Terry Branstad and Roxanne Conlin Run Again in Iowa

Terry Branstad Runs Again
Steffen Schmidt**

A former student of mine, whom I shall call Anneke Ver Daart, sent me an e-mail recently. It was very interesting so I asked if I could share it. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. (Truth in reporting: I served for two years as Governor Branstad’s chair of the Spanish Speaking Commission.)

Dear Dr. S - My mother sent me your column from the Des Moines Register about Branstad and “selective nostalgia.”

An older woman from Forest City whom I have known all my life and who is a DIE HARD Democrat, hopes Branstad will run again because she really liked him as governor and of course he was from her area of the state. It baffles me that this woman adores the man so much.

My father and brother were huge Republicans.

About 5 years ago I was getting on the plane here in Chicago to fly to Des Moines to take care of our family business. My father had died the year before and I was running the corporation long distance.

I saw this man at the gate here at O’Hare walking around talking to people and I thought to myself, "I should know that man."

Then when we boarded he and his wife were seated with me, so I leaned over and said, "I should know you." And he introduced himself as Terry Branstad.

We did a little small chat and I told him that my father and brother were big supporters of his. Then he learned I had worked in Argentina, so he spent the rest of the short flight asking me about that.

As we were landing I gave him my business card and he saw my last name “Ver Daart” [not the real name] and exclaimed, "Is Willem Ver Daart your dad and Jaap Ver Daart your brother?" And I said yes. "I heard your dad died last year and I'm so sorry to hear that. How is Jaap doing with the company?" So we chatted a bit about all that.

I was impressed with his "politician" skills.

I am just in shock that he will be running again. Just like Bret Favre and all those washed up sports guys.

Anneke was impressed with Branstad’s people skills, personal touch, and nostalgic appeal across party lines, but was concerned about an aging politician and compared him to “washed up sports guys making a comeback.”

In 2010 we need to jazz up our coverage of politics with some music and video. (Videos at http://insideriowa.com/)

One of my students suggested as a theme song for washed up politicians the rap song “Washed Up” – KJ-52. Lyrics “Chorus Wait up, hold up, it's over (I'm washed up y'all) Wait up, hold up, it's over (It's all over now y'all)” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-PuF7zFwSE This can also be the theme song for Senator Grassley. Another student suggested The Urge – “All Washed Up” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H1JTVd4Qsc

Hey you're all washed up
would you please shut up
take a walk that way

The 2010 political season will be interesting with an aging senator Grassley running against a “washed up lawyer gal” Roxanne Conlin as my former student would put it.
The theme song of the Conlin campaign will be “Roxanne” by The Police. This could be a real problem since the song “… is about a man who falls in love with a prostitute.” Listen to Sting here

One of my students actually said it was cool that some of the “classic” politicians were making a comeback and she suggested “Come Back” by Pearl jam, http://www.metrolyrics.com/come-back-lyrics-pearl-jam.html - the key lyric is Eddie Vedder whaling “Ohhh I need you ... come back, come back!”

Maybe older politicians bring the experience we need. Wake up the Dead would be good too!

Anyway, we need a theme song for candidate Chester Culver too. Any ideas? How about http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BTifMm6ejA, Mötley Crüe’s, Chester Bennington – “Home Sweet Home?” Or “Stay, [Just a little bit longer, please]" a doo-wop song recorded by Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Z_hskvz1M Perfect for an incumbent!

**Steffen Schmidt is a University Professor of Political Science at Iowa State University. He provides weekly political analysis for Iowa Public Radio, and periodically in Spanish for CNN en Español. He also serves as chief political and foreign correspondent for http://insideriowa.com/

The End of Bipartisanship

Is It Time for Democrats to Declare War on the GOP?

Steffen Schmidt

President Obama was in Michigan in mid-July 2009 to announce a new national community college expansion initiative in a state that has over 14% unemployment and a collapsing auto industry. A Detroit paper called Obama’s economic policy a "failed experiment." According to the Washington Post “Before Obama's arrival in Michigan, House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) issued a statement that said Democratic economic policies "will strangle even more small businesses and destroy millions more jobs. That's not what middle-class families want -- in Michigan or anywhere else in America."

Obama said the equivalent of “bring it on” to the GOP critics and pointed out that it was eight years of Bush/Cheney and the GOP in control of Congress that could be blamed for the mess in which the economy finds itself. (He actually said “"I love these folks who get us in this mess and then suddenly say it's Obama's economy," he said. “ That's fine. Give it to me. I welcome the job," - Washington Post.)

Republican strategists and all of the GOP contenders for 2012 have concluded that there is no room for bipartisanship on the economy or any other issue. In their calculus the economy is an integral part of partisan politics, the opposition party has the responsibility to offer sharp alternatives from the git go and the idea of a “loyal opposition” is bunk.

The Democrats, giddy from the 2008 victories have more or less chosen to just ignore the Republicans and push through legislation with or without GOP support, which their majorities in the House and Senate can now do.

The public is still confused about why there is an economic crisis so the GOP strategy to label the problems “Obama’s Recession” is a good strategy because without a counterattack it will stick and could produce results in 2010 and certainly pose a big threat to the democrats in 2012.

So I’ve been talking to many friends, colleagues, and former students in both parties on how the public will assess the economic crisis and the job loss/unemployment disaster in which the country finds itself.
Basically the results are as follows.

Very few Republicans will buy into the Democratic legislative arena and even fewer will jump on ANY Obama administration initiatives in either domestic or foreign policy.

Republicans actually say they DO want bipartisanship. The GOP definition of “bipartisanship” must be “ya’ll Democrats change any policy that comes up and make it look more like a Republican policy.” One strategist told me that anything else would be largely rejected except for a few “… rogue Republicans who will go AWOL on us.”
So what should the Democrats do? Play nice and ignore the Republicans? Take off their gloves and go on a full bore offensive to make the economic crisis stick to Bush, Cheney, and the GOP? Attack on some issues and play nice on others?

One academic colleague averred, “There is almost no room for bipartisanship. Actually, the Dems don’t want it any more than the Repubs. By letting the GOP control the strategic high ground of blame, in a military sense, the Democrats are taking chances. The risk is that the public will buy the GOP story and blame the recession and all the economic scandals on the Dems.”

Her advice (which she’s selling for a lot of money as a consultant but I offer you for free!) is for every Democrat at the national as well as state and local level to start calling it the “Bush/Cheney Recession” at every opportune moment whenever they talk about jobs and the economy. She feels strongly that the 2006 and 2008 victories are acting as “tranquilizers, Political Valium if you will” (her terms not mine) and has made them complacent and sure the public will continue to vote Democrat in 2010 and 2012.

She added, “Obama is making a big mistake in being so ‘nice’ and not running with scissors. The Democratic Party needs to go on a big offensive. It’s no different from what Republicans are saying about how Obama is approaching Iran, North Korea, and other foreign policy crises. Nice don’t work!”

Indeed when I polled over 300 of my students a vast majority had no idea on how to assess the economic crisis and the bleak job picture for college students. They also seemed not to know whom to blame. That means their minds were malleable mush (to borrow a phrase from the rotund one) and I certainly buy the GOP assessment that if they have a unified message – “Obama is wrong.” “Look what he has done to our economy.” The Obama recession has cost you your job.” “It’s time for “smart change.”
I believe that public opinion can in fact be reshaped between now and November of 2010. The economic crisis took about 20 years of loosy-goosy policy, unethical and even a great deal of criminal activity by corporations and by government officials at all levels. The number of scandals is huge and Teapot Dome* no longer means anything in the wake of the highway robbery that’s been taking place.

So I think the overall results of my research can be summarized as “Let the partisan wars begin.” The Health care legislation Congress is currently debating and voting on is the best proof that there is NO bipartisanship. The Senate committee voting on the bill did so 13 to 10 on a strict party line vote.

Oh by the way, the democrats won the elections in 2006 and 2008 so they are now the majority party in government. As we all learned in civics class the majority rules in the United States. The GOP certainly did so in the eight years of Bush and the 12 that they controlled the House and Senate.

* The Teapot Dome Scandal refers to a bribery scandal during the administration of President Warren G. Harding. Teapot Dome is an oil field on public land Wyoming. I am a professor so I believe I must educate and footnote.

Steffen Schmidt is a University Professor of political science at Iowa State University and lead author of the country's most widely adopted introductory college textbook, "American Government and Politics Today" (17th Edition, Wadsworth Publishing). He provides weekly political analysis for Iowa Public Radio, and periodically in Spanish for CNN en Español. He is chief political and foreign correspondent for insideriowa.com.

Iowa Caucuses

I'm reading a lot of BS about Iowa politics from the AP and others.

Supposedly Sarah Palin will not connect with Iowa conservative, Christian Republicans. There are no candidates on the radar screen for the GOP for 2012. The GOP is all divided and squirreley about its future. There are no front runners.

Bull fazoo!

Former Mass Gov, Michigan (auto industry) executive and 2008 prez canidate Mitt Romney is perfectly positioned for 2012. Have you seen his web site http://www.freestrongamerica.com/ (see web site image above Free and Strong America is not a bad slogan! Mitt talks to you the minute his site loads. he looks tanned, fit and ready to slap the GOP outta control "children" around, tell them to sit down and shut up, and get the party back on track as a serious organization! Talk about family values, Romney is the man. And Glenn beck is a Mormon so that issue will be neutralized this time around!

Mike Huckabee is all over the media and his web site kicks bootey. It is really a "campaign" site disguised as a personbal web page. You can get Huck paraphenalia, contribute to HuckPac, buy his upcoming Christmas book, his videos, well you get the point! Both have a vigorous team of consultants working on a smart 2012 strategy. They are the front runners by any measure.

Newt Gingrich has the most aggressive and vast organization that is working 24-7 churning out "wonky" policy papers and driving Newt to every talk show possible. He is well funded (although the stream of revenue is tight for any of these political organizations right now. The Newt web http://newt.org/ site is huge. Ronald Reagan joins Newt on the top banner this week! talk about channeling the deceased. You can buy his books and joing him for "Real Change" which is a side swipe at Obama!

Tim Pawlenty, Gov of Minnesota, is an Iowa "neighbor" and that has often worked in the past for the Iowa caucuses. He looks pretty good and will make the case that he has executive experience and can create a big tent. http://www.governor.state.mn.us/ I couldn't find a personal political web site yet but i'm pfretty sure that will pop up in the next few months. Gotta have that Tim T (shirt).

So message to AP. Get serious and think outside the box! The GOP is alive and well and has a big menu of strong and aggressive prez wannabees who would play very well in Iowa. That includes Sarah Palin!

The Future of Iowa?

This is just a heads up that in my first political column when Insider launches I will be taking on David Yepsen's last column in the Register.

I'll be challenging most of his assumptions and providing some forceful arguments with data on why he was off base about Iowans being in a funk, not over achieving and not number one!

For those of you who have asked, YES I will have lots of political and policy material in each issue. We also have some famous people writing for us.

And, yes we will try to get Dr Politics the radio show podcasts available from the Insider web site too!

Steffen

What's InsiderIowa.com?

(Picture- Schmidt innovative textbook cover)
InsiderIowa.com is a new new Internet publication. The site will launch in mid April, 2009.

This will be a very dynamic web site with in-depth coverage of interesting and important issues/features and a series of recurring columns.

Topics will include politics, policy, environmental/sustainability topics, lifestyle, business and technology, agriculture, the International/local interconnections and sports.

As traditional media shrinks, the need for new graphically rich publication with video and lots of Internet “toys” becomes more obvious every day. This is the New Media or the "Merging Media."

Few analog "newspapers" printed on, well PAPER, have successfully migrated to the Internet. We will have many discussion about why this is so later but basically its "culture." It may be the same reason why Exxon can't easily become a "green" energy company.

Traditional journalism programs often teach formulaic, sometimes boring and graphically insufficient (unsatisfying) style for the web and the "Cyber generation." My students want fast, "grabby", and engaging stuff. they also want ubiquitous portability.

Parallel example - In 1984 I and my co-authors (Mack Shelley and Barbara Bardes) published the first four color, graphically exciting American government textbook with West Publishing. It rocked the world and many textbooks who did not follow died. Our book became the best selling college American Govt textbook. We added web resources, streaming video, podcasts, a blog and it fit the lifestyle of today's students. (The latest book cover graphic is at start of this blog).

InsiderIowa.com follows the same philosophy. We hope to become a "must go to" source of information and enjoyment for Iowans and well beyond.

One example is the eight part series on Energy Security and Sustainability that we will launch in a partnership. This series will have world famous experts on one of the most critical issues facing the US and the global economy. We will also have flash video associated with this series. We are considering a partnership that will issue a Certificate of Energy Awareness for people who sign up, study the eight features, and successfully take a proficiency quiz.

I am very pleased to have been asked to be an associate editor and the chief political and foreign correspondent of this venture. This opportunity is a great honor and it adds a huge "real world" experience to my work as a professor and researcher. It will make my classes more dynamic and my students better mentored.

We invite and expect your feedback and your good ideas.

2009 - The Crisis Hits

Guys

I 'm looking out to the horizon south west from my farm where a new ethanol plant is up and running.

Now I'm looking east where a huge wind farm is now in operation - I can see the red glowing lights on each wind tower at night.

I am at the center of the 21st century.

Renewable energy.

The new economy.

Alternatives to oil, nuclear, and coal.

Yet all I hear is people bitchin'.

Whats up with that!

"Oh my God. Ethanol is using up all the corn so people around the world are starving because they can;t get cheap corn! "

"Wind turbines are very intrusive and ugly and I want them out of MY back yard. Plus they kill a lot of birds"

"We are depleating the soil and water quality by growing so much corn and turning it into fuel"

'Coal is so much cheaper and we should not subsidize wind power."

Shut up already!

We were all challenged by the federal government a few ears ago to develop alternative energy and to substitute ethanol for some of the toxic additives (for example Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) that were contaminating the ground water.

So because we are IOWA we went to work and got it done.

Ethanol plants and wind farms sprang up as fast as spring mushrooms.

Then all of a sudden corn prices shot up - NPR reported in July 2008 that:

"A rush to cash in on ethanol has slowed as soaring corn prices squeeze profit margins for producers of the alternative fuel. At a recent high of $7 per bushel, the corn used to make ethanol has tripled in price since many plants were built two years ago, and some facilities have been shut down or put on hold."
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92559699

Well, shut up! Corn prices today (March 2009) are in the $3 or below per bushel range. That's right on the edge of break even.

BUT, the predictions are that it will rise to $5 or maybe above as ... well shoot! You get the point. Total instability out there! If we were a US Marine Platoon we'd be crazy frustrated! Tell us what hill you want us to take and we will do it. But don't give us constantly changing orders!

Iowa and our farmers - corn as well as wind - are like a small cork on a wind tossed sea. We bob around, we hope to survive alive, we have no control over the gyrations of world process and of the ups and downs of speculators, of OPEC and their oil policies, of the economy, of the ziggin' and zaggin' of environmentalists who can' t seem to make up their minds if they like corn and wind (both renewable and sustainable) or they don't like them for a variety of reasons.

At InsiderIowa.com we will keep an eye on this and other issues.

And, we want YOU to be center stage of the discussion.

Join our discussion now!