Fallon's Speech at the Democratic Convention

Here is Ed Fallon's speech from the Democratic State Convention...

First, I want to thank those who supported me in the recent Democratic Primary. We sent a strong message that issues are important.

We sent a message that campaign finance reform and clean elections must become the law of the land.

We sent a message that it's unacceptable to put another band-aid on Iowa's ailing healthcare system when what's needed is universal reform.

We sent a message that economic development must be focused on small businesses, not on corporate giveaways, not on the kind of tax cuts for the rich that Jim Nussle supported in Washington, D.C. and wants to do here in Iowa.

There are two things I want all of you to know. One: there's still plenty of work to do. Two: I am not done fighting!

I want to thank Chet Culver, Mike Blouin and Sal Mohamed for running a spirited campaign, and I want to congratulate Chet for his victory on June 6th. Chet and I have been meeting to discuss issues, and I can assure you that all of us, in fact most Iowans, have a lot more in common with Chet Culver than with Jim Nussle. Jim Nussle must not become
governor.

How do Democrats win this fall? We win with grassroots organizing, by focusing on issues and by making it clear that Democrats support people over profits. A lot of folks became Democrats in this election because I made it clear that people have to come before profit. Let's keep these new Democrats in the Party by being the Progressive Populist People-Before-Profit Party. If we sound that theme, we will be the majority party in Iowa and nationally.

Let's show Iowans that Democrats care.

Let's show Iowans that Democrats care about the abuse of eminent domain. And if you don't think there is abuse, talk with the family of a 70-year-old woman here in Des Moines who was evicted from her home because the City needed her property "immediately." The trauma of the move was so significant that she died 6 months later - and her home was still standing.

Talk to Brad and Nate, who own a business in Des Moines' East Village and who have had to fight to keep that business from being condemned and turned over to a private developer.

Talk to the family of Delores Robins in Clarke County, who died prematurely last year, in part due to the stress brought on by fighting to save her farm from a lake.

Talk to my friends in Page County who have endured so much financially and emotionally while fighting to keep their farms from being taken by eminent domain.

Talk to the rural residents in Madison County, who are fighting to keep Doug Gross from flooding their property so he can have a lakefront home.

Talk to people in Mahaska, Dallas, Jefferson, Marshall, Johnson and many other counties. I've looked into the eyes and heard the cracked voices of far too many Iowans to not know that eminent domain is abused in Iowa. For their sake, and for the sake of many, many others, let the Iowa Democratic Party state clearly that when it comes to eminent domain, people come before profit.

Let's show Iowans that Democrats care about education, unlike Jim Nussle, who had the audacity to hold a press conference in front of Des Moines Area Community College recently. Nussle announced that he wanted to restore Iowa's prominence in education, and then prescribed more tuition tax credits, which would only further undermine Iowa's public education system.

Let's show Iowans that Democrats care about diversity, unlike Jim Nussle, who announced that our quality of life would be protected somehow if we prevented John and Mark or Susan and Betty from marrying. Give me a break!

Nussle wants to be the candidate of division. Fine. Let us be the Party of unity, of inclusion, the Party whose tent is so big that we welcome all who have had their voices ignored at the Statehouse. Our Democratic tent should be big enough for family farmers, rural residents, small business owners, gays, lesbians, working families, immigrants, minorities�all who are tired of seeing profit take precedence over people.

I want to close with a chant that I recommend you use to help motivate you in the campaign this fall. "Out-muscle Jim Nussle, out-hustle Jim Nussle, let's tussle with Nussle and win!" Thank you!