Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
The health-care reform debate currently raging in the nation’s capitol is about to shift to city halls, community centers and town squares across the country, as federal lawmakers recess and head home for a month.
And thanks to promises from conservative groups to stack meetings with activists in order to disrupt health-care town halls and other events, when Congressmen return to their districts to meet with constituents they expect to receive a rowdy reception.
Iowa’s Congressional delegation is no different. All five Congressmen and both Senators will hold town hall forums across the state, many focused exclusively on health care. While several have not finalized their August schedule, all are aware of the publicity surrounding raucous meetings in other states.
On the conservative blog Iowa Defense Alliance, blogger Albert Bregar describes a town hall forum in Knoxville held by Rep. Leonard Boswell that became heated over energy policy.
Jane Slusark, Boswell’s press secretary, said that the congressman has had no problems at any forums held so far.
“Congressman [Boswell] is using his time in the district to engage with his constituents on the issues that matter to them most,” Slusark said. “We are fortunate that the people who have come out to listen and talk with the Congressman have been respectful and interested in having a constructive conversation.”
Democrats say conservative groups are engaging in “astroturfing,” or creating the appearance of grass roots opposition when none exist.
The Democratic National Committee produced a Web ad connecting the town hall disturbances with conspiracy theorists known as birthers and the TEA Party movement, a faux grassroots uprising sponsored by conservative organizations like former Republican U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks.
A leaked memo from Bob MacGuffie, a volunteer with the FreedomWorks Web site “Tea Party Patriots,” describes how members should infiltrate town hall meetings and harass and intimidate Democratic members of Congress:
Spread out in the hall and try to be in the front half. The objective is to put thle Rep on the defensive with your questions and follow-up … You need to rock-the-boat early in the Rep’s presentation. Watch for an opportunity to yell out and challenge the Rep’s statements early. If he blames Bush for something or offers other excuses — call him on it, yell back and have someone else follow-up with a shout-out … The goal is to rattle him …”
In response, pro-reform groups have begun an effort of their own to get supporters to meetings. A strategy memo from the group Health Care for America Now encourages members to attend forums and advises activists on how to respond to an anti-reform disruption.
While several have not made their August schedule public, below is a list of what promises to be spirited forums being held by Iowa’s delegation this month:
Rep. Leonard Boswell (full August schedule not yet public)
Thursday, Aug. 13
2 to 3 p.m.
Sigourney Listening Post on Health Care
Sigourney Public Library
720 East Jackson St.
Sigourney, IowaRep. Bruce Braley
Tuesday, Aug. 18
2 p.m.
Jackson County Regional Health Center
700 W. Grove Street
Maquoketa, IowaWednesday, Aug. 19
10:00am
Fayette Congress on Your Corner (one-on-one meetings with Rep. Braley)
Upper Iowa University
Garbee Hall, Fayette/Upper Iowa Room
605 Washington St
Fayette, Iowa1:30 p.m.
Buchanan County Healthcare Town Hall
Independence Library
805 1st Street E
Independence, IowaWednesday, Aug. 26
1 p.m.
Butler County Healthcare Town Hall
Aplington-Parkersburg Middle School
215 10th Street
Aplington, Iowa3 p.m.
Bremer County Healthcare Town Hall
Waverly Health Center
Rooftop Garden
312 9th Street SW
Waverly, IowaMonday, Aug. 31
10 a.m.
Clinton County Healthcare Town Hall
Ashford University
Durgin Center
400 North Bluff Blvd.
Clinton, IowaRep. Dave Loebsack
Saturday, Aug. 15
9:30 a.m.
Kirkwood Community College
6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW
Cedar Rapids, IowaNoon
Civic Center
307 East Monroe Street
Mount Pleasant, Iowa2 p.m.
City Hall Council Chambers
811 Avenue E
Fort Madison, Iowa3:30 p.m.
City Hall Council Chambers
400 Washington Street
Burlington, IowaSaturday, Aug. 22
10 a.m.
Public Library
123 S. Linn St.
Iowa City, Iowa11:45 a.m.
Cedar County Extension
107 Cedar Street
Tipton, Iowa2 p.m.
City Hall Council Chambers
215 Sycamore Street
Muscatine, Iowa4 p.m.
City Hall Council Chambers
232 2nd Street
Columbus Junction, IowaSaturday, Aug. 29
10:30 a.m.
Public Library
120 East Main Street
Washington, Iowa1 p.m.
Fairfield Public Library
104 W. Adams St.
Fairfield, Iowa2:30 p.m.
Ottumwa Public Library
102 W. Fourth
Ottumwa, Iowa4:15 p.m.
Bloomfield- Davis County Hospital
509 N. Madison
Bloomfield, IowaRep. Tom Latham
August schedule not available.Rep. Steve King
August schedule not available.Sen. Tom Harkin (full schedule not finalized)
Saturday, Aug. 8
2 p.m.
Des Moines Primary Health Care
1200 University Ave.
Des Moines, IowaMonday, Aug. 10
9:15 a.m.
Peoples Community Health Center
905 Franklin St.
Waterloo, Iowa11:30 a.m.
Linn Community Care Center
1201 3rd Ave. SE
Cedar Rapids, IowaTuesday, Aug. 11
9 a.m.
Scott Community College
500 Belmont Road
Bettendorf, IowaWednesday, Aug. 12
1:30 p.m.
Ft. Dodge Community Health Center
126 N. 10th Street
Fort Dodge, Iowa3:30 p.m.
Main Street Visit
602 Broad St.
Story City, IowaThursday, Aug. 13
5:45 p.m.
Parker Opera House, Park Inn Hotel, & Lundberg Building
7 North Federal Ave
Mason City, IowaSen. Chuck Grassley
Wednesday, Aug. 12
9:15 to 10:15 a.m.
Winterset Public Library
123 North 2nd St.
Winterset, Iowa11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Afton City Hall Council Chambers
115 East Kansas St.
Afton, Iowa2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Panora Community Center
115 West Main St.
Panora, Iowa4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Adel Public Library
303 South 10th St.
Adel, IowaMonday, Aug. 24
9 to 10 a.m.
Rustix Restaurant
716 Sumner Ave.
Humbolt, Iowa11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Ruthven Social Center
1503 Rolling St.
Ruthven, Iowa2 to 3 p.m.
Pocahontas Public Library
12 2nd Ave. NW
Pocahontas, Iowa4:25 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
Rockwell City Community Center on the Square
424 Main St.
Rockwell City, IowaWednesday, Aug. 26
10:15 to 11:15 a.m.
Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor
14 5th Ave. NW
LeMars, Iowa12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Sanford Museum
116 E. Willow St.
Cherokee, Iowa2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Ida County Community REC Center
311 Barnes St.
Ida Grove, IowaThursday, Aug. 27
8 to 9 a.m.
Emmet County Farm Bureau
421 1st Ave. N
Estherville, Iowa10 to 11 a.m.
Sami Bedell Center for the Performing Arts
612 28th St.
Spirit Lake, IowaNoon to 1 p.m.
Merry Lanes
945 3rd Ave.
Sibley, Iowa1:45 to 2:45 p.m.
George North Community Room
115 S. Main St.
George, Iowa
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