Essential Estrogen

There are currently six women members in the Iowa Senate (82nd General Assembly). While each will be featured as time allows, here is a reference list:

• Sen. Staci Appel (D) - Senate District 37 (Warren County)
• Sen. Nancy J. Boettger (R) - Senate District 29 (Shelby County)
• Sen. Mary Lundby (R) - Senate District 18 (Linn County)
• Sen. Amanda Ragan (D) - Senate District 7 (Cerro Gordo County)
• Sen. Becky Schmitz (D) - Senate District 45 (Jefferson County)
• Sen. Pat Ward (R) - Senate District 30 (Polk County)

In addition, Sen. Ragan is the Assistant Majority Leader and Sen. Lundby serves as Minority Leader.

I can already tell there will be quite a few posts about Senate Minority Leader Mary Lundby. It's not that I think she is such a bad person or even that she's a bad legislator, it's just that - in her new leadership position - she's going to be asked about everything and quoted all over the state.

This thought-provoking quote after yesterday's budget address by Gov. Chet Culver was reported by the Sioux City Journal:

"These are the things he talked about in the campaign and it's nice to see a governor that has some promises he's following through on," said Senate Minority Leader Mary Lundby, R-Marion.

Was that an off-hand jab at our former governor and current 2008 presidential hopeful, Mary? Perhaps it was intended instead for Branstad?

This nugget of knowledge comes to us from Iowa Sen. Mary Lundby, courtesy of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. You see, it seems Iowa Sen. Dick Dearden still feels a bit testy about the 2001 smack-down former Gov. Tom Vilsack gave his bill which proposed a dove hunting season in Iowa. He plans -- in a year where majorities in both houses and the governor's office could lead to real progress in Iowa -- to re-introduce the bill with hopes new Gov. Culver will place pen to paper.

"My constituents overwhelmingly do not want to blow little mourning doves out of the air with a gun," [Lundby] said. "Hunters in Iowa are about six percent or less of the population, the rest of us spend millions of dollars a year buying bird seed." Of Dearden's plan, she added, "I think the Sen. Dearden has promised his gun friends and his dove-killing friends that he'd try again and he's trying again. I think he'll get shot down."

Here's hoping the pun was intended.

As much as I'd like to give cheers to Lundby for her stance, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole "dove-killing friends" line. Since I can't give cheers to either Lundby or Dearden on this one, I'm glad there was one more person quoted in the article:

"I hope not. We don't have to do that," [Senate Pres. Jack] Kibbie said when asked about the legislation's prospects. "I think we've got a lot more important things to do than the dove season."

Preach it, brother, preach it!

Iowa is one of several states currently considering expanding health care coverage. The groundwork is currently being done by an Iowa legislative panel which is looking seriously at a formula of universal health care, similar to what Massachusetts now has in place.

Rep. Linda Miller (R-Bettendorf) is not only a legislator on the panel, but a nurse. She told Sioux City Journal today that "Iowans expect an effort to improve the health system:

"I've seen how the actual system currently works for people, and it's not very good," Miller said.

She said she doesn't believe the idea of universal health care coverage comes down to being a Republican or Democratic idea.

Miller emphasizes that universal health care and government control of health care sometimes are confused but are two separate issues.

"Having the government tell us how to practice medicine is not anybody's idea of universal health care," Miller said.

Kudos to Miller for seeing a problem and looking outside of her party's box for ways to fix it!

The vast majority of Iowans without health care coverage are young and employed (wages too low to buy into employee run health care services or work for employers who do not offer such a plan). While Iowa's rate of uninsured is smaller than than the national one, it remains a growing problem.

Sen. Mary Lundby is a Republican woman elected to serve Senate District 18.

Contact Information:
Sen. Mary Lundby
Iowa Legislature
Second Floor, State Capitol
Des Moines, IA 50319

Sen. Mary Lundby
P.O. Box 648
Marion, IA 52302-6673
319.377.6673

mary.lundby@legis.state.ia.us

Lundby has served in the Iowa Senate since 1994. In addition, she is a former member of the Iowa House, having served there from 1986 to 1994. She was elected Speaker of the House and served in that capacity in 1992 to 1994.

Prior to her election to the House, Lundby served as the co-chair of the Linn County Republican Party and as a staff assistant to former Sen. Roger Jepsen. She is a Catholic, is married to Michael and has one child.

Committee Assignments: Government Oversight, Natural Resources and Environment, Ways and Means, and Rules and Administration (Ranking Member).

• Bills Sponsored
• Amendments Sponsored
• Subcommittee Assignments

Sen. Staci Appel is a Democratic woman elected to serve Senate District 37.

Contact Information:
Sen. Staci Appel
Iowa Legislature
Second Floor, State Capitol
Des Moines, IA 50319
515.281.3371

Sen. Staci Appel
10901 180th Avenue
Ackworth, IA 50001
515.961.6982

staci.appel@legis.state.ia.us

Appel is serving her first term in the Iowa Senate. She is an Iowa native from rural Ackworth and was previously a stay-at-home-mom and community volunteer. Prior to taking time off to concentrate on family and charitable organizations, she was a financial consultant.

She is married to Brent (Iowa Supreme Court Justice) and they have five children.

Committee Assignments: Agriculture, State Government, Ways and Means and Education (vice chair). She also serves as the vice chair of the Administration and Regulation Appropriations Subcommittee.

• Bills Sponsored
• Amendments Sponsored
• Subcommittee Assignements

Senate File (SF) 115 is destined to become, at least in part, a household word. The fear is, however, that in some households it will be delegated to the equivalent of dirty words, whispered in the basement after the kids have gone to sleep.

The bill, sponsored by Democratic senators Joe Bolkcom, District 39, and Bob Dvorsky, District 15, (shame they couldn't/didn't get a woman to co-sponsor), is currently before the Human Resources Committee for discussion. At the heart of the discussion is the definition of cloning and to what lengths society will go to in order to prevent disease and cure illness. While critics of the bill (and the medical advances) will argue this bill effectively bans the Human Cloning Ban signed by former Gov. Tom Vilsack in 2002, the argument does not stand up to scrutiny. SF 115 provides further definition of that piece of the code to allow for scientific advances while still maintaining a ban on human cloning. In addition, the new bill provides penalties for those who do not abide by the ban.

No doubt those among us who believe sexual intercourse is only for procreation will have difficulty seeing the difference between merging cells for to produce embryonic stem cells and merging cells to produce a human. That, in essence, is the distinction this bill creates.

The ban on the cloning of humans remains in tact. The ban on creating embryonic stem cells is lifted so that our medical researchers can continue to work toward cures for cancer, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, diabetes and many other illnesses.

Please consider contacting the following members of the Human Resources Committee and urge them to send SF 115 to the floor:

• Amanda Ragan, Chair, D-District 7
• Becky Schmitz, Vice Chair, D-District 45
• James Seymour, Ranking Member, R-District 28
• Jerry Behn, R-District 24
• Nancy Boettger, R-District 29
• Joe Bolkcom, D-District 39
• William Dotzler, Jr., D-District 11
• Jack Hatch, D-District 33
• David Johnson, R-District 3
• Keith Kreiman, D-District 47
• Dave Mulder, R-District 2
• Herman Quirmbach, D-District 23
• Frank Wood, D-District 42

Rep. Carmine Boal (R-Ankeny) recently wrote an op-ed piece for the Des Moines Register in which she attempted to spank the Iowa Democratic majority over HF 149, the antiharrassment and antibullying legislation. She fell quite short of her mark, however, when statements made in her piece are placed against the documents to which she refers.

Boal writes:

Upon researching the question, I found that in order to be accredited by the state of Iowa all public and non-public schools must have a student discipline policy addressing harassment per Iowa Administrative Code 281-12.

The truth is that Code 281-12 reads differently than what HF 149 proposed. Here is a section 12.5(8) -- which must be what Boal refers to since it appears to be the only language within the document which discusses harassment:

12.5(8) Multicultural and gender fair approaches to the educational program. The board shall establish a policy to ensure that students are free from discriminatory practices in the educational program as required by Iowa Code section 256.11. In developing or revising the policy, parents, students, instructional and noninstructional staff, and community members shall be involved. Each school or school district shall incorporate multicultural and gender fair goals for the educational program into its comprehensive school improvement plan. Incorporation shall include the following:

a. Multicultural approaches to the educational program. These shall be defined as approaches which foster knowledge of, and respect and appreciation for, the historical and contemporary contributions of diverse cultural groups, including race, color, national origin, gender, disability, religion, creed, and socioeconomic background. The contributions and perspectives of Asian Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, European Americans, and persons with disabilities shall be included in the program.

b. Gender fair approaches to the educational program. These shall be defined as approaches which foster knowledge of, and respect and appreciation for, the historical and contemporary contributions of women and men to society. The program shall reflect the wide variety of roles open to both women and men and shall provide equal opportunity to both sexes.

The overall thrust of Boal's argument against this piece of legislation isn't made evident in her writing until eight paragraphs into her piece. At that point, she encourages the reader to question why "the majority party" would want to list the "traits or characteristics upon which harassment or bullying can be based." Even here, however, Boal leads her readers to believe that the legislation has limited the traits and characteristics to only those listed. In truth, HF 149 reads:

b. "Trait or characteristic of the student" includes but is not limited to age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status.

True to her GOP talking points, Boal seems poised to strike fear into the hearts of all Iowans based on a few key words within the legislation: "sex," "sexual orientation," "gender identity," and, perhaps, "political party preference" as well. I'm not sure why the GOP feels only certain Iowa students need protection from bullying. Shouldn't we be the state which paints with a broad brush when it comes to student safety? Obviously, for some in the Iowa legislature, student safety isn't a primary concern when it clashes with party ideology. Shame on them!

Finally, the one part of the bill which seemed to give Boal -- and we imagine most of her GOP counterparts pleasure -- was an amendment which allowed non-public to be immune to the new legislation.

Despite Boal's misgivings, the bill passed the House and has been sent to the Senate where it is now SF 61. Gov. Chet Culver has stated he will sign this legislation if it is passed by both houses.

Here's our shout out to the Iowa Senate: Iowa Administrative Code 281-12 already includes an exemption request process. Let all the non-public schools who wish to be accredited by the state explain in detail why they find some Iowa students not worth protecting.

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver will be appointing Lt. Gov. Patty Judge to be his top advisor on homeland security.

As a part of that appointment, she will lead a team of top advisors including Iowa National Guard Gen. Ron Dardis, Dept. of Public Safety Commissioner Gene Meyer and Division of Homeland Security Administrator David Miller. Judge will take the lead role from Dardis, who has led the effort since July 2005.

In a news conference this morning, Culver said Iowa needs to be "prepared to manage the unimaginable." He went on to add that Judge has been on the front lines of doing just that. While serving two terms as Iowa's Secretary of Agriculture, she led efforts to create the Center for Agriculture Security and served on national groups exploring strategies for safeguarding the nation's food supply. She also was among a key group of Iowa agency administrators who took part in preparedness drills and briefings.

She will now be in charge of communicating with federal and state agencies, coordinating response plans and overseeing budget issues. Dardis was in attendance at the morning news conference and added that lieutenant governors in three other states fill similar roles.

Perhaps the most unexpected response to the news came from Senate Minority Leader Mary Lundby who not only welcomed Judge's appointment but stated she believed the Lieutenant Governor would "do a wonderful job."

Kudos to Culver and Lundby for seeing Judge's expertise in this issue and big kudos to Judge for being the first woman in Iowa to fulfill such an important role.

It seems Sen. Mary Lundby (R-Marion) has forgotten the Golden Rule, Kharma or whatever you wish to call it when your own actions boomerang round to hit you in the buttocks.

In a recent newsletter, Lundby laments the introduction of an amendment to the teacher pay bill:

"...important elements in the legislative process revolving around issues of fairness, cooperation and bi-partisanship have been lost... During the full Education Committee meeting, the Senate Democrats introduced a 16 page amendment into an 18 page bill (Senate Study Bill 1118); the amendment essentially rewrote the bill... Not only did the amendment and bill provide all of this new language but it was dropped like a bomb on the committee room table with no opportunity for input from the Republican members of the committee.

This should almost be added to the "cry me a river" category based on the absurdity of it. How many times in the previous 40 years had the Republican majority 'dropped a bomb' in committee? Gee, Mary, I'd like to feel for you on this one, but it's also rather nice seeing you get a taste of your own medicine.

In other news... Did you hear that Vilsack dropped? Quite frankly we don't have too much to say about it other than, "Who among us did not expect this to happen?" and "I wonder who won the date on the office pool?"

We here at EE have always considered Christie to be the shining star in the Vilsack show. We hope to see her run for something in the future... and we hope to see Tom stay at home.

There are one or two good things to come out of this:

1. We no longer have to listen to Vilsack supporters say, "I'm supporting Vilsack... until he drops."
2. We will hopefully see a more unified Democratic Party in Iowa now. Maybe we'll actually get one with enough teeth to hang onto our First in the Nation status for another Presidential year.

Anyway... here's hoping.

It's been an interesting week in Des Moines as state legislators worked overtime to clear bills through House and Senate committees. Most left town last night for their homes across the state... most likely to spend some time with their favorite journalist about their views of the session thus far.

A few, however, didn't allow the cheese to become aromatic at room temperature before opening a big bottle of whine.

"I’d give them an A for the fact that they’ve been committed to their issues," said Senate Minority Leader Mary Lundby, R-Marion, of the new majority.

"I’d give them an F for caring about Iowans and what most Iowans need and want. They have left behind so many Iowans with this agenda," Lundby said.

While on the surface it looks like just a nice spark of wit, this comment is actually a pretty good slap to every Democrat in the state. Lundby says she'd give Dems an A for commitment to their issues... then follows with an F for caring about Iowans. With that one statement Lundby says Democrats, their platform, their key issues and everything they stand for is bad for our state and our people. Those are pretty strong words, Mary.

It is difficult to see Lundby's diatribe being more than sour grapes when we recap what the Democratic majority has accomplished so far this session: raising the minimum wage, protecting Iowa students from bullying, and allowing existing stem cell research to be applied in patient care. She didn't even bother to mention that the doves appear to be in the clear.

If you've ever wanted to know the ideological fiscal differences between conservatives and liberals, you get a good peek by reading the quote from House Minority Leader Chris Rants (R-Sioux City).

"Democrats are determined to get every anti-business piece of legislation shoved out of committee."

There seems to be this divide between the political parties when it comes to business and individuals. That is, legislation which helps individuals is anti-business while legislation which benefits business is anti-people. Republicans (especially true Conservatives) tend to view everything through business-enhanced glasses. True progress in our state would be both parties realizing both entities are required to be health for society to flourish.

As Funnel Week comes to an end, wave goodbye to open meeting and records reform; the statewide smoking ban (which really didn't make much sense when the state *needs* the extra $1 a pack to pay for new initiatives); undoing Steve King's English-only bill and the resurrection of TouchPlay. Only divine intervention in the form of political maneuvers can save them now.

I was just over at the DMR looking at the total list of bills which survived funnel week when I spotted this:

"Banning hunting of live animals with an Internet hookup"

Wow. Granted I'm not the most savvy person when it comes to the latest advances in hunting, but this one had me Googling. Nope. I didn't find one survival tip on how to use your net connection to bag a buck.

Re-Reading... banning hunting of live animals with an Internet hookup... Hmmm

I realize Iowa has an alarming deer population. Most any given morning, you can see a family or two while running along the Des Moines river trail. So, yes, we and the deer are kinda co-habitating the same spaces. I had no idea, however, that the deer (or any other animals) had net access. If they do, I think someone should look into it. No doubt those furry critters are snagging someone's wifi.

Anyone want to enlighten me as the to the true nature of this, no doubt, highly important piece of legislation?

Just over two weeks ago, I sat quietly in the backyard and said goodbye to an old friend. It was, for the most part, a happy goodbye even if it has been difficult to continue to function without the friend in my life.

Since that time, I've made some new friends (such as Hubba Bubba and Trident), but nothing seems to completely fill the void left behind when I stopped smoking cigarettes.

I realize there are several people reading this right now and shaking their heads in confusion. 'Cigarettes are friends?' or 'It is unhealthy, your body is thanking you' are what I imagine most are considering while reading. However illogical or difficult for a non-smoker to understand, cigarettes were my friends and, at least in my mind's eye, helped me through some very difficult situations. While I realized the medical community's ire for them, I'm still not convinced that they are any more unhealthy than other items in which people partake. For instance, I wasn't washing my troubles away with a bottle of wine and then driving around town.

My reasons for quitting are many. Primary was the want of my children for me to do so. Secondary was my personal want to smell better. I think, if I'm honest with myself and you, I'll have to admit that mostly I quit because I wanted to prove to myself that I could. I needed to know that no matter how much I had become use to my little tobacco friends, I was still in charge.

One thing which did not factor into setting the cigs down was the proposed $1 per pack tax going through the legislature at the time. The more I think about this tax, however, the more I believe it will end up causing more problems than it solves.

Proponents of the tax increase have stated that the dollar will be funneled into healthcare expenses -- in particular, new healthcare expenses for the state. They also voice their hope that the tax will both discourage young people from starting to smoke and will encourage existing smokers to either cut down or quit. Quite frankly, those goals -- use of the tax money for new services and smoking prevention -- are in direct competition. Consider the ramifications to one if the other succeeds:

If the monies are successful in creating a new healthcare program it will take progressively more and more funding to maintain the same set of services. (Statewide, our population is increasing with each census.) Therefore the legislature will need to either find a new way to supplement the $1 per pack tax, will have to increase the tax or will need more people to smoke and pay the $1 per pack tax.

On the flip side, if the tax is successful as a stop-smoking incentive how will the state fund the new healthcare initiatives? Obviously, the government has a dollar figure in mind for their healthcare budgeting. How many smokers does the state require to meet that goal? Also, if the people enacting this law agree that smoking is one of the world's greatest evils, why are they willing to base so much on what is obviously 'blood money'?

While this little diatribe of a former smoker has cost me some points in liberal circles, my concerns are valid. No matter the outcome of the $1 pack tax increase, there will come a time when the legislature will need more money from all of us in order to fund their new healthcare initiatives. Because of that it's too bad that the people of Iowa haven't been able to debate the new initiatives as much as they have the $1 per pack.

Finally, this article was written with the expressed intent of ignoring the proposed smoking ban. Because when you add that proposed legislation (which looks like it will pass and let the government decide whether there can be smoking in private businesses) with the budget and the tax increase, it pretty much seals the deal that our legislature has serious mental defects.

You know, I have a spreadsheet showing my children purchased 100,000 packs of bubblegum last year. I've informed them that from now on I'll be charging them an extra dime for each pack of gum they buy. We'll be using the dime to remodel our kitchen. I've further informed them that not only will gum chewing be banned in our home, I've told neighboring parents, their school and the local police department to help me enforce a community-wide chewing ban (because the sugars can be so hard on the teeth). Finally, because the remodel of the kitchen is more of a necessity than a luxury, I'm prepared to pull money from the children's allowances if the gum tax doesn't provide what's expected... but that final piece of information is on a strictly need to know basis.

Here's a quick rundown of some of the bits and pieces you've might have missed:

Upcoming Peace Rallies

The folks over at Century of the Common Iowan have a nice list of the upcoming peace rallies in Iowa.

Clinton to headline for Boswell

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is scheduled to headline a fundraiser to kickoff Iowa Rep. Leonard Boswell's re-election campaign. The fundraiser is slated for April 21 in Des Moines, according to the Clinton camp. No other details are yet available.

Judge appointed to national council

Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge was appointed to serve on the State, Local, Tribal and Territorial Government Coordinating Council for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The appointment is for one year and Judge said she plans to keep rural areas a focus of the group as well as major population centers.

Judge was also earlier named by Gov. Chet Culver as the Homeland Security Advisor for our state.

Fair Share bill waits for another day

There were not enough votes in the Iowa House for Democrats to want to debate Fair Share this week. And, according to the Des Moines Register, Rep. Dawn Pettengill (D-Mt Auburn) was seen by Republicans leaving the Democratic meeting with tear-stained cheeks.

The bill will sit throughout this week and is anticipated to come to the floor the week after.

Jacoby steps in for Petersen

Rep. David Jacoby (D-Coralville) was named interim Chair of the House Commerce Committee while Rep. Janet Petersen (D-Des Moines) is out on maternity leave.

The committee regulates business, financial institutions, insurance, utilities and real estate. It is one of the most powerful in the Iowa House.

In addition to his new assignment, Jacoby also serves on Appropriations, Human Resources and State Government committees. He is also a member of the Administrative Rules Review Committee.

It could be worse

According to Reuters, a Finnish member of parliament is aiming for re-election by campaigning with a translation of his web site into Klingon, used in the television series "Star Trek."

While we sometimes wish candidates spoke in obscure languages so they couldn't dominate every new cycle, Klingon is extreme even for us. Further the foreign politician said there have been translation difficulties since Klingon doesn't have words for tolerance and many colors (such as green, the party under whose banner he is running in the national elections tomorrow).

Of course, non-warriors can access his site in English, Swedish and Finnish.

While it's unusual to see a generally conservative group dining on a Republican lawmaker, it seems Iowa Sen. Nancy Boettger (R-Shelby) has drawn the ire of a national tax watchdog group for her vote to add $1 per pack to cigarettes.

In a recent press release, Americans for Tax Reform stated disappointment in Boettger for breaking a signed promise to "oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes."

"It is disappointing that Sen. Boettger violated her Taxpayer Protection Pledge...Her constituents were counting on her to vote against higher taxes and she let them down," continued [ATR President Grover] Norquist.

The press release added that six of Iowa's Senators have signed the pledge; however EE administrators could only find five listed on the ATR site: Boettger (SD 29); Sen. James Hahn (SD 40); David Johnson (SD 3); Larry McKibben (SD 22) and Mark Zieman (SD 8). In another discrepancy, the release indicated 19 members of the Iowa House had signed the pledge, but the document referenced above provides 23 names. Perhaps four have already broken a promise?

The obvious person missing from the list of Senators is Mary Lundby. Perhaps Boettger should take a page out of the longtime lawmaker's book, "never say never," and save herself some future embarrassment.

It appears at least one issue is able to draw bipartisan support in Des Moines this legislative session: Brain Drain.

Brain drain is a slang term to describe the exodus of young and bright Iowans from their home state. (As a side note, your author has long lobbied for a bio-dome over at least parts of Iowa... like my home... which would maintain the environment at a blissful 80 year 'round. I believe such an advance would go a long way toward encouraging people to weather yet another Iowa winter. But I digress...) Earlier this month, we told you about a bill seeking the formation of a Generation Iowa Commission. Now there is a similar bill in the Iowa House sponsored by Rep. Tami Wiencek (R-Black Hawk), Rep. Dawn Pettengill (D-Benton) and Rep. Jeff Kaufmann (R-Cedar) dubbed the "Iowa Advantage Fund."

This new bill has duel aims:

1. Make Iowa employers more attractive to young graduates just starting out
2. Help new graduates pay down college debt

These goals are accomplished by providing tax incentives to businesses who agree to help repay education loans for students from Iowa institutions. The students would become employees and would need to make at least $25,000 per year for the incentive. Businesses would be given a tax credit equal to 30 percent of the paid loan. The repayment would be scheduled over a three year time frame.

In addition to the three sponsors, the measure is also - surprisingly - being supported by Sen. Joe Bolkcom (D-Johnson) who anticipates introducing similar legislation on his side of the dome. The support is surprising because the measure is the original brain-child of University of Iowa professor Jay Christensen-Szalanski, a gentleman who ran against Bolkcom.

The proposed legislation is in the Ways and Means Committee on the House side and, as such, was not subject to the recent funnel week. Kudos to all involved for walking across party lines and building legislation to fill needs.

Clerks in the Iowa House and Senate continue to collect items and monetary donations for "Operation May Baskets" and could use your help, but the final deadline is looming. The baskets will soon be on their way to Iowa soldiers serving overseas.

Project Coordinator Jean Olson reports, "As of today, we have collected 125 names of Iowans serving overseas. The last day we can accept names and addresses and/or donations will be Thursday, March 29. We plan to fill and mail the boxes on April 5."

Those who wish to contribute are asked to remember that the containers are roughly the size of shoe boxes. Therefore, small items are needed. Participants are also encouraged to pack items in small plastic containers to avoid crushing. Such containers don't add weight to packages, and are invaluable for storing opened foods and for keeping the sand out of treasured possessions.

It is very important for personal care items and really anything with a smell (such as air fresheners) to be packed in a separate box from food items. If it isn't, the warm weather allows the odor to seep into food items (even if they are double-bagged). Soap should never go in the same box with food.

Checks should be made out to "Operation May Baskets." Donations (including checks) can be mailed to:

Operation May Baskets
House Post Office
2nd Floor, Iowa State Capitol
Des Moines, IA 50319

Personal care items on the soldiers' wish list include:

The most requested food and snack items are:

A few other highly requested items and/or nice things to include in care packages are disposable cameras, batteries (AA and AAA especially), international phone cards, panty liners, laundry detergent in individual packs, fabric freshening spray, clothes pins and a clothesline, fly swatters, rodent traps, fly paper, letters of support, pens, stationary, greeting cards, journals, puzzle books, small sports equipment, travel size games, freezer weight zip baggies, Bounce dryer sheets, insect repellent (look for the type that helps with sand flies), cigars, Brita sports bottles with extra filters, small picture frames (especially magnetic ones) and flash lights.

For more information on this very important project, please send email to clerkmaybaskets@aol.com. As always, our deepest gratitude to our military families.

Okay... let's get that out of the way first...

I'm one of the lucky quarter of all Iowans who live in an area requiring those purchasing a legal substance to leave their name and number behind... for eternity. That's right, if you're gonna buy a keg in Marion, you're gonna register your keg in Marion. (Unless, of course, you drive the five minutes into Cedar Rapids.)

Let me first mention I'm a little concerned about the fact that I'm once again getting ready to plant my ass firmly on a Republican point. (Whoa, boys, it's not to be taken literally!) The keg registration legislation is the same for the state as it was for Marion: pointless.

Here's my disclaimer: I'm not a drinker and I don't believe I've every purchased a keg in my entire life. I can only think of perhaps two or three parties I've attended where there were kegs. Quite frankly, I've seen more kegs at political events than I've ever seen at parties. Contrary to my children's belief, however, I was young and a bit wild on the edges once. I attended my fair share of parties both as an underage person and as a 'legal adult.' So... some of the things I know to be true:

1. Most people buying for underage people aren't buying kegs! (Usually they are buying for the underage folks because they are:
   1. Barely legal drinking age
   2. Three sheets to the wind already
   3. Wanting more alcohol
   4. Spending the money the underage kids provided for the booze
2. Most of the time the kids who get into the keg do so without an adult knowing about it
3. When preparing for a weekend party, the 'kids' will often travel from store to store, buying a 12-pack or case at each one. This is done because:
   1. If the buyer is underage, the clerk/cashier is less likely to card him/her for such a small amount
   2. if the buyer is an adult and buying for someone underage, purchasing a small amount is less memorable than a large amount
4. The holy grail of the underage party is Cowboy Kool-Aid (no beer required)

Quite frankly, this legislation doesn't and won't affect me at all. I doubt there will ever come a time when I'll need or want to buy a keg of beer. It is, in my opinion, useless government red tape which only serves to complicate matters for people who are doing something completely legal. Further, it is quite possibly an infringement on privacy since personal information isn't destroyed upon the keg's return... or even 48 hours or week after the keg's return.

Instead of making such laws, we should concentrate on changing our society's relationship with alcohol. After all, we should be a country which learns from it's ... *cough* prohibition *cough*... mistakes.

Our society will not be able to overcome the 'mystification' of sex, alcohol and drugs until we stop putting them up on pedestals in front of our children.

According to staffers in the Clinton campaign, there will be two key endorsements on Monday. Former Gov. Vilsack has already indicated he will be one. Is Sen. Tom Harkin (a former Vilsack supporter) the other? Or, is it Rep. Leonard Boswell? He might be beholden to do so since Clinton has agreed to keynote his fundraiser on April 21.

In the Granite State, former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen has stated she will remain neutral... her husband, Bill Shaheen, has come forward to publicly endorse Clinton.

On Friday, the Chicago Sun-Times ran an article about three Waverly women who get together for knitting and conversation -- mainly political conversations. It was a great piece which shows just how intelligent and interested Iowa women are in the political process.

Lt. Gov. Patty judge toured at least two corporate darlings of the renewable energy industry this past week in order to generate support for the Iowa Power Fund. The fund, currently under consideration by the Iowa Legislature would provide $100 million over four years for research projects and assisting renewable energy industries in developing alternative energy sources. To date, specific details on how the money would be invested have not be released.

The Pew Research Center has released figures which show not only is the Bush legacy in trouble, but the entire strategy of the GOP -- to bridge the national divide between individuals who identify as Democratic and those who identify as Republican -- has been placed in danger. Americans are moving back to their historic roots of roughly 50 percent of the population being Democratic and 35 percent Republican.

GOP Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is stuck between a rock and a hard place. That is, he is stuck between President Bush and a key endorser, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson. One of Romney's key achievements is the salvation of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and it was followed by Romney vouching for Anderson in the 2003 campaign ad for re-election.

Currently, however, the mayor has gone on the record calling for the impeachment of both Bush and Cheney. This has prompted Romney to state to the Associated Press that he does not endorse or support the mayor's views on the Bush Administration.

Speaking of Sen. Dodd, he sent out an email to supporters this week comparing the race with American Idol: "Running for President has become a bit like American Idol. But beyond the glamour and glitz of celebrity politics, there are some time tested barometers measuring success: leadership, momentum, and fundraising," he wrote.

Since the Senator has quietly but effectively won straw poll victories in both New York and South Carolina and has come in second in the money race, we think more folks should probably be paying attention to his campaign.

You may have read the article in today's Des Moines Register which discussed a roughly $250,000 spending boost for the Iowa Highway Patrol's Executive Protection Unit. The funding increase, according to the article, is to provide salary, benefits, equipment, training, uniforms and cars for two additional troopers.

The additional troopers are needed, said Communications Director Brad Anderson, because of the two young Culver children and "additional security concerns." Gov. Chet Culver and his wife Mari Culver have two children: Clare, age 6, and John, age 4. In addition, Mari continues to work part time for a Des Moines law firm.

While a quarter of a million dollars isn't 'chump change' by any means, it also isn't too much to ask when lives are at stake. Our Governor, his family and our Lieutenant Governor are well worth the investment, regardless of which letter falls behind their names.

A military recruiter has come under scrutiny following a heated email exchange which she initiated. According to reports, a male civilian placed his resume on Careerbuilder.com where it was noticed by Army Recruiter Marcia Ramode. Ramode sent an inquiry email to the civilian who responded that he was not interested in a position and that he was gay.

What followed was a three-day email exchange in which Ramode, using her official military account, labeled the civilian as "disgusting and immoral" and tells him to "migrate to another country." (All the while using some of the most horrible grammar I've ever seen. When I first read the emails, they were so horrible I thought it must be a joke. Sadly, it isn't.)

In one email the recruiter states (capitals and all): "YOU GO BACK TO AFRICA AND DO YOUR GAY VOODOO LIMBO TANGO AND WANGO DANCE AND JUMP AROUND AND PRANCE AND RUN ALL OVER THE PLACE HALF NAKED THERE AND PRACTICE YOUR GAY MORALS OVER THERE THAT'S WHERE YOU BELONG."

More information available at The Frontlines and Pam's House Blend.

The good folks over at IowaPolitics.com (We just discovered today that EE is included in their blogwatch -- THANKS!) have the full text of Sen. Staci Appel's comments on Election Day Voter Registration.

Here's a taste:

...While access to participate in our democracy is important, it is equally critical that we maintain the integrity of every vote.

This proposed legislation is quite strict. It requires an individual to provide proof of residence with a photo id in order to register and vote on Election Day. It also requires the individual to sign a written oath testifying that they have not already voted in any other precinct.

This legislation I believe with the proper safeguards and training is an effective way to improve voter access and participation...

Marie Wilson and all the great people at The White House Project have finished up training sessions in Minnesota.

The sessions were held over a three-day period in Chaska at the Conference Center. For those interested in running for office (soon or someday) the information provided is extremely valuable. There are two more training sessions planned this spring. The next will be April 27 to 29 in Mableton, GA and the final will be May 19 and 20 in Denver, CO. Applications are being accepted for both sessions.

For those who want a sneak peek of the program, several video clips have been posted.

If you haven't already, head over to Crooks and Liars and check out the video of Ann Althouse and Jessica Valenti. Wow.

Planned Parenthood has formed a Pill Patrol and needs volunteers to sign up and check local pharmacies for emergency contraception.

Yeah, you know what's coming...

What a difference a week makes! Just 10 days ago, Senate Minority Leader Mary Lundby was praising Gov. Chet Culver for his four nominees to the Iowa Board of Regents.

Culver’s appointments are subject to Senate confirmation, and initial reaction from lawmakers was positive Thursday.

“They look like outstanding Iowans,” said Senate Minority Leader Mary Lundby, R-Marion. “They certainly appear to be qualified.”

Lundby praised Culver for shaking up the board’s membership.

“I think it was a very wise thing to do, and it was necessary,” Lundby said.

Within hours praise had turned to grumbling as the Register announced two of the nominees "gave almost as much to [Culver's] gubernatorial campaign as more than 100 new appointees to state boards and commissions combined." Donations from Bonnie Campbell, David Miles and their spouses totaled over $60,000. Of the 180 appointments announced at the same time, the appointees represented over $135,000 which had been contributed to his campaign... or roughly $750 per person. What the article does not state, however, is how many out of the 180 gave no donations to the campaign. Toward the end, it does take note that overall the campaign raised more than $8.2 million.

Doing some quick math:
Miles and his wife gave $39,500
Campbell and her husband gave $23,000
David Erickson (Iowa Finance Authority Board) gave $29,500
Rich Eychaner (Iowa Civil Rights Commission) gave $15,000
Donald Timmins (Accountancy Examining Board) gave $4,500
Margaret Whitworth (Board of Pharmacy Examiners) gave $2,900
That's a total of $114,400
Subtract that from the $135,475 total listed in the Register and you're left with $21,075

There were originally 180 people appointed
Minus the six listed above
Leaves 174 people to share those remaining contributions.

Basically, if what was left was divided evenly among those remaining, it would amount to $121.12. Wow. Stop the presses.

"If he is that indebted to them and they are that indebted to him, you have to question it," she said. "It also creates the perception that you can buy an appointment. What will average Iowans think? 'God, I'll never aspire to a high committee in government because I simply can't afford it.' "

Well, obviously, we aren't the first to think of doing the math. For those wanting to make an issue of the campaign contributions, there was also another big roadblock: the other two nominees to the Board of Regents weren't supporters... they weren't even Democrats.

Craig Lang serves as President of the Iowa Farm Bureau, an organization which actively opposed the Culver-Judge gubernatorial ticket and donated at least $40,000 to the Republican gubernatorial candidate. Jack Evans, president of The Hall-Perrine Foundation, donated at least $1,750 to 2nd District Republican Congressional candidate Jim Leach and at least $250 to Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Nussle.

When it became obvious that Iowans weren't buying the 'buying appointments' memo, a new complaint emerged. If confirmed, the new Board of Regents would