rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
April 30, 2020
Sullivan’s Salvos 5/5/20
In this edition:
*Please Be Kind, Patient, and Calm
*Supervisor Primary I
*Supervisor Primary II
*Kimberly Graham for US Senate
*One More Senate Note
*Did You Know?
*Please Be Kind, Patient, and Calm
This is hard. Super hard. We are all struggling. So I need to continue to remind myself to count my blessings.
While many folks lost their jobs, I am still working. While many folks have no health insurance, I have good coverage. While many folks struggle with housing, I own my own home. As a cis, straight, white, Christian, middle-aged male, I have many unearned advantages. No one I know has died from Covid-19. I am TRULY blessed! I know it, and I am grateful.
Remember, not everyone you meet is as fortunate as yourself. Please continue to try to be kind, patient, and calm!
*Supervisor Primary I
We have a Supervisor Primary on June 2. Selfishly, I didn’t want a primary. It is much easier for me. But it is worse for you! As much as incumbents hate primaries, primaries are GREAT for democracy! Having a primary forces both candidates and voters to take stock. Incumbents need to make their cases for reelection, and if they are not doing the job, they need to go. That is what primaries are for.
I was all prepared to run a strong campaign. I am very proud of my service on the Board, and I was ready to make my case. Unfortunately, this has been a year unlike any other, and my reelection efforts needed to take a back seat.
I cannot knock doors. I am not sending a mailing. I am not putting ads in the paper. I am not putting out yard signs. I have not updated my website. If you were considering a donation to my campaign, please give it to a local nonprofit that assists people in need.
But we are still holding the election. And I still hope to have an opportunity to make my case. I want you to be convinced that I am worthy of your vote.
I thought it would be important to share some of the things I hope to accomplish if elected to another term.
If reelected, my goals are:
1. Continue community recovery from Covid-19;
2. Begin serving people at the GuideLink Center;
3. Improve Affirmative Action results;
4. Renegotiate 6 union contracts to the benefit of all.
So please – ask questions of the candidates. Pay attention to forums and questionnaires. Talk to friends and neighbors. Do your homework, and make an informed decision.
Dear readers – if you will do me the honor, I would be proud to serve another term as Johnson County Supervisor. I would sincerely appreciate your vote on June 2 or before. I am grateful for your past support, and thank you for your future consideration. I promise to never take this position for granted!
*Supervisor Primary II
You can vote for up to three candidates in the Supervisor Primary, and I would strongly urge you to vote for incumbent Supervisors Lisa Green Douglass and Royceann Porter.
I really like working with both of them. Both truly care about people in need. Both truly care about County employees. Both serve Johnson County well. Both deserve your vote!
*Kimberly Graham for US Senate
Senator Joni Ernst has been an abject failure. She is wrong on healthcare, the Coronavirus, the economy, the environment, women’s rights, kids in cages… Senator Ernst has voted the wrong way on every issue important to Iowans.
Luckily, I feel great about the upcoming US Senate race in Iowa. We have 5 excellent candidates on the Democratic side. Each one would serve Iowans well!
Personally, I am supporting Kimberly Graham. Her background appeals to Melissa and I – Graham has spent 25 years as an attorney representing children in need. She grew up in a labor household, and she is unabashedly progressive.
Check out her list of policy issues at https://www.kimberlyforiowa.com. It will remind you of Elizabeth Warren! This is a woman who knows what she wants to accomplish and has a plan to do so!
More importantly, we have had the opportunity to speak with Kimberly at length. She is smart, funny, and kind. I really like her as a person, and that means something!
I hope you will join us in voting by mail for Kimberly Graham for US Senate!
*One More Senate Note
One last thing about this Senate race – Chuck Schumer needs to stay the hell out of primary politics! Same goes for Nancy Pelosi! We are plenty capable of choosing our leaders without them putting a thumb on the scale.
I do not give to the National Democratic campaigns for either the House or the Senate. Because they pull crap like this – wasting our money to campaign for the most conservative candidate in every race. Please don’t ever give them any contributions. Your money can be MUCH better spent elsewhere!
*DID YOU KNOW? Mother's Day started as an anti-war movement. Anna Jarvis is most often credited with founding Mother's Day in the United States. Designated as the second Sunday in May by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914, aspects of that holiday have since spread overseas, sometimes mingling with local traditions.
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
April 23, 2020
Sullivan’s Salvos 4/28/20
In this edition:
*Please Be Kind, Patient, and Calm
*Sullivan for Supervisor!
*Bohannan for Iowa House District 85
*Did You Know?
*Please Be Kind, Patient, and Calm
The Covid-19 emergency has been going on for about 8 weeks here locally. While there is a lot of talk about “opening things back up”, I urge caution. Many experts feel we could be dealing with this for a long time. And going back to “normal” too soon just might be deadly.
Trust me, no one is more frustrated than me. I am an extrovert to the extreme, and being unable to socialize is killing me! With all that in mind, please continue to try to be kind, patient, and calm!
*Sullivan for Supervisor!
As you may know, I am running for reelection to the Office of County Supervisor. The June 2 Democratic Party Primary will be here soon; I thought I should take a moment to make my case to Salvos readers!
I grew up on a Heritage farm (150 years in the same family) near Sutliff, and attended K-12 in the Lisbon school system. I attended the University of Iowa, earning a BA in 1988. I have held several positions in the field of human services, including 6 years with the Department of Human Services and 6 years as Executive Director of the Arc of Johnson County.
I am married to Dr. Melissa Fath, a Research Scientist at the UI and a volunteer Pharmacist at the Free Medical Clinic. We have 3 adult children-Rachel, Jordan, and BJ, and have served as foster parents for another 50+ children.
I have been active in many local organizations over the years, including volunteering for the Shelter Overflow, Furniture Project, United Way, Community Foundation of Johnson County, Affordable Homes Coalition, Coalition for Racial Justice, UI Center for Disabilities and Development, Hoover PTA, City High Little Hawks Club, Yes for Kids Steering Committee, One Community, One Bond Steering Committee, and the Batterer’s Education Program.
I am a member of several community organizations, including: St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Iowa Foster & Adoptive Parent Association, NAMI, Sierra Club, Bur Oak Land Trust, Center for Worker Justice, ACLU Hawkeye Chapter, AFT Local 716, and Iowa City Federation of Labor. I also served 4 years as Chair of the Johnson County Democratic Party.
Some of the accomplishments of which I am proud:
· Leadership during the Covid-19 crisis.
· Leadership during ’08 floods.
· Raising the minimum wage – the 1st county in Iowa to do so.
· Human Rights Ordinance – the 1st county in Iowa to do so.
· Sensitive Areas Ordinance – the 1st county in Iowa to do so.
· Conservation Bond Initiative – the 1st county in Iowa to do so.
· Community ID – the 1st county in Iowa to do so.
· Started 1105 Project with gift of old Public Health building.
· Saved Sutliff Bridge after ’08 floods.
· Started trails funding.
· Free Tax Help project.
· Livable Community Successful Aging.
· Outdoor warning sirens to unincorporated Johnson County.
· Local Foods Policy Council.
· “A” in local government transparency from Sunshine Institute.
· Heritage AAA Outstanding Elected Official – 2009.
If reelected, my goals are:
1. Continue community recovery from Covid-19;
2. Begin serving people at the GuideLink Center;
3. Improve Affirmative Action results;
4. Renegotiate 6 union contracts to the benefit of all.
I am grateful for your past support, and I thank you for your future consideration. I promise to never take this position for granted!
I respectfully request your vote on or before June 2. Thanks!
*Bohannan for Iowa House District 85
One of my favorite passages from the Bible is Luke 12:48 - “To whom much is given, much is expected.” If only society could see fit to follow this advice a bit more closely!
Being elected is a tremendous honor. Your fellow citizens have invested their faith and trust in you. Much has been given.
What do we expect from our elected officials? A lot depends on the situation. If they are serving in the minority, they cannot be expected to get as much accomplished. And in some cases, they represent a very “purple” district that necessitates taking more moderate positions.
So what should we expect from the person who represents the most heavily-Democratic District in Iowa? Vote the correct way almost all of the time – that is an absolute minimum. I would say she should also be a leader. She should introduce lots of progressive legislation every year. She should be a loud, forceful voice for labor, the environment, and all disadvantaged classes of people.
She should be a fighter. She should stand up and take on every bad proposal. She should call out lies. When her constituents travel to Des Moines and get bullied by Bobby Kaufmann, she should stand up for them.
She should be a presence. She should show up at community events. She should reach out to her constituents. She should spend hours out and about in the community, listening to what people have to say.
What if that same person has run unopposed since her first election? She should raise money like crazy. She should travel to neighboring Districts and knock on doors. She should be a resource and a mentor for newer elected officials at every level of government.
Those are my expectations. And they have gone unmet for far too long. That is why I support Christina Bohannan for House District 85.
Christina is a Law Professor at the UI, and full of energy! She is very progressive on the issues, and her Constitutional Law background is a real plus. Christina is smart, articulate, and passionate. She is an incredibly hard worker. True story - she calls me more times each weekthan my State Rep has called me in 20 years.
I know what you are thinking. “Why would he get involved? He is on the ballot – he should keep quiet.” That may well be good advice! But I can’t. This is too important. Local politics has been a big part of my life for over 30 years. This is the House District in which I live. This is what I do. So yes, I am getting involved, even if it comes back to bite me.
I am an elected official. I know what I expect of myself. I expect others to at least try. My constituents and I deserve the best possible representation at every level of government. We can and must do better.
Please join me in supporting Christina Bohannan for House District 85!
*DID YOU KNOW? Johnson County Supervisors run “at large”, meaning there are no districts. This means each of the 5 County Supervisors represents all 155,000 Johnson County residents.
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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