Update from July 4, 2007

Wednesday, July 4, 2007
 

Dear Friends,

Ed will replace Jan Mickelson as the host of WHO Radio’s morning talk show . . . well, at least for one show this week.  We invite you to tune in Friday, July 6th from 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. on 1040 AM to hear Ed moderate a debate between opposing sides of the “Yes to Destiny” sales tax proposed for Polk, Dallas and Warren counties.  Regardless of where in Iowa you live, we invite you to call in and join the discussion.  The debate itself will run from 9:00 to 11:00.  At 11:00, Lynn and Ed will give the official Independence Movement for Iowa (I’M for Iowa) take on the debate.

We hope you enjoyed a restful and thoughtful Independence Day, and that you had some time to think about what “independence” means to Americans.  In our work with I’M for Iowa, independence is never far from our minds.  We’d like to reflect for a moment on our purpose and mission.

In the 1770s, America’s founders challenged the unjust economic policies of an illegitimate foreign power.  In the 1890s, rural Midwesterners fostered a progressive populist movement to reclaim control of their lives and economies from moneyed interests grown greedy and corrupt.  

Today, the growing power of corporate lobbyists, special interests and unresponsive politicians threatens the very foundations of our democracy.  This threat demands a stronger, more politically engaged grassroots movement committed to the patriotic ideals upon which our nation was founded.

Across Iowa and across the nation, more and more people are fighting to regain control of our government and our country.  Here in the heartland, I'M for Iowa is developing a broad network of Iowans working for:

• Independence from special-interest campaign contributions.

• Independence from poverty, injustice and discrimination.

• Independence from fossil fuels.

• Independence from government subsidies for big business, from risky ventures that waste our tax dollars while failing to deliver on promises of economic prosperity, and from national chains that exert a stranglehold on our communities.

• Independence from government officials who operate without the public’s interest in mind, often behind closed doors, and with a lack of integrity and accountability.

One important thing we can all do is support our independent farmers and businesses.  The pillage of Iowa’s Main Streets and downtowns by national chains is substantially similar to the British pillage of the original American colonies over 200 years ago.  Check out our website (Shop Locally) for information about family farmers and locally-owned businesses near you.  (This section of our website is a work in progress, and we need YOU to suggest additional resources.)

Also, with the reauthorization of the federal Farm Bill underway in Congress, we encourage you to contact Iowa’s Congressmen and Senators to tell them you want local foods, small farmers, sustainable agriculture and conservation to play a central role in the new Farm Bill.  For more information, contact Wendy Wasserman with Edible Iowa River Valley at www.edibleiowarivervalley.com.  

And thanks to all who took time to contact Governor Culver last week about jumping on the “no new coal plants” bandwagon.  Please share any responses you get with us.

Sincerely,

Ed Fallon and Lynn Heuss


UPCOMING EVENTS (most of which we’ll be at)


Friday, July 6 (Fairfield)

First Friday Art Walk
Town square, 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Contact www.fairfieldartwalk.com


Saturday, July 7 (Decorah)

Greg Brown benefit concert for Seed Savers Heritage Farm
3094 North Winn Road, 7:00 p.m.
(tickets are $20 in advance, $25 the day of the concert)
Contact www.seedsavers.org


Saturday, July 7 (all of Iowa and well beyond)

Party for the Planet
Millions of people around the world are gathering in small groups to watch a special preview of presidential candidates answering questions on climate change.
Contact http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/index.html?action_id=86


Tuesday, July 10 – Wednesday, July 11 (Ames)

Leopold Center Twentieth Anniversary Celebration
Scheman Building, ISU Campus
Register on-line at www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/leopold/home.html
Contact Laura Miller at lwmiller@iastate.edu


Friday, July 13 – Saturday, July 14 (Des Moines)

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Statewide Convention
Hotel Fort Des Moines, 10th and Walnut
Contact (515) 284-0484 or www.iowacci.org


Saturday, July 14 (Ankeny)

SWINE:  Iowa’s Premier Pork and Wine event
Des Moines Area Community College
2006 Ankeny Blvd., 4:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Admission is $20 in advance, $25 at the door
Contact www.swinefestival.com


Monday, July 16 (Marshalltown)

Ed Fallon will address Marshalltown Community College students on poverty
Further details pending


Saturday, July 28 (Mount Vernon)

1000 Friends of Iowa Annual Meeting
Enabling Sustainable Development for Iowa: What it means for food, land and people
(followed by a walking tour of downtown Mount Vernon)
Cornell College Commons, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Contact http://www.kfoi.org/kfoi_meeting.php


Thursday, August 2 – Sunday, August 5 (Ames to Des Moines)

March to Re-Energize Iowa
Building a clean energy economy for real global warming solutions
A project of the Sierra Student Coalition
Contact www.climatesummer.org