Fallon's TV ads coming to a station near you!

Ed Fallon released his TV ads and you can see them on his website. The 1st one is your basic campaign ad, the 2nd one is hilarious, and the 3rd one is very creative. They will be hitting 12 cable outlets throughout the state now and then will be on the broadcast networks on 12 channels in 7 markets in a couple weeks.

Also, Fallon will be on Iowa Press this weekend (Friday at 7:30 and Sunday at 11:30) on IPTV answering questions from Yepsen about how money means everything in politics.

**Update**
I have heard that Fallon has made an ad buy of around $130,000. That's competitive with Culver and Blouin.

Win Ben Stein's Money?

I liked the show Win Ben Stein's Money, then in 2004 I saw Ben Stein cheering on Bu$h's reelection on some cable news show and got turned off on Stein. This morning, I was shocked when I read that Stein is now calling for the rich to pay their fair share in a NY Times article entitled "You're Rich. Terrific. Now Pay Up."

But if they are superrich, they derive special benefits from life in the United States that the nonrich don't. For one thing, they can make the money in a safe environment, which is not true for the rich in many countries. It is just common decency that they should pay much higher income taxes than they do. Taxes for the rich are lower than they have been since at least World War II — that is to say, in 60 years.

This makes no sense in a world at war, in a nation with so many unmet social needs, in a nation with so many people without health care, in a nation running immense and endless deficits.

America is becoming a nation of many rich people. I recently read that there were close to 10 million millionaire households. I read that there were hundreds of thousands who made more than $1 million a year. Good for them.

But it's unlovely for them to pay as little tax as they now pay. The real problem in this country is only temporarily about oil. That will right itself, or we'll get used to it and adjust.

The real problem is saving a nation that is beset by terrorism, and we cannot do that unless we feel that we are all in the same boat, pulling at the oars together. That includes the rich.

Whatever rationale there may have been in 2001 for lowering their taxes is long gone. It's time for them — us, because it includes me — to pay their (our) share.

It's not about oil. It's about fairness.

It is good to see some Republicans coming to their senses. There are some things in this world that are more evil than taxes. It is time to start investing in our future once again.

He will lie about anything

Is there anything this man will not lie about?

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush told a German newspaper his best moment in more than five years in office was catching a big perch in his own lake.

"You know, I've experienced many great moments and it's hard to name the best," Bush told weekly Bild am Sonntag when asked about his high point since becoming president in January 2001.

"I would say the best moment of all was when I caught a 7.5 pound (3.402 kilos) perch in my lake," he told the newspaper in an interview published on Sunday.

Link to the entire article.

Kerry speech at Grinnell College today

John Kerry spoke at Grinnell College today. I did not attend, but after reading the transcript I wish I did. He had some really good stuff to say about dissent, speaking the truth, patriotism, and activism. Now, I am not one who thinks Kerry was he best Presidential Candidate ever, but I think he is a great Senator. Here is some of what he said...

So we need you to speak out. Speak out if you want an America that is finally and forever independent of Mideast oil – an America that relies on its ingenuity and innovation – not the Saudi royal family.

Speak out so that instead of making a mockery of the words No Child Left Behind when China and India are graduating tens of thousands more engineers and PhDs than we are, we build an America where college education is affordable and accessible for every student willing to work for it.

Speak out so that instead of letting a few ideologues get in the way of progress that can cure Parkinson’s, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and AIDS, we build an America where the biology students here today will do the groundbreaking stem cell research tomorrow.

Speak out if you want to restore a politics of big ideas, not small-minded attacks.

Speak out if you’re tired of seeing America divided into red states and blue states, because you know we can be one America — red, white, and blue.

Dissent from this unacceptable status quo because you know the job of leadership is to prepare for your future - not ignore it. The people who run Washington today give in to special interests and rob future generations. Real leadership stands up to special interests and sets the course for future generations. You must demand leadership that works to solve problems - not create them.

Our challenge today is to speak out so loudly that Washington has no choice but to make choices worthy of the sacrifice of our neighbors here at home and our troops all around the world.

When we protested the war in Vietnam some would weigh in against us saying: “My country right or wrong.” Our response was simple: “Yes, my country right or wrong. When right, keep it right and when wrong, make it right.” That’s our mission – to get off our rear ends – go out – and make it right today.

I bet Iowa Progress will post more about his speech.

Vietnam Protest Pics at ISU from May 6, 1970

Thanks to Nicolai from AmesWire for posting about a photo essay on the ISU Library page about Vietnam protests.

These pictures makes me ask, where are the students now? I know they held a rally on the immigration issue, but what about war?

Is a draft the only way for the public's outcry to get to the point where it makes a difference?

Tuition increases possible as universities discuss budget shortfall

It looks like the tuition at the state universities will be going up once again thanks to not enough funds in the state budget. Here is a story from the WCF Courier...

The Legislature's inability to fully fund the state's three Regent universities could mean an additional tuition increase, according to administrators from each institution.

Administrators told the Board of Regents Thursday they would be unable to guarantee pay increases to non-organized faculty and staff or pay their increasing utility bills without additional revenue.

What affect does it have on students?

If students were to make up the entire shortfall through a tuition increase at UNI their costs would go up an additional 8 to 12 percent. The regents already approved tuition increases ranging from 4 to 5.5. percent for the 2006-07 school year.

Great, our senior citizens get a tax break, and our young people in the state get to pay more for college. Heck, I am all for getting a couple extra bucks here and there, but I know that taxes are an investment in our future. This is a perfect example of how tax cuts are harming our future. The seniors might actually stay in Iowa a few more years because of their tax cut, but the rise in tuition just gives our young people another reason to leave the state instead of raising their families in Iowa. That is not a way to grow your state.

When I was at Iowa in 1999-2002, tuition hikes were commonplace ranging from 10-20% a year. Overall, in past 6 years tuition to the state universities have increased over 50%. Iowa also has one of the most expensive community college tuition rates in the nation. The education system in the state needs to stop being viewed as a K-12 system and viewed as a pre K-16 system. It is good to see that teachers have been promised increased pay, but this story isn't good at all for the state. However, for people to succeed in Iowa they need some college education and too many people are unable to afford it.

We won't have to worry about how to keep younger people in the state after graduation if we continue to make it diffilcult for our young people to afford to go to college. The number one way to keep young people in the state is to provide quality and affordable education at the college level. Budget cuts and tax giveaways over the years is seriously jeopardizing this.

Folk Music Friday: Bob Dylan "Masters of War"

Hey, I am actually posting this on a Friday! The last few weeks I have strayed a bit from posting actually folk music on Folk Music Friday. Today, I will go back to my intentions of this series and post some real folk music. I looked no further than to the CD that got me started listening to folk music. That CD is the soundtrack to Bob Dylan's "No Direction Home" that aired on Public Television last fall.

In honor of the 3rd anniversary of "President" Bush declaring mission accomplished this weeks song is Masters of War by Bob Dylan. Here are the lyrics and an audio sample.

Masters of War by Bob Dylan
Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead

Vote in the Poll for Governor

I posted a poll earlier this week asking who you support in the Democratic Primary for Governor. Please take the time to vote. The primary is coming up fast. It will be interesting to see where the people in the Iowa blogosphere stand compared to the outcome on June 6th.

In campaign news, the Fallon campaign is on a 50 County, 13 day Rural Working Tour. Kyle is blogging the stops and has some good stuff. About Ed stopping at a Brewery in Amana, Kyle wrote...

After moving off the production line, Ed discovered he’s also not so good at tapping beer. Thankfully, Ed’s press secretary, Lynn, has some experience in the field.

Fallon has also been raising a bunch of money recently. In the last 2 weeks of April, they raised over $35,000 to surpass their media budget. In May, they have a goal to raise $75,000 and already have raised $17,000.

Culver has started airing TV ads. I haven't seen any on yet, but then I don't watch much TV beside Comedy Central from 10-11. You can see the ads online though. Chet goes over better on TV than he does in person. Not sure if that is a good thing or not.

I have a qustion for the Blouin campaign. What's up with your poll? They have a poll asking what issue is most important to you. They have the obvious choices: education, job creation, health care and then they have 2 others...protecting natural resources and capital punishment. Blouin's taking a left jab at Judge and right hook at Culver with those choices. However, a total of 8% of the people voting think those 2 issues are the most important. Good news for Blouin, the state legislature should be done tomorrow, so he will be able get those checks for the unions and PAC's a couple days before the primary.

As for Sal Mohammed. A friend told me he say Sal in Des Moines standing on corner on University holding up a Sal Mohammed for Governor sign. Not totally sure this is true. A person with some intelligent ideas about how to better run the state would have better luck working on getting his message out than holding up a sign. Maybe Sal should start a blog.

Grandma's going to Iraq!

Not much to say about this other than omg, wtf?

Grandmother deployed to Iraq 10 months before retirement

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) -- A grandmother in eastern Iowa is getting one last call to duty.

Janet Grass, 52, had planned to retire from the military in about ten months after spending 19 years in the Navy Reserve. Instead, she has been ordered to leave her job as a special-education teacher in Cascade and do security work in the Middle East.

Grass boarded an airplane yesterday at the Dubuque Regional Airport amid emotional goodbyes from her family, which includes four children and six grandchildren.

Grass will train in California and Texas before deploying to Iraq for 12 to 18 months.

National Day without an Immigrant

I could write some stuff about yesterday's immigration protests/rallies, but it wouldn't be anything you haven't heard before. It is a complicated issue that won't get solved unless people work together (jeez, I guess you could say that about most every issue). Also, I wouldn't be able to say it as good as Eric at Iowa Progress did in his post yesterday.

...the immigrants who are coming to Iowa are exactly the type of productive citizens that the state claims to need so badly. These are people who work hard, who raise their children here, who pay taxes (regardless of citizenship, the sales tax is always paid), and who only seek the opportunity to share in and improve the quality of this country. My family came to this country generations ago via immigration, and the idea that we as Americans, or we as Iowans, would deny others the right to the same opportunities our families had when they came to the country is outrageous to me. The sooner Iowa recognizes that immigrants are a boon to our culture, our economy, and our state, the better.

Friday Folk Music: Living With War by Neil Young

With Feingold coming to Iowa this weekend and the district convention, I never got around to posting a Friday Folk Music. I thought I'd get 2 birds with one stone and post about the new Neil Young anti-war CD, Living With War. You can here the entire CD here. Here are the lyrics to the title track...

I'm LIVING WITH WAR everyday
I'm LIVING WITH WAR in my heart everyday
I'm LIVING WITH WAR right now...
And when the dawn breaks I see my fellow man ...
And on the flat-screen we kill and we're killed again...
and when the night falls, I pray for PEACE...
Try to remember PEACE...
I join the multitudes...
I raise my hand in PEACE
I never bow to the laws of the thought police
I take a holy vow
To never to kill again
To never kill again
I'm LIVING WITH WAR in my heart
I'm LIVING WITH WAR in my heart and my mind
I'm LIVING WITH WAR right now
Don't take no tidal wave
Dont take no mass grave
Don't take no smokin' gun
To show how the west was won
But when the curtain falls, I pray for PEACE
Try to remember PEACE (visualize)
In the crowded streets
In the big hotels
In the mosques and the doors to the old museum
I take a holy vow
To never kill again
Try to remember PEACE
The rockets red glare, bombs bursting in air
Give proof through the night, That our flag is still there
I'm LIVING WITH WAR everyday
I'm LIVING WITH WAR in my heart everyday
I'm LIVING WITH WAR right now

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about how lucky I am to be here getting the chance to get an education, be with my wife and family, play with my dog, and teach kids. I am in my mid-20's and see that I could easily be over there. Each time I see, hear, or read about someone dying in Iraq I think about how many lives just got changed forever. I know I do not sacrifice anything close to what our troops and their families are, but I feel that it is my duty to be living with war in my heart and my mind everyday.

Keep the troops safe, bring them home now.

2008 Straw Poll for April: Final Results

April showers have made way for May flowers, so the April straw poll is closed. Here are the final results with 84 votes being tallied...

1. Russ Feingold 35%
2. Mark Warner 19%
3. Al Gore 14%
4. John Edwards 12%
5. Bill Richardson 6%
6. Tom Vilsack 5%
7. Evan Bayh 4%
8. John Kerry 2%
8. Joe Biden 2%
10. Hillary Clinton 1%

Hillary who? Personally, I think the people that think Hillary will be the nominee tend to be Republicans and this poll shows that. The readers of this blog don't want the same old faces we had in 2004 and it doesn't seem that Vilsack would run away with Iowa if he runs. To see how many visits to Iowa potential candidates have made check Iowa Politics.

Thanks for everyone who voted. I will post another 2008 Straw Poll this summer. In May, I will have a poll on the Governor's race.