This will be a great week on The Conservative Reader Report as we host the Conservative Bloggers Forum from our Internet Radio studio on Des Moines Local Live! Shane Vander Hart (Caffeinated Thoughts) and Grant Young (Questions Comments and Insults) will join [...]
Tuesday December 1 is runoff day for cities around Iowa, including Des Moines, Windsor Heights and West Des Moines Ward 1. Polls open at 7:00 AM and close at 8:00 PM.
It should be pretty simple. All of Des Moines has to vote today. Period. If you [...]
I have previously listened to Dr. Pat Bertroche speak on several occasions, including the day I went all the way to Sigourney to participate in Leonard Boswell’s “Town Meeting” (that’s French for “Stuffed with Union members”) only to be turned away. At least Bertroche had time [...]
Join us this Tuesday from 3 to 5 at Des Moines Local Live for The Conservative Reader Report! Our guest will be Republican Erik Helland, representative from Iowa House District 69, which covers the northern part of Polk County and includes the towns of [...]
Tonight Republicans from around Iowa met at the Elwell Family Center at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Isaiah McGee, Iowa State Central Committee Member, acted as Master of Ceremonies. He made some brief remarks, including “We Must Unite!”
Video presentations from David Vaudt, who criticized Democrats 30% slash of [...]
Iowa Republicans are holding their Leadership For Iowa event this evening, which will feature Tim Pawlenty, governor of Minnesota, and all of the remaining candidates for Iowa governor.
New for me tonight is the Press Pass. Even though I would have planned to attend anyhow, I was invited to be part [...]
Note: Art Smith is Communications Director for the Polk County Republican Party. His views as expressed here are not necessarily those of the Polk County Republican Party.
Just an observation but if the Executive Director of the Republican Party of Iowa (RPI)leaves this key position to work on the Branstad [...]
This week, once again, I will be hosting the internet rafio show The Bean Walker Live at Des Moines Local Live! The show airs Tuesday from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. During the first hour we will be talking about the Iowa Gubernatorial Candidate [...]
I’ve heard this week some suggestions that having the individual states administer reforms to provide improved health care might be a better way to accomplish what is needed. Paul McKinley, Senate Minority Leader and candidate for the Republican nomination for Iowa Governor, released one of his [...]
The Polk County Republicans present “A Barn-burner at Living History Farms” where you can hear all declared GOP Gubernatorial Candidates speak out. Click the image at right to view the invitation!
This fundraising event will be held at Living History Farms Flynn Barn (11121 Hickman [...]
Update! Link to podcast of today’s show!
Last Tuesday (September 29), I hosted the second half of Tim Albrecht’s program “The Bean Walker Live!” on Des Moines Local Live, and today begins 3 weeks of hosting the program in full while Tim concentrates on getting [...]
The Des Moines Register, one of the two printed dailies that I read, has done some work to revamp the Politics section of their web site. As part of that effort, they have added “Featured Political Bloggers”, providing perspectives from the Right, the Left, and [...]
Today marks the start of the of the Iowa Right To Life Book Sale at Veterans Auditorium in Des Moines. The sale runs from September 9 through 14.
This is one of the most important non-profit organizations in Iowa providing counseling and assistance to pregnant women. [...]
The results are mostly in for Des Moines, and are in for West Des Moines. For Polk County School Districts, you can see the results at the Polk County Auditor’s Web Site.
The Power Plant and Equipment Levy passed in West Des Moines. Des Moines and [...]
It’s another School Board Election day here in Iowa! Traditionally, School Board Elections are one of the voter lowest turnout elections, which is sad for at least these reasons:
Every election represents a critical right and responsibility for us as citizens to speak our minds. Elections [...]
The following piece addresses specific thoughts about the direction of the Republican Party. While the writer is actively serving as Communications Director for the Polk County Republican Party of Iowa, the opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Polk County Republicans, the Republican Party of [...] 
Many of you went the distance and participated in Town Hall events during the Congressional August Break. We are very anxious to hear about your experiences and feedback that you have about the events, Congressmen’s positions, etc. Obviously, Health Care Reform has been the predominate topic, [...]
Update: word usage mentioned in comments – Ed.
This past week we were hit with what many probably thought was a a set of odd ideas. This all started when DART (Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority… that is, the local bus company) started displaying [...]
If you don’t already know, we are thoroughly Pro Life here at the The Conservative Reader. From the moment of conception, the rights of every American should extend to even those that are still in the womb, despite the inconvenience they may pose to their mother.
We [...]
Retired editor of the Des Moines Register, Richard Doak, is concerned about the welfare of the GOP. He says to restore the GOPs greatness don’t look to Reagan, instead look further in the past to Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt.
Thanks for the history lesson [...]
In full harmony with the wreckless abandon that led to two northeast Iowa communities getting a combined total $100,000 in relief money for weather related damage that never happened to them, news that Cedar Rapids residents who need relief are going to take second place to [...]
My buddy Tim Albrecht at The Bean Walker sent out this exclusive update today:
In an exclusive Bean Walker interview, Senate Republican leader Paul McKinley says he will file the necessary paperwork to form a gubernatorial exploratory committee.
He says he will remain focused on his job as [...]
More evidence that we need to put better controls on our government. And before you discard this discussion as “more of the same government stupidity” that we’ve become accustomed to writing off as just “how the system works”, stop and read through this. And really [...]
Urgent alert from the Iowa GOP:
Energy Tax Disaster: Congressmen Boswell, Braley, and Loebsack vote to raise energy costs on Iowans by about $400 a year for Iowa families and cost Iowa jobs.
ACTION ITEM: Call Senator Harkin, IMMEDIATELY, and tell him to vote
NO on cap and trade (HR 2454)!
You can reach [...]
From the Iowa GOP web site:
Des Moines – The latest Survey USA poll indicates that more than half of all Iowans disapprove of Governor Chet Culver’s job performance. Jeff Boeyink, Executive Director of the Republican Party of Iowa, said today, “Governor Culver’s free-spending, big debt, [...]
The following are Iowa Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley’s (R-Chariton) final remarks delivered Sunday morning:
Thank you, Mr. President. Friends and Colleagues:
I know we are about to drop the gavel for the final time on this year’s legislative session and I know we are all a little [...]
House Minority Leader Kraig Paulsen provided these remarks at 4:15 Sunday morning:
Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ladies and gentleman of the House,
First I would like to thank my caucus. It is indeed a great honor to stand for you and represent you. We are 43 [...]
Update: House File 376 (the bonding bill debated Friday evening into Saturday morning) passed the House at about 1:50 AM. – Ed.
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The Iowa House is currently debating the bonding measure and making my head spin! $750 million has turned into $650 million, [...]
At a cost, it seems. Democratic leaders got together yesterday after several days of stalemating between the Governor and Legislative Leaders (all Dems). As you may know, Culver wants to borrow $750 million for infrastructure projects, and both House and Senate leaders have been resistant [...]
I attended the event this evening and while George did not make any comments that sounded like “Hey, I want to be your next President”, this was definitely seemed like a pre-exploratory event. He had some great comments about the current state of affairs, and took [...]
This coming Wednesday evening April 22, at 7:00, George Pataki will be speaking at Drake University in the first of a lecture series being provided by The American Future Fund. The Polk County Republicans are a sponsor of the event. The lecture is titled: “Yes [...]
Chuck Grassley will be conducting a townhall type of event this afternoon (3:30 - 4:30 PM Central Time) using Twitter.
I don’t have any idea how this is going to work. Evidently, Chuck is way ahead of me.
I’m not saying I lack the technical savey [...]
Today’s Tea Party was a great event and very successful! There were between 2,000 and 3,000 people there, great speakers, great weather. The crowd was very enthusiastic.
The good news is that, if the other events across the country were like Des Moines, we are [...]
Every time Democrats tell us they are going to debate House File 807/Senate File 468, which repeals Iowa’s Income Tax deduction on Federal Income Tax (also referred to as putting a “Tax on a Tax”), the public shows up to convey their opposition and [...]
Iowa House Republicans Continue With Budget Savings
House Republicans offered another $52.9 million in cost-saving measures to the education budget bill brought up in the House today.
“From day one, House Republicans promised to dive into budgets and find savings. Today we delivered on that promise for Iowans,” [...]
So, the leadership of the Iowa General Assembly are again hoping to end the session this week. From their standpoint, I think they hope to finish up the budget, pass the repeal of Federal Deductibility, and avoid any more discussion about a Marriage Amendment to the [...]
The following is Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn’s most recent Chairman’s Report. - Ed.
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A personal note from the Chairman: please keep Bob, Darla, and the Vander Plaats family in your thoughts and prayers over the Easter weekend as they [...]
Thursday morning (that’s tomorrow) at 8:30 there will be rally at the Iowa State Capitol West Lawn. Lots of information at letusvoteiowa.org. Please go there and read the information on parking, purpose, etc.
There are a number of legislators, along with Governor Culver, who are questioning [...]
Just to give you an update on what’s been going on with the fallout after Friday’s Iowa Supreme Court decision to strike down the Iowa Defense of Marriage Act.
Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) says he will not allow debate on the [...]
Statement on Governor Culver’s Failure
to Keep Promise to Protect Traditional Marriage
Sen. McKinley: “ I believe Iowans should have the final vote on this very important and emotional issue. Governor Culver has chosen to stand with 7 elite justices and deny the 3 million people of Iowa [...]
In terms of celebrations and tradition, this week is considered the biggest week of the year for most Christians. Growing up, it was a little confusing because I had understood that the actual days themselves were significant, when the reality is that what the days represent, [...]
The good news is that you can stop holding your breath now. The bad news is that there is more work to do.
The Iowa Supreme Court today upheld Judge Robert Hanson’s 2007 decision in Varnum v. Brien. Today’s unanimous court decision (early rumors had indicated [...]
The political fallout continues for Democrats as they try to fend off criticism for Pat Murphy’s behavior Tuesday evening. A letter to the editor in this morning’s Des Moines register lays it out pretty succinctly: characterizing the behavior of the public at Tuesday night’s public [...]
(Updated with message from Ed Failor Jr. below. - Ed.)
We received word from Ed Failor Jr. of Iowans For Tax Relief that Thursday’s planned debate on House File 807, Repeal of Federal Deductibility, has been canceled. We don’t yet know when it will be scheduled. You [...]
Empty Gallery
Pat Murphy will probably say he was well within his rights to clear the gallery at tonight’s Public Hearing on House File 807, the bill to repeal the deduction of Federal Income Tax from Iowa Income Tax.
But he was so wrong.
The galleries were filled with [...]
Update: Repeal of Federal Deductibility is tax increase in every tax bracket!
Yesterday’s newsletter addressed the Democrat proposal to eliminate federal deductibility; a tool that allows Iowans to deduct our federal income taxes from our ordinary income prior to calculating our income for state taxes. This is [...]
A new message from Matt Strawn, Republican Party of Iowa:
DEMOCRATS PLAN TO ELIMINATE FEDERAL DEDUCTIBILITY AND RAISE TAXES ON IOWANS!ACTION ITEM: Join US for a Republican Rally at the State Capitol tomorrow night.
Just when you thought things could not get worse at the Democrat-controlled Statehouse, majority [...]
Iowa Right To Life is holding their annual book sale… Going on right now. This is a great cause to support, and they have lots of great books. Here’s the details:
There are great deals to be had on thousands of used books at the Iowa [...]
If you’ve been listening to the conservative talk shows lately, you probably already know about these anti-tax events being held throughout the country. People are turning out in droves to show their support for lower taxes, better tax structure (like the Fair Tax), and support smarter, [...]
Effective immediately, you can follow The Conservative Reader: Iowa on Twitter. Go to: http://twitter.com/TCR_Iowa, and click “Follow”. If you don’t have a Twitter account yet, you’ll need to open one first.
[...]Iowa House Republican Leader Kraig Paulson provided a report on the status of the first Funnel Week activities:
During each legislative session there is a point in time when we reach the ‘funnel weeks’. These are self imposed deadlines which state a bill must have made it [...]
Two new Iowa web sites have popped up in the past few weeks.
One is The Iowa Republican. Craig Robinson founded this site as an alternative to the media content currently available that, especially in Central Iowa, maintains a particularly strong slant to the left. Craig [...]
This week’s newsletter from Peter Cownie provides some insight into some of his goals as a legislator. Helping keep young people in Iowa after they graduate from high school and/or college has been a challenge in recent decades. Reasons for the large numbers of youth [...]
As we mentioned yesterday, tonight was the Polk County Republican Party election for Chair and Co-chair. John Bloom of West Des Moines was elected Chairman and Will Rogers of Des Moines was elected Co-chairman.
There was a good-sized. group, including about 80 Central Committee members at [...]
Tomorrow night at the monthly Polk County Republican Central Committee meeting, the committee will elect a new Chairman and Co-chairman. Ryan Anderson, John Bloom and John Gruber have all announced their intention to run for Chairman. Will Rogers and Art Smith (yes, one and the same) [...]
This just released by Senator Minority Leader Paul McKinley’s (R-Chariton) office:
Senate Democrats Pass “Iowa Voter Irrelevancy Act” Out of State Government CommitteeSenate Republicans instead focus on creating jobs and promoting Iowa’s economy and wonder why Senate Democrats are more focused on making Iowa’s voters irrelevant
DES MOINES, IA [...]
David Vaudt is Iowa’s Auditor. A Conservative Republican, he has consistently provided an unbiased, unvarnished view into the realities of Iowa’s financial planning and execution. If anyone knows the score and knows what is required right now, it is David. I think we all know that [...]
This week’s newsletter from Iowa House District 60 Representative Peter Cownie is addressed to Governor Culver and provides encouragement for the Iowa Governor to travel to Microsoft headquarters to press for the software giant to recommit to their plans for a data center in West [...]
Some like to use the Court System. Some like to use creative Congressional Legislation. Some even like to use Executive Orders.
Others seek a coalition of states to enact laws to just circumvent the Constitutional system.
Today we look at a bill before the Iowa General Assembly [...]
Since I don’t currently have the time I need to follow the work of the Iowa General Assembly as closely as I’d like, it helps me to read these updates from Peter. This week, I’m surprised to learn that the Democrats are anxious to bring [...]
Peter Cownie was elected to the Iowa State House (District 60) this past November and enters his freshman year. I think that Peter’s insights into this year’s General Assembly work will be valuable, and will be posting his newsletter here.
First, the following text was included in [...]
Monday January 12 will be the opening session of the 2009 General Assembly. This year’s session timetable is here. As was the case the pass two years, both the House and the Senate have Democratic majorities.
We urge you, as the session progresses, to take [...]
Today the Republican Party of Iowa finally ended one of the more unusual elections for party officers in recent memory, which included last week’s candidate forum. The new slate of officers are:
Party Chair: Matt Strawn Party Co-chair: Jim Kurtenbach Party Treasurer: Matt Randall Party Secretary: Bill SchickelStrawn is a [...]
