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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
June 28, 2018
Sullivan’s Salvos 7/3/18
In this edition:
*Happy Independence Day!
*To Serve Or Not To Serve?
*SCOTUS Gets It Wrong
*Public Sector Unions
*Camera Policy
*Did You Know?
*Happy Independence Day!
Happy Birthday to the USA! 242 years old! I hope you and yours enjoy a great Independence Day!
Looking for ways to celebrate? The Jazz Festival is in downtown Iowa City, and the 4thhas parades in Coralville, Sharon Center, Oxford, and Hills.
*To Serve Or Not To Serve?
Sara Huckabee Sanders was refused service at a restaurant the other night. This became national news. And the irony is rich!
After all, Sanders is the one arguing that merchants should be able to deny service to the LGBTQ community. Apparently poor Sara didn’t like it when it was her turn.
There is a big push in this country - coming from straight, white, rich males – that somehow collectively they are victims. It is not true, nor has it ever been true. But if we do things like deny them access to restaurants? We play directly into that narrative.
Personally? If it were my restaurant, I would have made sure she got the best possible service. Because bottom line, the Golden Rule tells us to treat others as we would like to be treated. The world will not improve unless we improve it.
But I am also sensitive to those who want to protest. I worry that we are losing our capacity for outrage. Tom Scocca wrote the following in the Washington Post:
“Children are sleeping under foil blankets in federal captivity. It is not any person’s duty to make life more comfortable for the White House press secretary, or for the head of Homeland Security, or for any of the other officials who conceived, carried out and defended the policy of tearing apart families. It is not a private citizen’s job to ask whether their revulsion and outrage have been correctly calibrated to fit party goals for the next two cycles, on the theory that the highest human calling is to be a successful campaign strategist. If pundits are worried about the relationship between manners and brutality, instead of asking whether people ought to be so rude to the administration, they might ask what they’ve accomplished by being polite.”
He makes a point! What are your thoughts?
*SCOTUS Gets It Wrong
I have long been an avid follower of the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS). Sometimes the decisions make me swell with pride; sometimes they leave me seething in anger. Either way, pretty much every SCOTUS decision is monumental.
Unfortunately, the SCOTUS just got several cases wrong. Really wrong. Yes, I am referring to LGBTQ, gerrymandering, voter roles, and labor union cases. But I am particularly galled by the case Trump vs. International Refugee Assistance, also known as the Muslim Travel Ban.
Just take a moment to reread the actual name of the case. Trump vs. International Refugee Assistance. Doesn’t that really say it all?
In a few years, this Court and this case will be shamed for this decision, just as earlier Courts were shamed for Dred Scott and Koramatsu. And they will have deserved it.
In her dissent, Justice Sonya Sotomayor pointed to the Court’s hypocrisy. The Supreme Court only a month ago “found less pervasive official expressions of hostility and the failure to disavow them to be constitutionally significant” in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, which involved a baker who refused to make a cake for a same-sex wedding based on his religious beliefs, the justices noted. The majority opinion in that case cited statements made by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission and said they were “hostile to a religion.” As Sotomayor points out, you would have a hard time arguing Trump has no animus toward Muslims.
In twenty years, you can tell your grandkids you remember this dark moment from our past. Meanwhile, please reach out to your Muslim friends and neighbors. They need us now more than ever.
*Public Sector Unions
The recent Janus decision by the US Supreme Court dealt a blow to public sector unions. But it is not a death blow. Unions can still be as strong as union members want to make them!
Solidarity, my friends. It has always been critical. We are not good about observing it. We need to get good, and fast.
*Camera Policy
You may not realize it, but Johnson County has a number of cameras on county property. These cameras have come in handy on several occasions; we have had fights, assaults, and other events that we were able to catch on video. There are also occasionally people who commit fraud at the Auditor, Treasurer, or Recorder’s Offices; this way, we have their images captured.
So for the most part, the cameras have only been used to help solve crimes. Sheriff’s Deputies and County Attorney staff are the only people who have needed access. In retrospect, we should have had a policy on cameras before we ever set a camera up. But sometimes technology gets ahead of us.
What really spurred our new policy were some problematic uses of the images captured by our cameras. Unfortunately, a couple of Elected Officials have used these cameras to spy on County employees. The new policy, which we adopted by a vote of 4-1, should put an end to these types of abuses.
County employees deserve respect. They should be able to go about their work without worrying about their every action being monitored. Are there situations where the cameras could be used to see what an employee did in a certain situation? Yes. It is possible. But now those types of requests must go through Human Resources and the County Attorney’s Office. Consideration of employee privacy and other employee rights will be at the forefront.
Elected Officials all try to curry favor with employee unions when running for election. But do the same Elected Officials support our employees in the workplace? I can guarantee you County employees do not want to be under constant surveillance. That is why I support the new Camera Policy.
Are we as a people under too much surveillance? Undoubtedly, yes. But to some extent, that horse has left the barn. What we can do now is ensure that good policies are in place to govern the data that is collected.
*DID YOU KNOW? Great Britain has 1% of world's population but 20% of its CCTV cameras. Experts have called for a halt in the spread of CCTV cameras. Britain is now being watched by a staggering 4.2million - one for every 14 people and a fifth of the cameras in the entire world. (Source: Wikipedia.)
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
June 21, 2018
Sullivan’s Salvos 6/26/18
In this edition:
*Seeking Asylum
*Census Data and Welcoming Communities
*Fireworks
*Veteran’s Memorial Expansion
*A Measure of Character
*Did You Know?
*Seeking Asylum
Let’s be very clear: seeking asylum is NOT illegal! This is a time-honored tradition. People seeking asylum show up begging for mercy.
*Census Data and Welcoming Communities
If you followed the last Legislative Session, you know that Johnson County was very much at odds with the Iowa Legislature regarding issues of race, ethnicity, immigration, religion, etc. Some of this can be chalked up to politics, of course. But some of this is because we simply look different than most of Iowa.
People who wonder why Johnson County has been so concerned about being viewed as a welcoming community should consider these statistics:
*43 counties have less people than Johnson County has seniors.
*31 counties have less people than Johnson County has African Americans.
*24 counties have less people than Johnson County has Asian Americans.
*17 counties have less people than Johnson County has Latinx Americans.
*14 counties have less people than Johnson County has people with disabilities (under age 65).
By Iowa standards, our population is very large, and it is growing much larger at a very rapid pace. It is also very diverse, and growing more diverse at a very rapid pace.
There are downsides, of course. For example, only 24 counties have a population greater than the number of Johnson County residents (25,500) who live in poverty. We have our problems. But I wouldn’t trade places with any other county!
*Fireworks
Independence Day is just around the corner. As you prepare for your holiday celebrations, make sure to familiarize yourself with fireworks laws in Johnson County.
It is illegal to set off fireworks anywhere in unincorporated areas of Johnson County without a permit. Any person intending to set off certain fireworks in the unincorporated areas of Johnson County must obtain a permit from the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. A completed application should be provided to the Board of Supervisors Office at least 14 days before the anticipated display.
“Last year the Sheriff’s Office and local law enforcement responded to hundreds of complaints about fireworks,” Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek said. “This is a large demand on our resources and pulls us away from other more important duties. I am hopeful that after a year the public will be better educated on the legal and appropriate use of fireworks in Johnson County.”
Fireworks displays, sales or storage within the limits of an incorporated municipality are governed by the ordinances of that city, not the Board of Supervisors. Contact the appropriate city hall or fire department for questions. Johnson County incorporated municipalities include Coralville, Iowa City, Hills, Lone Tree, North Liberty, Oxford, Shueyville, Solon, Swisher, Tiffin and University Heights.
Applications for a fireworks permit and more information are available at www.johnson-county.com/fireworks. Questions regarding fireworks display permits for unincorporated areas of Johnson County can be directed to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors Office at 319-356-6000 or applications@co.johnson.ia.us. Questions regarding fireworks sales and storage in unincorporated parts of Johnson County can be directed to Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability at 319-356-6083 or pds@co.johnson.ia.us.
*Veteran’s Memorial Expansion
The Johnson County Commission of Veterans Affairs has launched a campaign, Pave the Way: Operation Expand Memorial, to expand the current Johnson County Armory and Veterans Memorial and continue to honor veterans.
The Johnson County Armory and Veterans Memorial was installed in August 2013 at the site of the old Armory, near the Johnson County Administration Building, located at 913 S. Dubuque Street in Iowa City. The memorial serves as a permanent place of honor for families, friends and community members to visit and reflect, and to remember those who served our country. The memorial features a centerpiece of paver bricks engraved with the names of veterans and supporters. An interactive kiosk located at the memorial maps the location of bricks and a link to the honoree’s biography.
Operation Expand Memorial will add two raised brick beds for additional engraved memorial bricks and a brick path around the existing memorial structure using repurposed bricks from the Iowa City Pedestrian Mall. Engraved memorial bricks may be reserved for $100 each. Veterans do not need to be Johnson County residents to be honored with a brick.
An order form, as well as information about the expansion, veteran biographies and the history of the memorial are available at www.johnson-county.com/memorial.
The Armory, constructed in 1937, was destroyed during the 2008 floods. The memorial was created not only to honor Johnson County veterans and supporters, but also to educate the public on the history of the Armory. It incorporates the Armory’s original cornerstone, reproductions of the concrete medallions from the Armory depicting the crest of each unit stationed there at the time of its construction, and two interpretive signage panels with the Armory’s history in text and photographs.
The Johnson County Commission of Veterans Affairs assists County residents who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, their relatives, beneficiaries, and dependents in receiving aid and benefits to which they may be entitled. The Commission also provides temporary emergency financial assistance to honorably discharged Johnson County veterans who meet eligibility criteria.
The Johnson County Veterans Affairs office is located in the Health and Human Services Building, 855 South Dubuque Street, Suite 109C, Iowa City, and can be reached at 319-356-6049 or gbosenei@co.johnson.ia.us.
*A Measure of Character
Below is a quote for the ages – even truer today than it was in 1800:
“You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832, German novelist and philosopher
*DID YOU KNOW? The War with the most US combat deaths was the Civil War, with about 700,000 dead. (This does not include civilian deaths.) World War II is a distant second at 400,000.
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
June 15, 2018
Sullivan’s Salvos 6/19/18
In this edition:
*Father’s Day
*Politics – Now What?
*Early Voting
*Ballot Selfies
*35%
*Juneteenth
*Did You Know?
*Father’s Day
Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there! Being a dad is the best thing I have ever done. It is also the most difficult. I imagine that is the case for most fathers.
It has been decades now since I have had the pleasure of enjoying a living father or grandfather. If you are lucky enough to have a father or grandfather around, please take a moment to reach out to him this weekend.
*Politics – Now What?
We talked last week about the results of the Primary elections. I supported John Norris, and was disappointed we did not fare better. But I am ready to move on to November in support of Fred Hubbell!
There is an old saying in politics: You fall in love, then you fall in line. While this might oversimplify things, it pretty much sums up where I am. The last two sessions of the Iowa Legislature have really hurt our state. We need to turn the tide before irreparable damage is done.
On the other hand, I plan on holding Mr. Hubbell (and all candidates) accountable. They need to be fighting for the least among us, or they will hear from me!
Meanwhile, if you are a Democrat and you are reading this: please stop sniping at each other. Real people have already been hurt by the Reynolds Administration. Many more will be hurt if we do not come together to elect Fred Hubbell.
*Early Voting
The scandal surrounding Nate Boulton’s campaign for Governor came to light after early voting had already begun. This has led to a slew of people arguing that “early voting is bad.” I disagree.
First, beware the messengers. Of COURSE you are going to hear Republicans criticize early voting! They have chosen to adopt a platform that makes voting more difficult. They want “purged lists”, long lines, and lots of IDs; these types of hurdles keep poor people away from the polls. So when you hear members of the GOP advocating against early voting? Take it with a grain of salt.
Secondly, I have come to realize that many people do not share my background. I served 4 years as the Chair of the Johnson County Democratic Party. (Since that time, I have stayed a more active volunteer than most.) These experiences solidified my belief in early voting. I have seen firsthand how much time, talent, and money goes into getting out the vote. I am not going to force candidates I like to spend one cent on phone calls, mailings, or canvassers. I am going to vote at my earliest opportunity, every time, and get myself off the list!
Could I get burned in the future? You bet. Is it a chance I am willing to take? Yes, it is.
*Ballot Selfies
I generally come down on the side of free speech. But new technologies sometimes lead us into interesting territory. One place where I break with free speech advocates – I think it should be illegal to photograph a completed ballot.
Interestingly, it is legal in 20 states, illegal in 20 states, and unclear in 10 states, including Iowa.
You have all seen these on social media – an 18 year old smiling and holding up her first ballot. I have seen numerous posts of this nature, from all sorts of people. They are always happy and smiling. But a very sinister downside is possible.
Here is the problem: if it is legal to photograph your ballot, someone is going to use it against you. It is pretty easy to imagine Wal-Mart requiring workers to show their ballots in a union election. It is not much of a stretch to imagine a County Elected requiring her employees to demonstrate that they voted for her. Farm Bureau or a union could require a photo of your ballot as a condition of membership. Pretty soon it becomes, “What do you have to hide?” If you CAN photograph your ballot, someone is going to say you MUST photograph your ballot. The presumption of a secret ballot is no more.
Sure, you can write laws to explicitly prohibit coercion of the type I mentioned. But the laws won’t work. Instagram photos go away almost immediately; how would you prove it? Employees are already powerless in this world. Allowing ballots to be photographed just gives the boss another tool. Employees need the law on their side.
I hope you will join me in advocating for a ban on photographs of completed ballots.
*35%
Iowa law calls for Primary winners to get at least 35% of the vote, or a Party Convention selects the nominee. This is a bad law.
Acting Secretary of Ag Mike Naig just got 34.7% of the vote in a statewide primary. His closest competitor got 21%. Naig should be the nominee, period.
All a convention can do is thwart the will of the majority of voters. It is an undemocratic law, and it ought to be abolished. If you get the most votes, you ought to win. Period.
*Juneteenth
Join us for a day of family fun, free entertainment, information fair, free food (while supplies last) and more! We are celebrating Juneteenth and the civil rights movements past and present. You won't want to miss this!
Juneteenth will be celebrated Saturday, June 23 from 12-5 PM at Mercer Park in Iowa City. This is just one of several Freedom Week events!
*DID YOU KNOW? Father’s Day has roots in Central Europe in the 1400s, but it did not become a US holiday until 1966, when President LBJ issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day.
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
June 7, 2018
Sullivan’s Salvos 6/12/18
In this edition:
*Election Results
*Winners and Losers
*Makers and Takers
*Pride
*Did You Know?
*Election Results
The 2018 Primaries are in the books! As usual, the Johnson County Auditor’s Office did a great job of running our elections. On to November!
We blew through every record for turnout! The old Democratic record was from 2006; the overall record was the 1994 Grandy run at Branstad. Tuesday surpassed both, with a record 18,664 Johnson County voters going to the polls.
On the GOP side, there was only one contested race, but it was a big one! The competition for the Republican Nomination for Secretary of Agriculture contained some real heavy hitters. When the dust cleared, acting Secretary Mike Naig won handily in a 5-way race. (This caught me a bit off guard, as I thought the more “political” candidates might fare a bit better.) Thing is, Naig fell just under one percent short of the required 35% threshold. This means Iowa Republicans will select their Ag Secretary nominee at their State Convention. The winner takes on Tim Gannon, who ran unopposed on the Democratic side.
At the top of the Democratic ticket, Fred Hubbell coasted to a win in the Gubernatorial Primary. I was not necessarily surprised Hubbell won, but his margin (including here in Johnson County) surprised me. Hubbell wasn’t my guy to start – but he is my guy now!
A cool thing happened … Deidra DeJear becomes the first African American to get a statewide nomination in Iowa! She will take on Secretary of State Paul Pate in the fall. Similarly, Abby Finkenauer won the Primary in Iowa’s First Congressional District – if she can win in the fall, the 29-year-old Finkenauer would be the youngest Congresswoman in history!
In Senate District 37, the race to replace retiring Senator Bob Dvorsky, Zach Wahls defeated Janice Weiner 63-32. Eric Dirth and Imad Youssef each collected about 2% of the vote. This race was interesting, because I was sensing some real momentum on the Weiner side, but the outcome really wasn’t close. Two great candidates with bright futures here.
In the County Supervisor race, Incumbents Janelle Rettig and Mike Carberry had different results. Rettig led the pack with 10,822 votes. Second-time candidate Pat Heiden finished second with 9,116. They become the two Democratic nominees. That leaves Carberry out after finishing third with 6,927 votes. Mike will continue to serve until January 1 of 2019, at which time the November General Election winners will be seated.
Incumbent Supervisors lose on occasion; Don Sehr, Mike Lehman, and John Etheridge come to mind. Mike Carberry has been an important progressive voice on this Board. He has helped us to do some very good things. I appreciate his service.
As always, thanks to everyone who ran for office. It is not easy to put oneself out there in this way. I sincerely appreciate your efforts and your sacrifices.
*Winners and Losers
I have been involved in politics a long time. Over the years I have enjoyed a few Primary wins, and suffered many more Primary losses. Having been on both sides, I feel as though I can offer some advice to both the winners and losers.
June 5 was a Primary. That means each person who voted needs the others. All sides have a lot to gain, and all have a lot to lose. Getting together is critical.
So how do we do this? We have to speak to each other. Undoubtedly, someone on your side said something rude and stupid. If so, apologize for it. Undoubtedly, someone on the other side said something rude and stupid. Try to let it go. If you simply can’t let it go, talk to someone about it. Then let it go! J
In my opinion, it really is most incumbent upon the winners to set the tone. After all, they won! Winners need to reach out to the rest of the field and their supporters and ask for their help. They also need to be receptive to the concerns and suggestions of their former rivals. Winners need to be open to listening and improving.
It hurts when your candidate loses. Each person comes around at her/his own pace. Nothing says you need to jump onboard Election Night. You deserve time to grieve. But hopefully you DO come around! We all need each other! It is certainly acceptable for those of us who did not win to continue to push the winner toward our way of thinking. You can and should always advocate for the things you believe. But you also may have to accept the fact that you and your new candidate disagree on some things. That is OK. You probably agree on more things than the folks in the other party.
We can do this, folks. We MUST do this! I hope you will join me!
*Makers and Takers
Many business owners are serving an important role as employers. The jobs they provide allow other people to earn money and serve as full members of the community. I am always a bit surprised that so many of these good business owners sit back while other business owners cost them money.
You heard me correctly – the other business owners cost them money. Business owners who pay good wages are forced to subsidize these businesses, every single year, day after day. Is this fair?
I like to use the “makers and takers” language popularized by Paul Ryan and used by the GOP. When you pay employees a living wage, you are a maker. When you pay less, you are requiring all the rest of the taxpayers to subsidize your business. You are a taker. Your business model requires governmental subsidies.
If you own a business and your employees qualify for food stamps? If you own a business and your employees qualify for Medicaid? If you own a business and your employees qualify for Section 8 housing? If you own a business and your employees’ children qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch? Guess what? You are a TAKER!
The minimum wage was $1.60 in 1968. If it had kept up with inflation, it would be $11.71 today. 24% of all Iowans earn less than this, adjusted for inflation.
Thanks to all the many business owners who create a good life for their employees WITHOUT relying on the government!
*Pride
June is Pride Month, and IC Pride has a variety of great events for people of all ages. As usual, I will be marching in the Pride Parade, beginning at noon on Saturday, June 16. For a complete listing of events, see: https://www.iowacitypride.org.
*DID YOU KNOW? The most candidates for the office of County Supervisor was 10 in 1976 – the year the Board expanded from 3 to 5 members. There were 7 candidates in both 1992 and 2004. (I finished third of seven in 2004.)
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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