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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.

Ralph Reed (photo by Dave Davidson, www.TEApublican.com)
Ralph Reed (photo by Dave Davidson, www.TEApublican.com)

Pawlenty, Santorum to attend event hosted by Ralph Reed’s Iowa organization

Herman Cain and Gov. Terry Branstad will also be in attendance
By Jason Hancock | 02.14.11 | 2:52 pm

Three potential 2012 presidential candidates, along with some of Iowa’s leading Republicans, will be in attendance for the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition’s Spring Event on March 7.

The group, which is the Iowa arm of Ralph Reed‘s national organization, announced Monday that former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza Herman Cain, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum will attend. In addition to the potential presidential hopefuls, Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and conservative U.S. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) will also be attending the event.

Reed, the former head of the Christian Coalition and a veteran Republican strategist, founded the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition last March. Formerly known as the Iowa Christian Alliance, the group vowed to be an influential voice in Iowa politics and the Iowa Caucuses, with Reed saying if he could raise $500,000, Hawkeye State politics would be changed for the better.

Santorum was its first guest, followed in October by U.S. Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.). Shortly before the November election, the group ran a TV ad attacking U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa). Its local leader, Steve Scheffler, is also one of three Iowans serving on the Republican National Committee.

The event is set to take place at Point of Grace church in Waukee. The church’s pastor, Jeff Mullen, garnered headlines last year when he launched two websites aimed at convincing pastors to preach in opposition of three state Supreme Court justices up for a retention vote. Many believe his actions violated federal tax law, which forbids 501(c)3 organizations, including churches, from intervening in elections in support of or opposition to any candidate.

Follow Jason Hancock on Twitter


Comments

  • http://www.CoreyMondello.com/ Corey

    Only the elimination of all conservative Christians will allow all Americans to be free and the world to no longer have to live in fear of the U.S.A.’s imperialist, terrorist holy war. The conservative ideology has never helped mankind in any way, it has not only never helped mankind in anyway, it has oppressed, murdered, raped and killed all those in it’s way to gain power. History shows us this. Fact shows us this. James Madison, the “Father of the U.S. Constitution”, along with many founders of this country, regardless of their religious or non-religious affiliations, knew keeping politics and religion separate not only preserves each, but helps them flourish: “The number, the industry, and the morality of the Priesthood and the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the Church and the State.”

    • Republican

      “Only the elimination of all conservative Christians”

      With all due respect, I find your suggestion that these people should be “eliminated” to be horrifying and possibly worse than what many of them are currently trying to do. People shouldn’t turn their religious beliefs into civil law, I agree, but to call for the end of an entire group of people is disgusting.

      • http://www.CoreyMondello.com/ Corey

        Second amendment remedies were good enough for Sharon Angle to suggest. I only want to stop those who want me dead or to be treated as if from a lower class as them, and those who steal taxpayers money to travel the world to spread their hate.

        • Republican

          Thanks for the reply.

          Sharon Angle did say that, but why respond in kind? There are ways to deal with such people that don’t involve “elimination”. That’s what our political/government structure is for. She didn’t even win and her extreme rhetoric was the main reason for that, so isn’t that a good sign?

          By your comments, I take it that you’re referring to people who want you to be treated unfairly because you’re gay. It is disgusting that there are people out there like that, I agree, but the good news is that the gay rights side is winning. One reason that these holier-than-thou types are getting even louder is because they know they’re losing. Young people as a group are very accepting of gays. Many even consider it the main civil rights issue of our time.

          Oh, and BTW, not all conservatives are Bible-thumpers. The word conservative has been hijacked my extremists.

    • lieutenant columbo

      hey,corey you hit the jackpot. your wish is coming true sooner than later and then you can have this cursed planet. also are you just ignorant on religion and government and history or are you ignorant on all topics as well.

      • http://www.CoreyMondello.com/ Corey

        “ignorant on religion and government and history or are you ignorant on all topics as wel”

        care to back this up?

    • http://qcblue.blogspot.com/ UIGrad2010

      Well you are right that the founding fathers saw the problem with religion, in particular christianity, and its history in Europe of getting involved in the political affairs of secular governments, most notably the catholic church. Most of the founding fathers, like Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison though organized religion was a disease in society. They believed in god, but they did not believe in church or in the institutions religion creates. More people should read the work of the founding fathers, including the Constitution, especially the tea baggers and the wingnuts on the right who love to invoke the names of these brave men to support there cowardly ideas. I think what you meant to say was that we won’t be free until we see the final futility of the conservative christian movement. It will happen. As our generation takes over and tries to correct the myriad of problems the last one has left us. Acceptance of gay people, tolerance for people of different faiths, and the realization that education is the most important thing we need to focus on will all come to fruition once the older generations who hold us in these ways today pass on. Sad to say. But it is true.

      • http://qcblue.blogspot.com/ UIGrad2010

        and what I meant to say above was that the Church got involved in European affairs so much that it allowed for autocracy and led to the creation of secular governments that we see today. Religion does not belong in politics. Plain and simple.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_5XJLDLQFMGBVGUWRBU4QKN6UVU J J
  • Anonymous

    Does anyone know if pastor Jeff Mullen is being investigated by the feds for his likely violation of federal tax law?

  • http://qcblue.blogspot.com/ UIGrad2010

    ha faith and Freedom? Lol. Freedom unless you are poor, gay, a minority, in a union, or a student. Please. The republican party is the antithesis of freedom.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XEFGEOUH52QNNSCD233KGH7UE4 Wendy Peterson

    Sorry guys, but as President Barack Obama just released another federal budget with incredible amounts of deficit spending, I think he just made himself a one-termer. You read it here first, President Obama will lose in 2012.

    • http://qcblue.blogspot.com/ UIGrad2010

      Did you have a problem with the last administration doing even worse? Or perhaps with Ronald Reagan, who added more than any of the past 5 presidents? Or do we just have to hear this now because it’s a Democratic President? And since when has republican governance worked? It doesn’t. It failed. It has done nothing but widen the gap between the rich and poor, enlarged that poor group, helped corporations screw over workers, left us with massive deficits, and huge government. You whine about the deficit while it was you and people in your generation that left us this mess. Tax cuts don’t pay for themselves. You have to adjust, and Bush did not. This budget does do awful things, but it does have many good things, and we do need to be spending more to create more jobs, not cutting education and not cutting things like PBS and police hiring. He might lose, but if he does it will be because naive voters like yourself.

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XEFGEOUH52QNNSCD233KGH7UE4 Wendy Peterson

        Stop feeling sorry for President Obama and evaluate his term objectively. Eventually you have to stop blaming everything on President George W. Bush and you have to expect results out of the current executive. President Barack has not done enough during his first term to justify winning another: We are still in Iraq, we are in more debt than ever, our economy still hasn’t recovered mostly because of excessive government spending. If you don’t like who the Republicans run in 2012 to counter Obama’s Presidency with the aforementioned facts, vote for a third party candidate.

    • Republican

      ‘You read it here first, President Obama will lose in 2012.’

      Hardly the first place I read it, but I do think Obama will be a one-termer. That doesn’t mean it will be an easy fight though. Heaven help us if we pick Palin.

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