SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
July 4, 2018
Sullivan’s Salvos 7/10/18
In this edition:
*Civility in Politics
*Doing Things the “Right Way”
*Your Favorite Book?
*Hypocrisy of the Year!
*Kaufmann Update
*Did You Know?
*Civility in Politics
I asked your thoughts last week re: the Sara Huckabee Sanders situation at the restaurant. The majority of respondents said they would have given her good service, but told her matter-of-factly (but civilly) how they felt before she left.
In case you think this situation is new, I did get this tidbit - One man in Iowa City was decidedly quietly impolite to a politician with whom he disagreed... In 1993 former president Ronald Reagan came to the Hamburg Inn. As he walked past the counter shaking hands one man refused to extend his hand. Carl Schlueter of Iowa City later said that he “considered Reagan a sonovabitch” and so refused to shake his hand. A Local Access TV show called, "The Sanders Group" named the next day "Carl Schlueter Day in Iowa City". Carl is still in Iowa City and just turned 90!
*Doing Things the “Right Way”
Growing up, we all had that person in our lives who taught us that it wasn’t good enough to just complete a task; we needed to do it the “right way.”
For me, it was my Grandpa. He always preached that taking ten extra seconds to do something the “right way” – like putting the lid back on the paint can – could save you hours of work later. As an adult, I find myself preaching this at my house all the time.
Now, you could argue that my Grandpa took it too far. You could eat off the floor of his shop. He barely let a stray kernel of corn hit the ground; that would have been a waste. He saved every drop of used motor oil. His lawn was mowed religiously. He REALLY believed there was a “right way” of doing things!
Perhaps the person who said this to you took the idea of the “right way” too far; perhaps she didn’t. Perhaps you heeded that person; perhaps you didn’t. Whatever the case, we can all think of examples, such as coaches who refer to athletes as “playing the game the right way”.
There are a number of situations where government serves as a regulating agency. In most cases, most Americans regulate themselves. They don’t need written rules or enforcement to be have the “right way.” A minority of the people actually require regulation. These are the people who fail to do things the “right way.”
Take raising hogs, for example. If every farmer TRULY did things the “right way”, we would see much lower environmental impacts. Gun ownership is almost always done the “right way”; but when things happen otherwise, the results are tragic. There are reasons that doctors prescribe opioids; but we have a crisis (in part) because some doctors don’t do it the “right way”.
Unfortunately, we make laws precisely because some people do not do things the “right way.” If only they had had to answer to my Grandpa!
*Your Favorite Book?
I had the privilege of serving on the Board of the UNESCO City Of Literature at its inception. One of the best parts of being on that Board was the opportunity to discuss what people enjoy reading.
The City of Literature designation is certainly due to the presence of the UI Writer’s Workshop and UI International Writing Program, but there are other factors that are less discussed but also important.
The fantastic libraries and booksellers we have are also a key component, as are the citizens who do all the reading. Our literate citizenry played a big part in the UNESCO designation.
So, citizens… I would like to run a short and decidedly unscientific poll of Salvos readers. What is your favorite book? If a few titles outpoll all the rest, I’ll let readers know.
Personally, I have to divide it into genres. I read a lot as a child. Add that to being a father of three and a foster parent, and I have to acknowledge children’s lit separately.
People who know me well know that I could be described as a softy, a hopeless romantic, a sap – choose your term. This side of me is demonstrated in my favorite children’s book – “I’ll Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch. I can hardly get through it without tearing up!
My favorite work of fiction is “A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole. I love a book that makes you laugh out loud!
So – how about you, Salvos readers? What are your favorites?
*Hypocrisy of the Year!
There is no shortage of hypocrisy in the Iowa Legislature. So it should come as no surprise that the single MOSThypocritical act of the year comes from a member of that body.
House File 2253 essentially put an end to lease/purchase agreements for cities and counties. This was a blow to our colleagues in Linn County, who had already begun a large Public Health Building using this process.
While the issue did not directly affect Johnson County, we were still very opposed to the Legislature removing yet another matter from local control. So we opposed HF2253. It passed nonetheless, and was signed by the Governor on April 4th.
Now for the hypocrisy: the leading advocate for HF2253 was a Republican from Johnston named Jake Highfill, who thinks he is smarter than everyone else in Iowa – therefore, he should make all decisions from Des Moines. Highfill has led the attacks on local control.
So what should we happen to discover in the Standings Bill? It just so happened to include a provision to exclude ONEsingle project from HF2253. That project? A lease/purchase agreement for the City of Johnston, where Highfill lives.
I am CERTAIN this is just an oversight, and Representative Highfill will quickly rectify the situation! NOT!
I give you Representative Jake Highfill, Republican from Johnston – Hypocrite of the Year!
*Kaufmann Update
As you may recall, on March 21 I challenged State Representative Bobby Kaufmann to a debate on HF2372. (I texted him the challenge before it appeared in Salvos.)
The bill was later changed, and passed in a different form. But he still supported taking away even more local control. (Not from his Dad, mind you, but from Johnson County.) I still think this is a terrible vote, and an important topic to discuss. I still want the debate.
I have not yet received a response from Representative Kaufmann. I will keep you posted.
*DID YOU KNOW? There have been 4 players in the history of Major League Baseball born in Johnson County, Iowa: Lee Meyer, who played in 1909; Craig Colbert, who played in 72 MLB games in 1992-3; Jeff Larish, who played in 101 MLB games from 2008-10; and Michael Wacha, currently with the Cardinals. (Many others lived in Johnson County at other times in their lives; this list is only those born here.)
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
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---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 12:24 PM
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