Battle of Madison moves to Des Moines

Battle of Madison moves to Des Moines

The Battle of Madison moves to Des Moines tomorrow as the House holds a public hearing (6-8:15 pm) on House Bill 545, which would end binding arbitration for public employee and generally scuttle collective bargaining. "Wisconsin lite," says local labor leader Patrick Hughes.

If you're headed up there's a "Rally to Save Iowa's Middle Class" beforehand at 5. Bus leaving Coral Ridge Mall (by Barnes & Noble) at 3 pm on Monday.

I'll be otherwise occcupied; Ron Paul is headed to the People's Republic for the second in Bob Vander Plaats' "Presidential Lecture" series. That's at 4 at the IMU. Show up early to submit questions, but fair warning: BVP screened them all last month with Pawlenty. (Scheduled for April and May: Bachmann, Santorum).

And as the Republican candidates flood the state, Iowa's not forgotten by The Prez:

The president's reelection committee plans to put its own organizations into the early primary and caucus states - Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.

"We can't cede the playing field," one adviser said. "We can't just play general election. So we're going to have to organize on the ground in early states."

Note the presence of experienced Iowa hand Jennifer O’Malley Dillon.

The Reg has a must-read on the brewing battle between Christie Vilsack and Blue Dog Boswell. Of note: "Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader in the U.S. House, is scheduled to headline a fundraiser for Boswell at the home of Des Moines lawyer Roxanne Conlin on March 24." So much for the Iowa-Mississippi Club solidarity...