rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
November 28, 2014
Sullivan’s
Salvos 12/2/14
In this edition:
*Immigration
*Ferguson
*Did You Know?
*Immigration
I
support President Obama’s Executive Order on immigration. As a matter of fact,
I wish he had gone further.
The
bottom line for me is very simple: people should have more rights than
corporations. Labor deserves greater rights than capital.
If
a Mexican company wanted to move to the US, it would be welcomed with open
arms. US and international courts would fight to ensure the move took place. It
has NAFTA to protect it. The media would consider it a boon and good for the
economy.
Now
replace the Mexican company with an actual Mexican human being. If she wants to
move to the US, she has to jump through decades worth of hoops. US and
international courts would fight to ensure the move did NOT take place. She has
no NAFTA to protect her. The media would consider her a threat and a criminal.
We
have open borders for corporations, closed borders for people. We must rethink
this arrangement.
*Ferguson
The
Grand Jury decision in Ferguson, MO led to more protests and more questions. I
am distraught. I wanted to tell the world how I felt. Then I realized that the
Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior had already done so.
Below
is an exerpt from “Letter From A Birmingham Jail”, dated April 16, 1963. I read
a portion of this aloud at the November 25 Board of Supervisors meeting.
“I must make two honest
confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess
that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white
moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's
great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's
Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted
to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the
absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who
constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot
agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes
he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical
concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more
convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more
frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm
acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.
I had hoped that the white
moderate would understand that law and order exist for the purpose of
establishing justice and that when they fail in this purpose they become the
dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress. I had hoped
that the white moderate would understand that the present tension in the South
is a necessary phase of the transition from an obnoxious negative peace, in
which the Negro passively accepted his unjust plight, to a substantive and
positive peace, in which all men will respect the dignity and worth of human
personality. Actually, we who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the
creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is
already alive. We bring it out in the open, where it can be seen and dealt
with. Like a boil that can never be cured so long as it is covered up but must
be opened with all its ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light,
injustice must be exposed, with all the tension its exposure creates, to the
light of human conscience and the air of national opinion before it can be
cured.
In your statement you assert
that our actions, even though peaceful, must be condemned because they
precipitate violence. But is this a logical assertion? Isn't this like
condemning a robbed man because his possession of money precipitated the evil
act of robbery? Isn't this like condemning Socrates because his unswerving
commitment to truth and his philosophical inquiries precipitated the act by the
misguided populace in which they made him drink hemlock? Isn't this like
condemning Jesus because his unique God consciousness and never ceasing
devotion to God's will precipitated the evil act of crucifixion? We must come
to see that, as the federal courts have consistently affirmed, it is wrong to
urge an individual to cease his efforts to gain his basic constitutional rights
because the quest may precipitate violence. Society must protect the robbed and
punish the robber. I had also hoped that the white moderate would reject the
myth concerning time in relation to the struggle for freedom. I have just
received a letter from a white brother in Texas. He writes: "All
Christians know that the colored people will receive equal rights eventually,
but it is possible that you are in too great a religious hurry. It has taken
Christianity almost two thousand years to accomplish what it has. The teachings
of Christ take time to come to earth." Such an attitude stems from a
tragic misconception of time, from the strangely irrational notion that there
is something in the very flow of time that will inevitably cure all ills.
Actually, time itself is neutral; it can be used either destructively or
constructively. More and more I feel that the people of ill will have used time
much more effectively than have the people of good will. We will have to repent
in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad
people but for the appalling silence of the good people. Human progress never
rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of
men willing to be co workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself
becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. We must use time
creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right. Now is
the time to make real the promise of democracy and transform our pending
national elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. Now is the time to lift
our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of
human dignity.”
*DID YOU KNOW?
The US had 409 deaths from police shootings in 2013.
Anyone
interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the
County website-
"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 21, 2014
Sullivan’s
Salvos 11/25/14
In this edition:
*Happy Thanksgiving!
*Keystone XL Pipeline
*Budget Discussions
*City Fed Game Night
*Did You Know?
*Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to all Salvos readers! I hope you and yours
have a wonderful holiday!
I
love Thanksgiving! It truly is one of my top couple holidays! That is likely in
large part due to the fact that I have many things for which I am thankful.
Family, friends, health, relative wealth… I am a pretty lucky guy!
One thing that I do not acknowledge enough, however, is the Salvos
audience! I really appreciate the fact that you take the time to hear what I
have to say. It is humbling, and I truly am honored to have this soapbox.
So
thanks for reading, and have a great holiday!
*Keystone XL Pipeline
After a long delay,
there is a politically charged rush to decide the fate of the controversial
Keystone XL pipeline.
For those of you
with your heads buried in the tar sands (hee hee!) – the Keystone XL pipeline
is proposed to bring “heavy oil” from Western Canada, through much of the US,
to be sold overseas.
Proponents claim
this will create jobs, serve as a huge economic boost, and increase safety.
Opponents dispute the jobs numbers, and fear environmental disaster.
I
have to say, I am in pretty strong agreement with President Obama’s comments:
both sides are dramatically exaggerating the impacts of this project.
Before I go any
further down this path, a couple of caveats: First, I oppose the pipeline.
Second, I consider my Member of Congress a friend. Thirdly, I found an
excellent article in the Kalamazoo Gazette and took from it liberally. Just
wanted to get those three things on the record.
Arguments from
pipeline advocates are well summed up by Republican congressman Fred
Upton, who told the Kalamazoo Gazette "It's tens of thousands of jobs.” And,
he said, "It's better for the planet."
On the latter point, Upton argues
the Canadians will develop their oil fields regardless of whether the United
States approves a pipeline from the Canadian border to oil refineries on the
Gulf Coast.
Based on that assumption, Upton says it's much, much
better from a safety and environmental standpoint to convey the oil in a
pipeline versus shipping via rail or trucks.
It's also better, he
said, to "refine it here, in this country, where there is the best
refinery regulations on the planet," said Upton, who chairs the House
Energy and Commerce Committee.
Increasing the oil we get from
Canada also reduces our dependence on buying oil from countries such as Nigeria
and Venezuela, where the politics are precarious, the regulations are lower and
the distance much farther. "Our carbon footprint is less" when we
purchase oil closer to home, Upton said. In addition, a recent study released
by the State Department says it is unlikely that the Keystone XL project will
alter global greenhouse gas totals either way.
It is fair to note
that Congressman Upton’s environmental concerns seem to have only recently been
ignited. His record is lousy. So take that for what it is worth.
On the other side
of the equation, the tar sands lie beneath amazing boreal forests in Alberta,
which end up getting strip-mined. The injections that are required poison
groundwater. There are alternative sources of energy (such as wind and solar)
that deserve greater emphasis. Continuing to use more oil will lead to more
global climate change. Property owners in the US lose access to their own
property, and become at risk for spills/leaks.
Jobs? It is safe to
say that there will be thousands of workers required to build the pipeline. But
that process is actually pretty quick. After a couple years, the entire length
of the pipeline will have less people working for it than the average
convenience store. So both sides have legitimate arguments on the jobs front.
The US has over 2.5
million miles of pipeline – some of that right here in Johnson County. So why
is this specific pipeline such a big deal?
Keystone
XL is a big deal because WE decided it was a big deal. A line was drawn in the
sand. And that is OK. Just understand, when we draw a line in the sand,
sometimes it gets crossed. It does not mean it was wrong for environmentalists
to choose this battle, but some battles we lose.
I have seen all the
online Tweets and Facebook comments in which people have claimed that
Congressman Loebsack is a “traitor”, and that they “will never vote for him
again.” Obviously, folks have a right to post whatever they want. They have a
right to vote however they want. I simply don’t see this as a make or break
vote. Others do, and that is OK.
I would simply urge
folks who care about these issues to consider what voting against a Democratic
Congressman actually means. Are you going to vote for a Republican whose
environmental views are even further away from your own?
If you are an
environmentalist and feel you must take action, run in the Democratic Primary.
Make your case. Or find someone else to run in the primary, and support her. It
is your right. But don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
*Budget Discussions
Johnson County
begins budget discussions in earnest following the Thanksgiving holiday.
We will be working
on the FY16 budget… Iowa’s counties use a July 1-June 30 fiscal year, so the
budget we will be discussing begins July 1 of 2015. It is actually the FY16
budget, however – the budget year refers to the calendar year in which the
budget ends.
The
FY16 budget is due to the State by March 15, but due to requirements for publishing,
public hearings, etc. the process needs to be completed by early February.
So, do you have
thoughts as to how Johnson County should be spending money? If so, now is the
time to communicate those thoughts!
*City Fed Game Night
The
Iowa City Federation of Labor will host a game night on Tuesday, December 9,
6-10 pm at the Union Hall, 940 S. Gilbert Court in Iowa City. We share this
space with the Center for Worker Justice, whose Director has been consulted and
given her OK.
The
Union Hall is primarily a place for serious business, but traditionally such
halls also serve members and their families for more social purposes. So let's
have some fun! There will be cards, scrabble, and chessboards on hand. If
there's interest, a hoard of Lego can be provided for kids. You can also bring
your own favorite game.
This
is a trial run, subject to tweaking, mostly by those who show up. We may
continue on the 2nd Tuesdays in 2015, or find another time that works better. Your
input and participation are very welcome. Please help spread the word.
*DID YOU KNOW?
Lobster, venison, rabbit, chicken, fish, squashes, beans,
chestnuts, hickory nuts, onions, leeks, dried fruits, maple syrup and honey,
radishes, cabbage, carrots, eggs, and goat cheese are thought to have made up
the first Thanksgiving feast.
Anyone
interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the
County website-
"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 15, 2014
Sullivan’s
Salvos 11/18/14
In this edition:
*Adult Disproportionate Minority Contact
*TIF Totals
*Did You Know?
*Adult Disproportionate Minority
Contact
Like
every county in Iowa, Johnson County has a problem with Disproportionate
Minority Contact (DMC). DMC means that people of color (minorities) deal with
law enforcement more frequently than they should given their percentage of the
population.
A
hypothetical example: Your community is 10% African American. But 50% of the
people who get arrested in your community are African American. If all other
things were equal, that number should be 10%. Because it is not, you have a
case of DMC.
DMC is not a new concept. It has previously been used as a
criticism of juvenile justice systems. As a matter of fact, the Department of
Justice has long required jurisdictions to keep records on juvenile justice,
and to create plans to address these disparities. Johnson County has been doing
so for over a decade. And slowly but surely, things are improving.
DMC
can exist at any point in the legal process. Being stopped, being cited, being
arrested, being charged, amount of bond, severity of sentence, fine and/or jail
time, police use of force, prison time… you can have DMC in any of these areas.
Unfortunately, no matter where you live in the USA, you likely have DMC in ALL
of those areas.
Take
marijuana use. Study after study shows that whites and blacks use marijuana at
virtually the same rate. Yet blacks are much more likely to be arrested for
possession. How do we explain this?
I
happen to believe it is partly that blacks are being stopped more frequently.
If you stop blacks twice as often, it makes sense that you will find pot twice
as often.
Iowa
City recently did a review of their traffic stops, and the numbers were
striking. African Americans were much more likely to be stopped.
Why is this? There are several theories, and you will find strong
disagreement with each. Again, most studies show that blacks do not engage in
criminal behavior at a higher rate than whites.
One
argument is that black neighborhoods are subject to a greater police presence
than are white neighborhoods. Simply having more police around increases the
likelihood you will be stopped.
There
are a whole series of arguments around a biased system; biased risk assessment
tools; selective enforcement of certain “discretionary” laws, such as
“interference with official acts”; less effective legal counsel; and other
issues.
Another argument is that blacks are often stopped because they
“fit the description” of someone for whom the police are looking. This can
easily be an area of bias.
Some
police officers take great umbrage at this. They point out, and rightfully so,
that most of the stops they make are “calls for service”. In other words,
someone called in a complaint; all they are doing is investigating.
I
believe this. I also have an anecdote that I feel illustrates what CAN happen
with these calls: There is a duplex across the street from me, and it sits next
to a church parking lot. There used to be a black family with 4 children living
there. The kids were roughly 11, 9, 7, and 5. One day, the kids were playing in
the church parking lot. This is not unusual; my kids did the same thing. All
the neighborhood kids have.
But
in this instance, a neighbor called the police. She claimed that the kids were
“unsupervised”. Now, I’ll grant you, the law is a little fuzzy here. But first,
this was a common practice. Secondly, almost any expert would say it is OK for
11 and 9 year olds to supervise those younger siblings. Thirdly, they were
within a few feet of their own home. Finally, they weren’t doing anything
dangerous or otherwise problematic.
So
the officer asked the kids where their parents were. Their mother was at work –
her boyfriend was in the house. The officer followed the kids into the house,
waking up the boyfriend. He got angry about the officer being there. Next thing
you know, the officer is running the boyfriend’s ID. As it turned out, he had
missed a court date. Boom, he is on his way to jail.
Yes,
the guy had missed a court date. That is not OK. But why was the officer there
in the first place? Basically because a nosy neighbor got worried when she saw
black kids playing. Her biases (I would argue it is systemic racism) led to the
call. Biases led to the Shift Commander deciding to send a car. Biases led to
the officer going into the house. I would argue that NONE of these things would
have occurred had the children been white.
This
does not mean the cops are bad. The people in my scenario simply have
preconceived notions – also known as biases- that impact the way in which they
behave. They are not unique – I have biases. You have biases. People of color
have biases. We all do.
I use this example to illustrate how our biases – even
unconsciously – can affect how we deal with people of different races. I
sincerely believe it makes a difference in how we do things – whether we
realize it or not.
So
where do we go from here? I am convinced that the first step is data
collection. We are currently lacking information, and we need every police
force in the county to adopt the same reporting system.
Remember the list of contact points I mentioned earlier? Being
stopped, being cited, being arrested, being charged, amount of bond, severity
of sentence, police use of force, fine and/or jail time, prison time. We need a
uniform system of reporting and tracking race in each of these cases. Until we
have the data, we do not know just how great our disparity really is.
I
sincerely hope that all our local law enforcement agencies will recognize the
value of getting good data. It is the first step.
Meanwhile,
I urge you to spend some time reading up on DMC. It is a huge social justice
issue. We must do better.
*TIF Totals
I
have often mentioned the impact of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) on the county
budget. TIF is difficult to understand, and folks differ on the merits.
To read a thorough explanation through the eyes of a critic, I
would refer you to the work of Nick Johnson at: http://www.nicholasjohnson.org/
For a scholarly look at the practice, I urge people to review the
work of Peter Fisher at the Iowa Policy Project: (http://www.iowapolicyproject.org/2011docs/111121-TIF-JC.pdf)
Regardless
of how one feels about TIF, the latest numbers are now available from the
Johnson County Auditor’s Office. Here are the results for FY15:
In
the current year, $4.6 million is being diverted from Johnson County. Iowa
City’s share is an all-time low - only $14,000. North Liberty is diverting just
under $700,000. Coralville is diverting $3.4 million. The remainder comes from
the smaller cities.
Since
FY02, $50,306,765 in revenue has been diverted from Johnson County. Those are
tax revenues Johnson County never received. Over $50 million dollars.
About
$3.6 million of that is Iowa City; $6.6 million is North Liberty, and just
under $35 million is Coralville. Again, the remainder comes from the smaller
cities.
If
you wish to look these up yourself, the information can be found at: http://www.johnson-county.com/dept_auditor.aspx?id=14494.
Meanwhile, I believe county government deserves a great deal of
credit for operating effectively and efficiently without these revenues.
*DID YOU KNOW?
Johnson County is just under 80% white. That number was 92% just 20
years ago.
Anyone
interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the
County website-
"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 9, 2014
Sullivan’s
Salvos 11/11/14
In this edition:
*Veteran’s Day
*Election Results
*Homeless Children’s Trust
*Did You Know?
*Veteran’s Day
Happy Veteran’s Day on November 11. Thanks to
all the men and women who have served our country. I appreciate your service,
and wish you peace.
Veterans For Peace
Chapter #161 is sponsoring an Armistice Day Observance to be held on Tuesday,
November 11th at the Clinton St. entrance to Old Capitol, Iowa City. Gather @ 10:30AM. Bells will be rung @
11:00 AM, as they were rung around the world at the end of WWI in 1918 and on
each November 11th for decades thereafter. Armistice Day is a day to promote
peace and to remember the victims of war, both veterans and civilians.
The event will feature Veterans for Peace from throughout the state of Iowa.
The event is free, and the public is welcome. Co-sponsored by PEACE Iowa. For
more information contact John Jadryev at 430-2019.
*Election Results
The
elections of 2014 are complete. Thanks to Johnson County Auditor Travis
Weipert, Elections Deputy Kingsley Botchway, and everyone in their office for
all their hard work. My thoughts on several races appear below:
US Senate: Iowa has not had a new Senator in 32
years. This election was HUGE. Joni Ernst defeated Bruce Braley, 52-44, to
become the first Iowa woman to hold Federal office. I tip my hat… while I
disagree with Senator-elect Ernst on virtually every issue of any importance, I
credit her with running an excellent campaign.
On the
national scene, the GOP seized control of the US Senate. Will that matter? Time
will tell.
US House: Congressman Loebsack is prohibited
from ever emailing me again. EVER. (Just kidding.) The Congressman campaigns
with a great deal of energy and a great deal of urgency, and it works. Loebsack
defeated Marianette Miller Meeks for the third time, 53-47.
In District
One, businessman Rod Blum defeated longtime Iowa House member Pat Murphy 51-49.
As Congressman Braley’s current District, this has to be viewed as one of the
Iowa Democratic Party’s biggest disappointments. Murphy only got 52.5% in his
home county of Dubuque, which really sealed his fate.
In District
Three, David Young defeated Staci Appel surprisingly easily, 53-43. And in
District Four, Steve King won handily over Jim Mowrer.
Governor: Polls always showed Governor Branstad
well ahead of challenger Jack Hatch, and that held true. I saw this firsthand
while door knocking in Johnson County. There were a surprising number of voters
supporting both Braley and Branstad. The Governor outpolled Hatch statewide,
59-37. I think the lack of a competitive Governor’s race had a bit of an effect
on the rest of the state, and probably really helped Joni Ernst.
Secretary of State: I was hoping this would be a simple
referendum on voting. Do we want to make it easier, or harder? Unfortunately,
Iowans chose harder, with Pate winning 48-47. Now we have a HUGE voter ID fight
on our hands.
Iowa Senate: Democrats entered Election Day with a
26-24 lead, and emerged with the same. Much of this is owed to local victor
Kevin Kinney, who won District 39 by a 56-44 margin. I’m really excited about
Senator-elect Kinney. Kevin is a really good guy who fits that District to a
“T”. He worked his tail off, and it paid dividends.
I don’t mean
to downplay the election of our first new Senator in 32 years, but one can
argue that control of the Iowa Senate was the most important thing on the
ballot last night. Lose just two, and we are looking at Wisconsin-style results.
By maintaining the 26-24 edge, Democrats have a firewall.
Iowa House: The only contested seat in our area
saw David Johnson challenging incumbent Bobby Kaufmann. Representative Kaufmann
cruised to an easy victory.
Board of Supervisors: This election was pretty unique; there
had not been an incumbent Republican in 50 years. John Etheredge was that
Republican, facing fellow incumbent Janelle Rettig and her fellow Democratic
nominee Mike Carberry.
There were some strange bedfellows here – I knew several people who voted Etheredge/Rettig
and several others who voted Etheredge/Carberry. But in the end, sheer numbers
won out, and the Democrats carried the day. Carberry was the top vote getter at
30,010 (57%); Rettig a close second at 29,376 (56%); and Etheredge outperformed
the voter registration numbers and pulled in 20,276, 39% of the vote.
North Liberty: The North Liberty City Council brought
this on themselves. In a town full of young mothers, they dismissed all the
young mothers who applied for the open Council position. They ignored their
gender and age imbalances. They said the only “experience” that matters is city
government experience. It came across as arrogant and condescending. So the
young mothers decided to take matters into their own hands and run for the open
seats. One of them, Annie Pollock, stepped into the open council seat unchallenged.
In the Mayoral race, young mother Amy Nielsen challenged incumbent Gerry Kuhl.
There were some fireworks here – Kuhl accused Nielsen of electioneering; others
felt Kuhl was attempting to bully Nielsen. In the end, Nielsen pulled the
upset, 55-45.
Solon: Kevin Samek had spent several years on
the Solon Council previously – Steve Duncan had only lived in town 5 years, but
had already served a partial term on the council. This flew under the radar,
with Duncan winning handily.
LOST: I am philosophically opposed to any tax
that hurts the poor more than the rich. If you want me to support such a tax,
you need to spend most of the money in a progressive manner. The LOST proposal
never met my standards. Some normally pro-government folks like me joined a
bunch of people who are against ALL taxes, and the LOST was defeated, 54-46 in
the urban voting bloc. Hills, Lone Tree, Solon, Swisher, and West Branch all
passed the LOST.
Courthouse Annex: The jail was NOT on the ballot. Would
that matter? A majority of voters still wanted an improved Courthouse facility,
but this takes 60% to pass. It is quite ironic – on a night full of close
results, the 58-42 margin was one of the biggest of the evening. But 58% is not
enough. So the Courthouse failed.
Turnout: Johnson
County had its second-largest midterm turnout ever, just behind 2010. But those
are midterm turnout numbers; Democrats needed number closer to a Presidential
year.
Moving forward – if
someone figures out how to get Democratic voters to turn out every election,
she will RULE THE WORLD!
National Thoughts: Scott Walker just became the favorite for the GOP
Presidential nomination. Look for Tim Scott as a potential VP. On the
Democratic side, it still appears to be all Hillary… perhaps the only bigger
lock is Julian Castro for VP.
Final Impressions: The opposite party always does well in year 6 of
any administration. And Democrats were defending some tough territory. So we
knew this was going to be difficult.
I felt that Democrats ran
away from the President and ran away from their base at their peril. Why not
run a race of which you will be proud? That way, even if you lose, you can
stand tall. Obamacare is a great accomplishment – stand behind it! Can it be
better? Certainly. So stand behind the legislation, and be specific about the
things you will change.
The media helped a LOT in
this case – how many times did you hear about Obama’s “unpopularity”? In
actuality, Obama has a higher approval rating than Eisenhower, Reagan, Clinton,
of George W. Bush did at the same time in year 6 of their Presidencies.
Additionally, his approval rating is double that of Congressional Dems, and
four times that of Congressional Republicans! But that is not the narrative you
heard.
But we move on. Win, lose,
or draw, we always move on. So I am curious – what are your thoughts?
*Homeless Children’s Trust
The
2014 Homeless Children’s Trust Christmas Shopping & Party is coming up on
December 6, and many donations are needed by Monday, December 1st.
Among the items
needed: Toys (ages 0-17); Stuffed Animals; Caps, Gloves, Mittens, and Scarves; Puzzles,
Books and Games (ages 0-17); Toiletry items for teenagers.
You
can drop items off at: Hills Banks in Coralville and on S. Gilbert St; Big K
Mart, Senior Center, GEICO Insurance; KCJJ, KXIC, all Walgreen’s locations, all
Core Fitness locations, and all HACAP Service Centers.
MAKE
A CHILD HAPPY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!
*DID YOU KNOW?
Johnson County’s largest turnout ever was the 2012 Presidential
election, which saw 76,199 voters cast ballots, an 83% turnout. Those numbers
were 73,231 and 80% in 2008.
Anyone
interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the
County website-
"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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