SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
February 8, 2018
Sullivan’s
Salvos 2/13/18
In this edition:
*City Fed Chili Supper
*Henri Harper Soul Food Dinner
*Bowl For Kids’ Sake
*Caucus Divisions
*Dem Gubernatorial Race
*Minimum Wage Report
*Did You Know?
*City Fed Chili Supper
Join us Thursday, February 15th, from 6-8 pm for our annual
chili supper! Family and friends are welcome. Bring a dish if you like!
Enjoy great food, music, the company of like-minded
individuals, and celebrate all that is good about labor! The labor movement
needs to come together, and there is no time like the present! Look forward to
seeing you all there!
*Henri Harper Soul Food Dinner
The annual Henri Harper Soul Food Dinner is February 16 at 5 PM at
the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center in downtown Iowa City. The dinner is free
and open to the public. If you wish to donate, please see Facebook for the Go
Fund Me site.
*Bowl For Kids’ Sake
The Sullivan for Supervisor
team is once again raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County
by Bowling For Kids’ Sake on Saturday, February 24.
Bowl for Kids' Sake is Big
Brothers Big Sisters largest national fundraiser, raising over $20 million
annually for children in need across the country. Because of Bowl for Kids'
Sake, more Bigs and Littles can be paired up, more friendships can be created
and improved outlooks on life can be started.
*Caucus Divisions
The 2018 Iowa
Caucuses are in the books, and the great division in the Party was – division.
The big issue was whether or not to divide into preference groups.
As Caucus
veterans know, in Presidential years, Iowa Democrats divide into Presidential
preference groups. This impacts who gets seated at County, District, and State
Conventions, and ultimately, which candidate gets Iowa’s 6 electoral votes.
Gubernatorial
years are different. While the Caucus actually chooses which Presidential
nominees we will support, our elections for Governor, US Senate, US House, and
on down are decided by a primary election. Because the primary will (likely)
select our nominees, there is no real need to divide into preference groups.
One of the
challenges most Iowa Dems faced was not an issue in the Second Congressional
District. In the other three Districts, the question was should we divide over
Congress or Governor? You can only divide once! Here, because Congressman
Loebsack was not challenged, the decision was easier.
So why the
fight over whether or not to divide? I think there are a couple things going
on.
First, Clinton
vs. Sanders was and is hard on the Party. You can see why people who want to
win in '18 do not want to relive '16. On the other hand, the question of
"How do you win?" is legitimately up for debate. There are differing
answers to that question, and sometimes those answers follow Clinton/Sanders
lines.
Secondly, every organization (not just political parties)
struggles with the push and pull between fresh, new ideas and energy versus
institutional knowledge and experience. If an organization is going to succeed,
it must strike a balance with which the majority can live. That ain't easy!
As
it turned out, my Precinct (Iowa City 01) did choose to divide. As a Precinct
that votes in excellent numbers, we were entitled to 8 delegates. We had 45
attendees (plus about 10 youth attendees). So doing the Caucus math, a group
required 7 people to meet the state rule of 15% viability.
We
had two groups that had exactly 7 members, thereby earning a single delegate,
representing Boulton and Hubbell. We had two other groups, representing Glasson
and Uncommitted, that each earned 3 delegates.
So,
did this matter? Who knows. It certainly did not feel like a big deal, though
it clearly rankled a few Caucus-goers. I would say that the MOST important
piece was what happened next:
Our
WHOLE CAUCUS stuck around to the end, discussing and voting upon several
platform planks. I hope this is the type of unity Democrats will demonstrate
through November of 2018!
*Dem Gubernatorial Race
We
just talked Caucuses. Let’s move on. If you are a Democrat and you are reading
this? Please get out and vote in the June Primary. Work your tail off for the
candidate of your choice. And after that primary, please suck it up and support
the Democratic nominee!
If
you cannot do that? You are willing to do great harm to the people of this State.
Think about that. Is your anger worth it?
*Minimum Wage Report
The
Gazette spent some time in last Sunday’s edition discussing the impacts of the
Johnson County Minimum Wage Ordinance. While I was glad to see them take up the
issue, I found the timing strange. This coverage comes over a month after the
report was released. The Gazette never had a reporter at the release of the
report. They never interviewed myself of any other Supervisor. They never let
us know in any way that this whole piece was coming. So it was a bit weird.
On
the negative side, there was a ridiculous response from a gentleman associated
with the Iowa Restaurant Association. He claimed we should ignore the overall
data, and instead focus upon a couple specific anecdotes. That is THE EXACT
OPPOSITE of how governments should use data!
I take a bit of issue with the way the Editorial dismissed an
increase in employment activity as “not supported by the data.” It wasn’t
disproven. Moreover, one of the biggest bogeymen opponents trot out is a loss
of jobs. That did not happen.
On the positive side, the Editorial Board agreed with the
Supervisors on several points. And Peter Fisher summed up the data in a
separate piece that really illustrates the benefits of the higher wage.
*DID YOU KNOW?
I attended Iowa Caucuses in 1972, ’76, and ’80 as a kid with my father.
I skipped 1984 to chase a girl. I have attended every Caucus since 1988,
including the “off years.”
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 @ 11:47 AM
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