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rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
November 26, 2010
Sullivan’s Salvos 11/30/10 In this edition: *Some Fixes for Congress *Proposed Housing Ordinance *Buy Local! *Holidays in River Junction *Shelter House Ribbon Cutting *FasTrac Banquet *Homeless Children’s Trust Xmas Party *Did You Know? *Some Fixes for Congress I wrote recently that I believe Congress is broken. Polls indicate that the vast majority of Americans agree with me. So what to do about it? Below are some changes to the way in which Congress does business that might appeal to all Americans- left, right, and center. 1.) A Constitutional Amendment limiting money in politics: Since the US Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case, we have no option but to amend the Constitution. Either that, or accept the end of democracy. 2.) A Constitutional Amendment instituting term limits for the US Senate and House: I suggest 4 terms in the House and two in the Senate. That means one individual could serve 20 years – which is plenty! Unencumbered by the need to run for reelection, perhaps Congresspeople will be more likely to demonstrate political courage and do the right thing. 3.) Ending the “Secret Hold”: If Senators wish to place a hold, they should be required to do so personally and publically! 4.) Requiring Senators to actually filibuster: If Senators feel something should be delayed, they should be required to stand up and personally explain their reasoning to the American people! The following fixes are not specifically for Congress, but would help our Democracy tremendously: 1.) Elimination of the Electoral College: Most Americans are under the misperception that we directly elect our President. Not so! 2.) The Federal Communications Committee (FCC) should require broadcast radio and television stations to offer free (but limited) air time to federal candidates: This would dramatically lessen the need for campaign money. Obviously, none of these changes can be accomplished easily. The politicians benefit from the status quo, so they have few incentives to change. Corporations also benefit from the status quo, so they have few incentives to change. It will take a huge grassroots movement on the part of the people, and I’m not sure most Americans have the time and energy. Worse yet, far too many do not care enough to fix what is broken. So – what are your thoughts? Do you like these ideas? Do you have others? Please let me know, and I’ll share some feedback! *Proposed Housing Ordinance You may recall that Johnson County has been considering an ordinance designed to require minimum housing standards. After much research and debate, a proposed ordinance is ready for the public. The proposed ordinance institutes safety standards for all residences in unincorporated Johnson County. If the ordinance passes, standards for structural integrity, electrical, plumbing, heating, etc. will become law. Homes and businesses must comply, but farm outbuildings are exempt. (Farmhouses would be covered.) Unfortunately, a few people are spreading falsehoods throughout the rural community. I have heard that this ordinance “will cost every rural resident thousands of dollars”, and that “County personnel can break down your door.” Obviously, both those ideas are absurd. Anyone who bothered to check the facts would understand that these ideas are foolishness. But rumors are apparently more fun than facts. The Board will be having a public hearing regarding a new Housing Ordinance on Thursday, December 9 at 5:30 PM. The text of the proposed ordinance is available on the County webpage - please check it out! *Buy Local! The Holiday shopping season is here. Please do your best to buy locally. Nothing does more to help our local economy. If you do not find what you want at first, just ask. The biggest benefit to buying locally is the superior service! You can make the holidays happier for everyone by buying locally. *Holidays in River Junction Toys, trees, tractors, and treats are all part of the Holiday Open House in River Junction on December 5. The Morgan family will open their home from 2-8 PM, featuring their extensive Christmas collection. There are antiques, over 40 decorated trees, guest speakers, and, of course – Santa! Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. All proceeds benefit the Johnson County Historical Society. For more info, contact the JCHS at 351-5738. *Shelter House Ribbon Cutting A ribbon cutting for the new Shelter House facility will be held December 2 at 9 AM. The new facility, located at Southgate Avenue, almost triples the number of beds, while also adding greatly improved security, kitchen, laundry, and office spaces. As I have written here many times before, I have long volunteered as a driver for the Homeless Shelter Overflow. It is wonderful to know that all those folks now have a bed at the Shelter House. Congratulations to everyone who made this possible! *FasTrac Banquet The FasTrac program is holding its 3rd annual banquet Friday, December 3rd from 6-9 PM at the Sheraton Hotel. Tickets are $25, and all proceeds go toward providing college visits for local students. For more info, contact Henri Harper at 341-0060. *Homeless Children’s Trust Xmas Party The Homeless Children’s Trust Christmas Party is on December 4th at the Moose Club in Iowa City. The party begins at 8:30am and will end around 1:00pm. Lunch will be served at 11:30am. We will entertain approximately 175 needy youngsters from Johnson County. It should be a really fun day with music, clowns, the hokey pokey, and crafts. *DID YOU KNOW? The Johnson County Ambulance service averages about 20 calls per day. Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website- www.johnson-county.com. "Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents. These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned. If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line. If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line. As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to serving you! ---Rod
November 20, 2010
Sullivan’s Salvos 11/23/10
In this edition:
*Happy Thanksgiving!
*Bush Tax Cuts
*Speaking of Taxes…
*Food Insecurity
*Olmstead Hearings
*Did You Know?
*Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. It is very true that we all have much for which we should be thankful.
I do not want to forget to thank all of you for bothering to read what I write each week. I am thankful that at least a few folks are interested in what I have to say. Your feedback is often challenging, but it makes me a better person. I sincerely appreciate it.
I hope your holiday is warm, safe, trouble-free, and full of family and friends.
*Bush Tax Cuts
Thanksgiving is a time when we give thanks for all our blessings, and share our good fortune with others. Let’s look at the Bush Tax Cuts through the lens of Thanksgiving.
I think it is vital that Congress vote to extend the cuts for the 98% of us, and to eliminate the cuts for the wealthiest 2%.
Let’s be honest. If we really care about the deficit, we all know it will require both spending cuts AND increased revenues. Where would we rather increase revenues than on the richest 2%? Those are the only people who can afford it! Their Thanksgiving table is full. To allow their cuts to expire is the best solution both economically and morally.
Politically speaking, voting to tax the rich will not cost Democratic members of Congress ANY votes. The folks who want trickle down tax cuts already voted for the GOP. They are going to vote GOP next time. Democrats cannot do anything to change their minds. So Democrats may as well do the right thing!
Polls show over 70% of Americans agree with this approach. Much more importantly, it is the only morally correct thing to do!
We should look to the spirit of Thanksgiving for guidance here. Those who have a full table should share it. That is good for everyone. The rich will still have more than enough to eat.
This is a winning argument, economically, politically and most importantly, morally. I hope Democrats make it.
*Speaking of Taxes…
The co-chairs of the President's fiscal commission have released a series of options to reduce the long-term federal budget deficit by $3.8 trillion over ten years. 75% of the savings would come from cuts in public services while only 25% would come from closing tax loopholes and reforming the tax system.
This makes little sense, given that the United States is one of the least taxed countries in the developed world. A new report from Citizens for Tax Justice explains that the most recent data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) show that the U.S. is the third least taxed country of the 27 OECD countries for which data are available.
See http://www.ctj.org/pdf/oecd111110.pdf for more information.
*Food Insecurity
A Thanksgiving thought from our friends at the Iowa Policy Project:
One in nine Iowa households had trouble at some point putting food on the table in 2007-09, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The new report indicates 11.5 percent of Iowa households, on average, experienced “food insecurity” during that three-year period, which was dominated by the recent recession. The estimate is essentially unchanged from the previous three-year average of 11.4 percent, for 2004-06 — but significantly higher when compared to estimates in the previous decade.
“As we approach Thanksgiving, we can recognize that as high as food insecurity has been in our state, Iowa households have remained better off than many of their Midwestern neighbors,” said Andrew Cannon, a research associate for the nonpartisan Iowa Policy Project, part of the Iowa Fiscal Partnership.
The report, “Household Food Security in the United States, 2009,” found 5 percent of Iowa households on average in 2007-09 to have “very low” food security, a jump from 3.9 percent in 2004-06. A “food insecure” household has difficulty at some time during a year providing adequate food for its members due to a lack of resources. “Very low” food security includes reduction of food intake and disruption of eating patterns.
USDA found Midwestern states in 2007-09 to have food insecurity rates ranging from 10.5 percent in Minnesota to 15 percent in Missouri, but with all of Iowa’s neighboring states seeing significant increases from 2004-06.
The Iowa Fiscal Partnership is a joint budget and tax policy initiative of IPP in Iowa City and another nonpartisan organization, the Child & Family Policy Center in Des Moines. IFP reports are at www.iowafiscal.org.
*Olmstead Hearings
You are Invited to Join a Community Conversation on Mental Health and Disability Services. The Iowa Legislature, Iowa Department of Human Services and the Olmstead Consumer Task Force are sponsoring several public forums on mental health and disability services.
A local event is co-hosted by State Senator Joe Bolkcom, State Senator Robert Dvorsky, and State Representative Mary Mascher, and scheduled for November 23 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm in the Johnson County Health & Human Services Building Room 203B.
These community conversations are an opportunity to share your opinions and experiences and learn about the DHS Olmstead Plan for Mental Health and Disability Services, “A Life in the Community for Everyone.” For more information on the Plan and its development, visit the website at: www.IowaMHDSPlan.org
Everyone is welcome to attend and share input. Refreshments will be provided and travel expense payments are available for individuals with disabilities and accompanying family members. Contact Connie Fanselow, DHS Division of Mental Health and Disability Services, at 515-725-0131 for more information or to request any special accommodations.
*DID YOU KNOW? You can listen to audio of all meetings of the Board of Supervisors at http://www.citychannel4.com.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.
"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.
These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.
If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.
If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.
As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to serving you!
---Rod
November 13, 2010
Sullivan’s Salvos 11/16/10
In this edition:
*National Adoption Month
*Conservation Ballot Issue
*No Need to Fear Inheritance Taxes!
*Did You Know?
*National Adoption Month
November has been named National Adoption Month and November 20th National Adoption Day.
The need out there is tremendous. In Johnson County alone, there are between 100 and 150 kids in foster care every day. There are nowhere near enough foster and adoptive homes to meet the need.
As many of you know, Melissa and I are the parents of three adopted children. We also continue to serve as foster parents.
It has been a life full of tragedies and triumphs. It has not always been easy, but it has been indescribably fulfilling. Along with marrying my wife, it is the best decision I ever made.
If you or someone you know is interested in foster care and/or adoption, please let me know. I am always happy to speak with prospective parents.
*Conservation Ballot Issue
On November 2, Iowans voted for “Iowa’s Land Legacy”, a conservation measure that dedicates to conservation the first 3/8 of one cent of Iowa’s next sales tax increase.
As Salvos readers know, I opposed this measure. Not because I oppose conservation; nothing could be further from the truth!
I opposed this because 1.) I do not believe the Iowa Constitution should be used to set spending policy; and 2.) I do not believe governments should increase their reliance on sales taxes, which unfairly target the poor.
That said, it will be nice to see conservation in Iowa get a boost. I recently had an opportunity to review the statewide numbers, and discovered some interesting items:
*Statewide, 63% of the voters chose “Yes”. Ten out of every eleven voters actually voted on the issue.
*Johnson County passed it with the highest percentage in the state – 76%, almost 3% higher than any other county.
*Urban counties voted for it in the highest numbers; 12 of the top 13 “Yes” percentages come from among Iowa’s 20 most populous counties. Linn had the lowest “Yes” vote of any urban county, and it was 57%.
*78 of Iowa’s 99 counties voted over 50% for the measure; only 2 counties (Allamakee and Wayne) voted under 40%. Allamakee is an interesting case – no county has more preserved land. Perhaps voters there suffer from an overabundance of riches?
*18 of the 21 counties that voted against the measure have lost population in the past ten years.
Congratulations to those who supported this measure. I hope the supporters of conservation use this money wisely! And I hope they will note my concerns… we should take neither the Constitution nor economic justice lightly!
*No Need to Fear Inheritance Taxes!
Very few Iowans have anything to fear in terms of inheritance taxes. According to Citizens for Tax Justice (CTJ), only 0.3% of Iowa’s estates paid any inheritance tax in 2009. In other words, of the 10,000 Iowans who passed away, the tax only hit 30 estates.
A progressive estate tax is typically justified on moral grounds. CTJ feels that it is easy to justify the tax for other reasons. They write:
“The estate tax is a way of acknowledging that the wealthiest families benefit the most from the government’s protection of private property, public investments like roads that make commerce possible and public schools that provide a productive workforce, the stability provided by our legal system and armed forces, and the countless other ways that government makes America a place where huge fortunes can be earned and maintained.”
A common myth is that estate taxes hurt family farms. CTJ counters: Small business estates are defined as those in which farm and business assets represent at least half of the gross estate and total no more than $5 million. Using this definition, it was estimated that only 100 US farms and small business estates would have owed any estate tax this year if the 2009 exemption levels had been in effect.
Even if Congress allowed the estate tax to revert entirely to the pre-Bush rules, there would still be plenty of provisions that make the estate tax manageable for closely held businesses and farms. Family farms receive a higher exemption and can be valued, for estate tax purposes, according to their “current use” as farmland, which may be much less than their market value.
Finally, the tax due on an estate that is a closely held business or farm can be paid over 14 years.
Proposals to exempt large or unlimited amounts of farmland from the estate tax would, if enacted, serve as major vehicles for wealthy people who are not really farmers to shelter their assets from the estate tax. In fact, such provisions could actually harm genuine farmers because they would encourage wealthy people to convert all sorts of assets into farmland, which would drive up the price of land for those who genuinely make a living from farming.”
Thanks to CTJ for all the research on this topic.
*DID YOU KNOW? North Liberty would be the largest city in 81 of Iowa’s 99 counties.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.
"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.
These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.
If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.
If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.
As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to serving you!
---Rod
November 5, 2010
Sullivan’s Salvos 11/9/10
In this edition:
*Happy Veteran’s Day!
*Congratulations on the Election!
*Election Thoughts
*Did you know?
*Happy Veteran’s Day!
Happy Veteran’s Day to all, especially the women and men who have served in our armed services.
I am no fan of war. I wish we could end both our current wars as quickly as humanly possible. I have had a “Support the Troops – End the War” sign up in my yard for over 7 years. I had hoped it would be up less than one.
That said, I have tremendous respect for all our military personnel. I think they deserve our gratitude, and I believe we have an obligation to support them after they have served.
You can be anti-war and pro-troops; that sums up my position pretty well. Thanks again to all our veterans!
*Congratulations on the Election!
Thanks to everyone who stepped forward to run for office this year. We need good people of all stripes to be willing to serve.
Congratulations to all the victors, including Senator Grassley, Congressman Loebsack, and Governor Branstad. Congrats, too, to statewide electeds and members of the statehouse.
Finally, congratulations to a great group of local elected officials: Supervisors Sally Stutsman and Janelle Rettig, Recorder Kim Painter, Treasurer Tom Kriz, and County Attorney Janet Lyness, all reelected last Tuesday.
*Election Thoughts
As a longtime political observer, I have a few thoughts regarding the 2010 elections.
1.) There is always a tendency to blame the losers for their poor campaigns, and to give too much credit to the winners. While this often has kernels of truth, it is typically overstated. (See #2, next.)
2.) The economy matters, more than any other issue. Even folks whose economic situation has stayed static see the news and get nervous. When people are scared they punish the party in power. Many Democrats were simply victims of bad timing.
3.) If there is a takeaway message for Democrats, it is that economic populism should not be ignored! The TARP had to be done, but Wall Street needed to pay a price. That never happened, and it allowed for a bizarre scenario where one could claim to be pro-Republican and also anti-Wall Street. Democrats needed to claim the anti-Wall Street vote by doing something to earn it!
4.) Similarly, over the past year and a half, federal tax rates went DOWN for every individual and business in the US. (Taxes did not necessarily go down, because some folks earned more income. But the RATES were cut for everyone.) This case was not made. Instead, Democrats failed to respond with their record when confronted on taxes. They should have been proud! A similar scenario played out in the race for Iowa’s Governor.
5.) The party in power almost always loses seats in the midterm elections. The losses in the US House were very large, though. If there is someone or something to blame, it is House members who ran away from their records. Democrats should take a cue from Bruce Braley, who hit back effectively when attacked. Braley touted his record, and voters rewarded his efforts.
6.) The Democratic Party was overextended from big victories in ’06 and ’08. Take the Iowa Senate, for example. The 32-18 majority enjoyed by Democrats was simply not representative of Iowa. Neither party can realistically expect to reach 32 seats, let alone to maintain that edge for long. Losing some seats there had to be expected.
7.) Congress remains incredibly unpopular as an institution. I do not see either party being in a position to make tough choices; the system rewards those who avoid such conflicts. In a future Salvos, we’ll talk about some bipartisan “fixes” for that august body.
8.) Money mattered. The influx of money into politics was massive, and it made a difference in several races. Personally, I would think most Americans would like to see this change. (See #7 above!)
9.) Finally, in my mind, the single most disappointing result Tuesday was the fact that the voters of Iowa chose not to retain our Supreme Court Justices. I think this is a blow to both good government and civil rights, and I can honestly say I have never been more disappointed in the people of Iowa. I guess we’ll see where things go from here.
So… do you agree or disagree? What are your thoughts? Why did the elections play out the way they did? I’d like to hear your opinions!
*DID YOU KNOW? The Free Medical Clinic saw 2600 unique patients in FY10; 86% of whom had no health insurance.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.
"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.
These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.
If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.
If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.
As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to serving you!
---Rod
Sullivan’s Salvos 11/2/10
In this edition:
*Happy Birthday Rachel!
*Election Day!
*The Socialist
*County Budget
*Homeless Children’s Trust
*Did You Know?
*Happy Birthday Rachel!
Happy Birthday to my daughter Rachel, who turns 19 on November 6th. I love you, Honey!
*Election Day!
Tuesday is Election Day! As readers know, I am a Democrat. While I am cautiously optimistic that Democrats will do well, my cautious optimism does not extend to the US Congress as a whole.
Regardless of who wins, the public is not well served by our current system. Self-preservation becomes the first order of business. Lobbyists and moneyed interests are second. Party considerations are third. All too often, the needs of the public fall to a distant fourth.
I think the time has come for all US citizens – left, center, and right – to call for term limits.
I used to oppose term limits. I dislike limiting the selections of the voters. But as I have grown older and more cynical, I see no other way to really affect change.
Term limits might artificially create some courage where currently little exists. Term limits do not seem to have diminished the Presidency nor the many Governorships that are subject to them.
I propose 4 terms (8 years) in the US House, and 2 terms (12 years) in the US Senate. That would allow a given individual to serve for 20 years. 20 years! That is a long time – plenty long for any one person to serve.
So, what do you think? Are term limits a part of the solution? If not, what suggestions do you have?
The Socialist?
Imagine young local politician, trying to build a grassroots movement. Here are some of the things he is saying:
While most politicians resist attacking the rich (because they want to avoid “class warfare”), this guy rips the rich constantly. He even tells them they are going to Hell!
While most politicians run from the term “socialist”, this guy literally advocates taking from the rich and giving to the poor.
While elected officials in Iowa City “pile on” the Southeast side, this guy moves there.
Instead of voting to restrict panhandling, this guy hangs out with the beggars in the Ped Mall.
Rather than supporting the arming of the UI Police, this guy stages a sit-in at Jessup Hall.
This guy helps to organize workers into unions, and argues for better wages for working people.
While most local politicians ran away from the Land Water Future bond initiative, this guy spoke out firmly for the environment.
Instead of throwing tax incentives at businesses, this guy advocates for a huge increase in human services funding.
This guy loudly promotes “Obamacare”… though he thinks it does not go nearly far enough. He prefers free healthcare for all.
Don’t think for a minute that this guy is a fan of Obama, however. He is extremely anti-war, and protests the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan every single day.
Could this guy get elected in Iowa City? Not in a million years! He would be labeled a Socialist, Communist, and a Liberal. He would be pilloried on the Press Citizen message boards. They would call his policies “job killing welfare”. Glen Beck fans would write letters attacking the socialist.
Who is the “candidate” I am describing? Jesus Christ.
Sure, Jesus was not a politician. That is not the point. The behaviors I mentioned above come right out of the New Testament; I simply changed the time and location.
Ironically, the actions I listed probably wouldn’t even be the topic of conversation. People would instead be criticizing the length of his hair.
But what DOES this mean? Most people in Johnson County claim to be Christians. Many wear it on their sleeves. Is there a log in our collective eye? To use a popular phrase, “What Would Jesus Do?”
*County Budget
The budgeting process has begun in Johnson County for FY12, which runs from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012.
Do you have items you would like to see in or out of the budget? If so, now is the time to let your voice be heard! The budget is not officially passed until March, but decisions made between now and then impact the bottom line.
Please feel free to contact me with any or all of your thoughts on the county budget.
*Homeless Children’s Trust
The Homeless Children’s Trust is holding its Second Annual fundraising concert Saturday, November 6, from 7:00 - 9:30 p.m. @ Old Brick.
Tickets are $15; for advance tickets or donations – contact Mary Larew, 338-1212 or 337-2264.
The Homeless Children’s Trust is a division of HACAP, Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, a United Way Agency.
*DID YOU KNOW? In 2009, Johnson County received 22,827 calls to 911. 83% of those calls came from wireless devices.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
www.johnson-county.com.
"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.
These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.
If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.
If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.
As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to serving you!
---Rod
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