Panel studies county keg registration

Panel studies county keg registration

"Acknowledging that underage drinking is an integral part of Iowa City culture, Richard Dobyns, the co-director of a local alcohol-awareness group, said Wednesday the key is restricting access to alcohol."

How about someone "acknowledging" that the 21 year old drinking age is an unenforcable law that flies in the face of the concept of 18 as the age of majority? Until elected officials acknowledge that publicly, I'm not ready to sign on to anything.

Ooops, forgot; Dobyns ISN'T an elected official, he lost. In fact, if you look at the narrow margin and the numbers from the student precincts, he lost on this issue, or the 21 bar variant thereof. Maybe more of that needs to happen before this can be discussed rationally.

I'm not even saying keg registration is a bad thing. It's just that I see so much disingenuousness and hypocrisy around the issue. I'm not willing to listen to a word you have to say about the alleged "underage" problem till you acknowledge - publicly - the problems with the 21 year old drinking age. (I've had a lot of politicians admit this to me in private.)

Alcohol abuse and the drinking age are DIFFERENT THINGS. We need to address alcohol abuse but not by gutting principles of adult rights. Especially with a draft just around the corner. (And not a drinkable draft either...)

Kos: No love for Iowa

Kos: No love for Iowa

Writing about the DNC's latest scheduling moves, Kos sez:

Iowa and New Hampshire are not representative of the nation. Not in the least. Their exhalted roles will not last for eternity.

This is a tiny change, a caucus before New Hampshire which would still retain the "first primary" designation. That New Hampshire is freaking out so much will only harm them long-term. Let them move up their primary. The DNC should retaliate by stripping that primary of its delegate-assigning ability.

Delegates? We ain't got no delegates. We don't have to show you any steenkin' delegates. Delegates don't matter. Media matters. If New Hampshire becomes an unsanctioned beauty contest, but the candidates are looking for anything they can to gain a toehold, they'll show up with the scrum of cameras and New Hampshire wins. If the candidates stay away, it's a non-story, no news, and the DNC wins.

What Kos is really pissed about, of course, is that Iowa killed Howard Dean (remember, The Scream was AFTER the third place finish) and inflicted John Kerry on the nation. Which gives me as an Iowa Deaniac profoundly mixed feelings.

Sales Tax Now A Done Deal

Sales Tax Now A Done Deal

Unanimous. That's disappointing. It seems the only way to get the school board to do the RIGHT thing - supporting progressive tax reform - is to vote this down.

Johnson County Supervisor Rod Sullivan, who voted against seeking a county share of the tax, said he would continue to campaign
against the tax because it would disproportionately affect low-income residents.
``Should Kirk Ferentz pay the same as a homeless guy?'' he said, referring to the University of Iowa football coach whose annual salary recently was put at some $2.8 million. ``I don't think so.''

More in PC and DI.

THis one's likely to be a Democratic party-splitter on the local level, just like public power was. A word to my friends: I'm really going to resent it if you tell me I'm "against the kids." Yes, we know it's your only way to raise money under present law. That doesn't make it right. Ibnstead of taxing the poor, you should be lobbying the legislature - or better yet working to CHANGE the legislature.

2006 HOUSE RACE RANKINGS: Iowa-01 Is Now The Most Vulnerable

2006 HOUSE RACE RANKINGS: Iowa-01 Is Now The Most Vulnerable

National Journal ranks Braley-Whalen the hottest race in the country. 40 of the top 50, and all of the top 9, are GOP held. Boswell at #10 is ranked most vulnerable Dem.

Looks like we're ground zero again...

Autry in Register: Culver Diss?

Autry in Register: Culver Diss?

James Autry writes a deep and thoughtful column in today's Register on gay issues, church, and state. The core:

We need to separate the two aspects of marriage, one of which is the business of the state and one of which is the business of the church.

One of those aspects is the contract of marriage, the other is the covenant of marriage.

Clearly the contract part — property rights, tax issues, inheritance rights and so on — is an appropriate concern of the state. But the covenant part — love, commitment, emotional, psychological and spiritual bonds and support — is not an appropriate concern of the state.

Thus I believe we should separate the two aspects and call the contract part a civil union, and call the covenant part a 'marriage.'

The state can legitimately continue to issue licenses for civil unions, but let the churches address 'marriage' as a sacrament of the church and in accordance with the churches' own policies.

I like this approach: get government out of the marriage business, treat everyone equally by making EVERYTHING a civil union, and let churches decide what's a "marriage." If you want to be in a bigoted church, that's your business, but don't inflict that on the rest of us.

Autry is identified as "an author and consultant." He is NOT identified as the partner (or to use the socially sanctioned hetero term, "spouse") of one Sally Pederson, lieutenant governor and Iowa Democratic Party chair. Do the two partners share this vision? And how does this mesh with Chet Culver's stated opposition to civil unions?

This looks to me like a smack upside Culver's skull, a public shot in the internal debate still raging across listservs and at booze-n-schmooze events across the state. Will he take the hint, or will he ignore the base in favor of pollsters and consultants?

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Also in the Register, the presidential wannabees are sending staffers to Iowa, hoping to earn points with the county chairs and legislators so important at caucus time. Mostly GOP, but buried deep is a gem from the Where Are They Now Department:

Vilsack, who would be expected to win the Iowa caucuses (sic), announced Monday the addition of two staff members in Iowa.

Former Vilsack administration policy adviser Dusky Terry and Heather Matson, who ran Terry's losing primary bid for Iowa agriculture secretary this year, have joined Heartland PAC in Iowa, said the organization's Iowa political director Jeff Link.

So Dusky's prepping for the future. Another campaign, or über-operative?

Tuesday's headlines: Connecticut, Texas, Hogwarts

Tuesday's headlines: Connecticut, Texas, Hogwarts


Oh so much goodness to pass along that's NOT Iowa-centric.

In Connecticut, Ned Lamont releases a Godzilla ad: W talks, Lieberman's words come out. And you can't tell the difference. That's the point. Hotline: "If Lamont wins this thing, this ad will become legendary."

Texas: Kinky Friedman is in second place in the latest poll. Granted, it's essentially a three way tie for second. But if Friedman and hapless Dem Chris Bell can somehow unite forces, they can knock off the GOP. Pardon my slanted language and apparent lack of party loyalty here; seeing the guy who wrote "Asshole from El Paso" win an election would be too good a story.

We don't wipe our asses on Old Glory,
God and Lone Star beer are things we trust.
We keep our women virgins till they're married
So hosin' sheep is good enough for us.

OK. So I'm a Harry Potter geek. I'm alerted to incoming email by the sound of an owl. JK Rowling says she's killing off "at least two" characters in the Harry Potter conclusion due next year. I assume that means two among the Good Gals And Guys in addition to the demise of He Who Must Not Oh What The Hell VOLDEMORT Stop Saying The Name Harry.

THIS ending would be a bit of the downer:

Ron turns traitor, Voldemort kills Harry, Evil triumphs, Hermione dies in the Mudblood holocaust, the end. Ha! Gothcha, kiddies, now I'll take my billion dollars and buy a country.

No, somehow I expect better. Speculation will no doubt ensue at geeky places.

Speaking of Harrys, we welcome to the world one Harold Charles "Harry" Deeth, who joined the Michigan Deeths late Sunday night! My tribe of nephews and nieces now numbers five...

More Sales Tax Talk from Sullivan

More Sales Tax Talk from Sullivan

From Supervisor Rod Sullivan's weekly newsletter this morning:

As regular readers know, I do not support the use of sales taxes. Sales taxes shift the burden for funding government from the rich to the poor. I see them as politically expedient, but frankly immoral.

So, it is with great interest that I watch the ICCSD Board of Directors struggle with a Local Option Sales Tax proposal. Proponents were dealt a blow when the cities knocked on the door, suggesting that the money be split. Johnson County followed up with a similar request. (I voted against the motion, but it carried 4-1.)

I know many people who would swallow hard and vote for a sales tax "for the kids"; the same empathy does not exist for the cities (or the County, for that matter). I think a sales tax solely for schools might pass; I think including everyone else will guarantee failure.

So, the ICCSD is placed in a difficult position. Include the municipalities and put the passage in serious jeopardy (see previous failed attempts), or leave them out and be criticized for not being a team player.

I feel for the School Board members who are faced with this difficult choice. I only wish it would cause them to reconsider this tax increase on the poor.

Nice talk. He throws a nice party too: never seen so many politicos in one place with NO SPEECHES.

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Other key weekend events:

Went to an open house at my former home. Looks nice, but not as much more nice as they're asking.

And Nicole Kidman got married (not to me).