Ripples

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

To everyone who came to our wedding celebration last Sunday - thank you! We had a wonderful time and enjoyed the company of many friends and family. The setting was perfect - a simple barn, birds singing in the rafters, and a brief shower followed by sunshine. Two dear friends performed the blessing ceremony - Rev. Jean McCarthy and Rev. LeAnn Stubbs. Another friend, Stephanie Weisenbach, sang while Ed accompanied her on guitar, and another friend,...

A New Green Revolution

Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

This Sunday, May 31st, we celebrate our civil-marriage (held last December) with a public blessing ceremony, potluck and square dance. We sincerely hope you, your family and friends can join us. The blessing ceremony begins promptly at 5:30 in the Flynn Barn at Living History Farms. Supper's at 6:00, and since we don't need or want any wedding gifts, we ask you to bring a dish to share (a main dish, salad or side dish), ideally made from something raised in...

Howard Dean in Iowa to discuss Health Care

Sat, 23 May 2009 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

Let's start off with a couple quotes a friend shared with us this week:

"A populist is for the people. We're also more fun. We don't vote to hurt average Americans, even if the corporate payoff is really big." -- Molly Ivins

An African American Voice for Marriage Equality

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

We are honored to host Alexander Robinson's visit to Iowa next week. As a gay African-American who heads the National Black Justice Coalition, Alexander will share his story and dialogue with Iowans about civil-marriage equality. With the help of a great list of coalition partners (see below), we've organized events for Alexander in Des Moines, Fort Dodge, Waterloo, Iowa City, Dubuque, Clinton, Davenport and Cedar Rapids. Complete details are in the EVENTS...

Ethics Complaint Against Senator Bartz

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

This has been another busy week in the ongoing movement to retain justice for all couples who want to marry in Iowa. Today, we filed an ethics complaint against Senator Merlin Bartz for posting a petition on his website that encourages county recorders to "refuse to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples on April 27th."

Senator Bartz's actions appear to violate Article III, Section 32 of the State of Iowa Constitution and...

You Are What You Eat Eats

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

Food is in the news a lot lately, for both good and bad reasons. With the appointment of Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture, Iowa saw a flurry of news stories. And we were personally thrilled recently to see Michelle Obama plant a garden on the White House lawn.

But there's bad news, too, perhaps most notably the string of food recalls coming one after the other - peanuts, pistachios, hamburger and sprouts. One wonders what seemingly...

Breaking News on Marriage!

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

BREAKING NEWS!! Tomorrow may be another landmark in Iowa's long history of advancing civil and human rights. At 8:30 a.m., Friday, April 3, the Iowa Supreme Court will issue its ruling on whether gay or lesbian couples have the right to marry. In the interest of fairness, justice and equality, we hope for a positive ruling.

Supporters of equality are invited to attend one of four rallies planned for tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. in...

Lessons from California's Proposition 8

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

This week, we're working with Marriage Equality USA (Iowa Chapter) to introduce Dr. Davina Kotulski (see the EVENTS section of this e-mail for details).

Davina is a clinical psychologist and nationally recognized leader, speaker and writer in the marriage equality movement. Her book, "Why You Should Give a Damn About Gay Marriage," is used as a teaching tool and activist handbook within progressive communities of faith, LGBT organizations,...

Come Celebrate Our Marriage

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

Most of our updates focus on an issue; this one involves a personal matter. Late last year we were married in a small, private civil ceremony.

Now we're announcing the public celebration of our marriage - and YOU are invited. Not just you, but anyone else you want to invite. Literally everyone is invited; all we ask for is an RSVP at

A Voice for Marriage

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

Working with Marriage Equality Iowa, we are honored to host Mandy Carter's visit to Iowa next week. Mandy is coming to share her story and to invite African Americans and others to dialogue with her about the importance of civil marriage equality. There will be several opportunities to meet Mandy in Des Moines, Fort Dodge and Waterloo, so make sure to check out the events section of this update.

Since 1968, Mandy Carter has been one of the...

Spring Ritual

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

[Be sure to see the Events section of this update to help celebrate Ed's 51st birthday on March 1st.]

Spring is in the air, and here in Des Moines we'll soon open our windows. Yet we have many friends in rural Iowa who can no longer enjoy this ritual of spring because they live near a CAFO (confined animal feeding operation). This isn't right. It has to change and it's time Democrats leading the Iowa Legislature...

School Consolidation A Local Decision

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

With Iowa's budget in dire straits, all sorts of belt-tightening measures have been proposed at the Statehouse. Some make a lot of sense, especially combined reporting and the repeal of other corporate tax loopholes. Among the bad ideas being floated, leasing the Iowa Lottery steals the cake.

But we believe another bad idea is a proposal to consolidate two-thirds of Iowa's school districts and reduce the number of superintendents to one per...

Time For a New Groundhog

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

We heard a cardinal sing on February 1st, heralding the first sign of spring in our neighborhood. Five days later, daffodils pushed through the thawing soil about a mile from our home. The Des Moines River has been ice-free for a week, and the ice on the Raccoon River is on the verge of breaking.

On February 2nd, Punxsutawney Phil announced (through interpreters, of course) that America should expect six more weeks of winter. Here in Des...

Time for a New Shelter

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

Residents of Des Moines and its suburbs face a pressing challenge: how to meet the needs of Polk County's homeless residents. Building a new facility for the homeless has been a work in progress for over two years. Yet the urgency of this issue catapulted forward two months ago when City workers demolished a cluster of wooden shacks along the Des Moines River, built for the homeless by advocates and by the homeless themselves. The...

Chopin, Cabernet and Conversation

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

To help navigate the waning weeks of winter, we invite you to join us on Saturday, February 7 from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. to experience "CHOPIN, CABERNET & CONVERSATION." The event is at our home, 752 16th Street in Des Moines, and is limited to the first thirty-five RSVPs.

We'll serve a sampling of food, beer and wine from Iowa farms, breweries and vineyards. While you sip and nibble, Ed will perform some of his favorite Chopin. Then...

We Don't Do Bailouts

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

For our work on elections, issues and local business to succeed, this Weekly Update must occasionally ask for your financial support. Please take a minute to write a check to I'M for Iowa and mail it to 752 16th Street, Des Moines, IA 50314.

We don't do grants, loans or government bailouts. YOU and your investments of time and money make our work possible. Nearly two-thirds of I'M for Iowa's 2009 budget is already pledged. Your financial...

Real Change Takes Commitment

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

For us, 2008 ended with a very personal commitment to change: we got married! The public commitment ceremony and reception will be the evening of May 31, so please mark that date on your calendar. We're planning a big party with live music and Iowa-grown food and drink - and in May, we won't have to deal with six-degree temperatures, six inches of snow and six layers of clothing!

As public servants, our heroes and role models include Mahatma...

Coal Plant Defeated

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

Chalk up a huge victory for the little guy this week. Out-of-state investors pulled the plug on a coal-fired power plant proposed on Merle Bell's century farm near Waterloo. Proponents bemoan the potential loss of mostly temporary jobs; but the prospect for permanent, sustainable job growth through renewable energy is enhanced by this victory.

Carrie La Seur, a Mt. Vernon attorney who founded Plains Justice, says that the...

The Hour is Ours!

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

Here's a great quote from Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins:

"The spirits of those men and women who left their farms and fishing boats and headed out to confront the mighty British Empire, and of those who fought to emancipate the slaves during the Civil War, and of those who sacrificed their lives to protect the world from fascism, speak to us. As do the...

Holiday Reflection

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

This week, we'd like to reflect on our lives this past year and our hopes and plans for the coming year.

The first half of this year was absorbed with Ed's Congressional campaign. While we didn't win, we count many small victories in new connections developed, friends made and individual lives permanently and positively affected.

In May, Ed's Dad passed away after a long, hard-fought battle with...

Senate Seat for Sale

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

{The following piece by Ed Fallon appeared in The Des Moines Register today in relatively similar form, entitled "Illinois seat not only thing that's for sale."}

It's easy to muster contempt for Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Politics in America is rife with corruption, but rarely is corruption as brazen and unrepentant as what we've been treated to recently by Illinois' soon-to-be former CEO. To learn that someone...

White House Farmer

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

Last week, I applied for the job of White House Farmer (click here to read my letter to Obama). No word yet from Obama's transition team, but whether it's me or someone else, this is a job that should be taken seriously.

Why? Because now more than ever, America's food policy needs a new direction, and by setting an example, the First Family...

Demand Action on Hog Confinements

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

This year, the Iowa Republican Party Platform added the following plank: "We support local control of agricultural zoning practices."

For many years, the Iowa Democratic Party Platform has contained this plank: "We support local control for CAFO siting, maintenance and operations."

President-elect Obama has it in his agenda. "Regulate CAFOs: Strictly regulate pollution from large factory livestock...

Join Us On The Radio

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

Trying to follow Wall Street these days is like watching your kid learn to play tennis - balls and rackets are flying up and down, but you're never quite sure where they're going to land. Home sales are down and foreclosures are up. Gas prices were way up; now they're down, but who knows how long that will last. Food prices are climbing along with fears about what's in our food.

Happy...

Civil Marriage Equality

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

One of the beautiful things about America is our constant striving toward greater freedom and equality. Every so often, we collectively take a giant leap forward on behalf of constituencies shut out of some aspect of the American Dream. Such leaps are not without growing pains, but the end result is part of what continues to define America as a beacon to the world.

Consider the right to vote. Initially, only...

Join Us For Thanksgiving

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 CST

Dear Extended Family,

Ok, so maybe that's a stretch. But for Lynn and me, preparing this update is one of the highlights of our week, and we sincerely look forward to your responses (yes, even from you, Einstein). Your input often gives us fodder for subsequent ideas and action.

With that in mind, I'd like to invite your feedback on one media item and your participation in another.

Media Item One: We're...

A New Direction

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 CST

"The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving."
Oliver Wendell Holmes

Until Tuesday, it seemed obvious that America was moving in the wrong direction. But when the polls closed and we chose President-elect Obama, it was clear that America was ready to move in a new direction. Our choice for Obama came as the result of months of effort by hundreds of thousands of people, and...

Supporting Boswell

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

When I first announced I would run for Congress last January, I promised to support Congressman Boswell should he win the primary. He did. Yet many people have told me they plan to write-in my name. As promised, I plan to vote for Boswell when I go to the polls on Election Day.

The Des Moines Register's editorial board also recommends supporting Boswell. To read their endorsement, click on the...

The Truth About ACORN

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

It's been both fascinating and disturbing to watch the radical right demonize ACORN over allegations of voter fraud, especially since Democrats (and for that matter, democracy) were the big losers to voter suppression in 2000 (Florida) and 2004 (Ohio).

I first learned of ACORN in 1987, when I personally encountered the difficulties low-income people face trying to purchase a home. Thanks to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) and...

One More Plug for VOICE

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

I've lived half a century and can say sincerely that this is the most critical election in my lifetime. I'm excited about Obama for a number of reasons, especially his rejection of PAC and lobbyist money. I asked Obama's Iowa campaign about making a plug for donations, and they suggested Lynn and I focus instead on encouraging support for Iowa legislative candidates.

Wow! How often does that...

Support Clean Money Candidates

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

This may be the first you've heard from I'M for Iowa since Ed Fallon's congressional campaign last spring. People frequently ask Ed and Lynn what they plan to do next, and over the next few weeks, we'll let you know as we lay out I'M for Iowa's full agenda.

But our first priority is to help elect progressive Democrats this fall. There are plenty of great candidates, but we want to focus on helping the six Iowa legislative...

Action Needed on CAFO Bill

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

Legislative leadership continues to ignore the public clamor for fairer regulation of confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Time to act on this is limited. The following information came to me today from a source inside the State Capitol. I hope you will read it and take a few minutes to...

Action Needed on Transportation Bill

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

For many reasons ranging from environmental to fiscal, transportation in America is at a crossroads. We can either (1) continue along the decades-old path of new highway construction at the expense of all else, or (2) shift our focus to maintaining...

Politics At Its Worst

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

I'M for Iowa focuses primarily on state-level issues. When the Legislature is in session, we help you let your voice be heard. We give kudos and criticism to Democrats and Republicans alike. ...

Kansas Governor Takes on Coal

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

Pressure continues to build on Governor Culver. Across the state, but especially in Marshall and Black Hawk counties, people want him to speak out against the proposed coal-fired plants in Marshalltown and...

Eminent Domain Proposal Needs Your Help

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

Several bills were offered in the Iowa Legislature this year to further refine Iowa's 2006 landmark eminent domain legislation. None were allowed out of committee. Three were resurrected in the House as amendments, but Speaker Pat Murphy refused to allow action on...

More Than CAFOs Stink

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Dear Friends,

The Iowa state legislative session is more than halfway over, but in all honesty, any hope to see attention given to the regulation of CAFOs seems to have been eradicated with the dismissal of Rep. Mark Kuhn's addition/amendment to the odor regulation study in which he asked all new confinements to submit to meeting the air quality standards in a recent ISU study.

...

Secure This Fall's Election

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

Kyle Lobner - former Fallon for Governor Communications Director now with Common Cause of Iowa - sent me an important e-mail message this morning. In a legislative environment where "we the people" seem to lose more battles than we win, it's encouraging to see real momentum on paper ballots. Kyle and others are working hard on that, and also on...

State Transportation Funding Update

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

Last year, I'M for Iowa promoted the 2007 Iowa State University Wildness Symposium, organized by Mary Swander. The event was a watershed experience for me. Lynn and I had supper with Bill McKibben and then listened to him...

Secure Our Voting System

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

Running for Congress!

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

As some of you know, I've decided to run for Congress. Lynn and I will continue to publish I'M for Iowa updates and maintain the I'M for Iowa website. Through those tools, we'll encourage...

A Christmas Reflection

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

First, I want to invite those of you in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area to join me this Saturday, December 15^thfrom 10:00 - noon at...

Water Quality Alert

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

First, I regret to have to tell you that the global warming plunge scheduled for December 8^th at Gray's Lake in Des Moines has been cancelled.

Second,...

Update from November 17, 2007

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST

Dear Friends,

Every week - nay, every day - some new news on climate change hits the fan, underscoring the reality and severity of Earth's rising temperature. Yesterday, the Associated Press (AP) published a story entitled "Climate panel seen as too conservative." The article talks about the Intergovernmental...

An Independence Movement for Iowa (I'M for Iowa) : Releases

Ripples

A New Green Revolution

Howard Dean in Iowa to discuss Health Care

An African American Voice for Marriage Equality

Ethics Complaint Against Senator Bartz

You Are What You Eat Eats

Breaking News on Marriage!

Lessons from California's Proposition 8

Come Celebrate Our Marriage

A Voice for Marriage

Spring Ritual

School Consolidation A Local Decision

Time For a New Groundhog

Time for a New Shelter

Chopin, Cabernet and Conversation

We Don't Do Bailouts

Real Change Takes Commitment

Coal Plant Defeated

The Hour is Ours!

Holiday Reflection

Senate Seat for Sale

White House Farmer

Demand Action on Hog Confinements

Join Us On The Radio

Civil Marriage Equality

Join Us For Thanksgiving

A New Direction

Supporting Boswell

The Truth About ACORN

One More Plug for VOICE

Support Clean Money Candidates

Action Needed on CAFO Bill

Action Needed on Transportation Bill

Politics At Its Worst

Kansas Governor Takes on Coal

Eminent Domain Proposal Needs Your Help

More Than CAFOs Stink

Secure This Fall's Election

State Transportation Funding Update

Secure Our Voting System

Running for Congress!

A Christmas Reflection

Water Quality Alert

Update from November 17, 2007