rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
March 30, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 4/5/16
In this edition:
*Happy Birthday Marie!
*Happy Birthday Jordan!
*Mission Creek Festival
*The Politics of Fear
*School Funding in Iowa
*Education Funding and Economic Development
*Did You Know?
*Happy Birthday Marie!
The
newest member of our clan turns Sweet 16 on April 6th! Happy
Birthday, Marie! I love you!
*Happy Birthday Jordan!
My
daughter Jordan turns 22 on April 8th. Jordan is finishing up her
track career at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. She will
graduate in about a month with a BA in Psychology. More importantly, she is a
really good person. Man, am I ever proud! Happy Birthday, Jordan! I love you!
*Mission Creek Festival
The
Mission Creek Festival runs April 5-10 in a variety of venues around Iowa City.
Because of the genius that is Englert Theatre Director Andre Perry, this
weeklong extravaganza has become an incredible package of art, music, comedy,
film, literature, food, technology, and much, much more!
For
tickets and a complete schedule of events, see: http://www.missionfreak.com.
*The Politics of Fear
A
major theme of the 2016 elections is fear. People are uncertain about their
economic situations. Acts of terrorism around the globe have the desired
effect. One of our two major political parties wants you to be scared, and
wants you to vote out of fear.
I recently read a piece by writer and activist Rebecca Solnit that
addressed this very well. Solnit feels that average people have a reason to
fear power – it does not usually serve them well. She notes that both parties
talk about a “world government” that we should fear. On the Right, that is the
UN. On the Left, that is the TPP.
I
agree – power does not typically serve average people very well. And I firmly
believe that you should fear the TPP! So I am clearly not immune to the
politics of fear! I hope the difference is that my fear is rational.
My
favorite President (FDR) famously said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear
itself.” President Obama has very clearly adopted this stance. He points out
that Americans are about 40,000 TIMES as likely to die at the hands of a
gun-toting, white, Christian, American male as they are at the hands of a
terrorist. Obama’s message has been pretty clear – “Do not give in to fear.”
I
agree with the President when it comes to terrorism. But I must admit, I am
quite concerned about the continuing escalation of the power of multinational
corporations.
So
– a bit of fear probably makes sense. Too much fear is paralyzing. What is the
answer? I believe we all need to do our best to act courageously. Speak out.
Speak truth to power. Stand up for what is right. It is not easy, but it is
necessary if we want to live better lives.
*School Funding in Iowa
Iowa’s latest school
funding battle is over for the time being, and Iowa’s children will suffer as a
result.
House and Senate
negotiators recently agreed to a 2.25% increase for the 2016-17 academic year.
Not only is this woefully inadequate; it is a year late.
Understand – schools
across Iowa needed about 4% just to break even. Now small schools will be
forced to consolidate, and larger schools will be laying off teachers, leading
to increased class sizes. We have failed the children of this state, and we
have failed them badly. It is reprehensible.
Frankly, I think the
latest agreement also points to the fact that Senate Majority Leader Mike
Gronstal needs to surrender leadership to a new generation. Gronstal is too
powerful, and too enamored of his own ability to cut a deal.
I
know some have said the Iowa Senate should just hold out. Simply stay in
session, without passing a budget, until our kids get what they need. Shut down
Iowa’s government. The argument is simple; f you won’t fight over this issue,
what issue IS worth fighting over? That may be the solution. But it is also a
pretty big risk. Senate Dems might do a lot of damage to State government, and
get nothing in return.
Is
there money available for education in this state? There IS and WAS! Governor
Branstad has given away a billion dollars (that is billion with a “B”) in tax
breaks over the past 4 years. Most of that went to out of state corporations.
He made a choice, and he chose big business over our kids. He should be
ashamed!
A
4% increase in state funding would have cost about $168 million. Branstad
handed over almost twice that much to just ONE foreign company (Orascom). How
the Hell can he look in a mirror?
Iowans,
you have to vote. And you have to vote for a different direction!
*Education Funding and Economic
Development
In
light of Iowa's school funding fiasco, we should also talk about the way in
which corporations (the same ones who get the tax breaks) have offloaded the
task of training their workforce.
Workforce
training used to be a function of the employers. They hired employees, then trained
them. But in our three-decade long race to the bottom, employers quit paying to
train workers. They began to push the narrative that worker training was solely
the responsibility of the public sector.
Yet
the same corporations who simply handed off the task of worker training refuse
to pay the taxes necessary to actually allow the public sector to train our
workers.
To
add insult to injury, we are bombarded with the idea that workers would all be
earning lots of money if they just got the correct training. Yet American
workers grow more productive every year. We keep hearing about a shortage of
skilled workers. Whose fault is that?
*DID YOU KNOW?
Since 2006, the Mission Creek Festival has
grown into an annual, week-long event featuring hundreds of artists, attracting
10,000 fans while inhabiting countless venues and non-traditional art spaces.
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
March 24, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 3/29/16
In this edition:
*Sullivan for Supervisor Fundraiser!
*Community ID Anniversary
*City of Lit Humor Events
*United Way Celebration
*Abbe Open House
*Ted Cruz, Cuba, and Hypocrisy
*Did You Know?
*Sullivan for Supervisor Fundraiser!
We
are having a Sullivan for Supervisor Fundraiser on Tuesday, March 29, from 5-7
P.M. at The Mill.
Please
join us for pizza, beverages, and fun! Everyone is invited! Call 319-354-7199
or email rodsullivan@mchsi.com for more information.
*Community ID Anniversary
April
marks the one-year anniversary of the adoption of a Community ID in Johnson
County. There are over 800 people who have received IDs in this period.
First,
a bit of history – the impetus for this came from the Center for Worker Justice
(CWJ), a remarkable local organization dedicated to securing fair treatment for
immigrant workers.
Like
every other organization that has ever existed in Johnson County, the CWJ
thought they should start with Iowa City and Coralville. Soon they realized
that working with Johnson County might be a better avenue for getting this
done.
A
committee was formed, consisting of CWJ members, local labor leaders, and three
Johnson County officials: Recorder Kim Painter, Auditor Travis Weipert, and
County Attorney Janet Lyness.
We also had an ace in the hole when it comes to going through this
process. UI Law Professor Stella Burch Elias specializes in Immigration Law.
More importantly, she was centrally involved in the successful effort to create
a Community ID in New Haven, Connecticut. Having her involved ensured that
Johnson County follows applicable federal laws, and prevented us from
reinventing the wheel.
The
ID itself is a laminated card with a holographic image applied, the same size
as a driver’s license. The cost to get an ID is $8 for adults, $4 for children.
Why
do we need a Community ID? I have a very personal story. After years of doing
nothing, a few years ago, the Board of Supervisors finally began taking action
against the criminals that own Regency Mobile Home Park. State law severely
limits the ability of the Board to intervene, but there were dozens of credible
reports of fraud coming from Regency.
Johnson
County detectives swooped in, gathered all the info they could, and began
following up on leads. Then they ran into a stone wall. Most of the people they
needed to speak with refused to talk to them. These folks saw law enforcement
coming, and they went the other way – even when they were innocent victims!
I
spoke at length with the lead detective on the case, and he said that this
avoidance of law enforcement was common. When I asked why, he said it all came
back to a lack of ID.
This
illustrates the number one reason for instituting a Community ID – public
safety. We need victims and witnesses to come forward in order to solve crimes
and see to it that justice is served. The Community ID helps with this.
There
are many additional benefits: immigrants can open bank accounts and cash
checks; cardholders can access municipal services such as the library, rec
centers, etc.; it can serve as a second ID for employment purposes; it can serve
as an ID for local schools; the list goes on and on.
The
Community ID is available to anyone who can provide the proper documentation.
The bar is not as high as an Iowa Driver ID, but there are protections to
ensure that the person is who they claim to be.
Johnson
County is home to thousands of immigrants. China, India, Korea, Mexico, Sudan,
Senegal, Honduras… the people of Johnson County are increasingly diverse. We
need to do a better job welcoming these folks to our community. They are our future!
I am proud that the County recognized this, and took this important action!
*City of Lit Humor Events
The
Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature has announced two events that celebrate
Iowa storytelling and humor, both featuring “Iowa Nice Guy” Scott Siepker.
The
first event, “Made in Iowa,” features
Siepker, who will tell the humorous tale of why he has chosen to stay and
create in Iowa. Siepker is best known as the star of a series of videos that
extol the virtues of our state in blunt, often bawdy terms. The event
will be held Thursday, March 31, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the new Iowa City Brewlab,
505 E. Washington St. Tickets are $15, and are available at http://bit.ly/madeiniowa. The Brew Lab will feature drink specials during
the event.
The
second event, “Story Hour: What’s So Funny?”
will be emceed by Siepker and will feature original pieces that find humor in
the workplace, performed by the authors . A special breakfast event, “What’s So
Funny?” will be held Friday, April 1, from 7:30-9 a.m. at Brown Deer Golf Club,
1900 Country Club Dr., in Coralville. Presenters include Robyn Hepker,
Dave Parsons, and Megan Gogerty. Tickets are $30 and are available at http://bit.ly/funnyiowa.
Story
Hour is sponsored by Iowa River Products, Quality Care, Toyota of Iowa City,
and the Community Foundation of Johnson County. Tickets for both fundraising
events also can be purchased through the City of Literature office. Call (319)
887-6100 for more information.
*United Way Celebration
The United Way of Johnson and Washington Counties is holding its
campaign celebration on Tuesday, April 5 at 4:30 PM at the Hotel Vetro in Iowa
City.
Melissa
and I are longtime supporters of the United Way. We do a form of tithing –
giving 10% of our combined gross income each year. Church gets a third, certain
nonprofits get a third, and the United Way gets a third.
It
is a big commitment, but it is worth it! I urge you to do some giving of your
own – our community needs your help!
*Abbe Open House
The Mid East Iowa Community Mental Health Center was recently
merged into Abbe Community Mental Health. In addition to the new name, Abbe has
a new home!
They will celebrate with an open house Thursday, March 31 from 4-6
PM at their new headquarters, 1039 Arthur Street in Iowa City. Please stop by
and meet the folks who provide this vital community resource!
*Ted Cruz and Cuba
Ted
Cruz is a hypocrite. He is also shameless, so I suppose I should not be
surprised by anything he says. My most recent beef with Mr. Cruz is over his
criticism of President Obama’s decision to normalize relations with Cuba.
Cruz
claims that the President should make no moves toward Cuba until the Cuban
people are free. Let’s explore this a bit:
Cruz
feels “free trade” is good for every country on earth – except Cuba. This
includes both dictatorships and other Communist countries like China.
He specifically mentions Cuban prisoners, who are treated poorly
and have no right to trial. Yet look across the SAME ISLAND to Guantanamo Bay.
Cruz is fine with torture and no trials in those cases.
Cruz
believes Cubans should have greater religious freedom, yet he would deny that
same right to Muslims in the US. Cruz does not like the fact that the Cuban
government bans religion in the public square, yet he would force a single
religion into the public square in the US.
Cruz
thinks Cubans should vote, yet he consistently opposes efforts to allow more
Americans to vote. Cruz claims women are mistreated in Cuba, but he has never
once voted to improve the lives of women in the US.
Cruz
actually had the gall to call for “economic justice” in Cuba, despite fighting
every single attempt at economic justice the US Senate has discussed.
I
could go on, but you get the idea. Ted Cruz is a hypocrite. His stance on Cuba
is just one more example of this.
*DID YOU KNOW?
Of Iowa’s 99 counties, 31
gained residents since 2010. Seven counties — Polk, Dallas, Johnson, Linn,
Scott, Story and Dubuque — accounted for over 90 percent of the state’s
population growth.
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
March 19, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 3/22/16
In this edition:
*Sullivan for Supervisor Fundraiser!
*County Convention Thoughts
*Bernie Chair
*Did You Know?
*Sullivan for Supervisor Fundraiser!
We
are having a Sullivan for Supervisor Fundraiser on Tuesday, March 29, from 5-7
P.M. at The Mill.
Please
join us for pizza, beverages, and fun! Everyone is invited! Call 319-354-7199
or email rodsullivan@mchsi.com for more information.
*County Convention Thoughts
The
Johnson County Democratic Party just held its annual Convention at Clear Creek
Amana High School in Tiffin, and I thought I would share some of my thoughts
from the day.
First,
it would unfair to begin this conversation without acknowledging the amazing
group of people whose hard work made the event possible. Martha Hedburg, David
Tingwald, Tom Larkin, John Deeth, Mike Jesse, Dennis and Robin Roseman… I could
go on, but you get the idea. Political events happen because volunteers step
up. Thanks to those who make things happen!
Secondly,
the numbers: The County Convention had 353 delegates; that number is
pseudo-scientific. It is set at a level that is large enough to allow even the
smallest precinct to get one delegate, but also small enough to fit comfortably
in an auditorium. 353 gets the job done on both counts.
Of
those 353 delegates, the final breakdown was 208 for Sanders and 145 for
Clinton. Moving forward, Sanders got 54 delegates to the District Convention,
while Clinton got 38.
Third,
my own struggles with wearing too many hats: I am a candidate for Supervisor in
a crowded Democratic primary. The Democratic Party convention is a great place
to politic. I was also the Sanders Chair. This required a lot of running around,
a lot of meetings, and a lot of organizing. Unfortunately, I don’t think I did
my candidacy any favors by splitting my attentions in this way. I got to give a
two-minute speech, for which I was unprepared, and then ran off without talking
to many voters.
Fourth,
friendship versus politics: We avoided all of the horror stories we are hearing
from other counties, and I chalk that up to friendship. The local Clinton Chair
was Sue Dvorsky. I would crawl through broken glass if Sue asked me to.
Credentials wizards John Deeth and Tom Larkin are longtime friends of us both.
We were all committed to not only running a smooth convention, but to modeling
respectful behavior every step of the way. I think we succeeded!
Fifth,
gender equity (1): The Sanders folks purposely divided by gender, and the
exercise was telling. We were attempting to avoid a long, drawn out election by
encouraging some folks to sign up as alternates rather than running as
delegates. Interestingly, the women did this fairly quickly, while the men held
their ground. This behavior demonstrates EXACTLY why we gender balance things
in the first place!
Sixth,
gender equity (2): One of the Sanders delegates noted that ze did not conform
to a binary notion of gender, and objected to selection based upon this
criteria. I asked permission to bring it up to the crowd, and ze granted
permission. So I explained the situation, and moved that ze be elected to the
District and State Conventions, where ze could advocate for a change in the
rules. I am proud to say that the vote was unanimous, 208-0! What’s more, there
was loud applause! I cannot begin to describe how cool it felt to see a roomful
of people step up and support a fellow traveler in this way. It was really
moving!
Interesting
stuff, these County Conventions! The Democratic Party really is a big tent
–some would say a circus - and it is on display every year at this event.
*Bernie Chair
I
had a couple people ask me how I got to be the Bernie Sanders Chair in Johnson
County. One of the people asked innocently; another asked in a rather
accusatory tone. Either way, I thought it might be a good idea to share the
story.
The
story begins a couple years ago, in the spring of 2014. I was the person who
first got Bernie to Iowa. I had heard him speak about income inequality on NPR.
I thought he would hit the notes we needed to hear. I called his office, and
finally got in touch with his Senate staffers. I spoke to them at length, urging
him to visit our Johnson County Democratic Party Fall BBQ. We had some very
frank discussions – they confided to me that Senator Sanders might be
interested in running for President. I explained that there was no better
springboard than Johnson County, Iowa. He needed to test the waters, and we all
knew it. So Bernie Sanders headlined the 2014 JC Dems BBQ. (Not the 2015 event,
mind you – he was there, too. We’re talking 2014!)
Senator
Sanders got an amazing reception, and his staffers and I kept in touch. They
came back, and asked me to endorse the Senator. I said I would. I introduced
Bernie at a rally in Iowa City, which turned out to be the first event
following the hiring of Iowa staff. The Vermont staff looked at the Iowa staff
and said, “This is your guy in Johnson County.” When local staff got hired,
State staff said, “This is your Johnson County Sanders Chair.”
So…I
was never elected. And there were times when I thought about mentioning that
fact; opening up the process, if you will. I mean, I can admit it – there was
nothing democratic about the process.
But
you know what? Right or wrong, I decided that I had earned it. The “Bernie Bros”
had already begun acting like asses online. A few folks looked to co-opt the
leadership of the local Sanders group. It was extremely important to me that
our group be pro-Sanders rather than anti-Clinton. (I think we achieved that.) I
felt as though we had a very humanistic thing going, and I did not want that to
change. So I stood my ground.
There are many instances where it would have been easier to just
hand the responsibilities off to someone else. It was a pretty thankless task.
But I decided to just keep claiming the title of “Sanders Chair” for myself.
And I am OK with that. So there you have it!
*DID YOU KNOW?
This year marked only the second time ever that all the delegate seats
were filled at the County Convention. The other year was 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
March 10, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 3/15/16
In this edition:
*Saint Patrick’s Day!
*Bob Sullivan
*Road Embargoes
*GOP Hypocrisy
*Downton Abbey
*Did You Know?
*Saint Patrick’s Day!
Happy St. Patty’s Day on March 17! St. Patrick’s Day is one of my
favorite days of the year. While not an “official” holiday, this day has long
been celebrated heartily by my Irish family.
The
tradition lives on… I almost always take St. Patrick’s Day off work. March 17
is a Thursday this year, so I have a Board meeting. Hopefully that will be a
light agenda! J
Meanwhile,
I hope each and every one of you is touched by a little luck o’ the Irish!
*Bob Sullivan
March
17 holds a special place in my heart that goes beyond St. Patrick’s Day. That
was also the birthday of my late father, Bob Sullivan.
Dad
was a proud union man, Hawkeye fan, and Irishman. We were father and son, but
also best friends. I can honestly say he was probably the most fun person I
have ever known.
Unfortunately,
he left this world much too soon, and never got the chance to meet any of his
nine grandchildren. I miss him every single day, but especially on St. Patty’s
Day.
If
you knew my dad and you are reading this – send me an email some time. I could
really use a little time swapping stories and reminiscing.
And,
if you are looking for an extra toast on St. Patrick’s Day, allow me to suggest
that you raise a glass to Bob Sullivan.
Happy
birthday, Dad.
*Road Embargoes
One of the sure “signs of spring” in Iowa is the list of embargoed
roads! Winter weather – primarily cycles of freezing and thawing – can do
tremendous damage to roads. In order to allow counties to protect the taxpayer
investment in these roads, State law allows County Boards of Supervisors to
impose weight restrictions.
The chip seal/oil road systems are most susceptible to damage and
are most likely to be subjected to embargoes. Late February through early May
is a very common time for the county to post weight restrictions on county
roadways. Once posted, the restrictions may be in effect for a period of ninety
days. In the past, posted roadways have been limited to any vehicle less than 8
gross tons. Please check the county website for additional information
regarding Board approval and weight restrictions for the 2016 embargo season.
The County Engineer may issue a special permit to individuals who
demonstrate a need to move market farm produce of the type subject to rapid
spoilage or loss of value, or the need to move farm feeds or fuel for home
heating purposes. The issuance of a permit may allow certain vehicles exceeding
the weight limit to operate on embargoed roadways.
We get asked for exceptions all the
time, but please note - permits will not be issued for any other reason -
including transporting construction materials or equipment that exceeds the
posted weight limit. Operation of over-weight vehicles on restricted roads
without a permit will be at the risk of prosecution. Using alternate routes
where possible and breaking down loads into smaller units are methods
encouraged to minimize damage to these roads.
Permits for qualified participants will be issued at
the Johnson County Secondary Road Department at 4810 Melrose Avenue in Iowa
City. The following information will be needed to complete the permit: vehicle
license plate number(s), driver’s name(s), type of material being transported,
and planned route or roads you plan to travel.
Again,
for a list of embargoed roads, see the Secondary Roads page on the Johnson
County website: www.johnson-county.com.
*GOP Hypocrisy
Frankly,
I am growing quite weary of GOP folks complaining about Donald Trump (and Ted
Cruz, for that matter). Methinks they doth protest too much!
The
GOP has lurched far to the right over the past 20 years. They are now so far
right that much “mainstream” Republican ideology is absurd on its face! They
just keep pushing farther and farther to the ideological extreme.
This
started under Newt Gingerich, but accelerated with the election of Barack
Obama. GOP leaders decided to push the narrative that Obama was evil,
socialist, etc. If he said, “black”, they had to say, “white”. Literally and
figuratively!
GOP leaders decided to be opposed to Obama no matter the impact on
our country. Partisan politics were put squarely ahead of the needs of the
people.
Then
one day they awaken, and their top two candidates are Trump and Cruz. And they
look around and say, “How did this happen?” Folks, it is no secret! This is
called reaping what you have sown!
Even
worse, after all the complaining about Trump and/or Cruz – using descriptors
such as crazy, dangerous, etc. – the GOP mainstream is still going to support
whichever wins.
Ask
every member of the GOP - point blank, if they would vote for the eventual GOP nominee.
99% of the time, the answer is yes.
So
quit whining. If Trump/Cruz were as bad as you claim, you wouldn’t vote for
him. But 99% of you WILL vote for him. So save it!
*Downton Abbey
It
is English, not Irish… but Melissa and I have really enjoyed watching Downton
Abbey over the years.
Downton
Abbey has brilliant writing, outstanding acting, gorgeous scenery, and
wonderful costumes. But the thing that really sets it apart are the clever ways
in which it addresses issues of class and wealth.
My
favorite actor in the show is Maggie Smith, who plays my favorite character, Violet Crawley, the Dowager
Countess of Grantham.
The Dowager also spoke my favorite line of the series: “What exactly is this
‘weekend’ of which they speak?”
*DID YOU KNOW?
There are 33.7 million U.S. residents who are of
Irish ancestry. That number is almost nine times the population of Ireland
itself.
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
March 3, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 3/8/16
In this edition:
*Sullivan For Supervisor Fundraiser!
*Prairie Preview
*Primary Winners and Losers
*Minimum Wage at the UI
*Did You Know?
*Sullivan for Supervisor Fundraiser!
Save
the date! We are having a Sullivan for Supervisor Fundraiser on Tuesday, March
29, from 5-7 P.M. at The Mill.
Please
join us for pizza, beverages, and fun! Everyone is invited! Call 319-354-7199
or email rodsullivan@mchsi.com for more information.
*Prairie Preview
The
Burr Oak Land Trust presents the 33rd annual Prairie Preview
Thursday, March 10 at the Celebration Farm off Highway 1 north of Iowa City.
Doors
open for registration and exhibits at 6:30. Connie Mutel from the
University of Iowa will be this year’s speaker beginning at 7:30 p.m. Her talk
is titled “A Sugar Creek Chronicle: Writing Climate Change.”
For
more information or to become a sponsor, please contact Tammy Wright at
338-7030 or info@buroaklandtrust.org.
I
love this event, and I can hardly wait!
*Primary Winners and Losers
As
a longtime political observer, I have some thoughts on the machinations that
take place following a primary.
We
have all seen instances where the losing side refuses to back the winner. On
the federal level, you may recall the 2008 “PUMA” (Party Unity My Ass)
coalition of Hilary Clinton supporters that refused to accept Barack Obama as
the Democratic nominee. That group ended up too small to affect the outcome of
the general election, but that is not always the case.
We
have had statewide, statehouse, and courthouse elections where the candidate
that lost the primary continued to attack the winner. In a couple of cases,
those intraparty squabbles cost us a seat.
So
how do disparate factions come together following a contentious primary? I have
some thoughts:
First,
we need to acknowledge that responsibility lies on both sides. From my
perspective, the responsibility lies about 60% with the winners, and 40% with
the losers. How should winners respond? Think of the difference between the
aftermaths of WWI and WWII. Rub in a victory (WWI) and watch as those you
defeated seethe and plot their revenge. Rebuild and support those you defeated
(WWII) and you can have allies for life.
Secondly,
the two camps need to actually sit down and listen to each other. Obviously,
the victor was the victor; the loser cannot expect the victor to adopt all
their positions. But any successful politician should be willing to listen to
new ideas. You may not adopt a bunch of new positions, but you should be
willing to throw the losing camp a few bones. Once the victor has done this,
the losing camp is obligated to go back to supporters and say, “We asked them
for some things, and they agreed.” This is how you build a party.
Finally,
the two camps should really focus on areas in which they agree. They need to
remind themselves why they chose the same party in the first place.
Let
me end with a great example of how this SHOULD work. State Senator Kevin Kinney
ran in a Democratic Party primary against a gentleman named Richard Gilmore,
who had served as the Party Chair in Washington County.
After
a spirited campaign, Kinney won decisively. He reached out to Gilmore, who was
concerned that Washington County might get ignored by a Johnson County
candidate. Kinney took that to heart, and worked Washington County very hard.
He actually followed through. Meanwhile, Gilmore became his biggest supporter,
knocking hundreds of doors and showing up at almost every parade.
What
happened? Democrats won a close victory, and hold a slim one-seat majority in
the Iowa Senate. Without Kinney and Gilmore working together, Iowa would be a
dramatically different place.
Yes,
Kevin Kinney and Richard Gilmore are both darn good people. Both men are
honest, kind, and hard working. But what they accomplished should not be the
exception – it should be the rule!
I
hope this type of reconciliation can happen at every level of the Democratic
Party, from Presidential politics to courthouse politics.
*Minimum Wage at the UI
From
the very beginning, The University of Iowa claimed they were exempt from the
Johnson County minimum wage ordinance. That may or may not be the case; legal
folks would need to sort that out. The bigger question: what will they do next?
The UI went along with the first step (from $7.25 to $8.20) back
in November. Now Regent Larry McKibben, a former Republican State Senator from
Marshalltown, is saying that he will oppose any attempt by the UI to pay the
higher minimum.
Funny – I don’t recall McKibben complaining about President
Herrald’s salary! Herrald earns $70,000 more than Sally Mason did! For that
same amount of money, 115 students working 10 hours per week for the whole
school year could earn $1 more for every hour they work. Think about that for a
moment.
McKibben claims to care about what the UI costs our students. Yet
he wants to keep their wages at $7.25, while giving a RAISE to the new
President that would support 115 work study students. It makes me sick!
Meanwhile,
UI administrator Rod Lehnertz said, “What we’re going to commit to is a market-based
hiring of employees for the University. It doesn’t necessarily mean though that
we start with a stature that meets a minimum wage requirement.” Why is it
always the guy who earns $238,000 of taxpayer money talking about things being
“market based”?
A
couple more examples of the Regents and the UI administration being out of
touch with the people. They might as well have said, “Let them eat cake.”
I
hope UI students will be prepared to protest on May 1 when the University opts
out of the next minimum wage increase!
*DID YOU KNOW?
An interesting statistic: For the upcoming Johnson County Democratic
Party Convention, the average age of a Clinton delegate is 50; the average age
of a Sanders delegate is 36.
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
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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
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