SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
October 31, 2013
Sullivan’s
Salvos 11/5/13
In this edition:
*Happy Birthday Rachel!
*City Elections
*Tough Kids!
*Politics Becoming More “Polar”?
*Did You Know?
*Happy Birthday Rachel!
My
oldest daughter Rachel turns 22 on November 6th. Rachel has always
been fun to be around; her smile can light up a room. I am proud of the fact
that she is maturing and really starting to figure things out.
If
you should happen to stop by the Jimmie John’s in downtown Iowa City, you’ll
know which one is Rachel by the bubbly personality!
Happy
Birthday, Honey! I love you!
*City Elections
Municipal
elections are today. Please exercise your right and get out and vote! Polling
places are available by calling 356-6004 or on the Johnson County Auditor’s web
page at: http://www.johnson-county.com/auditor/voter/2013citysamplepoll.htm.
A
reminder: I support Cole, Botchway, and Porter in Iowa City.
*Tough Kids!
As
you may know, local high school football teams are once again having
outstanding seasons. Regina is on an unprecedented run. City is ranked. West’s
only loss is to City. Solon is having another fine year, as is West Branch.
Mid-Prairie, Lone Tree and Clear Creek are also playoff bound.
This
incredible success led a friend of mine from the Des Moines area to comment,
“You sure do have some tough kids in Johnson County!” I think he is absolutely
correct. But I think it is a different group of kids who should be praised for
being tough.
Kids
who do not get three daily meals? Those are tough kids. Kids who absorb the
slings and arrows from peers who tease them about their sexual and/or gender
identities? Those are tough kids. Kids whose parents beat them? Those are tough
kids. Kids whose families are homeless, going from place to place? Those are
tough kids. Kids whose parents struggle with drugs or alcohol? Those are tough
kids. Kids whose families have been disrupted, and now live in foster care?
Those are tough kids. Kids who deal with disabilities? Those are tough kids.
Kids whose parents suffer from mental illness? Those are tough kids. Kids who
have to work to support their families? Those are tough kids. Kids with cancer?
Those are tough kids!
Yes,
we have great high school football teams in Johnson County. I am proud of the
efforts of those kids. I am even MORE proud of the efforts of the many kids in
Johnson County who struggle against incredible odds. They will not be getting
any pep rallies in their honor, but they are our real heroes.
*Politics Becoming More “Polar”?
If
you listen to any kind of news analysis, be it from the left, right, or center,
you will hear some version of the following meme:
“Our
politics have become extremely polar, and few moderates now serve in elected
office.” You have heard this before, haven’t you? Well, I happen to believe
that this analysis TOTALLY misses the mark.
There
are actually LOTS of moderates in both the US Congress and Iowa Legislature.
The issue is that virtually all the moderates are Democrats.
Here
is the deal - the GOP has moved VERY far to the right. They have run the
moderates in their party out of office. But they have also dominated the
conversation. Over the past 30 years, Republicans have successfully defined the
terms of the debate.
What
does this mean? It means the debate is too often between the far right and the
moderates. Liberals, progressives – whatever you want to call them – are not
even part of the conversation.
Here is an example: people think Social Security is in financial
trouble. It is not. Very small tweaks will make it solvent for another 100
years. But we continue to hear that cuts are necessary.
If progressive voices were part of the debate, we would be
discussing different things. Rather than cuts, we’d be discussing the
elimination of the wage cap and increasing benefits. But that is simply not a
part of our public discourse. The choices are two: maintain Social Security as
it is, or make cuts. Adding the progressive voice to the conversation would
point out that there are other options.
On
the State level, last Legislative session we had Democrats falling all over
themselves to give tax cuts to owners of commercial property, particularly
owners of mobile home parks and apartment buildings. There was no real debate
as to whether or not these folks should be taxed MORE. The debate was simply
how big a cut they should receive. This was a one-sided debate, and a huge
mistake!
Perhaps the best example of this is our current debate over the
Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). The archconservative Heritage Foundation
developed virtually exactly this same policy in the early ‘90s. Republican
Governor Mitt Romney pushed the exact same plan in Massachusetts in the early
‘00s. Today, ZERO Republicans in Congress can support the policy. The policy
has not changed; the GOP has.
I
think we need more progressive voices in the debate. But that requires
Democrats being willing to push their elected officials on issues, run
candidates in primaries, and generally raise expectations. Doing so will not
only improve the debate – it will improve our country and state!
There
is also a fallacy that the more moderate (or compromise) position is always the
best. This is simply not true. Sometimes the hard right position is the best
way to go. Sometimes hard left makes the most sense. Just because compromise
was involved does not make the product better. Sure, compromise often results
in a better product; just not always.
So
don’t believe the pundits. The middle is well represented. It is the left that is
not being heard.
*DID YOU KNOW?
According to the National Journal, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) is the
most conservative Democrat in the US Senate. All Republican Senators rank as
more conservative than Manchin.
Anyone
interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the
County website-
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As always,
feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to
serving you!
---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 8:13 PM
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