President Obama announced today that he supports same-sex marriage. The leaders of Iowa’s two major political parties released written statements in response, which you can read below in the order they arrived via email.

Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky released the following statement following President Obama’s remarks today in support of marriage equality.
 
“Today, President Obama echoed the sentiments of countless Iowans who believe all loving couples should be able to honor their commitments through marriage. In 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously ruled that prohibiting gay and lesbian couples from marrying is unconstitutional. It was a historic day for our state and a tremendous moment for committed couples as well as for the families and friends of Iowa’s LGBT community.
 
“While this is arguably one of the most important and historic statements President Obama has made publicly on LGBT issues, his remarks follow a series of policies this administration has put forth in support of equal rights for LGBT Americans. The values that the President cares most deeply about are how we treat other people. President Obama recognizes that people are going to have differing views on marriage and those views, even if we disagree strongly, should be respected.
 
“As we applaud the position taken by President Obama today, we must also acknowledge the fight for full equality for LGBT Americans is far from over. Our opposition continues to push a divisive and well-funded tactical agenda which seeks to undermine equality efforts across the country.

“The likely Republican nominee for President, Mitt Romney, not only opposes same sex marriage, but he believes we should amend the U.S. Constitution to prevent committed gay and lesbian couples from marrying.  A Federal marriage amendment, such as the one Romney supports, would be the first time this country amended the Constitution to deny Americans equal rights. Additionally, his opposition to civil union could potentially rollback a whole range of equal rights and benefits for gay and lesbian Americans.” 

Iowa GOP Chairman Statement on
Obama’s Gay Marriage Decision
 
DES MOINES, Iowa– The Republican Party of Iowa released the following statement from Chairman A.J. Spiker in response to President Obama’s gay marriage decision:
“Marriage is an institution that can only be between one man and one woman. While President Obama continues to play politics, the Republican Party of Iowa will continue to support maintaining the traditional view of marriage as between one man and one woman.”

RNC Platform: Preserving Traditional Marriage
Because our children’s future is best preserved within the traditional understanding of marriage, we call for a constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage as a union of a man and a woman, so that judges cannot make other arrangements equivalent to it. In the absence of a national amendment, we support the right of the people of the various states to affirm traditional marriage through state initiatives. Republicans recognize the importance of having in the home a father and a mother who are married. The two-parent family still provides the best environment of stability, discipline, responsibility, and character. Children in homes without fathers are more likely to commit a crime, drop out of school, become violent, become teen parents, use illegal drugs, become mired in poverty, or have emotional or behavioral problems. We support the courageous efforts of single-parent families to provide a stable home for their children. Children are our nation’s most precious resource. We also salute and support the efforts of foster and adoptive families. Republicans have been at the forefront of protecting traditional marriage laws, both in the states and in Congress. A Republican Congress enacted the Defense of Marriage Act, affirming the right of states not to recognize same-sex marriages licensed in other states. Unbelievably, the Democratic Party has now pledged to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which would subject every state to the redefinition of marriage by a judge without ever allowing the people to vote on the matter. We also urge Congress to use its Article III, Section 2 power to prevent activist federal judges from imposing upon the rest of the nation the judicial activism in Massachusetts and California. We also encourage states to review their marriage and divorce laws in order to strengthen marriage. As the family is our basic unit of society, we oppose initiatives to erode parental rights.

At 7 p.m. “Fly Like an Eagle” — the 1976 classic by the Steve Miller Band — was broadcast through the Veterans Memorial Auditorium Ballroom #3 (in the newly remodeled part). This is the venue for this evening’s Iowa GOP fundraiser featuring a keynote from Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.  The room is set up to seat 272 people, but it appears in the neighborhood of 250 have shown up.

At 7:14 p.m. Iowa GOP chairman A.J. Spiker got the evening started with a brief prayer and the pledge. His biggest burst of applause came when he declared this goal: “take back the Iowa Senate and send Mike Gronstal back to Council Bluffs.”

At 7:25 p.m. Iowa Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds begins speaking. (Governor Terry Branstad stopped by the cocktail hour, but left to attend a Make-A-Wish Foundation event.  “We’re sittin’ a lot better than a lot of other states out there and we’re pretty proud of that,” she said. ”…In order to keep Iowa moving forward, we need a conservative majority in the House and the Senate and we’re going to need your help to get that done…Let’s make it clear that we won’t compromise the American dream or American exceptionalism anymore.”

By 7:30 p.m. U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley is introduced to the crowd by Iowa GOP co-chair Bill Schickle as a senator who can “tweet with the very best of them.” That gets a few twitters of laughter.

AUDIO of Grassley’s remarks.

“Between now and election, nothin’ will have my attention, time or effort more than helping to defeat President Obama,” Grassley told the crowd.  Grassley accused Obama of being “the chief excuser” rather than a chief executive.

“He will not accept responsibility for what he has not done to improve the economy,” Grassley said. suggesting Obama has used excuses/leveled the blame at George W. Bush, the Japanese earthquake and even bad luck.

Grassley called Obama a “great pretender” as well.  ”He pretends that he has not been president for the last 3 years. He campaigns as he did 4 years ago on hope & change and now he campaign on hype and blame. America deserves better.”

Next Grassley called Obama the “great divider” who wages “class warfare.”

“He promotes envy and jealousy,” Grassley said. “….He wants fewer rich people – and I want fewer poor people.”

[Read more...]

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) says a bill has been drafted to cut commercial property taxes in Iowa by 25 percent — an amount equal to “somewhere north of $350 million.”

AUDIO of Gonrstal’s news conference, where he discussed details of the plan (mp3 runs 12 minutes).

Here’s the Radio Iowa story, with details, quotes from Gronstal.

The Obama Administration has permanently shelved controversial rules that would have limited what kids under the age of 16 can do on the farm.  Iowa’s politicians are applauding, figuratively, via written statements.  You may read them below. (No statement from Senator Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate HELP Committee — the L stands for Labor.)

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds released a statement regarding the U.S. Department of Labor’s withdrawal of the proposed rules that would have placed burdensome restrictions on the activities of young people in agriculture.

Gov. Branstad and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis in November, 2011, expressing concerns over these regulations.  Governor Branstad also discussed his continued concerns with U.S. Department of Labor officials and the congressional delegation during his February trip to Washington, DC.  In addition, both he and Lt. Governor Reynolds discussed the proposed rules on Monday in a roundtable discussion with FFA members and State leaders at the Iowa Capitol.

Gov. Terry Branstad stated the following:
“I applaud this announcement by the U.S. Department of Labor to withdraw their proposed rules for young people participating in agriculture.  The proposed rules were a prime example of federal overreach and it is unfortunate that they were proposed in the first place.  That said, I am glad that common sense has prevailed.   The parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and neighbors who care the most about the young people starting a career in agriculture are best positioned to determine the capabilities and safety of the kids they love.  Agriculture continues to be a bright spot in the U.S. economy and we should continue to oppose regulations that lack common sense.

“I look forward to continuing to work with agricultural stakeholders, including the FFA and 4-H, to build upon successful grassroots initiatives that truly help to continually improve agricultural working practices for young people.”

Lt. Governor Reynolds stated the following:
“I am heartened to see this change in course from the U.S. Department of Labor.  The governor and I have heard from numerous Iowans that these proposed rules would have prevented young people from learning career and life skills through active participation in livestock operations and many aspects of crop production.  In addition, there were significant concerns that the federal government was seeking to narrow the definition of the parental exemption in a way that would have been totally disjointed from the realities and structures of current family farms.  The Governor and I discussed these rules with Iowa FFA students and Secretary Northey earlier this week.  We would also like to thank those Members of the Iowa congressional delegation who were actively engaged in this issue, including the efforts of Congressman Tom Latham to preempt these regulations with legislation if the rules had not been withdrawn.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Leonard Boswell (IA-3) issued a statement on the Department of Labor’s withdrawal of the child farm labor rule.

“I am pleased the Department of Labor stopped pursing the issue of limiting youth work on the family farm. Reasoned heads prevailed,” Boswell said. “There are better, already existing educational resources through farm groups to educate and promote safety for young farm hands. I will work with those groups to keep farm workers of all ages safe.”

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) released the following statement after the US Department of Labor announced it was withdrawing a proposed regulation that would have made it more difficult for farmers and ranchers to hire youth to work in agriculture:
 
“The demise of the Obama administration’s proposed rule to require children be a minimum age to work on farms is welcome news. A regulation prohibiting youths from working on farms would strike at the very core of agriculture across Iowa and the Midwest.  This is Iowa. Working on the family farm is part of growing up.  I know — I remember many hot summer days I spent as a kid detassling corn in the fields. I’ll keep working to ensure misguided regulations like this one don’t see the light of day.”
 
In December, Braley wrote to Labor Secretary Hilda Solis urging her to drop the proposed rule. 

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dave Loebsack today praised the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) for withdrawing a proposed rule dealing with youth who work in agriculture. Last week, Loebsack met with the DOL to urge them to review Iowans’ concerns that part of the proposal would limit activities children could perform on family farms and the effect the updates could have on student education programs in rural areas.

“Iowa farmers have a long and proud tradition of feeding the world,” said Loebsack. “After hearing from concerned family farmers from across Iowa and the nation, I am pleased the Department of Labor has taken this step to help protect Iowa’s way of life. When I met with the Department of Labor, I stressed the importance of better cooperation and outreach to the agriculture community and raised concerns about this rule. I applaud their commitment to working in a cooperative way to make our farms safer for kids.”

In addition to meeting with the DOL, Loebsack wrote to the Secretary of Labor to urge the Department to ensure Iowa farmers and families had the opportunity to be heard regarding these proposals and urged the Department to reconsider the provisions relating to the parental exemption for children helping on the farm, which had already been withdrawn prior to today.

Washington, DC- Congressman Steve King (R-IA) released the following statement today after the Department of Labor announced that it will withdraw its proposed rule to prohibit young people from working on family farms and participating in agriculture education programs including Future Farmers of America and 4-H.

“Once again President Obama’s overreaching policies have outraged the American people,” said King. “I’m happy to see the backlash surrounding this rule has prompted the Department of Labor to withdraw the proposed rule. The Department of Agriculture collaborated with the Department of Labor on this direct assault of American family farms. Family farms are the core of American culture, and for centuries they have played a large role in instilling a strong work ethic in young people. I know because I raised my three sons in rural Iowa and taught them the value of hard work.”

“I’m pleased to have had the support of many farm families as I’ve worked to oppose this rule in order to ensure that young people will still have the same opportunities.  This policy was not only unnecessary, it threatened the very way of life that I and so many others hold dear. When will President Obama realize that his out of touch policies do not reflect the values of the American people? His actions continue to show that he is disconnected with the people in the heartland of this great country.”

Senator Chuck Grassley released the following statement after learning that the Department of Labor would be withdrawing the entirety of its proposed regulations that would have put stringent restrictions on young people working on family farms.  Grassley, one of the only working family farmers in the U.S. Senate, has vigorously defended the opportunity for kids to work on family farms.  He has said that generations of Iowans have cut their teeth working on the farm, whether for their own family, or a neighbor’s farm and that young people are a valuable part of farming operations. 

“It’s good the Labor Department rethought the ridiculous regulations it was going to stick on farmers and their families.  It would have been devastating to farm families across the country.  Much of rural America was built on families helping families, neighbors helping neighbors.  To even propose such regulations defies common sense, and shows a real lack of understanding as to how the family farm works.  I’m glad the Obama administration came to its senses.”

CeCe Ibson introduced First Lady Michelle Obama to the crowd, telling the story of her husband’s battle with cancer and her struggle to get health insurance for herself after he died and she lost her job.

Obama then spoke to the crowd for 20 minutes. I tweeted during the speech. 

AUDIO of the event (mp3 runs a little less than half an hour).

About 250 Iowans have been standing in a neighborhood conference center in Windsor Heights, Iowa, since about 2:15 p.m. this afternoon, awaiting the arrival of First Lady Michelle Obama.  Another 150 are waiting outside in a tent to watch a video feed of her remarks.

Two women in the crowd stand out, figuratively, for their attire. Seventy-nine-year-old Carol Briggs of Des Moines is an Obama supporter who’s wearing a sort of Rosie the Riveter image featuring Michelle Obama flexing her muscle.  Briggs has been volunteering at the Obama campaign office every Tuesday night, making phone calls for the campaign.  “I want him in there so bad,” Briggs said of the 2012 election.  Of Michelle Obama, Briggs said: “Oh, she is so pretty.”

Debby Prescott of Ames, a 55-year-old nurse, was living in Ghana for two years (she worked in an orphanage), shortly after President Obama’s visit there.  She bought commemorative material made in Ghana and had three shifts made before she left Africa. She wore the one she kept for herself today. ”I’m here with my volunteer staff from Ames,” Prescott said. “Right now we’re in the phone-call/door-to-door (phase).”

Prescott said Obama has succeeded “in spite of” his GOP critics.  “I feel like he’s Prometheus, pushing that rock,” Prescott said. “…And yet he has made accomplishments that are taking our country in the right direction.”

Every once in a while someone goes on stage to keep the crowd occupied (although the air conditioning is working famously and people are kibitzing pretty easily on their own to pass the time).  The first person behind the microphone was Deirdre DeJean, a local volunteer for the Obama campaign.

She spoke for about 4 minutes. AUDIO of her remarks.

Mike Glover of the Associated Press is retiring. His last day with the AP is this Friday, April 27, 2012.  Governor Terry Branstad holds a weekly news conference and he said a few words about Glover on Monday. AUDIO of the exchange features Branstad’s comment about Glover’s traditional “perch” for the news conference on the credenza, as you can see in the photo.  ”Mike actually goes back to the pre-cell phone era, if you know what I mean,” Branstad said, laughing. “So do I.”

This morning the House passed a resolution honoring Glover. AUDIO of the remarks in the House.

A few minutes later Iowa Senators marked Glover’s retirement. AUDIO of the remarks in the Senate.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad held a statehouse news conference early this afternoon to announce he is endorsing Mitt Romney’s bid for the GOP’s 2012 presidential nomination.

AUDIO of the 13-minute news conference.

Branstad said it’s time for the GOP to “coalesce” around Romney. Branstad also suggested the three other candidates who remain in the race should aim their slings and arrows at President Obama for the remainder of the primary season, as Branstad said Americans have “primary fatigue” and that will make it difficult for Republicans to win over independent voters as well as disillusioned Democrats.

Senator Grassley tweeted this weekend about President Obama’s statement regarding the Supreme Court & its pending decision on the health care reform law.  Here’s the tweet:

Constituents askd why i am not outraged at PresO attack on supreme court independence. Bcause Am ppl r not stupid as this x prof of con law

This morning during his weekly statehouse news conference, Governor Terry Branstad was asked by WHO-TV’s Dave Price about the topic.  Here’s the AUDIO of Branstad’s remarks.  Here’s a transcript:

Branstad: “I thought it was incredible that somebody that is a graduate of a law school would make the kind of outlandish statements that the president of the United States said about, you know, about the Supreme Court deciding on the constitutionality of an issue as important as mandated health care because the issue of the Supreme Court being able to decide constitutionality was decided in Marbury v Madison in 1803 and anybody that’s gone to law school knows that, so why would the president of the United States who is a law school graduate, who even taught in a law school, make that kind of an outlandish statement.”

A reporter (me) suggested “maybe he’s listening to Bob Vander Plaats.”  BVP is a three-time gubernatorial candidate in Iowa who ran against Branstad in the 2010 GOP primary. He represents a portion of the Iowa GOP who argue against “activist courts” overturning laws (like the Defense of Marriage Act) which were passed by elected legislators. BVP said if he was elected governor he would issue an executive order that would negate the Iowa Supreme Court’s 2009 decision which legalized gay marriage in Iowa.  Here’s the transcript of Branstad’s answer to that:

Branstad: “Well, I wouldn’t take my constitutional law advice from Bob Vander Plaats, if that’s what he’s doing, I think he’s making a mistake, but that’s pretty interesting…The president’s wrong and those people that say you can overturn a supreme court decision with an executive order I believe are wrong as well.  I’ve said that consistently. I believe in telling it like I see it and, you know, maybe I’m handicapped because I have a law school education, but I did read Marbury v Madison and I do understand that it’s been settled law since 1803 that the Supreme Court can decide on the constitutionality of laws passed and signed, passed by the congress and signed by the president.”

UPDATE:  Vander Plaats responded. 

“It doesn’t concern me if Governor Branstad wants to take legal advice from me,” Vander Plaats told Radio Iowa late this morning. “But he probably should take constitutional advice from the people of Iowa who clearly saw the Supreme Court of Iowa had overstepped their jurisdiction.”

Democrats racked up a sizable voter registration advantage in Iowa on January 3, 2008. (Democrats gained 60,000 new registrants that night.)  It’s the night Iowa Democrats set a record in Caucus participation, the night Barack Obama won the Iowa Caucuses. Republicans have been gaining in party registration and the latest voter registration data shows there are a few thousand more registered Republican voters in Iowa (actual number is 611,990) than registered Democrats (actual number is 607,999).

 However, 678,704 Iowans have registered as “no party” voters (independents). 

Iowa’s new secretary of state sent a tweet about the registration numbers today. The Iowa GOP issued a news release, which you can read below:

Voter registration numbers from the Iowa Secretary of State today show that, for the first time in years, there are more Republicans in Iowa than Democrats.

Iowa GOP Chairman A.J. Spiker stated:

“The failed policies of the Obama presidency and the Obama Democrats have opened the eyes of many voters to the benefits of the Republican Party ideals of lower taxes, less government intrusion, and the protection of individual liberty.  More than 1 in 10 Democrats have fled the Iowa Democrat Party since Barack Obama was elected President, and today for the first time in years, there are more registered Republicans than Democrats. Iowa Republicans will continue to work hard to promote the ideals of less government and more freedom and earn the support of even more Iowans this November.”

Voter registration totals announced today were:
• Registered Iowa Republicans: 611,990
• Registered Iowa Democrats: 607,999