SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
March 15, 2023
Sullivan’s Salvos 3/21/23
In this edition:
*Prairie Preview
*Comedy Fundraiser for Inside Out
*2023 Iowa Legislature
*Trans Protections
*Biden for President!
*Did You Know?
*Prairie Preview
Just as spring arrives, a beloved and deeply rooted environmental learning and networking event will bloom again in downtown Iowa City.
Bur Oak Land Trust will host the 38th year of Prairie Preview Thursday, March 23 at the Iowa City Senior Center, 28 S. Linn St. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. for registration and exhibitor fair. The program begins at 6 p.m.
The event will keep with tradition by featuring a keynote speaker. Connie Mutel, author, passionate
Keynote speaker Connie Mutel will discuss her newest book, "Tending Iowa’s Land: Pathways to a Sustainable Future.”
conservationist, and longtime science writer for the University of Iowa’s IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering department will share visionary ideas promoting biodiversity and hope from her latest book, “Tending Iowa’s Land: Pathways to a Sustainable Future.” Book contributor and Bur Oak Land Trust Board President, Larry Weber will speak about his water-focused vision for land management.
Like in previous years, the Prairie Preview exhibitor fair will have more than 25 organizations ready to share opportunities for local nature enthusiasts to support or get involved in Iowa’s outdoors.
*Comedy Fundraiser for Inside Out
Inside Out (IO) is having a fundraiser to help IO provide staff and programming for the new Reentry House, which they close on next month.
The event features a native son of Iowa City (and very funny guy) named Jeff Houghton (City High and UI grad) with his "late night" talk show The Mystery Hour. James Tutson and the Rollback will be the musical guests and Mayor Bruce Teague will appear.
The event is Friday, March 24 at 7:30 at The Englert. Reserved seating is $28 and a VIP ticket (show and reception) is $53. Tickets are on sale through the box office there.
A friend saw Houghton’s show in Springfield, MO, where he lives now, and said it was great! “Intelligent, compassionate, funny, very family friendly.”
*2023 Iowa Legislature
I have written very little about the Iowa Legislature this year, and that is on purpose. The Republicans in the Legislature have been such bullies that this session is pretty much unprecedented.
On one hand, it is important that folks understand how truly evil the GOP has been. On the other hand, people who read this newsletter likely already follow politics. You’ll find the info.
I just can’t bring myself to write about it much. I don’t think what I would say will help us to beat them in the future. So I am keeping it a bit quiet. Meanwhile, stay strong! Better days will come!
*Trans Protections
The group that seems to be under attack the most in the GOP Legislature are trans folks. It is sickening.
I do want to point out that the Johnson County Human Rights Ordinance, passed in 2006, gives full protection to trans people. We were ahead of our time back then, though still far too late.
Trans folks – hang in there, and please tell me what you need from me.
*Biden for President!
I chuckled as I wrote this. If you follow my writings, you know that I have never been a big Biden fan. I did not support him in ’88, ’08, or ’20. So why now?
The answer is pretty simple: Biden has already beaten Trump, and if given the opportunity, he will beat him again. It is going to be very difficult to maintain Democratic control of the US Senate in ’24. We simply MUST have a Democratic President, or we can expect national legislation just like the crap we are getting in Iowa. With Biden in place, he can veto all the vile stuff the GOP will put forth.
In addition, we must give credit where credit is due. Biden has done a very good job as President. He has definitely exceeded my expectations. He has demonstrated a willingness to listen to the left wing of the party. He’s been fair and decent.
And his record is outstanding! To wit:
The Inflation Reduction Act lowers costs for families, combats the climate crisis, reduces the deficit, and finally makes the largest corporations pay their fair share. For the first time, Medicare is able to negotiate the price of certain high-cost drugs, a month’s supply of insulin for seniors is capped at $35, Medicare beneficiaries pay $0 out of pocket for recommended adult vaccines, and seniors’ out of pocket expenses at the pharmacy will be capped at $2,000 a year.
He worked across the aisle to forge consensus and passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure. We are rebuilding our roads, bridges, ports, and airports, upgrading public transit and rail systems, replacing lead pipes to provide clean water, cleaning up pollution, providing affordable high-speed internet to every family in America, delivering cheaper and cleaner energy to households and businesses, and creating good-paying jobs – including union jobs, and jobs that don’t require a four-year degree.
President Biden signed historic bipartisan legislation protecting marriage for same-sex and interracial couples. President Biden nominated and the Senate confirmed Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Justice Jackson is one of our nation’s brightest legal minds and has unprecedented experience in our legal system. President Biden’s other judicial appointees include record percentages of women, racial and ethnic minorities, and civil rights lawyers and public defenders. Sixty-six percent of President Biden’s nominees are women, and 65% are people of color.
The President has signed Executive Orders to protect access to reproductive health care, including abortion and contraception, and safeguard patient privacy and sensitive health information, and has made clear his commitment to fighting any attack by a state or local official who attempts to interfere with women exercising their constitutional right to travel out of state for medical care.
The Biden Administration announced debt relief of up to $20,000 for Americans earning less than $125,000 per year who had Pell Grants in college, and up to $10,000 for all other borrowers below that income threshold. More than 40 million borrowers stand to benefit from this action, and about 20 million would see their debt entirely wiped out - and nearly 90% of this relief will go to borrowers earning less than $75,000 per year.
To help remedy our country’s failed approach to marijuana, including racial disparities, the President pardoned all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession and urged governors to do the same. The Administration is also initiating the process to review how marijuana is scheduled under federal law. Marijuana is currently a Schedule I drug, the same classification as for heroin and LSD and even higher than for fentanyl and methamphetamine.
President Biden took action to lower the cost of health care for millions of Americans. Right now, four out of five people who sign up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act can find health care coverage for $10 a month or less and millions of Americans on Obamacare are saving an average of $800 a year. Since he took office, there has been a combined 50 percent increase in enrollment in states that use HealthCare.gov and the nation’s uninsured rate is historically low at 8 percent. Over 16 million Americans signed up for quality, affordable health coverage, the highest number ever produced in an open enrollment period.
Do we really want to run away from that? What does it say about us to abandon a President with this list of accomplishments?
Yes, President Biden is old. But he has demonstrated that he can do the job. I see no reason to change horses midstream. Biden 2024!
*DID YOU KNOW? Biden is the first US President since Reagan to have not attended an Ivy League school. The last President to not attend college at all was Harry Truman.
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 @ 7:59 PM
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