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Open letter to readers: Today and tomorrow

By Lynda Waddington | 11.17.11

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.

ACS lockout continues; plan emerges to repeal sugar protections

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By Virginia Chamlee | 11.15.11

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.

Cain campaign: Farmers know more about regulations than EPA

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By Andrew Duffelmeyer | 11.15.11

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.

Mathis wins, Democrats maintain Senate control

Liz Mathis
By Lynda Waddington | 11.08.11

The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.

Press Release

PR: Nation should work to address veterans’ challenges

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

BRUCE BRALEY RELEASE — As US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan ends, it’s more important than ever that our nation works to address the challenges faced by the men and women who fought there.

PR: Honoring veterans, help in hiring

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

CHUCK GRASSLEY RELEASE — A difficult job market is challenging the soldiers, sailors and airmen who have protected America’s interests by serving in the Armed Forces.

PR: In honor of America’s veterans

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

TOM LATHAM RELEASE — No one has done more to secure the freedom enjoyed by every single American than our veterans and those currently serving in the armed services.

PR: Honoring and supporting our nation’s veterans

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

DAVE LOEBSACK RELEASE — Veterans Day is an opportunity to reflect on the service of generations of veterans and to honor the sacrifices they and their families have made so that we may live in peace and freedom here at home.

Harkin: McCain is hostile to farm country

By Douglas Burns | 08.19.08 | 8:04 am

The chairman of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee told a Carroll audience that Barack Obama has done more to support Iowa farming in a few years than John McCain has in a political lifetime.

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin

“To me this (Obama) could be a really good friend of ours in the White House to those of us who farm or live in rural communities,” U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said at a rural roundtable for Obama, a U.S. senator from Illinois and the Democratic presidential candidate.

More than 30 people attended the 90-minute event in the Harold Bierl Room at the Carroll Depot.

In a wide-ranging presentation and question-and-answer session, Harkin said the issue with McCain, the GOP presidential nominee, is not about party politics. McCain is hostile to farm country and has the record show it, Harkin said.

“He (McCain) has ridiculed every farm bill we have had on the floor,” Harkin said.

McCain voted against the 2002 farm bill and has said that if he were president today he would veto the current farm bill — one which all seven of Iowa’s federal elected officials, including three Republicans, supported.

“I would have a hard time telling you when John McCain has ever stepped forward to help us on rural issues,” Harkin said.

McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona who was fist elected to Congress in 1982, has voted against ethanol more than 10 times and opposed the wind production tax credits advocates like T. Boone Pickens say are crucial for the creation of a wind-power corridor through Iowa.

Harkin said Obama has been on board with Midwestern agriculture since his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004 — and during his career in the Illinois State Senate.

Meanwhile, McCain opposes virtually all farm subsidies.

“I don’t support agricultural subsidies no matter where they are,” McCain said during a recent appearance in Wisconsin, according to the Associated Press. “The farm bill, $300 billion, is something America simply can’t afford.”

Harkin said the interests of agriculture and renewable energy intersect.

He thinks voters will see calls to drill for more oil as short-term pandering not in the interests of farm country — where more energy can be harvested along with food.

Harkin said Obama understands Iowa and other farming states will play a key role in transitioning the United States from oil to renewables — even if more oil is available domestically.

“We didn’t move to automobiles because we were running out of houses,” Harkin said. “And we didn’t move from candles to light bulbs because we were running out of wax.”

Harkin is joining U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., in advocating a flex-fuel vehicle mandate. When one audience member jokingly asked Harkin if these vehicles could run on Templeton Rye, the senator replied, “Some stuff’s too good to put in the tank.”

Harkin had earlier toured the whiskey distillery in Templeton.

Comments

  • Marshall Davidson

    Farm subsidies are the common commercial bribery Tom Harkin and other politicians exchange for the opportunity to look attentively concerned while spending other people's money.

  • Marshall Davidson

    Farm subsidies are the common commercial bribery Tom Harkin and other politicians exchange for the opportunity to look attentively concerned while spending other people’s money.

  • M Tobias

    What can we expect?
    John McCain is a great elitist with his $500 shoes and his private plane and his six houses. Obama grew in a single parent household which struggled to give him a great education. McCain was at the bottom of his Anapolis class becasue as an elitist, he did not cherish the education.

    5 million bucks a year is rich? I would say so. How about a half million?

  • M Tobias

    What can we expect?
    John McCain is a great elitist with his $500 shoes and his private plane and his six houses. Obama grew in a single parent household which struggled to give him a great education. McCain was at the bottom of his Anapolis class becasue as an elitist, he did not cherish the education.

    5 million bucks a year is rich? I would say so. How about a half million?

  • M Tobias

    What can we expect?
    John McCain is a great elitist with his $500 shoes and his private plane and his six houses. Obama grew in a single parent household which struggled to give him a great education. McCain was at the bottom of his Anapolis class becasue as an elitist, he did not cherish the education.

    5 million bucks a year is rich? I would say so. How about a half million?

  • Randall Haugen

    Those subsidys are what make or break Iowa's economy, Its clear that Macsame Knows Nothing about Economic issues,He said so himself and it shows more and more.

  • Randall Haugen

    Those subsidys are what make or break Iowa's economy, Its clear that Macsame Knows Nothing about Economic issues,He said so himself and it shows more and more.

  • Randall Haugen

    Those subsidys are what make or break Iowa's economy, Its clear that Macsame Knows Nothing about Economic issues,He said so himself and it shows more and more.

  • Randall Haugen

    Those subsidys are what make or break Iowa’s economy, Its clear that Macsame Knows Nothing about Economic issues,He said so himself and it shows more and more.

  • daddysteve

    I won't vote for McCain but on the farm bills he is absolutely correct. And did the govt. subsidize cars and light bulbs to make them commercially viable? What an ignorant statement. Why does big business get the majority of benefits from the bill and why is there always so much other crap in these bills that have nothing to do with farming? the only good thing about Harkin lately is that he voted against FISA. Can't say that about Grassley.

  • daddysteve

    I won't vote for McCain but on the farm bills he is absolutely correct. And did the govt. subsidize cars and light bulbs to make them commercially viable? What an ignorant statement. Why does big business get the majority of benefits from the bill and why is there always so much other crap in these bills that have nothing to do with farming? the only good thing about Harkin lately is that he voted against FISA. Can't say that about Grassley.

  • daddysteve

    I won't vote for McCain but on the farm bills he is absolutely correct. And did the govt. subsidize cars and light bulbs to make them commercially viable? What an ignorant statement. Why does big business get the majority of benefits from the bill and why is there always so much other crap in these bills that have nothing to do with farming? the only good thing about Harkin lately is that he voted against FISA. Can't say that about Grassley.

  • daddysteve

    I won’t vote for McCain but on the farm bills he is absolutely correct. And did the govt. subsidize cars and light bulbs to make them commercially viable? What an ignorant statement. Why does big business get the majority of benefits from the bill and why is there always so much other crap in these bills that have nothing to do with farming? the only good thing about Harkin lately is that he voted against FISA. Can’t say that about Grassley.

  • Mike Solite

    I think McCain is dead wrong on issues important to Iowans. For those Republicans who forget everything our nominee has done before he is ordained our nominee (And there are so many), just take a look at McCain's voting record. It is absolutely horrible in regards to what has been done for Iowans.
    Part of which I must think has to be about the personal beef he has against Chuck Grassley, who is the best senator Iowa has ever seen. I cannot believe that he took away Grassley's delegate status.

    What is McCain thinking? Is he just giving up on Iowa?

  • Peggy

    Marshall Davidson for President!!

  • Interesting

    What do we have here? It sure as heck looks like a liberal front group called the “Iowa Independent.”

    Go to the Iowa Secretary of States website and see what you find.

    When you do a search for “Iowa Independent” and think you might get a business, corporation, or non-profit — guess what you get?

    You get a registered trademark.

    “Iowa Independent” is merely a registered trademark of a liberal non-profit group based in Washington, D.C.

    The same group that is funded by the likes of SEIU and Tim Gill.

    That kind of looks like “Iowa Independent” is the group that is really operating in the shadows.

    Digging through much of what is written here — and where the funding for this group comes from — makes it pretty ripe for a complaint with the IRS and the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.

    Does “Iowa Independent” even maintain a bank account? Do they have a board? Who makes their editorial decisions? How much money is disbursed to them from SEIU's DC-supported charity? What does that group tell them to write or do?

  • Fair and Balanced

    An investigation on Iowa Independent has found the blog has deep roots in state Democrat politics. And, unlike MoveOn.org, a similar group advocating liberal causes, it’s easy to determine who is actually behind the Iowa “Independent”. The key players include:

    Dana Boone: Voter Registration – Democrat
    Jason Hancock: Voter Registration – Democrat
    Chase Martyn: Voter Registration – Democrat
    T.M. Lindsey: Voter Registration – Democrat

    Other “players” straight from http://iowaindependent.com/about:

    John Deeth: “He left journalism to do campaign fieldwork for the Democrats.” I believe writing for the Iowa Independent allows this statement to continue to be accurate.

    Dien Judge: “son of Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge and former state Senator John Judge.”

    Alec Schierenbeck: “president of College Democrats of Iowa.”

    Lynda Waddington: “on the Democratic State Central Committee.”

    The only place where I see Iowa “Independent” as being “independent” is with Doug Burns. He is sooooooo “independent” that they even list that “He is registered to vote as an Independent.” Oh, but then again he used to work for “U.S. Rep. Pat Danner of Missouri, a Blue Dog Democrat.”

  • Peggy2

    Gee, didn't the IA Indy just run a story this week saying that the Iowa Farm Bureau has endorsed every Iowa incumbent pol EXCEPT TOM HARKIN?

    Given that, who gives a crap what Tom Harkin, who hasn't maintained a legitimate residence in Iowa for years, thinks about John McCain's farm policy?

    McCain is a huge watchdog of special interest earmarks and he doesn't worry about who might get offended when he speaks out against them. There are too many farmers who are used to getting their government subsidies.

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  • Lex88

    Senator Harkin, please pass-on my comment below to Senator Obama. Thank you.

    Senator Obama,
    Fantastic that you have Sen. Biden as your running mate!!!!
    What a team!!!
    Now on to the White House.
    Lex88

  • Lex88

    Senator Harkin, please pass-on my comment below to Senator Obama. Thank you.

    Senator Obama,
    Fantastic that you have Sen. Biden as your running mate!!!!
    What a team!!!
    Now on to the White House.
    Lex88

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