by Art Smith | Oct 11, 2010
Kathie Obradovich’s Sunday Des Moines Register column this week provided an interesting question for us: can we reasonably interpret the results of the retention vote beyond it’s singular purpose?
As Kathie tells us, there are a number of perspectives pressing on this ballot item, although many would point directly at the Varnum v. Brien decision. And as Kathie also notes, if any or all of the three judges up for retention fail to be retained, the decision will still be in place and “same-sex marriage will still be legal [emphasis mine] in Iowa…”.
Mind you, “legal” in this case really goes as far as the administrative authorities accept it to be. It is still open to debate among many (myself included) whether the government administration is obliged to enact a judicially declared “law”. What makes the court’s action “legal” is more the acceptance of those who actually are expected to follow the law created by the legislature and approved by the Governor.
Although it is safe to say that the tensions that keep our society in balance are those that recognize the rule of law and and the overall desire to maintain order. It is in our self-interest to maintain order or we would drop into chaos. But it is dangerous for us to accept idly the unlawful action of a court when it, unelected and perceived to be the ultimate authority, decides to go beyond its bounds.
Regardless of what society as a whole is determined to do about marriage, it is wrong to allow the court to own the universal remedy as it has taken to doing in this case.
It is foolish to watch as the court takes power it does not and should not have. If we stand idly by, we allow tyranny to grow. It could take years or decades, but doing nothing will fuel its growth.
What is the People’s remedy? There are several (truly more than those listed here):
The People can demand that the Administration ignore the court’s order.
The People can change the Constitution to clarify the definition and scope of marriage.
The People can demand that the Legislature change the judicial selection process.
The People can change the Constitution to provide stricter constraints on the role of the Judiciary.
And the People can refuse to retain the judges who have tried to usurp power.
Or the People can just sit back and let the courts continue to amass power until we can no longer recognize our great state.
The retention vote process is not just a rubber stamp. It is the People’s only direct role in a process that we mostly watch from a distance as others choose those who could, if allowed, rule over us. This is how we keep them in check.
What will the vote mean?
I don’t think it will be a mandate on marriage, although it might be fair to see it as one, as much is it will be a statement of who holds power in Iowa.
Let it be the People.
by | Oct 10, 2010
The Dave Funk Campaign announced that Former Governor Terry Branstad is working to help the candidate for Polk County Supervisor in District 3. At Funk’s website:
The race for supervisor in Polk County’s third district is described as one of the most important races in Iowa. Former Gov. Terry Branstad (and current candidate) works to raise support for Republican supervisor candidate Dave Funk.
Funk, Branstad and event organizer Jeff Lamberti speak to constituents.
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It should say a lot that as a Gubernatorial Candidate, Branstad took the time to attend the Lamberti event and speak on Funk’s behalf. There’s no question that this campaign, to end over 60 years of Democrat control in Polk County, will have a significant impact on Iowa’s capitol city. Since any candidate for governor does not have time to support every individual candidate in their party, clearly Funk’s campaign is seen as critical to making a difference in Iowa as a whole and that this district is important to the Governor’s race as well.
by Art Smith | Oct 2, 2010
Registrations for the pre-release screening of “I Want Your Money” in Des Moines are already trending beyond expectations of the group that is hosting the free event. Event organizers now expect well over 200 people to attend the event to be held on Sunday October 3 at the Varsity Theatre, which can seat over 400 people.
“We’re delighted that people are willing to make this a priority on such short notice,” said Will Rogers, event organizer and Polk County Republican Co-Chair. “There is a continued wave of discontent with Washington politics and the lack of good fiscal management by our current government. People are really paying attention to the economy and our national debt and this movie illustrates the magnitude of the problem.”
The screening of “I Want Your Money”, is scheduled at 3:45 PM on Sunday October 15. It is sponsored by Polk County Republicans, along with The Iowa Republican (www.theiowarepublican.com) and The Conservative Reader (www.theconservativereader.com), two Iowa-based conservative news and commentary web sites.
WHEN:Â Sunday, October 3, 2010
TIME:Â 3:45 PM
LOCATION:Â The Varsity Theatre, 1207 25th Street, Des Moines, Iowa
TICKET PRICE: FREE. Register online at www.polkgop.com
Event Contact: Art Smith, 515-491-8747, [email protected]
![Republicans Lead In Polls, ObamaCare Progresses, And Other Dangerous Things]()
by | Sep 28, 2010
Running with scissors, bungy-jumping, lion-training don’t hold a candle to these two items…
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Republicans appear to be doing well, very well, scary well. So what’s to be done about it? Republicans need to work harder, get more engaged, get more yard signs up, knock on more doors!
Why, you may ask, would I think that?
Because early poll successes:
- Are deceiving. In Politics, scientific polling lacks integrity because there are so many factors and inconsistencies, including the fact that they reflect a point in time, which is not election day
- Are open to interpretation. The complexities and meaning behind poll answers can be interpreted multiple ways… sometimes the answers mean something different than what we think.
- Can lead to complacency. Accepting that your candidate is going to win hands down can lead to voter apathy and before you know it, everyone that said they were going to vote decides to stay home election day or just forgets to vote.
It’s great to feel good about these polls… I’m very enthused about our prospects here in Iowa. But polling can cause us to take our eye off the ball… we need to stay focused on the message, on getting it delivered to the people that need to hear it most, and make sure we get everyone out to vote come election day.
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Did you think that maybe ObamaCare wouldn’t impact you directly for a while? Think again.
New rules from the IRS issued earlier this month, based on the Affordable Care Act now require that those who pay for over-the-counter (OTC) medications (such as Claritan, Robitussin, etc.) FSAs or HRAs, beginning January 1, 2011, to get a prescription for these medications to get the reimbursements. Flexible Spending Account (FSAs) Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs) setup for medical expenses not normally covered by insurance, using untaxed dollars. On top of this, patients will have to submit the prescription information along with the receipt to their account program adminstration instead of using the more convenient (and appropriate) debit cards most of these accounts now provide.
It may seem like a small thing, but doctors don’t typically hand out prescriptions of any kind without a visit, which will cost the patient and/or their insurance provider. Add to that the new paperwork burden, and you’ve impacted many Americans enough that they will (rightfully so) choose to abandon the use of the untaxed (or pretaxed) dollars and instead reduce their FSA/HRA use (or eliminate it) and just pay for these medications with taxed dollars.
Yes this is for real, and yes I think it’s stupid. This is the result of just a small piece of the gargantuan legislation passed by a Congress bent on making us miserable. I’m convinced of that now. Give them 2 more years and they will find a way to ensure that the Government will simply pay for these medications (with an appropriate prescription) instead of just going back to a system that worked fine, therefore making us even more dependent on the government.
And the best part is, you can still use these accounts like you always did for any other medical supplies that don’t require a prescription. You will have to get a prescription to get a, frankly small, tax advantage.
Government savings, none… I can pretty much guarantee that the new taxes recovered will barely pay for the paper used to print this stupid bill. More likely we will see substantive costs go up, either in government or for insurance companies, to support this idiotic requirement.
Sometimes it just seems dangerous to get up in the morning.
by | Sep 26, 2010
Polk County Republicans
Present
A Screening For Conservative Political Activists
of
“I Want Your Money”
When:
Sunday October 3, 3:45 PM
Where:
The Varsity Theatre
1207 25th Street, Des Moines
Cost:
Free! But you must get your free ticket at this link!
(A free-will offering will be taken at the event)
Printing services provided by Image Transform
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Two versions of the American dream now stand in sharp contrast. One views the money you earned as yours and best allocated by you. It champions the traditional American dream, which has played out millions of times through generations of Americans, of improving one’s lot in life and the entrepreneurial spirit of daring to dream and to build big. The other believes that the federal government, using taxpayers’ money, should play a major role in leveling out the nation’s wealth to guarantee outcomes to all, regardless of effort. How America chooses between these two views of the role of government, at this crucial juncture, will have everything to do with the future we and our children and our children’s children will enjoy.
President Barack Obama clearly believes in the larger government view. In his Inaugural Address, he said, “Now there are some who question the scale of our ambitions – who suggest our system cannot tolerate big plans…The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works—whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.†With a federal deficit of nearly one and a half trillion dollars for 2009 and deficit projections of not less than a half a trillion dollars over the next ten years, the question of whether government is too big or too small is very relevant, even vital to the future of the nation.
Join filmmaker Ray Griggs in this documentary film I Want Your Money as he contrasts the two paths the United States can take using the words and actions of Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan. The film uses interviews from well-known public figures, experts, movie clips, dramatic portrayals, music, graphics and even comedic animation to tell the story in the plainest terms of the choice between the Obama and the Reagan views of the role of the federal government in our society. It also examines how these big government programs have been tried in the past at great moral and financial cost to the nation. California is offered as a case-in-point in understanding what economic challenges might face the nation, if we choose the larger government path. Finally, I Want Your Money is a call to action for those who care about the future of the United States.
