The Boswell Jobs Act Timer

Posted on September 14, 2011 by The Voice of Truth

As previously posted, numerous readers have sent emails to Representative Boswell’s office requesting copies of the Jobs Act presented by President Obams last Thrusday night.

Most of those requests went out on Friday of last week.  Following is the elapsed time from the approximate time of those requests.  We will run this elapsed time counter until we are notified that our readers have received copies of the Jobs Act from their Representative.


253 days 11 hours 57 minutes 5 seconds, Since readers have requested a copy of the Jobs Act from Representative Boswell and have yet to receive a reply

Reminder:  President Obama requested that his Jobs Act be considered by the legislature at once.  Yet, constituents cannot obtain a copy at this moment.

Note:  This post will remain at the top of the site until readers recieve their copy of the Jobs Act.  New content will follow this post.

Posted in Iowa Third District | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Special Election May Remove Biggest Hurdle to Iowa’s Economic Progress

Posted on September 17, 2011 by Truth Seeker

Iowans won’t have to wait until November 2012 for a chance to shake up the balance of power in the state senate. Governor Terry Branstad appointed state Senator Swati Dandekar (D) of Senate District 18 to the Iowa Utilities Board. The political move creates a vacancy in her Senate district that must be filled by a special election, already scheduled for November 8th. The district itself lies outside the city of Cedar Rapids, consisting of Marion, Hiawatha, Robins, Palo, Alburnet, and some other areas in Linn county.  This appointment, creating the special election, by Gov. Branstad comes at a time when many Iowans are frustrated by the economy and rising unemployment.

Political assessment of the district shows that it is fairly conservative, with Marion and Hiawatha consisting of more affluent neighborhoods and most of the rest of the district being rural. As a former Cedar Rapids resident, the area certainly would seem to be an easier pickup for a conservative candidate, but many of the residents in Linn County are more than willing to look beyond party.  Sen. Dandekar was elected as a conservative Democrat in the anti-Republican wave of 2008.  Voter registration indicates there are more non-aligned voters in the district than either party has registered, though the GOP has a slight voter registration advantage.

Currently Democrats control the 50-seat state Senate, 26 members to the Republicans’ 24 members. Even with majority control of the Iowa House and the Executive branch, Republicans and Governor Branstad have had their legislative agenda impeded by the Senate, under Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal’s control.  A victory by a Republican candidate in this race would balance the control of the Senate, weakening Sen. Gronstal’s ability to stall the legislative agenda.  Power in the Senate would be shared between the parties.

You may recall that under Sen. Gronstal, Iowans were unable to stop late-term abortions in Iowa, instead restricting them geographically to 5 authorized areas that have a level II or III neonatology center.  Conveniently, Sen. Gronstal’s own district in Council Bluffs (where LeRoy Carhart was planning to open up a late-term abortion clinic after Nebraska passed their own ban on the procedure) does not qualify.  Sen. Gronstal blocked an up or down vote on a marriage amendment to the Iowa constitution.  He is the major reason the state almost shut down this summer over a budget impass, drawing a line in the sand on Gov. Branstad’s proposal of a two-year budget, claiming that it gives the executive branch too much power (even though the Governor made several offers to limit his powers during the campaign as a trade off).  These are just a few instances where the legislative agenda was stalled in the Senate.  Entire proposals to reform government programs, create jobs, and ease the burdens of job creators never even had a hearing in the Senate due to Sen. Gronstal.

The importance of this race cannot be diminished.  Sen. Gronstal wants to keep his power of “no”, while Republicans are desperate to work on bills pertaining to the economy and jobs, not to mention reforming education and health care to make them more cost effective and viable, before voters give up on the GOP.  Governor Branstad promised several hundred thousand new jobs during the campaign, but has been unable to get any bill through the senate that would effectively reduce the costs on employers in order to increase employment or give incentives to new businesses to move to the state.  While the media primarily focuses on social issues being the dividing lines between Republicans and Democrats, the truth is that power and political credit are the real reasons nothing is getting through the senate.  Instead of working to help Iowans, it seems Sen. Gronstal is only looking out for himself, at a nearly unbearable cost to the rest of us.  A politically balanced Senate will be forced to work with the House to the benefit of all Iowans.

Posted in Iowa | Leave a comment

The Real Reason Airline Management Opposes Arming Pilots.

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Dave Funk

Published by   in In The News  on January 7th, 2004

Despite the obvious benefit of arming pilots against terrorist attacks on our airlines, substantial opposition to the program is still being brought by the Air Transport Association and its member carriers.

The most often sited concern is the air carrier’s liability for the actions of a Federal Flight Deck Officers (FFDO’S, or armed pilots) use of a weapon to defend the flight deck. Let’s look at this at this from two angles: First, since 9/11 almost all of the airlines have authorized in their official Operating Manuals a Federal Aviation Administration mandated and approved document that governs everything flight crews and airlines do and…how they operate, including the use of force, up to and including lethal force, to defend the integrity of the flight deck. The legal use of a firearm by the FFDO is already a liability-free event for the carriers; Congress has made it so in the enabling legislation. The firearm is just a tool, not unlike the crash ax or fire extinguisher in the cockpit.

The logistical concerns of traveling armed within the airline system have been answered by making the FFDO’s federal agents. The necessary expense of training, equipping and implementing the program is being born at this time by individual pilots and the government, not the airlines.

Airline management, including my own employer’s chief pilot, have repeatedly stated and published in multiple places that “studies” show the cost and risks associated with the FFDO plan far outweigh the benefits. To this I say, produce the studies! They will not quote them and most likely the studies do not exist. Often argued is that the new armored cockpit doors, additional Federal Air Marshals (FAM-s) and improved screening systems have removed the need for FFDO-s. Let’s deal with each of these in order:

The reinforced door is not impenetrable; it is simply a barrier, much like a condom, and has to be used properly to work. The number of Federal Air Marshals is classified, but it is less than two percent of the 35-40,000 needed to cover each domestic flight daily. The cost of complete FAM coverage for all flights would exceed the current FAA annual budget. The claim of improved screening carries very little weight. Watch the news daily and you will regularly hear stories of prohibited items found on airliners, breeches of the checkpoints and panicked terminal closures. The checkpoints are improving, but are not yet, nor will they ever be perfect.

I have heard from fellow pilots, management, and industry observers that “some” pilots should not be trusted with guns. I can only answer that by stating that procedures are in place within the system to identify pilots who are psychological risks. Anyone who feels strongly enough about a pilot’s mental state or trustworthiness should utilize the tools available to deal with this problem. If we can trust them with the lives of hundreds of passengers, millions of dollars worth of airplanes, and literally billions of dollars of liability every time they leave the gate, we had damn well better be able to trust them with a gun.

Undoubtedly the real, well hidden reason for resistance to arming pilots is more primal, not unlike the politicians on the left, or the blue blood, country club Republicans on the right who support gun control. The real reason is that upper management is more interested in people control and their personal safety, not in real security.

In the late 1990’s, during a brief conversation with Doctor Jerald Post of George Washington University at an industry symposium about disruptive passengers sponsored by the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA), I asked Dr. Post what upper management fears most. He came back instantly with two answers. One, that “big” money people fear being poor, not broke, but poor, best defined as the lack of access to capital and the ability to make money. The second, and not as shocking if you study history, is that they fear being killed by their own employees.

Airline management’s blind adherence to failed business models, mismanagement of the companies’ human and physical assets, or just plain inhumane treatment of employees, might just lead to one of their formerly trusted people walking in and killing a management member, the CEO, or a major shareholder–in management’s belief.  This is the real (and ultimate) reason that they oppose guns in the hands of pilots.

Editor’s note:
“Cap-n-D” is an active commercial airline Captain currently working for a major carrier.  This story is DefRev original content.

Source: DefenseReview.com (http://s.tt/13fXw)

Posted in National | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Report: Jobs Act in Hiding

Posted on September 13, 2011 by The Voice of Truth

As of 4 pm on Tuesday, September 13th, it is reported by several readers that have asked Representative Boswell for a copy of the President’s Jobs Act proposals that they have yet to receive a reply from the venerable Congressman.

Either the Jobs Act proposals have not yet been passed to Congress by the President or the Congressman is not communicating well with his constituents.  Since the President called for immediate passage, we remain preplexed by this lack of response.

We, along with many of our readers, demand that Representative Boswell, or any Representative in your Congressional District, pass along a copy of the President’s Jobs Act proposal to their constituents as soon as possible.

Posted in Iowa, Iowa Third District, National | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Request of Congressman Boswell – The Jobs Act

Posted on September 10, 2011 by The Voice of Truth

Can He Get Access to Jobs Act

The contributors of TrutIowa applaud the President’s attention to the emerging crisis that is the United States economy that was expressed by giving a speech before a joint session of Congress on Thursday night.

Many of the contributors here at TruthIowa listened to or watched the speech.  What we heard were many concepts that were presented all of which lacked clarity or detail.  We have decided not to comment on the viability of those proposals until we are able to review the detail.  Many readers of TruthIowa.com have also contacted us expressing the same view – they wish to see the plan before giving feedback to their legislators here in Iowa.

Many of our readers forwarded to us emails that they have sent to Congressman Boswell or Braley requesting copies of the details of the plan.  Following is an example of one email that one of our readers forwarded to us (we have redacted the name for publication on this website):

Dear Congressman Boswell

I am one of your constituents and live in Redacted, Iowa

In light of the current urgent circumstances of the President’s recent speech before a joint session of the United States legislature and the urgency that he requested action, would you please forward to me a copy of his proposed act as soon as possible so that I may provide you with my opinion on the legislation.  As you already know, the President has asked Congress and the people to act swiftly in consideration of this proposal.  It is, therefore, of utmost urgency that myself and your other constituents receive a copy of the bill as quickly as feasible.

Thank you in advance for your quick response and attention to this most urgent matter

Regards

Name Redacted

Town of Residence Redacted, Iowa

We applaud this effort by citizens of our great state to attempt to ascertain the exact contents of the President’s plan prior to providing feedback to our Representatives.  Given the fact that the President asked for immediate action on the plan some 20+ times during his speech, we are anxiously awaiting Congressman Boswell’s (or Braley’s or Loesbeck’s) reply as soon as possible given the fact that they belong to the same party.

We here at TruthIowa.com will track the responses of Congressman Boswell, at least, to this urgent request.  Since the President has requested immediate action, we are certain that we will see a copy of the plan and its details no later than Monday morning.  It is our intent to publish the contents of the plan here at TruthIowa.com as soon as it is available.

If anyone else would like to contact Congressman Boswell to request your own copy of the plan, you may do so at:  rep.boswell.ia03@mail.house.gov

If your are represented by any other Congressman in the state, you may contact them by replacing the name and district number appropriately.  For those wishing to post their responses, please use the comments section.

We are at a crossroads in the American economy with regards to our world competitiveness.  We have been there before at the end of the Presidency of Jimmy Carter and the country and its people responded to that threat to once again become the undisputed economic power in the world.  We anxiously await the details of the President’s plan to put us back on pace to become the economic powerhouse of the world, as do our readers.

Posted in Iowa, National | Leave a comment

Around Iowa – Caucuses, Schools and More

Posted on September 6, 2011 by The Voice of Truth

While it may have been a quiet weekend around Iowa in terms of governmental and political items that impact Hawkeye State residents directly, the national news was laboring over the state of the nation on the Labor Day holiday.

Given the quiet discourse in our state Government and our psychic need to update the site, following are some links to stories that are at least newsworthy.

A new blogger from our state thinks that Mr. Obama’s Labor Day speech in Detroit was quite divisive and not at all constructive – Obama and Motown.

In other national and/or caucus related news, a new Rassmussen Poll shows Governor Perry with a sizable lead amongst Iowa Republicans.  Sarah Palin headlined a major Tea Party event in Indianola which Kathie Obradovich covered for the Des Moines Register, and Michele Bachmann’s campaign staff has been realigned provoking rumors of a troubled organization.

More locally, Des Moines residents will be faced with the question of forming a ward based School Board structure which the Des Moines Register and Conservative Blogger Shane Vander Hart both support.

It is post Labor Day now, and the news will be picking up.  TruthIowa will be here to expose the truth and mendacity of government in Iowa and beyond.

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Creative Mendacity Award

Posted on August 29, 2011 by hound

Senator Robert Dvorsky

As we, and many others much more deeply, covered during the debate over the 2012 state budget, there was considerable wrangling over its size.

Republicans, including Governor Branstad, insisted on a total spending cap of below six (6) billion dollars.  Democrats, arguing that state finances projected a significant surplus for 2012, insisted on budgets in a range of $6.2 billion to $6.5 billion.  It was not until the last week prior to a government shutdown that everyone agreed to a budget of $5.99 billion, which complied with the Governor’s objective.  One of the tricks used to get an agreement from those wishing to spend more was to shift $282 million to accounts outside of the general fund.

Today, the state auditor, David Vaudt, released his latest projections on the finalized 2012 budget and Vaudt states the following in a story in the Des Moines Register…

“The reason the total spending is bigger than the $5.9 billion claimed by the Legislature and the governor is because they shifted $282 million in spending to accounts outside the general fund. They then could claim general fund spending was smaller than the previous year, when it wasn’t an apples-to-apples comparison.”

Moreover, it looks like Iowa will run a budget deficit next year…

“The budget taps $53 million of one-time money from the economic emergency fund – so the state will spend $53 million more than it takes in this fiscal year, Vaudt said.”

So, it appears, as usual, that the practice of politics included some oft used budget tricks to reach “compromise”, again from the story in the Des Moines Register…

“In fiscal year 2010, the Democrats who controlled both chambers and the governor’s office shifted $173 million outside the general fund, Vaudt said.”

It would be nice if these time honored practices ended, but the statement that caused the most preplexity in our minds and caused us to shake our heads in incredulity was the following from Sen. Bob Dvorsky, D-Coralville, chairman of the Iowa Senate Appropriations Committee……

“Today’s report by the state auditor is more evidence that the Governor and Republican legislators were misguided when they repeatedly tried impose deep, damaging cuts in funding to Iowa’s local schools, health care and job-creation efforts during the 2011 session.

“I welcome Republican State Auditor Dave Vaudt’s positive review of the state budget. For whatever reason, the auditor has finally recognized that Senate Democrats have once again balanced the state budget without raising taxes and while protecting the top priorities of Iowans.

“Iowa’s budget is on the right track, thanks primarily to our state’s on-going economic recovery, a recovery that is stronger than that of most other states. Another factor in our improving budget is last year’s work by Democrats to cut costs by streamlining state services, resulting in the first substantial reorganization of state government in nearly 25 years.”

Now, I am still trying to reconcile the number of statements that not only conflict with one another in this short statement, but conflict with the history in which Mr. Dvorsky ardently petitioned for increased spending in the last legistlative session.  In an interview with the erstwhile Mr. Dvorsky in the Iowa City Patch, published on June 10, 2011, he had this to say…..

Iowa City Patch: What are the main differences between the Republicans and Democrats in these negotiations?

Dvorsky: The big thing is setting the budget for fiscal 2012, and from the Senate Democrats’ point of view, the bottom line number the Republicans have is a very low number. So that means a lot of cuts to a lot of programs that we think are important to Iowa. This is an unprecedented low number …

In Iowa we have a 99 percent law: we can’t spend more than 99 percent of the revenues we bring in. (The remainder is) set aside into what’s called a Rainy Day Fund. So we put that in place in the ’90s. I don’t think any administration has ever spent less that 99 percent. This proposal is 96 percent. That’s an enormous drop. The money is available and the Republicans and the government just choose not to spend that. They just want to spend 96.2 [percent] … Their number one and pretty much only priority is to cut government spending.

Repeating from Mr. Dvorsky’s statement today…

“I welcome Republican State Auditor Dave Vaudt’s positive review of the state budget. For whatever reason, the auditor has finally recognized that Senate Democrats have once again balanced the state budget without raising taxes and while protecting the top priorities of Iowans.”

Actually, this is not a work in creative mendacity, but one in simply bald faced mendacity giving Mr. Dvorsky our a leg up in our mendacious politician of the year award.

Posted in Iowa | Tagged , , | 1 Comment