Free Republic

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, responded Tuesday to widespread criticism that Democrats only garnered the 60 votes needed to defeat Republican stalling tactics on the health reform bill by catering to self-interest, saying Democrats are focusing on the big picture; "trying to cross a demarcation line." Harkin dismissed deals dubbed vote-buying by GOP senators as "small stuff" that distracted Americans from the primary focus of the overhaul bill. "We have to keep our eyes on what we're trying to do here. We're trying to cross a demarcation line," Harkin told "Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez. "On one side is health care...

Foreword: As a follow-up to my recent column on competing concealed carry bills in Iowa, I have invited representatives from state gun rights groups Iowa Gun Owners and Iowa Carry to educate us on their positions. The following response is from Sean McClanahan, President, Iowa Carry: We’ve had several meetings with Chris Rager, both in person and on the phone. We have a copy of the NRA’s proposed legislation available on our main website. Keep in mind that this is *proposed* legislation. Nothing is set in stone right now, and changes can still be made. In fact, as I send...

Family of Clinton murder victims ask the public for tips Chris Minor Reporter December 18, 2009 CLINTON - Angel Herman's mother says she knows someone has information about who may have killed her daughter and 2 year old grandson, and is hoping they come forward soon.

Foreword: As a follow-up to my recent column on competing concealed carry bills in Iowa, I have invited representatives from state gun rights groups Iowa Gun Owners and Iowa Carry to educate us on their positions. The following response is from Aaron Dorr, Executive Director of Iowa Gun Owners: In his recent article, Jeff Knox of the Firearms Coalition has brought to light some very disturbing components of the NRA’s proposed concealed carry bill in Iowa. He mentioned our organization, Iowa Gun Owners, as the state based group that is opposed to this bill. He is correct. The 5,000 members...

Iowa 5th District Congressman Steve King continues to be one of the most outspoken critics of the Obama administration. For the second time, King wrote a letter to the President, demanding he fire "safe schools" czar Kevin Jennings. Obama never responded to the first letter authored by King, and signed by 52 GOP House members.

Manassas, VA --(AmmoLand.com)- The Firearms Coalition yesterday issued a scathing denunciation of legislation proposed by the National Rifle Association for the state of Iowa saying that Iowa is the latest instance of the NRA cavalry riding in to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. In Iowa, Sheriffs have broad discretion in the issuance or denial of permits to carry concealed weapons and Iowa GunVoters have been rallying support for removing that discretion and moving the state to a “shall issue” system. In the last legislative session an Alaska-style bill, pushed by local grass roots rights activists led by the...

The DNR has refuted claims that they have brought mountain lions into Iowa to help control the deer population. But many do not believe that. This cat was checked by the DNR for a tag. None was found. Why would they look for a tag if mountain lions in Iowa are rare and wild?

Iowa gubernatorial candidate Christopher Rants has spent a lot of time criticizing his GOP rivals in recent months. A new video posted on You Tube turns the tables on the former Iowa House Speaker. The clip combs through Rants' records in great detail, and accuses him of taking $1.1 million in special interest money. That includes including $450,700 from "vice lobbies" like gambling, tobacco, and alcohol.

Courtesy Oleg Volk, A Human Right Related Articles * House File 596 analysis--Iowa Gun Owners * Iowa legislation update--Iowa Carry Jeff Knox of the Firearms Coalition says the NRA is derailing a good concealed carry bill and pushing a bad one in Iowa: [O]ne would expect advocates to unite around the Alaska-style bill for this legislative session with an eye towards either passing a very good bill, or forcing a clear record vote on such a bill and using that vote against opponents in the next General Election. Instead, after ignoring the state for decades, NRA has decided to ride...

The Obama administration will officially announce on Tuesday that some Guantanamo prison terrorists will be shipped to the Thomson, Illinois correctional center, according to ABC News. Despite polls showing 51% of Illinois residents oppose the move, the state's Democrats are elated.

In the end, it could be Ben Nelson who thwarts ObamaCare. At the very least, he will play a key role in preventing passage of the public option. If that happens, will Bob Vander Plaats then issue a statement praising Terry Branstad for supporting Nelson a decade ago? It would be hypocritical not to.

DES MOINES, Iowa — A central Iowa plant could soon begin producing jet fuel from poultry fat. Bolingbrook, Ill.-based Elevance Renewable Sciences plans to build a $15 million plant in Newton, adding onto an existing biodiesel operation. The experimental operation plans to use plant oils and poultry fat as building blocks to replace petroleum-based chemicals used to make myriad products, including jet fuel, lubricants, adhesives and even cosmetics and candles. "It allows us to make a very interesting slate of products, which is different and somewhat in contrast to how poultry fat is used today," said K'Lynne Johnson, Elevance's chief...

A leaked memorandum posted to a Web site Friday says the Obama administration has chosen to move detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the Thomson Correctional Center, but the administration says it is only a draft and is “predecisional.” The one-page memo, dated Thursday, directs acquisition of the Thomson facility and relocation of the detainees there. It was posted on www.biggovernment.com. An administration official cautioned Friday afternoon that it is not unusual for drafts to be prepared for multiple possibilities. “This is a draft, predecisional document that lawyers at various agencies were drafting in preparation for a potential future announcement...

One of the favorite talking points that often comes from Fox News detractors is the claim that the News Corp (NASDAQ:NWSA) cable news is somehow an organ of the Republican Party. It's a claim that former White House Communications Director Anita Dunn made, along with countless other accusations from prominent Democrats. However, these Democrats would be doing themselves and their audiences a favor to take notice of two Fox News anchors, "Your World" host Neil Cavuto and the weekend edition of "America's News HQ" co-host, Gregg Jarrett. The two recently challenged two Republican members of Congress, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa,...

The irony of the White House dishing out acorn-shaped chocolate cookies seemed a little, well, “nutty” to King. The Iowa Republican is one of the loudest voices calling for Congress to investigate of ACORN. “I didn’t expect to see such stark symbolism,” King said in an e-mail. King pocketed several of the acorn cookies at the White House soiree and even stowed a few at home in his freezer. King even delivered a real acorn to House Judiciary Committee John Conyers (D-MI) in an effort to launch a dialogue about the organization’s legal woes.

Two weeks ago, an Iowa poll showed Palin trailing Huckabee by just two points, 70% to 68%, in favorability ratings among Iowa Republicans. She easily outdistanced Mitt Romney, who garnered only 58 percent. Despite a media onslaught attempting to spin the Clemmons story, Huckabee's credibility has taken a serious hit. Even those who boosted him to victory in the 2008 Iowa Caucus are questioning the former Arkansas governor's judgment.

The former Republican vice-presidential candidate greeted hundreds of admirers in Sioux City on Sunday. Iowa's caucuses traditionally kick off the presidential nominating season, and Republican strategists saw the stop in Mrs Palin's national book-signing tour as a signal not to be missed. Palin says US should find God "No politician comes to Iowa by accident,"said Tim Albrecht, a Republican strategist. "Every politician knows the implications when they set foot here." As with other stops on Mrs Palin's book tour, the event was tightly controlled with photographers allowed in briefly and reporters banned. She arrived about 90 minutes late and then...

WATERLOO - The Iowa Legislature doesn't reconvene until January, but same-sex marriage opponents already have started drafting an amendment that could overturn last spring's Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage. "We're pretty sure (the issue) is going to be brought up several times," said Matthew Skuya, deputy field director of One Iowa, the state's largest group of gay and lesbian activists. "And I think it's important that we all do as much as we can to ensure marriage equality remains a part of our communities." Gay marriage supporters met Thursday night during a forum at Waterloo's public library. Nearly 60...

Jerry Crawford, an Iowa lawyer and lobbyist with deep ties to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, recently registered as the Washington representative for Monsanto, a biotechnology and agrichemical giant that embodies the "special interests" President Obama planned to drive from the temple of federal government. The Des Moines Register calls Crawford a "well-connected, high-profile Des Moines lawyer" and "Democratic power broker." Examine his record, and you see what the paper means. Crawford was once chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party. He was the Iowa chairman for the presidential campaigns of Michael Dukakis, Bill Clinton, Al Gore and John Kerry. In 2008,...

2008 Iowa Caucus winner and current GOP poll leader Mike Huckabee says it is "less than likely" he will run for President in 2012. Huckabee was a guest on "Fox News Sunday" with Chris Wallace when he made the remarks.

On December 18, 2007, then presidential candidate Barack Obama leveled the first of dozens of heavy criticisms against President George W. Bush. In a speech in Des Moines, Obama blasted President Bush for taking his “eye off the ball in Afghanistan." He continued: "It’s time to…increase our military, political, and economic commitment to Afghanistan. That’s what…I’ll do as president.” This was Barack Obama’s first “eye off the ball” speech. It was the beginning of a barrage of campaign speeches accusing the Bush administration of “taking our eye off of Osama bin Laden” (Denver, 1/30/08). On July 15, 2008 in Washington,...

A federal magistrate judge agreed Wednesday to temporarily stay the release of a Minneapolis man facing federal conspiracy charges in connection with the 2004 animal-rights vandalism on the UI campus. Scott DeMuth, 22, will remain detained until at least 4 p.m. Monday, a federal magistrate ordered. The emergency stay of release will allow federal prosecutors a chance to appeal a release order issued Tuesday. The release order would have allowed DeMuth, a University of Minnesota graduate student, to return to Minneapolis while the federal case is pending. As part of that release, he was to be placed on home detention...

It's the story of a nine-year-old campaign endorsement, a vote on the Senate floor and a long-term political friendship between an Iowa Republican and a Nebraska Democrat. Clashes over the Senate health care bill apparently have no bounds. In Iowa, governor hopeful Bob Vander Plaats criticized former Gov. Terry Branstad, a fellow Republican, on Monday for endorsing Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson in his 2000 campaign for the U.S. Senate.

CEDAR RAPIDS — Drivers of hybrid, alternative-fuel or zero-emission vehicles will get the best parking spots in the city’s Fourth Avenue and Third Avenue parking ramps. The preferential treatment to encourage the use of energy-efficient vehicles likely will be adopted for other downtown parking ramps as well . . . go to: http://gazetteonline.com/top-story/2009/11/22/efficient-cars-will-get-best-parking-in-c-r-parking-ramps

Overall, the Register poll seems to be nothing but good news for Mike Huckabee. But that is not the case, because of Palin's numbers....

A new poll shows 68 percent of Republicans in Iowa hold a favorable view of Sarah Palin. That is only two percent lower than 2008 Iowa Caucus winner Mike Huckabee. The Des Moines Register poll proves that Palin would be the decisive factor in the 2012 Caucus, if she runs.

Party leaders who spoke at a weekend fundraising banquet urged Iowa Democrats to “stand up” against Republicans and “stick with” the president. Congressman Bruce Braley of Waterloo was among the first to speak at the Iowa Democratic Party’s Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner on Saturday night.“It’s not acceptable for Democrats to be walking around looking glum because now is not the time for doubt. Now is not the time for fear,” Braley began.  “And now is not the time for silence.” Braley brought the crowd of Iowa Democrats to its feet by the end of his six-minute speech.“I want, as she sits in her...

Teen Sex Magazine to Stay on Shelves at Iowa Library Sunday, November 22, 2009 AMES, Iowa — A teen sex magazine will stay on the shelves at the Ames Public Library despite a petition signed by more than 100 parents objecting to the publication. The Ames Library Board voted 6-1 to support library Director Art Weeks' recommendation to keep the magazine Sex, Ect., in the teen section. The magazine is written by and for teens under the oversight of Answer, a national sexuality organization at Rutgers University. It addresses teen sexuality issues, substance abuse and eating disorders.

The state that propelled Barack Obama to the presidency now has a majority of voters displeased with his performance. A new Des Moines Register poll shows Barack Obama's overall job approval sinking....

Obama’s overall job approval slipped to 49 percent from 53percent in September. Iowans’ approval is down 19 percentage points since an Iowa Poll in January, about the time he was inaugurated. A majority of Iowans now say the Democrat’s performance in key economic areas is inadequate, including health care, his top domestic priority… Fifty-five percent of Iowans disapprove of how Obama is handling health care, up from not quite half in September.

A popular Iowa State Senator and and a former Iowa State University wrestling coach could pose significant challenges to Democrat Leonard Boswell's Third District Congressional seat.

A Minnesota activist who refused to testify earlier this week before a federal grand jury in Davenport is now charged with conspiracy for an act of “animal enterprise terrorism” — believed to be a 2004 animal-rights vandalism act at the University of Iowa. Scott DeMuth, 22, made his initial appearance this morning on a charge of conspiracy. DeMuth was already in custody for contempt of court because of his refusal to testify. Fellow activist Carrie Feldman, who at one time dated DeMuth, also refused to testify and is in custody. “Scott Ryan DeMuth did knowingly and intentionally conspire with persons...

If you wondered where some of the "grassroots" money that was donated to leftists in recent elections actually came from, here is one answer. Phyllis Stevens has been in Iowa news lately for having embezzled millions from her employer, an insurance company. The money she embezzled went to leftist politicians and activist organizations. Although her partner is only now being indicted, the story goes back a few weeks. This is some of the power and a couple of the people behind the left. They took the money of hard working people. Phyllis Stevens was praised by many when she was...

<p>Contact your Senators and let them know what you think!</p> <p>U.S. veterans or subsidies for United Nations (U.N.) bureaucracy.</p>

War On Terror: Sen. Dick Durbin calls a plan to transfer 100 Guantanamo detainees to northwest Illinois "a dream come true." It would paint a bull's-eye on America's heartland in time for the 2012 Iowa caucuses. It seems the question of where to put the Guantanamo detainees is being settled as we speak, with liberal Democrats in the very blue state of Illinois welcoming them with open arms and outstretched hands for the federal dollars that will come with them. Federal officials last Friday inspected the Thomson Correctional Center in Thomson, Ill., a town of 500 on the Iowa border,...

Just over half of Americans believe healthcare reform would do more harm than good and disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president, according to a University of Iowa Hawkeye Poll released today. The national poll showed that 52 percent of Americans disapprove of Obama's performance, while 48 percent approve. When asked about healthcare reform, 52 percent said government action would do more harm than good, and the remaining 48 percent supported change. Conducted Oct. 23-31, the phone survey included 772 respondents with a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percent. Topline results and sample characteristics...

Iowa's two Republican Congressmen, Steve King and Tom Latham, are fighting against an Obama administration proposal to transfer the Guantanamo Bay terrorist prison to the Iowa-Illinois border. But Democrat Bruce Braley supports the plan and believes Club Gitmo Midwest could have a "substantial economic impact" on the area.

n Barack Obama's Fantasyland, all things are possible. The economy has been rescued, millions of jobs have been created or saved, and countries that used to hate us now want to hold our hands and sing "Kumbaya". Obama's Gandalf-like wizardry has even managed to magically create eight new congressional districts in Iowa.

Two political activists from Minneapolis were jailed today for refusing to answer questions before a federal grand jury apparently investigating a five-year-old animal-rights vandalism incident. The activists, Carrie Feldman and Scott DeMuth, were found in contempt of court by U.S. District Judge John Jarvey and placed in custody of the U.S. Marshall's Service. The district court clerk's office confirmed what occurred in the Davenport, Iowa, courtroom, but the U.S. Attorney's office didn't immediately return a call seeking comment. The subject of grand jury deliberations are generally secret, but the organization backing Feldman and DeMuth said they were wanted for questioning...

A new Des Moines Register poll is great news for Iowa Senator Charles Grassley, as well as GOP gubernatorial hopefuls Terry Branstad and Bob Vander Plaats. It is very bad news for Iowa's current Governor.

King is trying to prevent the transfer of Guantanamo Bay terrorists to a prison near the Iowa-Illinois border. He has asked 1st District Congressman Bruce Braley, whose district is closest to the prison, to join his efforts.

CEDAR RAPIDS - 50 weeks from the 2010 Election for Governor, a poll released on Sunday by Des Moines Register puts former Governor Branstad with a large lead in a potential election with Governor Chet Culver. Aside from a handful of television ads, many people in Eastern Iowa are not fully engulfed in the middle of a political campaign quite yet. That will change in the next year as the election season gets closer. The race for Iowa's governor has become more interesting since Terry Branstad, who served as governor from 1983 to 1999, expressed he wanted to run against...

One hundred of the worst terrorists in the world are coming to Barack Obama's two favorite states, Illinois and Iowa. Obama is from Illinois. His victory in the 2008 Iowa Caucuses provided Obama the springboard to the Presidency. How will he reward those states?

A FUNNY thing happened in Ida Grove, Iowa, last Saturday. Funny and a bit sad. Steve King missed his son's wedding. The weather was perfect. The traffic was light. Steve really loves his son, Mick, and has no problem with his new wife, Stephanie. He wanted to be there and could have been, but instead he was in Washington voting against a healthcare reform bill in the House of Representatives. Despite his vote, the bill passed. What was King thinking? Did he miss the most important day in his son's life because he believes the Democrats are wrong to try...

A near-empty prison in rural Illinois has emerged as "a leading option" to house suspected terrorists currently held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, an Obama administration official said Friday. PHOTOS As they work to shutter the controversial detention center, federal officials are talking to Illinois officials about buying the Thomson Correctional Center, a maximum-security prison about 150 miles west of Chicago. With Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and other key officials warm to the idea of a federal purchase of the prison, federal officials have stepped up investigations into turning Thomson into a super-maximum facility with a unit for former Guantanamo detainees....

Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul built a nationwide army of fiercely loyal, enthusiastic, young supporters during his 2008 Presidential run. It appears Paul is hoping to expand upon that base and possibly gear up for another run in 2012. Paul visits Ames tonight for speech at Iowa State University....

Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner said he’s not worried about the sharp increase in the number of residents licensed to carry concealed weapons. The training program required of all applicants, with its emphasis on the law and the potential liabilities associated with misuse of firearms, balances safety standards and the right to bear arms, Gardner said. The number of concealed-weapons permits issued in Linn County has exploded this year, said Bob Godlove, chief instructor of the four-hour mandatory course. During the first three months of last year, when Don Zeller was sheriff, Linn County issued just 24 concealed-weapons permits. During...

owa 5th District Congressman Steve King is an extremely rare politician. He tells you exactly what he thinks and how he feels, consequences be damned. Today, King made it very clear how he feels about the Obama administration.

WASHINGTON, D.C. --- When it came down to a choice between attending his son's wedding and staying in Washington to vote against health care reform Saturday, Steve King knew what he had to do. He skipped the wedding. Health care reform passed the House of Representatives anyway, 220-215, but King, Iowa 5th District congressman, said Monday he doesn't regret his decision. The Republican had been battling HR3962, pushed by the Democratic majority in Congress, for months. He'd known about his son Mick's plans to wed Stephanie Bettin on Nov. 7 for months, as well. On Nov. 1, during a trip...

Conlin is wealthy enough to finance her own campaign. She will also receive plenty of funding from her out-of-state liberal friends. Conlin is the former president of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. This is a group that the entire Democratic Party is beholden too. In fact, former DNC chairman Howard Dean admitted that it was the trial lawyers that are preventing the Democrats from inserting necessary tort reform into the ObamaCare bill.