNI's research program will give us the data we need to move this effort forward."

The first year of the five-year project will be devoted to working with communities and businesses and developing test project materials. During the next three years, the projects will take place. In the final year, results will be tabulated, analyzed and reported. In addition to the primary goal of reducing unintended pregnancies in Iowa, the research findings will be used to strengthen and expand existing programs within Iowa and across the nation.

The UNI project is being funded by a grant from the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, the same organization that has funded the Iowa Initiative. Details about the exact design and implementation of each project will be provided over several months.

Congressman Bruce Braley's hope that government documents be written in simple, easy-to-understand language is one step closer to becoming a reality.

The Plain Language in Government Communications Act, or HR 3548, was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives by Braley last fall and overcame its first major hurdle when it was passed unanimously by the Subcommittee on Information Policy this week. The bill will now move to the full House Oversight and Government Reform Committee for consideration.

"The subcommittee's passage of the Plain Language Act is the first step in making government more accessible and accountable to American taxpayers," said Braley, a Democrat who represents Iowa's First District. "There's no reason why the federal government can't write their forms and other public documents in a way we can all understand."

The bill would require the federal government to write documents like tax returns, college-aid applications and Veterans Administration forms in plain language. Several before-and-after examples are available on the Plain Language website. A companion bill, sponsored by Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, is pending before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. While the measures have bipartisan support, it is anticipated that Republicans will push to expand the reach of the legislation to federal regulations as well as forms and documents. It's a move that Democrats would most likely embrace, giving the potential legislation even more chance of success.

"We feel optimistic about the future of the plain language bill in the Senate because there has been Senate interest in moving forward," Braley said. "It's like anything else though, finding floor time in the Senate is a precious commodity. Because there are so many of what I would refer to as big-ticket bills that are seeking floor time and because of the difficulty they have in getting the 60 votes needed to cut off debate, we have our work cut out for us. We will be working very hard with people of interest in the Senate and the committees of jurisdiction to make sure that once we get this passed in the House, we can get it passed in the Senate. But, right now, my focus is on the House. We have to do everything we can to develop support through the committee structure and then get it out on the floor for a vote."

Braley said he is "confident" the measure will pass if brought to the floor.

"[The bill] had very strong support from Republicans and Democrats in the subcommittee," he said.

While there might be some initial, up-front costs associated with re-writing the forms and documents, Braley said this bill will save taxpayers money.

"It has not been scored by the [Congressional Budget Office]," he said. "The whole purpose of the plain language bill is to reduce the cost to the federal government by making it so that people write these publications in language that brings fewer requests for assistance from U.S. citizens. That's the whole goal: To make it easier to understand, create less of a burden on the legislative agencies that are responsible for these programs. We will be working to see what, if any, additional costs there will be."

A great deal has changed in our nation and world during the nearly 40 years since a group of women met at a conference in Boston to talk about their medical experiences and share knowledge about their bodies. While the women associated with the group have never changed their primary focus of educating women about their own bodies and health, the changes -- both outwardly and inwardly -- have had an impact on how they approach their task.

"[When we started,] we were all younger," said Judy Norsigian, executive director and one of the founders of the Boston Women's Health Book Collective, which now does business under the name of their best-selling series Our Bodies, Ourselves. "No one had gone through menopause. ... Of the group that incorporated in 1971, there were 12 of us and I was, at that time, 23 and one of the women was almost 39. She's now 75 and just about to be 76. It has grown with us and it is partly because we became older that we became interested in menopause and issues beyond the early years."

The original booklet, which put women's health in a new political and social context, was published in 1970 on newsprint, and quickly became a success. Three years later, the first commercial edition was published by Simon & Schuster. Since then, the book has undergone several revisions and has been translated into numerous languages. In 2006, the group published a new book focusing on menopause. Another book, this one with a focus on pregnancy and birth, is scheduled for release in March.

Norsigian came to Iowa on Saturday to serve as keynote speaker for the 2008 annual Choice Dinner in Iowa City, an event that benefits the Emma Goldman Clinic. She agreed to sit down for an exclusive interview following the event.

"I think, over the years, the controversies have really varied too," she said. "We didn't have as much awareness of what the drug industry was doing early on. It has definitely grown in both its influence and its power. That's why we focus on things like advertising hype -- whether it is drug or surgical procedures -- and the importance of getting balanced information."

The Internet, she says, has opened many new avenues for women to learn about their health -- not all of them necessarily good.

"There's a lot of bad stuff on the Internet, but there is also a lot of good stuff," she said. "You have to know the source of the information. Is it credible? Find out who is funding the website. Things like that can help you in deciding if the material really makes sense. We take no funding from the pharmaceutical industry. So do a number of other women's health groups like Breast Cancer Action in San Francisco and the National Women's Health Network in [Washington,] D.C. As such, you know there isn't a conflict of interest.

"There are some women's groups who do pull punches when it comes to being honest and open and calling a spade a spade. That's because they don't bite the hand that feeds them. So, that is a problem. Even groups who think they would never do that ultimately do. We know that about human nature and that's why we created this policy, even though that means it is harder to survive. You have less source of corporate money. We are very committed to keeping evidenced-based, commercially-free information that's not driven by corporate bias."

Even as the group has expanded to include specific areas of interest to women of certain age groups, Norsigian said they are also now re-focusing on some of the issues they struggled with from the beginning.

"We've been very concerned about a lot of the issues that we championed early on -- midwifery, options for childbearing," she said. "We got them for awhile, and then they started to really reverse direction. For instance, breastfeeding rates and breastfeeding promotion was on the rise, and now -- except in some places -- there has actually been a trend in the wrong direction. There's this fear that women have that their breasts are going to look terrible if they nurse, so they won't nurse because of that. Or they are given these 'goodie bags' by the hospital that contain infant formula."

When considering what can be done to reverse the breastfeeding trends, Norsigian points to Portland, Ore.

"The one city that finally got rid of [hospital 'goodie bags'] is Portland," she said. "Also, last year Oregon passed the strongest breastfeeding legislation in the entire country. It's a real model for everyone else. That was a primary example of activists working together."

Working with other organizations and individuals -- even those that may not be considered friendly -- was a topic Norsigian discussed both in the interview and when she gave her keynote address. While speaking to the group, Norsigian recalled the story of a young woman from the evangelical community who wrote the front page article in The Nation that outlined the specific purpose assigned to Dr. W. David Hager when he was appointed to lead the Food and Drug Administration's Advisory Committee for Reproductive Health Drugs. He was put there by the Bush administration for the sole purpose of ending emergency contraception, something which is now widely credited as a reason for the nation's reduced abortion rates.

"It was something that couldn't be proven until [Hager] inadvisedly admitted it at a speech he gave in Kentucky," she said. "It was taped and this young researcher got ahold of it and ended up meeting with [Hager's] wife and finding out a number of sordid details about their life as well. This became a big story, and he was not re-appointed to the committee. Those kinds of things happen -- where you have to sort of lock hands with people who care about integrity, of the scientific process, people's personal integrity."

Norsigian also told the group about how a family friend, a priest, was given information that caused him to reconsider some of his previous actions.

"Working with groups and collaborating with groups, building coalitions, is extraordinarily important and it requires a certain amount of training," she said near the end of her public remarks. "Don't take it lightly, I think all of us need this kind of training in working with groups, working with people, developing listening skills and understanding that the people we disagree with -- even powerfully disagree with -- may have some important things we need to hear.

"I remember a long and extraordinary conversation with a priest, who was very close to my family. He didn't like abortion and he preached against it every year. A woman in his congregation came up to him and told him that she had an abortion and told him why his sermon made her feel horrible and why she thought it was wrong, morally wrong. I won't give you the details, but I want to tell you that he listened and he heard her. He told me that he wasn't giving that sermon ever again. His last words were, 'Don't get me wrong, Judy, abortion is still killing, but now I know abortion can be the right and the moral thing to do.' I don't know who that woman was, but that's the kind of intervention that makes a difference."

The varied age groups and socioeconomic levels in the reception hall for the 2008 Choice Dinner held at Iowa Memorial Union on the University of Iowa campus wasn't an unnoticed detail among those attending the event.

"We're here because we've been coming to this event for probably 20 years -- maybe more," said Nancy Lynch of Solon, who is a past volunteer and longtime monetary supporter of the Emma Goldman Clinic in Iowa City. "We think the cause is one that is very important and one that should be supported."

Looking around the room, Lynch said that "a long time ago" the dinners were primarily attended by young people, of which she was one.

"Tonight is interesting because most of the older people I know who have been here aren't here [this year]," she said. "It's mostly young people and I think that's fabulous."

The Choice Dinner is an annual event, the proceeds of which benefit Emma Goldman Clinic, the first women-owned and -operated health care center in the Midwest and the first outpatient abortion clinic in Iowa. The clinic was opened in September 1973, eight months after the U.S. Supreme Court declared that the right to choose an abortion is constitutionally guaranteed.

Proceeds from the dinner support the deProsse Access Fund for women living on lower incomes. Costs associated with the dinner are financed by local businesses, individuals and like-minded groups such as the Iowa City Human Rights Commission, Law Students for Reproductive Justice, American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, League of Women Voters of Johnson County, Iowa City Area National Organization of Women, Medical Students for Choice, and the Women's Resource and Action Center.

"While the event directly supports Emma Goldman, it wouldn't be possible without the support and collaboration of others," said Karen Kubby, the clinic's executive director. "As we observe the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade tonight, we are also honoring all the local groups who work on the behalf of women."

Lynch attended the event with her husband, Richard, who said that both their children have also been instrumental in the fight to maintain a woman's right to choose. Their daughter was one of the students who helped to found Medical Students for Choice and their son spoke out against those who picketed the clinic.

Beryl Shahan, a longtime women's issues activist in Iowa, drove with friends from Mount Pleasant to attend the dinner for the first time.

"I've served on the Planned Parenthood Board in southeast Iowa, and of course choice is something that has always been very important to me," Shahan, a former city councilwoman, said after the event. She went on to lament how many laws currently under consideration could serve as roadblocks to women seeking an abortion.

"As far as abortion services, Iowa City or Des Moines are really the only options for women living in southeast Iowa," she said. "So, when people start discussing a 24-hour waiting period or other limitations, it concerns me. That's the type of thing that would be a great obstacle for most people. If a woman is having trouble coming up with the money for an abortion, she would most likely also have trouble coming up with the added cost of a hotel stay. It is an extra and unnecessary burden."

Shahan said that she too was happy to see so many young people in attendance.

"I'm certainly glad to see that the movement is alive and well," she said. "It's good to see that others are recognizing the very real threats we have with the current Supreme Court. ... We're not alone -- in Mount Pleasant sometimes you can think that you are."

The sentiment of being in a place with others who share similar beliefs was echoed by first-year medical student Morgyn Beckman, a member of Medical Students for Choice.

"It's amazing. Sometimes you don't realize how many other people out there think the same thing as you," she said. "It's refreshing to be somewhere that everyone believes similarly as you do."

Both Beckman and Tess Stoffer, who is also a first-year medical student, agreed that when they made their career choice, they wanted to be able to provide women with any services that might be needed. Both women joined Medical Students for Choice, a group they didn't know existed, after beginning their studies at the University of Iowa.

"I feel really empowered," Stoffer said before leaving the event. "It was an enjoyable evening, and it felt really good to be surrounded by people who are supportive."

Attendees Brian and Emily Goedde said they came to this, their first Choice Dinner, because they were invited and also because they had used the clinic's services, an experience Brian wrote about for the New York Times magazine.

"I used the clinic as a resource -- when I started to write about the experience," Brian Goedde said. "I wanted to know how much we should be concerned about safety issues and that sort of thing if the piece was published... We've gotten some responses -- a lot positive, a lot negative. I used Emma Goldman, in particular Karen Kubby, as a resource to prepare us for -- well, to prepare us in particular for the negative responses."

In addition to supporting the clinic that supported them, the Goeddes said they were happy to have heard the event's keynote speaker, Judy Norsigian, who is executive director and a founder of the Boston Women's Health Book Collective (which does business under the name Our Bodies, Ourselves).

"I liked when [Norsigian] talked about finding allies in surprising places," Brian Goedde said. "I think that's a great message. There are groups that we might be afraid to approach, but, if we do, maybe we'll find allies for choice there."

Emily Goedde said she appreciated Norsigian's remarks because they made her feel like one part of a larger experience.

"I liked having the aspect of learning about history," she said. "It was learning about the history of the movement and learning how you are part of this longer period of time, and how we all need to keep working to make things change. It's not just something in the past; it's a continuous struggle. Things have changed. Issues have changed. But it is always up to us when it comes to women's health care."

Below are statements and reactions from Iowa's federal legislators, following President George W. Bush's final State of the Union address.

Senator Tom Harkin

"I welcomed the spirit of cooperation in parts of the President's speech tonight and I am looking forward to working with him on important legislation we must finish this year.

"The President's recent effort to help us enact a bipartisan stimulus package is an important step to averting a deeper downturn in our nation's economy. We need an effective stimulus package. We must get it right. Investing in nutrition assistance for low-income families and unemployment benefits, as well as putting people to work right away, must be central to our effort. Economic experts agree that these types of investments will show immediate results and make the greatest impact on our economy.

"The President mentioned reducing our dependence on foreign oil. The new farm bill currently moving through Congress has the potential to do just that, which is why the cooperation of the White House is so critical to passing our bill. I look forward to working with him to get this bill done.

"We heard the President declare his surge a success, and there is no doubt that our brave soldiers in Iraq have performed brilliantly. Yet the stated goal of the surge was to give the Iraqi government breathing room to bring about political reconciliation, and numerous independent experts agree that simply has not happened. Only by setting a timetable for redeployment of our forces will Iraqi leaders have the incentive to resolve their political differences and take responsibility for their own future. Only then can we begin to more effectively address the real threats to our security by refocusing our attention on a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan and working to restore democracy in Pakistan.

"The President didn't say enough about our broken healthcare system. Americans have made their voices clear that we must act now to expand access to quality care and I hope this Congress can take significant steps toward that end.

"The bottom line is that Americans are looking for a new direction for our country. Democrats in Congress intend to deliver. The question left unanswered tonight is whether President Bush will work with us, and not against us."

Senator Chuck Grassley

"President Bush is responding to the anxieties of Americans and addressing them head on with his actions and his words.

"He worked with Congress on a bipartisan stimulus package, and tonight he's making the case for prompt action by lawmakers in order to increase the chances of legislation having a positive effect. Creating an environment for economic opportunity and job creation will be a well-deserved legacy of President Bush's. He has worked to expand export opportunities for U.S. manufacturers, service providers and farmers, and he's made lower taxes a hallmark of his presidency. Americans know that higher taxes right now would be devastating to an economy that's jittery, and President Bush is a forward-looking leader when it comes to making tax relief for families, individuals and entrepreneurs a permanent, predictable part of the federal tax code. If Congress doesn't act, the American people will face the biggest tax increase ever, and it'll happen without a vote of Congress.

"Along with letting people keep more of their own hard-earned money, the President is also responding to Americans' concern about pork-barrel spending by Congress. It's time to reform the appropriations process and control other spending in Washington.

"President Bush understands the critical need to preserve homeland and national security. He's committed to giving law enforcement officers the tools they need to continue preventing another terrorist attack. The global fight against Islamic extremists whose goal is to destroy our country and the freedom it stands for goes on. The intelligence bill before the Senate modernizes the FISA law and strikes the right kind of balance between respect for civil liberties and strengthening resources for our intelligence community.

"President Bush paid appropriate respect tonight to the U.S. service men and women who have served and continue to serve our nation on the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan and in places all over the world. The President's strong leadership has helped to guarantee support for their selfless efforts. By standing firm in opposition to political efforts to precipitously withdraw U.S. troops or cut off funding, President Bush has made sure that troop levels are being reduced only at the direction of military commanders in the field. We're safer here at home because of the sacrifice and commitment of all those taking the fight overseas instead of allowing the fight to come to U.S. soil."

Congressman Dave Loebsack

"I was pleased to hear President Bush discuss the economic concerns facing the people of Iowa's Second District. As our country faces an uncertain economic future, hard working Iowa families are struggling now, more than ever, to make ends meet. I have been hearing first hand about these struggles from the people of the Second District, these folks work hard and play by the rules, but are falling further behind.

"Tonight, during his final State of the Union Address, President Bush discussed the bipartisan Economic Stimulus plan that was jointly created by Congress and the White House. Congress fought hard to negotiate a compromise that covers as many hard working families and seniors as possible. This plan, while not perfect, provides real relief. It will give middle-class, working folks, cash up-front to help with everyday expenses. These are the people that truly need help, they have been left behind for too long.

"Iowans are working harder for less and paying more for health care, college, home heating and other energy costs. For most people, one income isn't enough to raise a family and send your kids to college. Sometimes, two incomes aren't enough. Middle-class Americans, hard working Iowa families, are seeing their dreams slip further and further away. It is time for a change, time for more than just an economic stimulus plan.

"The President's acknowledgement of the problems facing families today is not enough. We need to address these problems, we need log term solutions, we need to let go of the policies of the past and seize this moment in time to change our national policy and make critical investments in education, healthcare, economic development and renewable energy so we can once again establish an economy that works for all Iowans.

"Lastly, the President gave us no hope for an end to the war in Iraq. This war is making us less safe at home and abroad. We must begin to bring our troops home safely and responsibly, while also working to renew our commitment to Afghanistan. This country is the front line on the war against terrorism; our commitment in Afghanistan must reflect our commitment to national security.

"This will be my focus in 2008, and I hope the President will join us in this effort."

Congressman Bruce Braley

"Our nation is facing growing challenges: American troops are still fighting in Iraq. Our economy is on the brink of a recession. The skyrocketing costs of healthcare and energy are squeezing working families to the limit.

"These problems demand quick action, but partisanship is crippling Washington. That's why we need leadership as much as we need ideas.

"Seeing the President's speech tonight, I see places where Congress and the White House can find common ground. We need to move quickly to pass an economic stimulus package into law that's temporary, timely, and targeted, to bring relief to working families. There's been an encouraging level of bipartisan cooperation to achieve that goal.

"But the President has a long way to go to convince me that he is truly going to do anything other than more-of-the-same with issues like the war in Iraq, trade, or healthcare. And the President needs to provide real leadership on boosting renewable energy production, not just an occasional mention in a State of the Union."

With the filing periods for Linn County supervisor, sheriff or auditor looming just around the corner, several residents have already taken steps to request candidate packets from the Linn County Auditor's office.

March 3 is the first day for partisan candidates in the above races to file nomination papers for the offices listed above. Nomination papers must be received by the Linn County Auditor's office by 5 p.m. on March 26.

Although a final list will not be available until the final day, several individuals have requested candidate packets for the Linn County Supervisor's race from the auditor's office:

* = incumbent

Observing the supervisor's race as it shapes up is quickly becoming a favorite past-time of county residents. The Board of Supervisors had long been limited to three elected officials. Recently, county residents voted to expand the board to five members. A committee was named to map out the new districts -- a task that did not come without pain and complaint from nearly everyone involved.

Mary Lundby, who has served for decades as an Iowa Senator, made public early on that she will leave the legislature to pursue a seat on the board. Most consider her a very safe bet.

Dave Machecek mounted an unsuccessful campaign for the board of supervisors previously, and is credited with many of the signatures that called for the referendum that increased the board seats.

The latest controversy in relation to the upcoming campaigns came earlier this month during a meeting of the Linn County Compensation Board. The group met to determine the future salaries of the supervisors (as well as other county elected officials) and recommended a 6 percent raise. That recommendation has been given to the Board of Supervisors for further discussion, although a final decision is not expected until February.

While 6 percent doesn't seem like an outrageous request, it appears Linn County residents have finally come to the realization that they will soon be paying five supervisors instead of three -- currently at a tune of roughly $82,500 each per year.

Linn County Auditor Joel Miller blogged yesterday about the meeting as well as the information he provided.

In addition to the supervisor race, three men have publicly stated their intentions to seek the office of Linn County Sheriff (an office to be vacated by current Sheriff Don Zeller): Democrat Brian Gardner, Democrat Bill Elam and Republican David Zahn. There's no word yet on who might be entering the Auditor's race.

While there is plenty to be said about what's currently happening in Linn County, I'd like readers to please have a good look at the candidates who have announced their intentions or picked up paperwork from Miller's office. While I'm extremely pleased to see Langston, Lundby, Barron and Arenas on the list, I'm also struck that there aren't more women stepping up to the plate. If you are a female resident of Linn County and are interested in running for office, drop me a line and I promise to allow picking of my brain and to put you in touch with those individuals who can provide you even more assistance.

Iowa's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is up again -- now at 4 percent for December 2007 -- and has officials pointing to ripples from the housing crisis.

"The statewide unemployment rate followed the national trend in December, and increased to the highest level for the year," said Elisabeth Buck, director of Workforce Development. "The current month's data suggest that the housing slowdown is starting to have a wider impact on the Iowa economy."

According to a report issued in late December by the Joint Economic Committee, a bicameral congressional committee composed of 10 members from the U.S. Senate and 10 members from the House of Representatives, in three years delinquent mortgages in Iowa rose from 12,400 to 21,600. An earlier report by the same committee estimated the number of subprime foreclosures between the third quarter of 2007 and the end of 2009 will total 8,100. The group estimates that subprime foreclosures during that time alone will cost Iowa $261 million.

Iowa posted a 3.9 percent unemployment rate in November 2007 -- the highest the state had experienced since January 2006. During December the rate climbed slightly, with unemployment now standing at 4 percent. Neighboring states of Illinois, Missouri and Minnesota also experienced increases in their December unemployment rates.

The estimate of unemployed persons increased by nearly 3,000 from November to December, with the state total being 67,600. One year ago, the number of unemployed in the state was 57,600.

Iowa's numbers still fall well below the posted 5 percent national unemployment rate for December. A year earlier the national rate was 4.6 percent.

Unemployment data for January is not expected to be released until March, due to annual benchmarking.

While millions of Americans are either celebrating or grieving the 35th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Roe v. Wade decision today, 25-year-old Katie Wilkins credits the law for the 5-year-old girl playing outside her kitchen window.

It's been nearly six years since Wilkins, a recent college graduate, locked herself in her parents' bathroom and watched a blue line slowly appear on a pregnancy test she had placed on the vanity. It was a moment that not only changed her life, but changed the way she viewed abortion.

"I say that -- that it changed the way I think about abortion because it was a woman at the abortion clinic who gave me courage," she said. "The woman who was supposed to help me get an abortion was the first person in my life to tell me that I had a choice and that only I could make that choice. She helped me make the decision that was right for me."

Wilkins paused, looked out the window to check on her daughter and smiled before saying she would start from the beginning.

"I was scared," she admitted. "My family wasn't overly religious, but we went to church. As far as I knew, my family thought abortion was the equivalent of murder. Because of that, I was pretty much resigned that I was going to have a baby. There were simply no other options."

When Wilkins worked up enough courage to tell her mother about the pregnancy, however, it quickly became clear that her mother thought abortion was the best option.

"She sat for several minutes and took it all in," Wilkins said. "Obviously, she wasn't happy. Although I was engaged, I wasn't married. When she began talking, her first words were about my college scholarship. Then she began talking about other things -- the big wedding, the time my fiance and I should be spending as a couple. It was just weird. It was like she wasn't talking to me as much as she was talking to herself."

It was at the end of that conversation that Wilkins' mother said the word abortion.

"She said the word and her eyes lit up," Wilkins said. "It was like she had just found the most amazing answer to a huge problem. I was completely against it and I told her so, but she still picked up the phone book and made a couple of calls."

Wilkins told her fiance about the conversation with her mother, expecting to find moral support for her decision to continue the pregnancy.

"He bowed his head and I could tell he was thinking about something serious," she said. "I thought he was maybe thinking of ways to calm himself down because he was so angry with my mom."

When he looked at her again, her fiance told her he also agreed that she should have an abortion.

"I was shocked and crying," she said. "He and my mom were the two people I most loved and trusted and both of them were telling me to do something I didn't want to do. Both of them were telling me that I had no choice, that it was for the best. What could I do?"

Wilkins went with her mother and her fiance to the clinic for the abortion. She said that when the day finally arrived, she had "cried herself out."

"I was basically a walking zombie," she said. "I had spent the past few days trying to convince myself that this was the best thing."

She was called into an office where a counselor began to speak with her about the pregnancy, her medical history and the scheduled procedure.

"I didn't break down or anything," Wilkins said. "I didn't scream out or start crying, but somehow she knew. She began to question me about why I was there and what I wanted. I finally told her the truth -- that my family and fiance thought having an abortion was best. She sat down her clipboard and moved her chair over so that we were sitting almost nose-to-nose. 'Katie, what do you think?' she asked me. I did begin to cry then. It was the first time anyone had asked me what I thought or what I wanted."

The two women spoke for several minutes before inviting Wilkins' mother and fiance to hear the change of plans.

"I told them that I was not going to have an abortion," she said. "They tried to protest, but the counselor asked them to just listen. I told them everything and then I explained that this was my body, my life and my choice."

A few months later, Wilkins gave birth to a healthy daughter. She moved out of her parents' home while pregnant, but remains close with her family. She and her mother have managed to heal their relationship and Wilkins says both her parents adore their granddaughter. Unfortunately, she and her fiance were not as lucky, although he continues to provide financially for the child. Her life, she says, isn't perfect and isn't easy, but she's satisfied and working to improve things. Some people might think, after listening to Wilkins' experiences, that she'd be against abortion.

"No, not at all," she said. "That's why they call it 'choice' and I'm more than happy to support any woman whatever her choice may be. Just because it wasn't the right choice for me, doesn't mean it isn't the right choice for someone else. I think that's what many who support and oppose abortion have forgotten."

Roe v. Wade, she says, isn't really about or limited to abortion.

"The decision handed down by the Supreme Court was done as a reaction to abortion, but it really, I think, speaks about medical privacy and medical choice in general," Wilkins said. "The court said, basically, no person can force another person to have a medical procedure against his or her will. It also said that each of us have a right to care for and make decisions based on our own well-being. Finally, we should all be able to make those decisions as publicly or as privately as we wish."

Most people, she said, only see what they want to see about her situation.

"There are some who are against abortion that think I'm going to be their best friend after they've heard my story," she said. "There are others who are open to abortion who want to paint my family and fiance as villians after hearing it. They are both wrong. I'm no more a saint than any other woman. I'm just a woman who took advantage of the choices afforded to me -- a choice I'm extremely thankful for."

The text of statements, thus far received, in reference to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Congressman Bruce Braley:

"On this day our nation reflects on the contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr. to the long struggle for civil rights in the United States. Because of Dr. King's work, a nation where people are judge by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin is closer to reality.

"While the dream that Martin Luther King and thousands of others fought for remains elusive, his legacy lives on in our hearts and minds. Dr. King stood up for people who didn't have a voice when others failed to stand up for them.

"His life should inspire all of us to fight for those among us -- of any color, background, or creed -- who've had their voices taken away."

Congressman Dave Loebsack:

"Today we honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, who throughout his all too brief life embraced the value of volunteerism and service. In 1957, he stated, 'Life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are we doing for others.' Dr. King believed people from all walks of life could and should come together to address important community issues.

"This is why the National holiday in honor of Dr. King's birthday is a day of service, a day to come together and give back to the community. By volunteering today to improve lives and empower others, people are commemorating the timeless values Dr. King taught us through his exemplary work, those of courage, compassion, dignity, humility and service.

"I am inspired by all of those who are volunteering today and taking action to make Iowa an even better place to live. By observing the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday as a day on, and not a day off, people are doing more than just remembering Dr. King's leadership and sacrifice; they're fulfilling his vision of unity and purpose by working toward a common goal."

More statements will be added when/if they become available.

Here's a story that's guaranteed to warp the delicate balance of Penthouse letter readers worldwide. The Gazette reports the tale of police officer Kevin Sims, a man who went well beyond the call of duty. He accepted, in exchange for his silence on criminal matters, sexual favors from a woman he stopped late one night. As a consequence, he's struck a deal in the federal misdemeanor case, ensuring he will never again serve as a law enforcement officer. He also faces up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine.

If there is one thing I really dislike, it is reading a news report and having questions remain when I'm done. That's probably why my articles tend to be so stinking long. But, when I finished reading the Gazette's report, there was one question that continued to bother me. This encounter happened in 2004. It was 2007 when Sims was interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Originally, he denied his involvement, but "when the agents presented more information, he admitted that he had sexual relations with the woman."

Three years later the FBI comes knocking to inquire if a police officer in Cedar Rapids knocked boots with a woman after a traffic stop? And, given that it was three years later, what "more information" could have possibly been presented? Had a child been born out of the union? Did the woman pull a Lewinsky and keep her soiled underpants? Had the officer inadvertently (or purposefully) filmed the festivities with his patrol car camera?

In another part of the article, the reporter (unnamed) states that "the woman voluntarily engaged in the acts believing that by doing so she would escape any criminal charges." That statement really bugs me. It implies that the woman has come forward to state her intentions on that night. Does that mean she's the one who filed the complaint? If so, then why? Obviously the woman felt strongly enough about her own self-preservation to perform sexual acts with the officer. What would prompt her to spill the beans?

According to the article, the boot knocking occurred in one of the Cedar Rapids parks. I suppose it could be that a pedestrian spotted the couple. If that were the case, why would it take three years before the officer was questioned? And, since the officer did not contact dispatch about the stop or, of course, about the suggested public service for the crime, how would law enforcement find the woman?

Interesting story -- nearly worthy of a Penthouse letter if it wasn't for the whole FBI ending -- but way too many holes. What's really sad is that one more sentence like "FBI agents declined to provide further information as to what prompted their original interest in the case" could have saved the piece.

Gov. Chet Culver is urging Iowans to take a deep, slow breath in response to an opinion filed by the Iowa Supreme Court Friday, which said a lesbian had the right to seek custody and visitation of adoptive children. The woman and her partner, the children's biological mother, had separated.

Although opponents of same-sex marriage could view the opinion as an indication of how the state's highest court will rule on a lower court's decision to briefly legalize such marriages, Culver told Radio Iowa that would be an over-reaction.

"I think we have to let the judicial branch work through these cases and as a former government teacher and as governor I have a lot of respect for the judicial process. We shouldn't tamper with it," Culver says. "Let them do their work and then we can respond and react if we need to."

In the opinion released Friday, authored by Justice Michael J. Streit, the court outlined how Jamie and Heather Schott were in a committed relationship for several years and jointly parented Jamie's two biological children. Heather had adopted the two children and, following the separation, petitioned Polk County District Court in January 2007 for a ruling on "child custody, physical care and support."

Instead of ruling on the petition, however, the court questioned whether it had jurisdiction, given that the adoptions of the children were contrary to Iowa's adoption statute. The district court refused to rule, citing subject matter jurisdiction. In essence, the district court declared the adoptions invalid, prompting the appeal.

"On appeal, we find it was inappropriate for the district court to collaterally attack the adoptions," Justice Streit wrote in the opinion. "Heather is the children's legal parent and the district court had subject matter jurisdiction to rule on her petition."

The opinion admonished the district court for not recognizing that the adoptions were originally handled as "second parent," such as those of step-parents. Adoptions of that nature do not require the termination of rights by both biological parents, something the district court had argued in response to Heather's petition.

Although the Supreme Court opinion does not set the requested guidelines for child custody, physical care and support, it does force the case back to the district court where such decisions must now be made.

Culver, who has often stated his opposition of same-sex marriage, indicated he would prompt the Iowa Legislature to act if the Iowa Supreme Court ruled such couples had the right to marry. Despite that, however, Culver is not advocating legislative action before the Supreme Court hears and rules on the case.

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, a former mentor and mentoring advocate, proclaimed January as Iowa Mentoring Month on Jan. 4.

"Time spent with a child is not only an investment in that child but an investment in every Iowan," said Culver in a prepared statement.

The Iowa Mentoring Partnership, a state supported program organized by the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, is designed to bring together and support mentoring programs from all over the state through training, technical assistance, networking and other activities. Currently, there are over 70 programs in the Partnership with thousands of children and youth experiencing the benefits of mentoring through these organizations. While steady progress is being made in bringing mentors into the lives of our young Iowans in need, mentoring programs in Iowa continually express the need for more people to volunteer as mentors. Currently, thousands of children are on mentoring waiting lists throughout the state hoping for a mentor in 2008.

"When I became Governor, I pledged to create One Iowa with One Unlimited Future and that promise starts with our youngest Iowans," Culver added. "The First Lady and I, along with all Iowans, praise each mentor for their service and encourage others to join them in sharing their skills as mentors to invest in Iowa's bright future."

If you would like more information on mentoring or would like to become a mentor please call the Iowa Mentoring Partnership at 1-800-308-5987 or visit their website.

Marion Economic Development Company (MEDCO) introduced their newest board members during their monthly meeting at Marion City Hall.

Newly elected members are:

• Beth Brockett (Alliant Energy)
• Tim Mooney (Mooney Custom Homes)
• Jon Dusek (Armstrong Development)
• Steve Carroll (Linn County REC)

Paul Rehn, who was elected last fall to serve as Marion's mayor, also joins the board as an ex-officio member.

"We try to have the MEDCO board be representative of the Marion business community," said Jim Bouslog, chairman of MEDCO. "[Our] mission is to facilitate the growth of manufacturing and large commercial development in Marion. Our new board members bring the skills and personalities needed to help Marion move forward. MEDCO appreciates the willingness of board members who donate their time for the benefit of our community."

Bouslog also expressed his thanks to retiring board members John Botkin of Skogman Commercial Group, Vic Klopfenstein of Linn Animal Hospital (and former mayor), Randy Behr of Big Behr Design and Ron Rider of Alliant Energy. Retiring ex-officio members are former mayor John Neiland and Steve Sprague of the Kirkwood Small Business Development Center.

MEDCO was formally incorporated in 1984. The board is comprised of 20 volunteers who serve three-year terms and eight ex-officio members representing the city, Chamber, Kirkwood Community College and Priority One.

The Iowa Supreme Court, in an opinion filed this morning, vindicated a Johnson County nurse who muffled an adult patient's screams to protect the health of another patient.

In May 2004, nurse Kim Wyatt was working in the neuroscience unit at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. She was attending a patient who suffered from a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a brain condition that made the patient susceptible to light and noise, even to the point of ruptured aneurysms resulting in paralysis or death.

A patient in an adjacent room awaited brain surgery for removal of a tumor from his frontal lobe. The patient, who also suffered from a myriad of health conditions, including bouts of dementia, often resisted invasive medical procedures.

On the morning of the incident, two other nurses and a nursing assistant were attempting to provide the patient in the adjacent room with an IV. The patient resisted and began screaming. Wyatt and another nurse responded, finding four staff members trying to restrain the patient. In what was later found to be an effort to protect the patient in the next room, Wyatt placed a pillow over the distraught patient's mouth, below his nose. When a nurse in the room objected twice, the pillow was removed and there was no sign that the action caused the patient physical or respiratory distress. The patient had no memory of the incident; however, another treating nurse filed a report with supervisors against Wyatt the following morning.

Although supervising staff at the hospital found no instance of adult abuse and Wyatt subsequently received a favorable performance review, hospital administration filed a report with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA) as a possible instance of dependent adult abuse. A DIA investigation determined Wyatt had committed dependent adult abuse by punishing and assaulting the patient and the agency gave Wyatt's name to the Department of Human Services for placement on the dependent adult abuse registry. Wyatt appealed the decision within the state agency.

The decision against Wyatt was initially reversed by an administrative law judge who stated that Wyatt was not trying to "hurt, punish, harm, cause fear or offensively contact" the patient when she placed the pillow over his mouth. The conclusion was that Wyatt acted in the best interest of the patient she was attending, a patient that could have been caused undue harm by the other patient's screaming. The director of the Health Facilities Division of DIA, however, rejected such assertions of justification and concluded that "several options" could have been considered and/or implemented by Wyatt.

Wyatt then took the case to the district court, which reversed the director's decision. DIA moved for the case to be heard in the court of appeals. The appellate court reversed the district court decision, finding that Wyatt committed an intentional assault on the patient and should be listed in the adult abuse registry.

In the opinion released this morning by Justice Brent Appel, the decision of the court of appeals was vacated and the judgment of the district court -- including its order that Wyatt's name be removed from the abuse registry -- was affirmed. The court ruled that Wyatt did not have the "intent necessary to assault" the patient. That is, the court determined that Wyatt had no intention of harming the patient, only to muffle the noise for the protection of her nearby patient. Since such findings were not disputed by the agency and due to specifics within the Iowa Code in relation to abuse, according to the opinion, Wyatt did not assault the patient.

As of today, nearly 7,000 Iowans who registered to vote on caucus night have been added to the statewide voter registration system. In addition, over 52,500 Iowans have changed parties -- with the Iowa Democratic Party being the largest beneficiary.

According to Secretary of State Michael Mauro, of the approximate 52,500 records that have been processed, over 43,000 were Iowans changing their party affiliation to the Democratic Party. Republicans have received about 9,500 changes.

“County auditor’s offices have been inundated with registration forms since the caucus,” Mauro said. “County auditors have told my staff they anticipate making over 100,000 registration changes statewide when all is said and done.”

"The numbers bear out exactly what we knew," said Carrie Giddins, communications director for the Iowa Democratic Party. "People are excited about our Democratic candidates."

Mauro hopes that the caucus turnout is a reflection of what is to come.

“From the significant turnout numbers at the caucuses, it is clear Iowa voters have taken their first in the nation caucus status seriously,” he said. “I anticipate continued high voter turnout all the way to the General Election.”

Mauro predicts that many counties will have completed entering caucus voter registration changes into the statewide voter registration system within the next 10 days. A request for comment from the Republican Party of Iowa has not yet been returned.

After nearly a year, it is now likely that Matt Michael Dummermuth, interim U.S. attorney for the northern district of Iowa and a native of Elgin, will face U.S. Senate confirmation hearings. The White House news service has reported that Dummermuth's official nomination for the position was sent to the Senate in December.

Dummermuth's appointment by President George W. Bush to replace retiring Charles W. Larson, Sr., came after a 2006 recommendation by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, a lawmaker for whom Dummermuth previously interned. The appointment also followed the retirement of then-First Assistant U.S. Attorney Judi Whetstine, who was initially appointed as acting U.S. attorney for the district. Dummermuth was sworn in Jan. 30, 2007.

Nomination hearings before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary have yet to be scheduled since, according to staff reports, certain paperwork has not yet been submitted. Among the items missing are "blue slips," forms from Iowa's senators that provide support of the nomination. Grassley's press office indicated his blue slip will be delivered Friday. A spokeswoman in Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin's office said Harkin is currently reviewing information and remains unsure if he will support the nomination.

Dummermuth, who at 34 is one of the youngest of the nation's 93 U.S. attorneys, has spent the past year stacking up a wealth of drug and gun convictions. He has spoken to several area school districts on the topic of Internet predators, an issue he has made into a focus of his tenure. His on-the-job training, however, hasn't necessarily spared him being soiled by the ongoing U.S. attorney appointment controversy.

The controversy stems from the 2005 reauthorization of the Patriot Act, legislation that enabled the president -- through the office of the attorney general -- to replace U.S. attorneys who had retired or resigned with long-term appointees that did not need to undergo confirmation by the Senate. Previously, such appointees could only serve for 120 days without confirmation. After that time period elapsed, district courts could extend the appointment or would make any necessary subsequent appointments until the Senate confirmed a nominee. The changes, however, allowed the appointees to serve indefinitely. As reauthorized, the Patriot Act effectively circumvented constitutionally-granted senatorial oversight of executive appointees.

Although the oversight loophole was closed in June 2007 when the clause within the 2005 Patriot Act reauthorization was rescinded, several U.S. attorneys were already serving in indefinite interim roles. Dummermuth was one of them, and his appointment came under public scrutiny.

There are unique differences between U.S. Attorneys who ended up in the direct fire of the controversy and Dummermuth, who primarily remained on the fringes. First, Dummermuth replaced Larson, an older public servant whose retirement was not terribly surprising. While Whetstine's subsequent retirement after being named the acting U.S. Attorney for the northern district is suspect, those close to her have said the move was not politically prompted.

Dummermuth's resume includes a two-year stint at the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice as well as a one-year position in the U.S. attorney's office in the eastern district of Virginia. He served in private practice in Cedar Rapids and worked with Judge David Hansen of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. In addition to his diploma from Iowa State, Dummermuth graduated from Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Mass.

There are, however, direct links between Dummermuth and the Bush administration. In addition to small campaign contributions, Dummermuth was one of three field staff for the Bush-Cheney presidential campaign in Iowa during 2000. He directed campaign activities in the eastern portion of the state while Scott Shuman worked central and Grant Young worked western Iowa. The three answered directly to political director Craig Schoenfeld.

In addition, Dummermuth's wife, Rebecca, previously served in the Bush administration's Department of Labor as special assistant to the solicitor (then Eugene Scalia). She also worked in the White House, serving as associate director for legal affairs in the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. In that capacity, she often served as a spokeswoman and advocate for faith-based initiatives. In a 2004 article in the Hawaii-Reporter, Rebecca was reported as explaining the constitutional guidelines of such funding and same-faith hiring practices. The topic was not new to Rebecca, who had previously served as a legal counsel at The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a public-interest law firm that protects the free expression of religion. Also, as lead articles editor of the Washington and Lee Law Review, she published a column entitled "If We Recant, Could We Qualify?" that examined the exclusion of religious providers from state social-service voucher programs.

Rebecca left employment with the White House after the couple's son was born in order to become a homemaker. She told Christian Broadcast News that "a child is eternity, and investing in him is investing in eternity." The Dummermuths are expecting a second child this spring.

As late as this past summer, Dummermuth was listed as one of 30 members of the board of trustees for Southeast Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) in Wake Forest, N.C. He was elected by the Southern Baptist Convention and charged with control and governance of SBTS, Inc. His term expires in 2010. The chief function of the board is to establish policy concerning the operation of the institution and approve the academic programs offered by the school.

It remains unclear why the White House chose this particular time to submit a formal nomination for the Iowa post. Dummermuth, who oversees 25 attorneys and 30 additional district staff members, could have served as interim U.S. attorney indefinitely given the timing of his appointment. No other U.S. attorneys were included with Dummermuth in the notice of nomination. However, if confirmed, the nomination does stipulate a "term of four years." Without confirmation, the next president could have easily nominated a different attorney for the post. Had that nominee won Senate confirmation, Dummermuth would have been immediately replaced. Still, U.S. attorneys, according to former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, do "serve at the pleasure of the president" and can be removed despite agreed-upon terms of office.

Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Marsha Ternus had a hard act to follow when she made her second appearance before the state legislature on Wednesday morning -- herself.

Following a 2007 State of the Judiciary address in which Ternus called for efforts to improve the lives of foster children, lawmakers passed at least five related bills that were later signed by Gov. Chet Culver and, more importantly, provided needed appropriations for the changes and additions Ternus proposed. More judges were added and assigned to preside over juvenile cases so that each child could have the same judge throughout involvement with juvenile court. The Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program was also expanded to serve all 99 Iowa counties.

This year Ternus asked legislators to provide additional juvenile court officers and support staff for juvenile courts, two more judges (one of whom would be assigned exclusively to juvenile court) and funding for children who are awaiting mental health treatment.

"Youths who commit serious offensive and have serious behavior problems have a greater chance for continued unlawful behavior that may eventually land them in our adult criminal justice system," Ternus said in her 2008 address. "And if, in the future, they end up incarcerated, their children will be more likely to end up the same way. But thankfully, we can stop this destructive cycle."

While refusing to label current efforts as a "soft glove approach on hardened juvenile delinquents," Ternus told legislators juvenile court officers are working to identify underlying causes of delinquent behavior. It is hoped, she said, that such discoveries will better match youths with the right intervention and, in turn, help them make better decisions.

"I thought her talk was excellent and inspiring," said Sen. Becky Schmitz, D-Fairfield, who serves as vice-chairwoman of the Human Resources Committee. "Our future is so dependent on the youth of today and the investment is well worth it. Whether we will be able to fund all of her recommendations is uncertain at this point, but I would like to see them given consideration."

Rep. Geri Huser, D-Altoona, who serves on the Judiciary Committee, agreed that funding is a concern, but she also spoke of the importance of the priorities outlined by Ternus.

"I think it is our hope that we can put into law things that allow her to address some of the juvenile justice issues," Huser said. "Our budget is a lot tighter this year than it was last year. So, the legislature is going to have to make some priority decisions. The problem with that, in respect to juvenile justice, is that we've found out that if we don't address them as kids, we're going to end up with them as adults. In the long term it actually costs us money to not address the problems that these kids are seeing in the juvenile justice system."

Huser added that one of the things from the speech that she hopes does become a legislative priority is the research into underlying causes as to why a child chooses to act out in a delinquent manner.

"I think [Ternus] was right on target when she said that kids are not juvenile delinquents because they want to steal something," Huser said. "It is usually because there is a drug problem, or a mental abuse problem or there is a problem in the home. Those things have to be addressed if we are going to get those kids on the right track. The increase in number of children who are in our system causes me concern."

Huser, who was previously employed as a social worker in Polk County, said she understood when Ternus outlined why it was difficult to get judges, attorneys and other support staff to work in the juvenile system.

"When she was talking about having a difficult time getting judges that want to do family court and juvenile court, I can relate to that," she said. "They are literally having to be more than just a lawyer or a judge. They are having to put on their social worker hats, their counselor hats. We also see that in the drug court. But, that's what it takes in order to keep these people from coming back into our system, which saves taxpayers money in the long run."

It's that last piece -- spending money now in order to save much more money in the future -- that especially stood out to both Schmitz and Rep. Ro Foege, D-Mount Vernon.

"Her comments about restorative justice are particularly important for Iowans to understand," Schmitz said. "After ensuring community safety and making the juveniles accountable for their actions, the critical piece is teaching better decision making and teaching alternative behaviors that will satisfy their needs in a more community supportive manner. Many of these students have not learned the appropriate behaviors and just telling them to behave will not improve their behavior. They need to have behaviors modeled and the opportunities to practice them. Mental health and other underlying issues also need to be resolved."

Foege, who serves as chairman of the Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, hopes to have Ternus appear before the committee and expand upon her speech. If he is successful -- and Foege said Ternus gave a tentative nod to the appearance today while at the Capitol -- it will mark the first time an Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice has appeared before a committee other than the one assigned to the judiciary.

"This afternoon I just finished meetings in which we were planning what types of presentations we're going to have in the subcommittee," he said. "One of the plans we have is to have her address that committee. ... We are going to ask her to come in and offer guidance as to what is needed because that helps us achieve what we want to do -- it gives support and backing to what we know needs to be done."

Despite there being a funding crunch, Foege says these issues should be a priority.

"I had a discussion with the Chief Justice after her speech and she agreed with me that if we would have invested more in community-based mental health and community-based substance abuse treatment twenty years ago, we would not have the prison population that we have today," he said. "Some of the priorities [that Ternus outlined] are already in the budget that we are planning. She can add backing to make sure they stay in there. And, maybe, if there are some nickels, dimes and quarters in the seat cushions somewhere, we can add to what we have there already."

In her speech, Ternus announced the addition of two drug courts and a federal grant that will fund three new and expand two existing family drug courts, and she discussed the implementation of the electronic filing and document management program. The full text of the speech is available as a PDF document on the Iowa Judicial Branch website.

In Iowa, the numbers are staggering. Half of the state's pregnancies are unplanned. When considering only 18- and 19-year-olds who become pregnant, that statistic jumps to 72 percent. What's worse, those numbers have remained stagnant for years.

"When I learned these figures, I was shocked," said former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack during a phone interview today. "I have to think that many other Iowans will be shocked as well."

Vilsack's shock prompted action this morning in Des Moines when she launched the Iowa Initiative to Reduce Unintended Pregnancies, a program focused on overall awareness and helping women between the ages of 18 and 30 receive family planning information. While the group will not provide contraception and services directly, it does intended to partner with existing groups that do and, hopefully, prompt the public to request funding for such services from the state legislature. In order to fulfill it's mission of reducing unintended pregnancies, the Iowa Initiative will partner with the University of Northern Iowa to employ "a number of exciting, cutting-edge social marketing techniques," exact details to be released in upcoming weeks.

"This is a real opportunity," an excited Vilsack said of her position as executive director. "I feel like I got the perfect job and now I can focus on one issue I really care about."

The position came to Vilsack by way of the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, which has provided $1.5 million to fund the program. The foundation, named for the late wife of Nebraska investor Warren Buffett, is known for providing scholarships to Nebraska youth and outstanding teacher awards. The late Buffett, who died unexpectedly in July 2004, was a civil rights and contraceptive advocate.

Vilsack, who has spent her adult life working for and on behalf of the state's adolescents, said the program is extension of what she's already accomplished.

"Everything I've done in my life is about empowering young people to make wise decisions and giving them the tools to do that," Vilsack said in a telephone interview today. "Everything I've done has been about building things and being creative -- building something from the beginning and working with adolescents, particularly adolescent women to build physically and emotionally healthy women. I think that's at the heart of a strong society."

According to the Guttmacher Institute, only half of Iowa counties have at least one family planning clinic. The institute, a national, non-profit group that tracks reproductive health services, determined there are 327,580 women in Iowa who are in need of contraceptive services and supplies. Iowa is ranked overall in 36th place in terms of how well the state is meeting existing needs for subsidized contraceptive services and supplies, whether laws and policies are likely to facilitate access to contraceptives and information, and the extent to which the state devotes its own revenues to support delivery of publicly supporter contraceptives and services. Iowa ranks 48th in the nation for making family planning services available.

"As a woman, teacher and mother, I believe we have a responsibility to give every woman in the state the knowledge and means to prevent pregnancy," Vilsack said.

Reducing unintended pregnancy, she said, may also reduce the number of abortions in the state. Currently, between 10 and 12 percent of all pregnancies in Iowa end in abortion.

Vilsack praised the state legislature for passing a bill last year that called for all sex education in Iowa schools to be medically- and scientifically-based.

"There is federally money that comes [into Iowa] for abstinence education, but we know that abstinence education doesn't work," she said. "Fourteen states so far have refused that federal money. That's pretty amazing because states, when they can get federal money, like to take it. But since abstinence programs don't work, there's now a movement among states to just decline the money -- although Iowa has not."

Iowa receives money through two abstinence streams -- Title V, Section 510 and the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (Family Youth Services Bureau). The Title V monies -- just over $300,000 per year -- are given to the State Department of Health for abstinence advocacy and redistribution to other groups. The other stream is a new addition to the state and came in the form of a $600,000 non-matching grant to Bethany Christian Services of Northwest Iowa.

Vilsack is currently in the process of staffing the organization's offices, located at 300 E. Locust St. in Des Moines' East Village. She is also joined by a board of 10 that includes health care professionals, businesswomen, people of faith and former legislators. In the coming months, Vilsack intends to speak to various civic and social groups about the organization and its mission.

"[Unintended pregnancy] touches an emotional chord," she said. "I think in every room that I speak in, those listening are going to think of someone they know who's affected by this issue. I think it is a conversation we need to have, and one that will maybe make some people uncomfortable. But, we need to talk about it because it is impacting individuals, it is impacting communities and it is also impacting taxpayers. For young teenagers, it is costing taxpayers over $80 million dollars a year. We don't know what the costs are for 18- to 30-year-olds."

When Congressman Bruce Braley was selected to serve as chairman of a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Small Business, it marked the first time since at least 1959 that a freshman congressman from Iowa had held such a distinction. This week, the Democrat is touring the First District to ensure his constituents know perceived lack of progress in Washington, D.C. isn't a reflection on his leadership.

"This gives you some idea about how busy our Small Business Committee was," Braley said Wednesday as he stood in front of a screen and highlighted the 18 bills that were sent out of the House Small Business Committee and passed on the House floor during 2007. "Within recent memory the Small Business Committee has not done nearly as much as we did this year. ... The overwhelming number of those bills passed with strong bipartisan support."

Despite all the work he and his committee has done and overwhelming approval in the House, however, none of the passed bills have yet been discussed on the floor of the Senate -- much less been signed into law.

"After all that work, after all that bipartisan agreement, none of these bills have become law," he said to the small crowd of small business owners and government officials gathered in Waverly. "This is why Congress's approval rating is so low. The question is, 'What's the hold up?' There is a very easy answer: The Senate."

Braley, while urging constituents to contact Iowa Sens. Tom Harkin and Chuck Grassley to push the bills, said that the Senate Small Business Committee has not taken any of the bills put forth by the House seriously.

"There are two reasons [why this has happened]," Braley said during a private interview following the event. "One is the procedural way the Senate operates. They have to get 60 votes to cut off debate. Almost every bill we vote on in the House has one hour of debate and then we go to the vote. In the Senate, they can have unlimited debate, and, when you're dealing with these enormous issues like the war in Iraq, children's health insurance and the farm bill -- those things take up a lot of floor time and crowd out some other very important issues like these small business bills."

Another frustration, he said, is the inaction of the Senate Small Business Committee on bills passed by the House. A bill he authored, the Small Business Fairness in Contracting Act, passed the House by a vote of 409-13 in May. It was dispatched to the Senate where it sat with little notice until just before the end of the year.

"When I talk to leadership, I tell them that there is overwhelming bipartisan support for these bills," he said. "These are the things we can get done to show the American people that we are serious about improving their lives. I'm sure we can get them passed, even if the President tried to veto them. That's the message I'm sending to leadership, and I hope that they'll have more time in 2008 to make these bills a priority."

Although politics in 2008 will be dominated by the presidential contests, Braley said he still hopeful the bills will receive attention.

"I think that with the presidential candidates talking about a lot of the 'big picture' issues, and with the president we have now being unwilling to work with us on a lot of those issues, we have to find other things that we can get to his desk and either get his signature or else try to get his veto over-ridden," Braley said.

Bills Passed Through the Small Business Committee and U.S. House in 2007:

• HR 434, a temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act
• HR 1332, the Small Business Lending Improvement Act of 2007
• HR 1361, the RECOVER Act
• HR 1468, the Disadvantaged Business Disaster Eligibility Act
• HR 1873, the Small Business Fairness in Contracting Act
• HR 2284, to amend the Small Business Act to expand and improve the assistance provided by Small Business Development Center to Indian tribe members, Alaska natives and native Hawaiians
• HR 2359, the SBA Entrepreneurial Development Programs Act of 2007
• HR 2366, The SBA Veterans' Programs Act of 2007
• HR 2397, the SBA Women's Business Programs Act of 2007
• HR 2992, the SBA Trade Programs Act of 2007
• HR 3020, the Microloan Amendments and Moderinization Act
• HR 3206, a temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act
• HR 3221, the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act and the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007
• HR 3567, the Small Business Investment Expansion Act of 2007
• HR 3866, the Small Business Programs Act of 2007
• HR 3867, the Small Business Contracting Program Improvements Act
• HR 4252, a temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act
• HR 4253, the Military Reservist and Veteran Small Business Reauthorization and Opportunity Act of 2007

In addition to discussing his work as a part of the committee, Braley listened as community leaders voiced their concerns on the difficulty of working with the Small Business Administration, funding for proposed road projects and how best to to contact and work with their federal legislators.

Braley serves on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in addition to his duties with the Small Business Committee. He is the chairman of the subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials. His "New Era Program" for renewables workforce training was included in the Senate-passed farm bill and, he said, he was optimistic it would survive conference and be a part of the final bill sent to the president.

Federal and state charges have been filed against 19 people, residents of both Nebraska and Iowa, following a year-long undercover investigation into vehicle thefts in the Omaha and Council Bluffs areas.

Last January, officers with the Iowa State Patrol and Federal Bureau of Investigation opened a store front called "Chicago Imports" in Council Bluffs. The goal was to create a location where undercover law enforcement officers could survey and document the sale of stolen property, specifically vehicles. In Omaha, for example, a total of 3,433 vehicle thefts were reported in 2006 and 3,211 thefts were reported through November 2007.

The project, dubbed "Operation Tow Truck," allowed officers to make 84 transactions, some of which included the sale and purchase of multiple items -- 62 vehicles, 22 guns, 30 construction items, six motorcycles, four jet skis, two boats and various illegal drugs. The items had been reported stolen from Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and Texas during incidents that spanned from March 2006 to December 2007.

To purchase the stolen goods, officers expended $70,900. The estimated value of the stolen property, not including the illicit drugs, sits at more than $1.4 million.

Chicago Imports was open for nine months, closing its doors on Nov. 1, 2007. Officers continued to make transactions at other locations once the store closed, in order to collect more information on several of the subjects. According to law enforcement, it became apparent that there was an organized network of criminals, not random walk-ins, who were patrons of the store front.

As of 2:30 p.m. today, 19 people have been officially charged as a direct consequence of their interaction with Chicago Imports and the undercover officers who staffed the store. Federal charges levied against 12 people in both Nebraska and Iowa are interstate transportation of stolen property, interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle, receipt or sale of a stolen motor vehicle, distribution of a controlled substance, possession of stolen property, felon in possession of a firearm and sale and possession of stolen firearms. Identities of those facing federal charges are being kept private, pending their appearance before a federal judge.

The seven people charged in Pottawattamie County are Aaron Christiansen (36 of Council Bluffs), Danielle Frazier (20 of Glenwood), Joyce Hansen (27 of Omaha), John Kincaid (44 of Omaha), Anthony Foster (19 of Omaha), Danny Hulett (35 of Council Bluffs) and Daniel Kennedy (22 of Omaha). All face first degree theft charges. Christiansen, Kincaid and Hulett also face charges of ongoing criminal conduct. Frazier has been charged with delivery of a simulated substance while Foster is charged with two counts of delivery of a controlled substance.

The covert operation was undertaken by the Iowa State Patrol, the FBI, National Insurance Crime Bureau, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency, Council Bluffs Police Department, Omaha Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, the Department of Public Safety Intelligence Bureau, Southwest Iowa Region 4 Fusion Center, Sioux City Region 1 Fusion Center, S.W.I.N.E. Task Force, Law Enforcement Intelligence Network, Pottawattamie County Attorney, Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office, Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Investigation and Division of Narcotic Enforcement, Douglas County (Nebraska) Attorney, Washington County (Nebraska) Sheriff's Office, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa and U.S. Attorney for the District of Nebraska.

The two most expensive vehicles recovered by the operation are a 2006 Yukon Denali worth $42,590 (officers paid $1,600) and a 2007 Jeep Commander worth $31,005 (officers paid $1,200).

Congressman Dave Loebsack kicked off his second round of meetings with residents in Iowa's 2nd District by shunning what he termed the "hyper partisanship" of Washington, D.C.

"I might just say, generally, [my first year in Congress] was even more than I expected it would be in many ways," Loebsack, a first-year Democrat, told the 40-some citizens gathered at Kirkwood Community College for the Monday morning meeting. "I knew it wouldn't be easy and there have been times when it hasn't been easy."

Frustration, he said, in trying pass legislation at the federal level is something he and local residents both feel.

"I will be the first to admit that even I, perhaps, underestimated the hyper partisanship that we see in Congress, and sometimes between Congress and President [George W.] Bush," Loebsack said. "We all deserve choices. That's what makes America great. That's what makes us a democracy. We have different people with different ideas who present them to the public, and then the public gets to choose. But, at the same time, I want us to get something done. People want us to get something done whatever it may be, whatever issue you may be talking about."

Although Loebsack began the meeting by stating he expected to hear from those who held concerns about the perceived lack of progress by the Democratic-controlled Congress, he was quizzed heavily on domestic issues. Many in attendance gave voice to agricultural concerns as well as the farm bills that were recently passed by both the House and Senate. The two bills are now in conference, where the two pieces of legislation will be melded as one before being sent to the president.

"Some of the things that President Bush proposed I think make a lot of sense," Loebsack said. "Again, it's this whole partisanship thing. If President Bush has a good idea, I'm going to embrace it. I don't have a problem with that. Some of my friends aren't going to like my saying that, but that's the way it is because we've got to move in the direction that makes sense."

Loebsack also took criticism of continued congressional earmarks, despite the fact that Congress has made deep cuts in that area, and the lack of progress on education reforms.

"I came here specifically to express my extreme frustration and disappointment that the majority party could not reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act this year," said an audience member who identified himself as a school board member. "And now I'm hearing stories that it will take until 2010 before any action takes place. I just think that is totally unacceptable, and I just wanted you to know that."

The questioner added that he was told progress on the education reform bill stopped because so many freshmen Democrats were elected to Congress in 2006.

"I suppose, if you want to sort of evaluate what happened, that was part of what happened," Loebsack responded. "But, it wasn't because we said, 'Stop it.' I have said all along that No Child Left Behind needs significant reforms... not that we need to just stop it entirely."

The process did come to a halt last year, Loebsack admitted. He added that he had meetings just before coming home for the holidays and expects the bill to be reintroduced in the coming session.

"It may be the case that there will not be enough political will to do what you want to do, that is reform it and reauthorize it before January 2009," he said. "I don't know. The presidential election is getting in the way... There's a lot of frustration on both sides of the aisle, but I do believe we need to make significant reforms as far as accountability, as far as measuring progress and, certainly, funding as well."

Another audience member expressed his elation that there would not be a rain forest built in Iowa, but said that Congress was continuing to place too many earmarks within legislation.

"I know as a freshman congressman, you may not carry much weight, but I would urge you to pass on to your colleagues as best you can, that people are really sick and tired of pork barrel priorities," he said. "There are enough priorities to spend our money on, not the least of which is trying to control our expenditures on covering some of this ridiculous debt."

Loebsack said that although Congress had cut earmarks in half this year, he knew there was much more to be done.

"I made it very clear that if an earmark, or whatever you want to call it, comes to the 2nd District, we publicize it," he said. "We make it known. We make it transparent. The funding that has come to this district, I think it has been for good purposes. Of course, every member of Congress is going to say that...although, thankfully, there is no bridge-to-nowhere in the 2nd District."

Funding recently approved for the Entrepreneurial Development Center was an earmark, Loebsack said, that he believes serves a greater good and should continue. Members of the audience, however, remained split as to whether there should be any earmarks.

"I guess if we use that argument, there would be very few things that we could spend our money on -- national defense, education and only a few other things that affect everyone," he said. "By that argument we might have to restrict -- and you might want that -- what government does to only those things that literally affect everybody."

The stop in Cedar Rapids was the first on Loebsack's weeklong tour in which he will hold meetings in each of the 15 counties that comprise the 2nd District.

We've returned home from the caucus and are just now listing to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama give his victory speech in Des Moines. Overall, I'm feeling elated for those who came out victorious and melancholy for those who did not. There were so many young staff people in our state who worked tirelessly for their candidates. My thanks to them all for their help in making my state shine over the past year.

In addition to my liveblog from Marion, at least a handful of others provided live reports:

• MOMocrats
• TalkLeft
• podcastmama (twitter)
• Douglas Burns (Iowa Independent)
• Joe Says So
• firedoglake (Jane Hamsher)
• Daily Kos (barath in Lisbon)
• Jeff Angelo (God, Politics & Rock 'n' Roll)

If you know of others, please let me know.

Hello, everyone!

It's 6:30 p.m. and people are continuing the file in the door of the gymnasium at Vernon Middle School in Marion. It's difficult to say how many are here tonight as more than one precinct is sharing the area.

6:38 p.m. -- I'd estimate that there are 300 people in the room right now (but we still can't tell who is in what precinct). There are large groups gathering for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, former North Carolina John Edwards and New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Right now everyone is in what I can only describe as "clumps" of people. There are chairs, but there will not be enough. The bleachers have been pulled out from the wall too and, for now at least, they appear to be sparsely populated.

An Obama supporter is standing at the main entry and asking everyone who comes in if they are "fired up." A few people, walking in from below zero wind chills, have given her a rather odd look, obviously unaware of the campaign slogan.

6:51 p.m. -- Nine minutes before the doors close and we've had our first sighting of a supporter for Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich. All the candidates -- Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, in addition to those already named -- now all have at least some supporters at the caucus.

It's getting a little hectic to try to liveblog both here and at Iowa Independent. My apologies to those following along here on Essential Estrogen, but I'm going to limit the operation to this post on Iowa Independent. Please hop over there for the remainder of the caucus.

[Exclusive] -- Contrary to news reports from state and national media, three of Iowa's Democratic campaigns want their supporters to know that no blanket campaign directive has been issued, instructing supporters to throw support behind a different candidate during tonight's caucus.

"If Iowans are independent enough to have chosen me from the field of candidates, I'm quite sure they have the ability to make an independent second choice as well," said Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd.

The campaign for Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, offered similar sentiments.

"The rumor mill is hard at work," said Olivia Alair, a campaign spokeswoman. "We are encouraging our supporters to stand tall and stand tough and have every reason to expect that they will."

Robert Becker, Iowa director of the Bill Richardson for President campaign, took particular offense with reports circulated this morning that his campaign was encouraging non-viable supporters to switch to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

"Here we are the day of caucus and there are all these rumors about deals being made," he said. "I'm just sick of it. We have not directed our supporters to caucus for anyone other than Bill Richardson."

All the campaigns agree that in these final days, there have been internal discussions as to strategy. All are equally adamant that they have not and will not issue a blanket statement to their supporters to move to an opposing campaign.

"All the campaigns know where they have their strongest support," Becker said. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure these things out."

Danny O'Brien, state director for Biden for President, said the campaign is confident going into tonight's caucus.

"There has been no discussion -- there will be no deals," O'Brien said. "We feel we have momentum going into tonight's caucus."

Dodd said the most important things campaigns can do now, at this late hour, is trust Iowans to make the best choice.

"Of course, I think the best choice is me," he said. "I want Iowans to caucus for me and to support my candidacy. But we've all been in the state and we've all had opportunity to bring our message to the people of Iowa. Now it is up to Iowans -- and I trust them."

... attacks on former Gov. Mitt Romney arrive in Iowa all the way from Massachusetts.

A letter is being circulated in Iowa from primarily Massachusetts activists that accuses "conservative elites" of selling out principles and ignoring the grassroots by supporting Romney. In a press release late Wednesday by the Parents' Rights Coalition/MassResistance, the letter was announced and the originating group warns about "the conservative establishment's aggressive cover-up of the pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, pro-gay adoption policies" of Romney while he served as governor. In addition, the press release states that "Romney's stable of prominent 'conservative' leaders, lawyers and pundits" are accused of "gross malpractice, ruthless ambition and dishonesty toward voters."

The lengthy letter, signed by 10 Massachusetts and nine national activists and politicos, discusses funding of "pro-homosexuality indoctrination of schoolchildren," adoptions by gay couples, same-sex marriage licenses and state subsidized abortion.

"The entire record of Mitt Romney's political career is that of a man whose Mormon background has no more influenced his zig-zagging statements, positions and policies than Ted Kennedy's or Hillary Clinton's religion influences theirs," said Parents' Rights Coalition spokesman John Haskins, who admits he now regrets voting for Romney four years ago. "Romney's traveling circus is just political special effects, issue after issue. He looks good, but he's a walking mannequin. There's absolutely no core in this man."

... it's the final countdown in Iowa.

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards spent the past 36 hours pitching his final thoughts to Iowa voters in a 917 mile "Marathon for the Middle Class" bus tour across the state. And, wouldn't you know it, the campaign has published a video of clips from the ride.

Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd is wrapping up a "Caucus for Results" bus tour of his own and, yep, there's a video of his campaign stop in Indianola.

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama continues to "Stand for Change" around the state. The campaign has posted video from his stop Wednesday in my backyard, Cedar Rapids.

Romney was caught by the CNN cameras at one of his numerous "Caucus Huddle" events in and around Des Moines on New Year's Day.

My Iowa Independent colleague, Adam Burke, caught up with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee when he was Cedar Rapids, rocking out with his band.

Although the campaign for New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has also been pushing its way across the state, instead of a video of the latest stop or series of stop, staff has posted a video of some undecided Iowans who have finally made their choice for... you guessed it... Clinton. In addition, the Clinton campaign has posted video of the candidate's closing argument to Iowans.

... 12 more anti-war protesters were arrested at Obama and Romney campaign headquarters in Iowa.

Four protesters ranging in age from 31 to 63 were arrested at the Romney headquarters Wednesday afternoon in Des Moines. Eight others, ranging from age 23 to 63, were also arrested at the Des Moines Obama headquarters. All were placed in the Polk County Jail and are expected to be arraigned this morning.

According to eyewitness reports, shortly after the protesters arrived, Obama staff members locked the doors to the office and ordered members of the press, volunteers and visitors to leave.

... at least one Iowan is taking "fickle" to the extreme.

Susan Klopfer, a writer and next door neighbor to former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack in Mount Pleasant, began the caucus season as a supporter of Clinton. She actually worked up through the ranks of the campaign and became one of Clinton's precinct captains, a person charged with organizing in their local area on behalf of his/her chosen candidate.

In early winter, however, Klopfer abandoned the Clinton campaign and joined the ranks of the Obama-nation. She even went so far as to shoot a video, explaining why she was switching her support to the other candidate.

According to an MSNBC reporter, Klopfer was spotted Wednesday morning in Mount Pleasant where she declared yet another political change of heart. Klopfer said that she has now switched her support to former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. And, while discussing viability, Klopfer dropped yet another bomb: She'll caucus for Richardson, but expects to end up standing with Edwards as her second choice.

For his part, Richardson welcomed Klopfer to the fold while pointing to the overall continued fluidity of the race. "Like Susan, caucus goers across Iowa are looking for real experience, proven results, and someone who can bring true change to Washington," he said. "There are a tremendous amount of undecided Iowans still out there and, as they begin to decide who they will support on caucus night, I am confident they will see me as the most experienced candidate in the race and the one best ready to lead on day one."

... the rest of the nation has never gotten these campaign promises!

Some like to say that Iowans are spoiled. Here in Iowa, we just like to think that we hold out for the best possible offer. This time, however, the offers are on overload.

Chum -- t-shirts, bumper stickers, campaign buttons and other items -- are always available to Iowans. It's not unusual to see foam fingers, hand fans, whistles, megaphones, hats, jewelry and other freebie campaign advertising materials (pens, notepads, change holders, jackets, sweatshirts and noise makers) at events and in campaign offices. This time, however, campaigns are opting for the more personal touches of food and labor.

The Clinton campaign is catering pre-caucus parties throughout the state. Since one of the biggest obstacles for campaigns has been making sure that supporters show up at their precincts, the campaign figures that offering a free meal before the doors close is an easy way to get people there early -- and to know who hasn't shown up and needs a reminder call. In addition to the Hy-Vee catered food, the Clinton campaign also has a pile of snow shovels and will, again if the rumor mill is correct, be shoveling sidewalks for some of their older caucus-goers.

The food ploy, however, may work against the candidate. Many of Iowa's caucus sites, especially in smaller communities, have traditional dishes brought in by caucus-goers. While some have joked about food being used as a candidate argument, the truth is that the goodies are just an added bonus to practicing democracy as a team sport. It's part of the fun and part of the grassroots experience.

Many campaigns are offering free rides to caucus sites and some of the larger campaigns are having the most lowly of staff members perform babysitting services -- both at caucus sites and in homes -- so that supporters can caucus. One person has told me that he will be able to leave work because a campaign staffer is covering his shift. Welcome to Iowa.

Iowa women, just like many women throughout the nation, entered this election season with high hopes. For the first time in history, there would be a front-running woman vying for the nation's highest office. More importantly, after surviving the sound bite days of "soccer moms" and "security moms," women were ready to stand politically independent -- no modifiers required.

With the Iowa caucus just around the corner, there is cause for both celebration and angst in the feminist community. Without a doubt, this election has been as much about women as it has been about any other group or collective of issues. Early on, candidates from both sides of the aisle -- but especially the Democratic contenders -- announced their women's leadership committees. Due in large part to the fact that a viable woman had entered the race, campaigns were quick to tout their feminist credentials and female staff members. Official campaign press releases were issued when a candidate gained the support of a particularly well-known or well-respected woman.

Women, however, weren't content with platitudes, and, as the contest continued, it became clear to the campaigns that horse races listing female supporters and sound bites were not going to be enough. For this to be the political year of the woman, candidates were going to have to become serious about courting women -- the largest population voting block -- by speaking in detail about their core issues of concern. As any good campaign strategist will tell you, details do not a good sound bite make.

The Clinton Effect

Despite all the promise that New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton brought to the race and all the effort put into her candidacy by prominent women's groups such as EMILY's List, many women have ventured to other campaigns. The exact reasons are as varied as there are women, but the phrase of "I'm not going to vote for someone just because she has the same internal plumbing that I do" is one often heard in Iowa political circles. For these women, most of whom are between the ages of 18 and 50, there is no urgency of the moment -- no feeling that this might be their last chance to do something for the overall betterment of women.

Conversely, there are women entering or in their golden years who mince few words when describing how Clinton's "internal plumbing" was one of their main deciding factors. "I'm not young," they say. "In my lifetime, I want to see a woman in the White House." Implicit in such statements is the fact that many of the women in this age group have either had to forge their own path to success or have helped female friends and family forge one. For them, Clinton's candidacy has become a culmination of a lifetime of working on behalf of women's issues.

Only time will tell how such stark contrasts within the Iowa women's movement will play out. Some are not taking chances that the emerging gender gap might keep them from female mentors.

"Of the women I admire -- those I know that could help me and that I could learn the most from -- they are supporting Clinton," a friend recently said in a phone conversation. "I hadn't found much of a difference between the candidates, so I went with Clinton too. It's a common thread, another way for me to connect with these women."

The internal politics of Iowa politics described in the above statement may be somewhat distasteful, but it is upheld by the comments of some women who have found their home in a campaign other than Clinton's.

"When I tell people who I'm supporting -- even women I've considered close friends for years -- they look at me with this quizzical look and ask, 'But aren't you a feminist?'" said one eastern Iowa county official. "When I tell them I do consider myself a feminist, they often ask if I'm sure. There seems to be a real belief, especially from some of our older women, that in order to be a feminist, you must support the woman running, even if you don't think she is the best person for the job."

Women Supporting Men

Historically, as women have moved up career ladders, they've learned that one of the ways to judge the character of a male co-worker is to meet his spouse or other women in his life. This tactic, often whispered in corporate bathrooms and during lunches away from the office, was brought into the political conversation by Roxanne Conlin, a prominent Iowa attorney and staunch supporter of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards.

"I spent all my life in the company of men," she said during a campaign rally in Cedar Rapids. "When I first became a lawyer, there were very few women. ... The reason I say that is one of the ways I have traditionally judged my male colleagues is by the women who chose them."

Elizabeth Edwards, Michelle Obama, Jackie Dodd, Jill Biden, Ann Romney, Valerie Biden Owens, Barbara Richardson, Carol Paul, Mary Romney, Cate Edwards, Marion Robinson, Maya Soetoro-Ng, Ashley Biden, Janet Huckabee, Carolyn Dodd, Sarah Huckabee, Jeri Thompson and Martha Buonanno are just a few of the women family members who have been in Iowa on behalf of the male candidates. In addition, there has been a parade of women who are political or social celebrities here to spread the good news of the male candidate they have chosen.

"If nothing else comes of this, we know now that our nation is full of strong women who are taking an active role in the political process -- it's just too bad that more of them don't actually run for office themselves," said a male Obama supporter. "I'd vote for Michelle in a heartbeat -- Elizabeth Edwards too."

Such sentiment isn't isolated and campaigns know it. In an interview this fall, Mary Romney, a daughter-in-law of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, said, "We like to think that we are traveling the state, campaigning for Ann for First Lady."

Issues & Sound Bites

Last spring, in the midst of the whirl of the campaigns' attempts to one-up each other with women staffers and supporters, a request was sent from BlogHer, an internet community of more than 7 million techno-savvy women, to the leading Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. To date, not one campaign has agreed to participate, and, sadly, the BlogHer community is not alone. There are other organizations and blogs devoted to women who also feel they've received the cold shoulder from presidential hopefuls.

In response to the candidates' nonresponse, BlogHer announced a user survey that has shown that the vast majority -- well over 90 percent -- of women in the community want the group's editors to speak directly with the candidates and not rely on surrogates to address issues of concern. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the survey, however, came in response to the question of whether women bloggers are turned on or off by tactics to reach women and moms specifically. Fifty-six percent of those surveyed indicated that they found tactics such as "Women for Obama" and "Moms for Hillary" distasteful.

Just over 25 percent of women surveyed by BlogHer refused to give a one-word answer and instead opted for "other" and leaving a personal response. Comments such as "If it smacks of being patronizing or phony, it's a huge turn off for me" and "They seem to only want to talk to women on their terms and with their framing" were par for the course -- and are on target with what's being said daily by women in Iowa.

Listen to the national media long enough and you'll soon be convinced that I'm one of the hottest commodities available in this presidential election. First, I'm a resident of Iowa. Second, I'm a woman. It is true that I was contacted by every Democratic campaign (and a couple of Republican ones as well) and asked to join their "Women for ..." group. Over the summer, I spent hours in small meetings, visiting with leadership of said women's groups. Those who participated were told that the feedback garnered from those meetings was invaluable, that the views expressed by the women involved were going to be taken back to the top of the campaign and integrated into the messaging, plans and forthcoming white papers. Some of it was. Unless the other meetings held across the state of Iowa were drastically different from the ones I attended, very little of the substance of those meetings was converted to policy.

Women who attended the meetings, even those who remain firmly committed to the candidate hosting the meeting, still sometimes wonder where that information went or if it went anywhere at all. We asked to hear about reproductive health -- not just abortion, but the full gamut of reproductive health issues -- and have yet to see one white paper with that title. We asked for details concerning everything from early childhood learning to veterans' benefits to protecting family farms. We asked for a great deal. We gained very little.

Who would have guessed that the elderly woman on the Wendy's commercial who demanded, "Where's the beef?!" so many years ago would be so in tune with women today?

Contrary to radio entertainers who fill the day with notices of the "chickafication" of everything from the economy to the media, the best-kept secret of the women's community is that women's issues are human issues. We don't just care about families, contraception, security or education. Our key concerns are most likely your key concerns, and that fact, above all else, points to why this election cycle has been a disappointment.

Women want more than 30-second marketing spots and three-second sound bites on the evening news. Women, just like all Americans, are looking around the nation and finding room for improvement (if not full-fledged overhaul). From the economy to national security to health care, women are looking for answers. And it has been that quest for details, that want for something of substance, which has turned out to be the downfall of what could have been not only the political year of the woman but the political year of the citizen.

... Iowans are having flashbacks to 2004.

During the 2004 caucus, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich instructed his supporters to join forces with then North Carolina Sen. John Edwards if they were not viable at the precinct level. Many credited the influx of support from Kucinich with propelling Edwards to a second place finish in Iowa and, arguably, his slot as on the Democratic ticket with John Kerry.

Kucinich, now facing an all too familiar scenario of not having enough supporters on caucus night to be viable, is once again encouraging his Iowa supporters as to who should be their second choice. In a letter to supporters on Tuesday afternoon, Kucinich wrote: "...You know and I know that if we want to create the world we want, we must vote courageously. A courageous vote is the only vote worth casting. Please caucus for me as your first choice on Thursday with enthusiasm, as an indication of your strong commitment to the principled politics on which this campaign is based. If for some reason I do not make the 15 percent threshold in caucuses, I ask you to cast your second round ballot for Senator Barack Obama..." The letter was signed simply "Dennis."

While there is little doubt that a similar move by Kucinich strongly influenced delegate totals on caucus night four years ago, this is a different time, and Obama of 2008 is not Edwards of 2004. In addition, many of Iowa's 2004 Kucinich supporters have already moved to greener pastures. To say that the Ohio Congressman has campaigned very little in the state would be an understatement. He came for debates, the Livestrong Foundation's presidential forum and, perhaps, five campaign events.

One 2004 Kucinich supporter, who followed directions in 2004 and moved from the Kucinich to the Edwards group on caucus night and who has already chosen a different candidate, spent the afternoon and evening on the phone. She is now a steadfast supporter of New Mexico Gov. Bill RIchardson and requested her name not be used. "Frankly, I'm furious," she said. "It's one thing that he did this in 2004. I mean, at least then you could actually say that Dennis was here in the state and trying. He hasn't been here. He isn't coming here. If he really wants to make a stand on principle, then he would just tell supporters to vote their heart and leave it at that. If he wants to endorse Obama, he should leave the race and just do it. He has absolutely no right to once again attempt to influence the caucus process -- especially considering what we ended up with last time we followed his advice."

Because of Kucinich's lack of attention to Iowa during the past year, many 2004 supporters have moved on. Those who remain have learned from past experience the importance of second choices on caucus night, and could be found shopping the candidates throughout the past year.

"I have a lot of respect for Congressman Kucinich," Obama said in a prepared statement. "He and I have been fighting for a number of the same priorities -- including an end to the war in Iraq that we both opposed from the start, reforming Washington and creating a better life for America's working families."

... the latest series of advertisements from the Edwards campaign pull at heart strings.

The Edwards campaign has launched a new series of print and television ads that feature Iowan Doug Bishop -- a man who was one of the first to go through layoffs at the Maytag plant in Newton. In the ads, Bishop tells the story of the time he and his then 7-year-old son first met Edwards, who was then a candidate on the 2004 Democratic presidential ticket.

"This is something I'll never forget," Bishop says in the ad. "[John Edwards] grabbed my seven-year-old son by the hand, he dropped to one knee, and he looked him straight in the eye and he said 'I'm going to keep fighting for your daddy's job, I promise you that.' You know, that stuff sticks with you. That's the kind of things we need in a leader in this country...I want a guy that's going to sit down and look a seven year-old kid in the eye and tell him 'I'm going to fight for your dad's job.' That's what I want."

... the Iowa Democratic Party has announced a public website, allowing anyone to follow caucus results online.

The website -- www.iowacaucusresults.com -- will show statewide, county and precinct level results in nearly real time. The state party anticipates to begin reporting around 8 p.m. CST.

... former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson makes his final pitch to Iowans in much the same way he introduced himself -- and begins a candidate trend.

Thompson, true to his actor roots and possible fondness of retakes, has created a 17-minute video to provide his last-minute thoughts to Iowa Republican caucus-goers. In the video, Thompson discusses the issues of national security, the economy, immigration and reproductive choice.

On the Democratic side of things, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden has also put together a video message to Iowa voters.

Republican Rudy Giuliani didn't put up a video message to Iowans. Instead, his campaign has created a montage of highlights from the previous year. This could very well be one of the reasons why Giuliani is a national, but not Iowa front-runner.

... the Clinton campaign strikes out against the method used in a poll that was unfavorable to their candidate.

Chief Strategist Mark Penn writes on the campaign blog that the poll reported by the Des Moines Register, which showed Clinton slipping behind Obama in Iowa, used a model of only 55 percent Democratic turnout on caucus night.

... there are still undecided Iowans.

"I've seen them all," a woman whispered to me at a campaign event. "I've looked them in the eye and I've done all the things that Iowans are supposed to do. I've managed to put a couple of the candidates to the side, but I'm still trying to figure out my top three -- not to be confused with the media's top three.

A political conversation at the gas pumps brought the following observation from an elderly Iowa man: "There are some people who think Iowans are blessed, and I guess they're right. It's just that right now -- when the phone won't stop ringing and the mail won't stop coming -- I'm not feeling that way."

First-time caucus-goer Vicky was more than happy to attend events for all the candidates - many of them more than once. Now even she says she's ready. "I just want it to end. I don't know yet who I'll stand with or for, but I'm still ready for it to be done."

... portions of Iowa have been under high wind advisories.

Even the sharpest winter wind should not cause much disturbance in densely populated areas, but it can disrupt traffic in Iowa's more rural counties when it leads to drifting snow. As of Tuesday night, the forecast was calling for strong winds to continue on Wednesday and Thursday.

... the last Des Moines Register poll before the caucus shows former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama as strong.

Huckabee is shown with a six-point lead over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the next closest candidate in the Republican field. The span between the two is virtually unchanged since the Register's last poll, despite a full-press assault from the Romney team. None of the other Republican contenders, according to the poll, are within striking distance.

Obama rose by four points to 32 percent, further widening the gap between him and both New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. The latter two remained at 25 and 24 percent, respectively, very close to November's polling figures.

The remaining candidates in the Democratic field all remained in single digits, none of them climbing any higher than the six percent who reported they remained undecided.

... anti-war protesters continue to make their voice known during the caucus process.

Three members of the Seasons of Discontent: a Presidential Occupation Project (SODaPOP) were arrested Monday at the Huckabee's Des Moines campaign headquarters. Members of SODaPOP arrived at the campaign office in early afternoon, in search of a reply to a letter written two months earlier. The letter requested Huckabee's pledge to completely withdraw from Iraq within 100 days of assuming office, halt all military actions against Iraq and Iran; fund the rebuilding of Iraq as well as health, education and infrastructure needs in the United States, and provide the "highest quality health care, education and job training benefits for United States veterans.

The protesters had a banner that read, "Who Would Jesus Bomb?" as well as several smaller signs. Those inside the campaign headquarters read names of those who had lost their lives in the Iraq war, cited Biblical scripture and sang.

Members of the Des Moines Police Department responded to a complaint from campaign staff and arrested two women and one man, all in their mid-50s, on charges of trespass when they refused to leave the office without assurances that Huckabee, if elected president, would agree to the demands outlined in the letter.

A scheduled visit by Huckabee to the headquarters was delayed because of the incident. Throughout most of the activity, Huckabee and staff members remained in a campaign bus parked on the opposite side of the street. During the actual arrest, witnesses report the bus drove away -- but returned later.

While they were being arrested, the three were cheered by many on the sidewalk, including supporters of Congressman Ron Paul, who walked over from their nearby headquarters. The trio was charged and released.

More SODaPOP actions are planned through Jan. 3.

... the past 24 to 36 hours weren't the best for New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign.

In addition to the stagnant poll numbers reported by the Register, the campaign has taken ire for comments made by Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, who endorsed Clinton in November, and Joy Philippi, who serves as the campaign's co-chairwoman of "Rural Americans for Hillary."

In an interview with the Columbus Dispatch, Strickland, who has stumped for Clinton in Iowa, was quoted as saying that Iowa was the wrong place to begin the presidential nominating process. Needless to say, such sentiment did not set well with Iowans.

It was not only the comments made by Philippi, but her very appointment in a leadership role for the campaign that has some rural Iowans raising their eyebrows. Some believe that Philippe, who is a former president of the National Pork Producers Council, is against local control of hog lots. (An issue that may not be a news generator in most of the nation, but is a hot-button one in Iowa.)

According to local reports, when she was asked on Thursday if she is personally opposed to local control efforts and government regulations of confined animal feeding operations, she said: "That's the opinion of some. I think that's probably one of the misconceptions. I don't mean to avoid your answer, but I don't want something that's going to be adversarial for the campaign."

... after taking a good deal of Sunday off to tape a new television spot that was critical of Romney, Huckabee decided not to go through with putting the ad on the air.

He did, however, gather the gaggle of press for a news conference and showed them the ad. Perhaps it is Huckabee's way of saving campaign funds.