The Weekly Stampede

Reed campaign: Harkin flip-flops on credit default swaps

From IowaPolitics.com
October 15, 2008
(Marion, IA) – Christopher Reed, Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, today criticized Sen. Tom Harkin and his flip-flop policy of credit default swaps – the legislation that allows Wall Street investment firms the right to gamble away America’s nest eggs. Said Reed, “Tom Harkin is now trying to gain back public support during this election cycle. The bottom line is that he made a bad choice and now he is trying to cover up.” Sen. Harkin recently announced that he would propose legislation to correct these Wall Street financial problems.

Sen. Tom Harkin co-sponsored the language that allows Wall Street investment firms to take money from their investors and gamble it away and then either pay-up or pay off their debt. Recently, Congress passed a $700 billion bailout package to save Wall Street and their bad gambling investments. “Wall Street went to the river boat and gambled away our nest eggs and now we have to pay AGAIN through assessed taxes. It’s government at its worst,” said Reed. Christopher Reed stressed that Sen. Harkin has had 20+ years to make changes and he has done nothing but add more government agencies and personnel to correct his bad policy decisions. “It is time that Iowans fight back and take back their lives,” said Reed. “Sen. Harkin is not doing the job that he was elected to do. It’s time to send him home and put and Iowan in the U.S. Senate.”

Click Here to read the whole article.

Sen. Sam Brownback to keynote 2008 Ronald Reagan Dinner

When: Saturday, October 25, 2008
Reception: 6 p.m. ; Host Committee Reception: 6:30 p.m. ; Dinner: 7 p.m.

Where:
Hy-Vee Hall
730 3rd St
Des Moines, Iowa

RSVP:
Host: $1000 (Host Reception, Photo & Table of Ten)
Sponsor: $500 (Host Reception & Dinner for Three)
Individual: $100 (Reception & Dinner)

Contact Wes Peterson for reservations or more information at wpeterson@iowagop.org or call 515-282-8105.

Volunteers needed for campaign mail program

RPI is seeking volunteers to assist with a special campaign mail program to help elect Iowa Republican candidates. Volunteer tasks include sorting, bagging, and transporting mail pieces in Central Iowa. This program is a great way for Republicans of all ages and abilities to take part in this historic campaign!
Interested volunteers should contact Nathan Treloar at 515-282-8105 or Nathan@iowagop.org.

Election Day is approaching, RPI needs your help!
The Republican Party of Iowa is looking for individuals to serve as poll watchers for the general election, November 4, 2008. Poll Watching is an incredibly rewarding experience that enables individuals to see the election process in action.
For further information or to sign up please contact Director of Election Day Operations Danny McNamara at dmcnamara@iowagop.org or by phone at (515) 864-6127.

McCain-Palin Launches new TV ad: “Fight”

ARLINGTON, VA -- Today, McCain-Palin 2008 released its latest television ad, entitled "Fight." The ad highlights John McCain speaking directly to the American people about his bold plan of action to make the next four years better than the last eight. To do that, John McCain will fight to set a new direction by fighting for the American people. He will protect Americans' savings and investments, lower taxes, curb government spending, work toward strategic energy independence and always fight for our country. The ad will be televised nationally.

To learn more about John McCain's "Pension and Family Security Plan" and "Jobs for America" economic plan, please see: http://www.johnmccain.com



Paid for by the Republican Party of Iowa

Harkin-Obama Let Wall Street Sink!

While Wall Street was sinking, what were Tom Harkin, and Barack Obama doing? SAVING THE DELTA QUEEN!!!! Let me say that I believe the Delta Queen is OK, I don't have anything against it, but this illustrates the thinking behind a Senator who has been in Washington too long and has lost touch, and his protege who has lost touch very quickly.

I offer this as evidence: Sen. George Voinovich introduces bill to save the Delta Queen on September 17, 2008. On September 16, Sen. George Voinovich has introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate (bill no. S. 3498) to save the Delta Queen by exempting her from 1966 Safety at Seat Law. Support comes from at least seven other Senators, both Republicans and Democrats, giving the Delta Queen a new chance for a bipartisan vote in favor of this unique historic steamboat. Cosponsors of this promising bill so far are: Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi), David Vitter (R-Louisiana), Barack Obama (D-Illinois), Evan Bayh (D-Indiana), and Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), but as Vicki Webster, one of the campaign leaders to save the Delta Queen says: "We need much more direct support from Senators all over the country, but especially from the ones coming from a river state".

Members of the Save the Delta Queen grassroots campaign are calling to action all Delta Queen fans and supporters. Campaign's co-leader Franz Neumeier says: "Get on the phone, go to your Senator's local offices, fire up your fax machines and urge your Senators to support this important bill to give the Delta Queen a chance to survive." Campaign leaders are also asking supporters to talk to their local newspapers and TV stations to report about what it means if the Delta Queen disappears forever. "And don't forget to point out that all this is not about safety, because the Delta Queen in fact is a very safe boat", says Neumeier. Detailed information about the Delta Queen's safety can be found at http://deltaqueen.wordpress.com/deltaqueensafety/

OUR GOVERNMENT IN ACTION!!!

-Tim Grover, The Plain Blunt Guy

News From RPI Chairman Stewart Iverson

Harkin Spews Hate Against Veterans

…Harkin, who has a history of embellishing his own military record, told Iowa reporters last week that McCain’s background as the son and grandson of Navy admirals creates a “dangerous” situation because he can only view the world through the prism of the military.

“He has a hard time thinking beyond that,” Harkin said, according to The Des Moines Register. “I think he’s trapped in that. Everything is looked at from his life experiences, from always having been in the military, and I think that can be pretty dangerous.”

The paper also quotes Iowa’s junior senator telling reporters, “It’s one thing to have been drafted and served, but another thing when you come from generations of military people and that’s just how you’re steeped, how you’ve learned, how you’ve grown up.”

Military service is not a foreign concept to U.S. presidents. In the post-War War II era, Bill Clinton is the only president to have not served in some branch of the military.

Read the entire article.

…Iverson also called on Obama to "denounce" fellow Democratic Senator Tom Harkin's recent comments about Republican presidential candidate John McCain. Last week Harkin said McCain's worldview is "trapped" because of his military career, and the military careers of his father and grandfather.

"First of all, we have to have a strong military in the United States. We have to take care of not only ourselves, but help allied nations," Iverson said. "With an all-volunteer Army and Air Force, Marines and Navy -- all the branches of service, I think it's absolutely ridiculous to say that John McCain is 'too military.'"

Read the entire article.

California Supreme Court Looses its Moral Compass

In an era where our nations moral compass is being tested daily, last weeks ruling by the California Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage is particularly disturbing. The 4-3 decision, which overturned a ban enacted by the California legislature, is yet another example of power hungry justices legislating from the bench. This is just one of the many reasons why this year’s election is so important. The next president may have the opportunity to nominate as many as four justices to the Supreme Court. John McCain will stand up for our Republican beliefs and nominate justices who hold the same jurisprudence as Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito.

…Highlighting an issue he plans to use aggressively in the general election campaign, Sen. John McCain on Tuesday decried "the common and systematic abuse of our federal courts by the people we entrust with judicial power" and pledged to nominate judges similar to the ones President Bush has placed on the bench.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee said that Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. "would serve as the model for my own nominees, if that responsibility falls to me," highlighting the gap between Republicans and Democrats on the question of who should sit on the Supreme Court. Both justices have established strong conservative records since Bush appointed them, and the appointment of one more conservative to the nation's highest court could tip the balance on issues such as abortion, discrimination, civil liberties and private property.

Read the entire article.