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March 11, 2010
Terry Branstad had an idea back in the early 90's, and it was promptly laughed out of the room. He wanted biennial budgets- or to pass a budget every two years.March 11, 2010
Candidate Branstad is always unfairly ready to criticize Governor Culver's handling of the state budget, but Candidate Branstad needs to remember what happened under his watch.March 10, 2010
Terry Branstad moved to restructure Iowa's state government, but the savings that reorganization created were short lived when he undercut himself by dramatically increasing spending and expanding the size of state government.March 9, 2010
What would Rick Santorum do? Perhaps, more importantly, who would he endorse?
Rick Santorum will speak to the Iowa Christian Alliance tonight with the Republican gubernatorial candidates. It seems like a perfect opportunity for the 2012 Presidential hopeful to make an endorsement.
Santorum can have his pick from the three left standing:
March 8, 2010
Last night may have been the Oscars, but the reviews have been in for a while on Terry Branstad’s bad budgeting practices.March 2, 2010
It’s been one week since Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan asked the three Republican candidates for governor to stand with Governor Culver in honoring our commitment to Iowa ’s military families and veterans.March 1, 2010
Bob Vander Plaats is now calling Branstad out for his unwillingness to debate his sordid sixteen year record. The call to debate was written about by the Sioux City Journal last week.February 19, 2010
Once again, candidate Branstad is making promises to Iowans that he broke when he was Governor. Why should Iowans believe anything will be different this time around?February 18, 2010
Candidate Branstad promises Iowans that he’ll cut the budget, claiming that spending has “skyrocketed.” But, if he wants to know about out of control spending, he needs to look no further than Governor Branstad.February 17, 2010
Once again, candidate Branstad promises Iowans that he’ll improve Iowa’s education system. However, Governor Branstad already broke that ‘promise’ to Iowans.February 16, 2010
Once again, candidate Branstad promises Iowans that he’ll create hundreds of thousands of new jobs for Iowans. Only problem is candidate Branstad knows he already broke that "promise."February 16, 2010
Iowans are quickly discovering the two faces of Terry Branstad. And as Candidate Branstad continues making promises that Governor Branstad couldn’t keep, one has to ask – if he failed in four terms as governor, why would he succeed now?February 10, 2010
It's bad enough that Two-Face Terry Branstad changes his positions on issues by the hour, now Bob Vander Plaats attacks the working Iowans who helped give him and his family a better quality of life and increased income.
February 3, 2010
Terry Branstad doesn’t respect Iowa’s working families.February 1, 2010
Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan accused Taxin’ Terry Branstad of playing politics with job creation numbers in an effort to mislead Iowans as he campaigns around the state.February 1, 2010
Last week we described the GOP primary for governor as a bumper car match.
Thanks to two right wing pundits, it's turning into a public boxing match.
The Iowa Independent reported an e-mail exchange between blogger Craig Robinson and radio host Steve Deace. The exchange was posted on Robinson's website "The Iowa Republican."
January 29, 2010
Terry Branstad, going through the bumper cars match that is the Republican primary for governor, took a different kind of hit today.January 27, 2010
“Today is a very important day,” Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan said Wednesday. “Iowans can finally be certain we have left behind the skyrocketing spending increases of the Terry Branstad years.”January 27, 2010
When Governor Branstad managed the budget, Iowa faced hundreds of millions in deficits. Then, he raised taxes to cover his overspending, borrowed to pay the bills and even kept two sets of books to hide his deficits from Iowans.January 25, 2010
Where in the world are candidate Terry Branstad and former Governor Terry Branstad?January 23, 2010
Chris Rants took aim at Terry Branstad’s record in an interview with The Iowa Republican. Rants highlighted Branstad’s deplorable record on taxes and spending.
Here's just a bit of what Chris Rants said:
Challenging Branstad is something Rants seems comfortable doing. He pointed out that the former governor has raised the gas tax, numerous fees, and the sales tax twice. In all, Rants contends that Branstad has raised taxes thirty times. He also said that general fund spending increased by 150% under Branstad’s watch. Rants . . .warns that he’s not the only one who knows Branstad’s record.
Hes right, everyone is starting to learn about Governor Branstad’s record. And the more Iowans are reminded of his record, the more they start to compare it to what candidate Branstad says on the campaign trail. Iowans know better than to believe Branstad when he says things will be different this time.
January 21, 2010
Terry Branstad is promising Iowans more of the same disastrous fiscal mismanagement that characterized his time as Governor, Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Mike Kiernan said Wednesday.January 21, 2010
Candidate Terry Branstad says he wants Iowa’s tax climate to be more family friendly and business friendly. Wait until he meets his main opponent on the issue – Taxin’ Terry Branstad.January 19, 2010
A couple weeks ago we teased you with a trailer about the coming showdown, between candidate Branstad and Governor Branstad.
Now that candidate Branstad has officially announced his is run and off on his political "comeback" tour. We wanted to sharethe full video with everyone:
January 19, 2010
For the recently ended campaign reporting period, Vander Plaats' total contributions were more than $650,000 when contributed goods and services are included. Vander Plaats also enjoys the support of an impressive 1,200 contributors, Kiernan said.It looks like Bob Vander Plaats' message is paying some dividends – literally - with Iowa Republicans troubled by Terry Branstad's record of tax increases, fiscal mismanagement, state debt and other 'mistakes,'
Vander Plaats message drives his money, while Branstad is counting on the opposite effect.
January 19, 2010
Terry Branstad is joining perhaps the toughest race of his political career Tuesday – the race against his own record as Governor.
Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan shared his thoughts today:
I agree with Terry Branstad on one thing: he made mistakes as governor. Iowans cannot afford for him to make more, and we’ve learned some things over the last 12 years: we are better off without him and his mistakes.
Branstad’s failed policies resulted in a deficit of nearly $430 million, and Iowans still pay the sales tax he increased to get out of the mess he created. It's very tough to see how Iowans are going to embrace a Governor who ran up a deficit over one who has balanced budgets and not raised taxes.
So far, candidate Branstad has already contradicted some of the greatest hits of Governor Brantad’s record:
Keirnan explained why this is so important:
Iowans want to know where Terry actually stands on the issues. Whether running to the right for Republican primary voters or glossing over his record as governor, it's clear that Branstad will say anything to make his political comeback happen.
Since entering the race last October, conservative Republicans have criticized candidate Branstad for Governor Branstad's record, his earlier endorsement of Senator Ben Nelson and support from Joy Corning, his former Lieutenant Governor.
Last week, the Iowa Family PAC passed over Branstad and endorsed Bob Vander Plaats, saying they would, under no circumstances, endorse Branstad in the primary or general election.
Michael Keirnan added as a final note:
The Iowans I talk to are concerned about the state's future and how we move Iowa forward. They aren't interested in a campaign about the past. The fact is, the Republican Party has changed a great deal since Branstad last served, and it will be difficult for him to make the case for going back to the past.
January 18, 2010
Today, the House Republicans swung at Governor Culver trying to spread misinformation about his record to Iowans. But, their attack missed Culver and hit Taxin' Terry.January 15, 2010
Just days before he begins his attempt at a political comeback tour, Terry Branstad must be happy that it is Friday, an end to the worst week of his campaign so far.January 13, 2010
Just days after he first took the pledge not to attack other Republicans, Terry flip-flopped and attacked Bob Vander Plaats. He thought he could get away with it before by not mentioning Vander Plaats' name, and now he thinks he can get away with it by sending members of his campaign committee to attack Vander Plaats and his supporters. But after today, there's no question - Branstad has broken his promise before he's even officially announced his candidacy.
Today, Brent Oleson, a member of the Branstad campaign committee, attacked both the Iowa Values PAC and State Representative Kent Sorenson for endorsing Vander Plaats and refusing to support Branstad. He went so far as to call them a:
Jihadist sleeper cell of so-called GOP leaders
For the simple fact Branstad broke a campaign promise, he should apologize. But considering the egregious language Olested used - comparing Iowans who voice their political views to terrorists - he must apologize immediately and profusely. It's one thing to have a healthy debate of the issues, but this attack crosses the line.
Why did they do it? It seems like the Branstad campaign is spinning out of control after yesterday's bombshell. In the same interview, Oleson also said he was "stunned" and "mortified" over the endorsements that come just days before Terry Branstad attempts to launch his political 'comeback tour.'
January 13, 2010
Even though Terry Branstad is not "officially" running for Governor yet, his new website is up and running. Like everything from the candidate Branstad so far, it is light on his record as Governor (only 74 words on the site promote his time as Governor).1. Does Branstad ever say 'yo tweeps' in person?
2. Who are your 'tweeps,' Governor?
3. Will candidate Branstad have a different website than Governor Branstad? Since candidate Branstad takes a different side from Governor Branstad on issues like federal deductibility and bonding...
January 13, 2010
Oleson: A 'jihadist sleeper cell of so-called GOP leaders' is damaging the party
The public refusal of an influential social conservative group to support the eventual GOP nominee for governor is causing long-term damage to the party and could result in a second term for Gov. Chet Culver, Republican leaders said Tuesday.
January 12, 2010
We have these questions in mind as Terry Branstad launches his new website tonight.1. Does Branstad ever say 'yo tweeps' in person?
2. Who are your 'tweeps,' Governor?
3. Will candidate Branstad have a different website than Governor Branstad? Since candidate Branstad takes a different side from Governor Branstad on issues like federal deductibility and bonding...
4. Will he list 'running a $400 million deficit' in his accomplishments section?
5. Will he publish his plan to balance the budget on his website tonight, or does he still not have one?
January 12, 2010
It was a surprise when Danny Carroll turned the rally for supporters of a constitutional ban on gay marriage into a campaign endorsement for gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats.January 8, 2010
On January 19, Terry Branstad will announce he is running for Governor for the 5th time. The countdown has begun for a showdown 30 years in the making -- Candidate Branstad vs. Governor Branstad. Who will lose?January 7, 2010
State Rep. Kent Sorenson, R-Indianola endorsed Republican Bob Vander Plaats for governor today, a move consistent with Sorenson’s efforts to position himself as an uber-conservative in the party.
Notably, Sorenson didn’t merely endorse Vander Plaats but also attacked GOP front-runner Terry Branstad:
December 30, 2009
Terry Branstad isn't inspiring confidence among prominent GOP elected officials in Iowa. Rep. Steve King declined an opportunity to endorse him on Iowa Press Tuesday, saying that he wil:
Let them fight it out
King's neutrality declaration comes after Sen. Chuck Grassley mused that he did not know whether Branstad would win the Republican nomination for governor. Grassley said:
He's going to have a primary. I don't know if he wins or not.
Iowa Democratic Party Executive Director Norm Sterzenbach had a sharp anlaysis:
Republicans haven’t forgotten that Branstad raised the sales tax, increased the gas tax and kept two sets of budget books to hide his accounting failures. He's been on a 2 month tour rejecting key policies of his gubernatorial tenure, but Grassley and King remember the true Terry Branstad and don’t like his record.
Terry Branstad expected a coronation when he resigned from Des Moines University to run for governor, but he clearly miscalculated.
December 23, 2009
It looks like the sparring in the GOP primary for Governor won’t stop for a holiday break. Bob Vander Plaats hammered Terry Branstad’s support of Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson Wednesday. Nelson, a Democrat, has been among the key Senate votes on the health care reform bill, agreeing to support it a week ago after exacting concessions from his leadership.December 22, 2009
Republican legislative leaders Paul McKinley and Kraig Paulsen appeared on this past weekend’s Iowa Press where they grossly distorted the Culver record. Iowans know better than to listen to McKinley and Paulsen until they can get their facts straight.December 20, 2009
Chris Rants posted another couple of articles from the "days before google" this time it focuses on his last year as Governor and fight he had with Rants and others. Here's what the Rants campaign has to say about the articles:Here are the articles he posted on his site:This installment reflects back on Terry Branstad's last act as Governor - his very public fight with legislative Republicans who controlled the legislature at the time. Republicans were unwilling to go along with Branstad's desire to spend more money - a fact he forgets when he talks about how much money was left in the reserves when he left office as it was only there because the legislature wouldn't agree to his spending plans. In the end, Branstad gambled that by item vetoing education reforms, like charter schools, he could force his fellow Republicans to agree to his other spending plans. In the end his gamble failed ...
December 17, 2009
THE ISSUE:
Terry Branstad is taking up both lanes of the road now with his latest stance on the road use tax fund. He says he's running on his record but he seems not know where he stands.
December 17, 2009
THE ISSUE:December 15, 2009
When Taxin’ Terry comes to Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, he'll have a great chance to explain why he's against I-JOBS, the state's effort to provide Iowa communities $46.5 million to rebuild after the devastating floods of 2008.December 15, 2009
Gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad is campaigning in Chris Rants hometown of Sioux City today. But, Rants, a Republican and the former Iowa House Speaker who has represented Sioux City in the Legislature for 15 years, doesn't believe that candidate Terry Branstad has the right record to lead Iowa.
In fact, Rants has been the leader lately in making the case that Taxin' Terry isn't a good match for the Republican Party base in Iowa. And that's not good news for party unity.
December 11, 2009
As the legislature prepares to gather for what may be one of the toughest sessions in Iowa history, most the remaining candidates for governor, Terry Branstad, Bob Vander Plaats, or Rod Roberts, haven’t introduced a plan for the budget. Each one has criticized Governor Culver for the decisions he has made to ensure that the budget is balanced, but none have offered a detailed, valid alternative.December 11, 2009
Terry Branstad is trying hard to run away from his record as a budget-expanding, tax-increasing Governor. He says he reduced the number of departments in state government through reorganization, but one look at the facts brings a completely different picture of Branstad into focus. The number of state employees in Iowa more than doubled between 1985 and 2001. See this release from the Iowa Democratic Party about Branstad’s bogus efficiency claims.December 6, 2009
When former Gov. Terry Branstad began an exploratory campaign for Iowa governor, he was immediately hailed as the big-name answer to a crowded field of Republican hopefuls vying for the nomination.
And when the latest Iowa Poll showed Branstad leading Gov. Chet Culver, a Democrat, by 24 points, he seemed golden.
But Branstad is already getting resistance from some in the Republican Party who question his credentials as a social conservative on such issues as gay marriage, gambling and abortion.
December 3, 2009
The Republican civil war is in full swing. Just one day after Terry Branstad claimed to be a conservative and complained about people questioning his record in an interview with the Dubuque Telegraph herald, Chris Rants responded by attacking Branstad’s record:
It was Terry Branstad wielding the veto pen when he gutted our education reform legislation because Republicans wouldn’t go along with all the spending he wanted. It is Terry Branstad’s signature on the largest tax increase in Iowa history.
Branstad doesn’t like people questioning his record though, just look at this excerpt of the Telegraph Herald article:
"Now I have people saying I'm not conservative enough. Now I have people calling me a moderate, or a liberal," he said. "These people don't know me." Branstad said the "confrontational left" of his youth has been joined by a "confrontational right."
Chris Rants had a message on his website for Branstad about his complaints:
Opposing the Branstad tax and spend record doesn't make someone a member of the 'confrontational right,' it just makes them a fiscal conservative.
While Chis Rants marches in lockstep with Vander Plaats and Branstad on the Republican negative agenda, he is right on this point: not every Iowan who dislikes Brantad's tax and spend record are "confrontational."
Iowans know better than to buy Branstad's complaint that they are being "confrontational," whether they are left, right or center. If Terry Branstad is going to complain every single time someone questions his record, what is he going to do when voters start asking questions?
December 2, 2009
When Christian Fong dropped out of the Governor’s race yesterday, he explained that he couldn’t raise money. It looks like the GOP donors aren’t interested in Fong’s campaign when they have the fight between Terry Branstad and Bob Vander Plaats, but it solidified one fact in the GOP field of candidates: they are from the Past.
Whether it is an ousted former legislative leader, a candidate who has been running for Governor (and losing) for a decade, or a former governor from the 1980s -- the Republican field is firmly rooted in old ideas and the politics of the past that Iowans have already rejected time and time again.
Christian Fong tried to stay positive toward other Republicans in his campaign, but his campaign didn’t draw the kind of right-wing support that front-runners got with their negative agendas. We may never know how he could have affected the field, but we can just look at the numbers:
1978 – The year Christian Fong turned one, and the year that Terry Branstad ran statewide for the first time.
36 – The number of campaigns the rest of Republican candidates have run in their careers. They know how to use a negative agenda to get the attention of Republican donors.
20 – Is the average number of years between the rest of the Republican field and Christian Fong.
18 – The average number of years that the rest of the Republican candidates have been running for office.
9 – The number years Branstad was running for office before Fong was even born.
5.6 – The average number of times the Republican candidates have run for office, and completed their campaigns.
0 – The number of times Fong could have voted for Branstad before he dropped out of the race. Branstad has been out of office longer than Fong could vote.
November 28, 2009
While everyone in Iowa was celebrating Thanksgiving with their families this weekend, some Republicans running for governor sent out Thanksgiving messages from their campaign. But, Terry Branstad's Thanksgiving message showed a surprising lack of tact. He included an odd bit of his agenda in his statement:
You and I both know that with recent hardships in the economy and state government, we are faced with a unique opportunity to ... change the size, scope, structure and delivery system of our state and local governments.Does this mean that Branstad is thankful for the hardship that Iowans face, so he can take advantage of it for a political agenda he couldn't complete 12 years ago? While its doubtful he is that crass, Iowa knows better than to swallow a Thanksgiving message that touts taking advantage of a recession to forward a political agenda.
November 24, 2009
Just days after Branstad broke his promise about the not attacking Republicans
Just two days after Branstad broke his promise, Bob Vander Plaats hits him back by claiming Branstad is to "blame" for helping Democrats in Congress get closer than ever before to comprehensive health reform. Vander Plaats, who has made it clear moderates are not allowed in his Republican Party, cited donations that Terry Branstad made to Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) as evidence of Branstad's assistance in passing health reform.
According to Radio Iowa, Vander Plaats said:
"(Branstad) went out of his way to say, ‘I’m going to endorse the Democrats’ agenda and I want to put Ben Nelson out there in front,’ versus a Republican with conservative principles who would have been voting along the lines of Senator Chuck Grassley,"
There is no question -- Vander Plaats and other right-wing conservatives are trying "Scozzafava" Branstad. For reference, Scozzafava, was the Republican nominee who was forced out of special election in New York State for being too moderate. One of the reasons Republican leaders pushed her out: her ties to Democrats, including donations.
November 20, 2009
Goes After Bob Vander Plaats and Flip Flops on Attacking other Republican Candidates
Here's the audio of Branstad attacking Vander Plaats, and here's the video of Branstad promising not to:
DES MOINES- On November 7, former Governor Terry Branstad announced that he would refrain from attacking fellow Republicans, saying “In fact, I am going to take the pledge to abide by President Reagan’s 11th Commandment, which is, and I quote, ‘speak no ill of another Republican.’ I will not attack any of the other candidates. They all have my respect.”
Candidate Branstad kept his word for precisely 12 days.
November 15, 2009
Chris Rants posted another article from the "days before google" about Terry Branstad. It was in sreponse to his speech at the Republican Party of Iowa's fall Dinner. Here is his campaigns description of the article:
At the RPI fall dinner former Governor Branstad said that when he left office in 1999, the budget was balanced according to generally accepted accounting principals "the way (State Auditor) Dave Vaudt says it ought to be done." Apparently the former Governor has forgotten that for most of his tenure, he was in fact keeping two sets of books, and did not abide by GAAP as then Auditor Dick Johnson demanded.Here are the article he posted on his site:
November 9, 2009
DES MOINES – Terry Branstad’s rhetoric attacking the I-JOBS program stands in sharp contrast to his actions as Governor, when he put the state in an even deeper debt hole, Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan said Monday.
November 6, 2009
Chris Rants has a few more articles to share about Terry Brastad's record as Governor. This time they are about Terry Branstad's lack of fiscal discipline as Governor. Here's what Rants' campaign has to say about the articles:
The article on the left is about the former Governor's reversal of course after the 1986 election - much to the chagrin of his fellow Republicans.
The article in the middle is about how the Cato Institute looks at the issue of too much spending and tax increases.
The article on the right describes how the state auditor takes issue with the Branstad administrations practice of keeping two sets of books and violates generally accepted accounting principals.
Here are the new articles he posted on his site:
November 4, 2009
Iowa voters looking for a “compassionate conservative” in Taxin’ Terry Branstad are going to be sorely disappointed. In one of his first campaign meetings, Branstad made a strange and deeply insensitive attack on Iowans who are blind and visually impaired.
On Wednesday, October 28, Branstad met with some evangelical pastors in Des Moines. He told the pastors how he tried to eliminate the Iowa Department for the Blind, but was thwarted by legislators:
"We went from like 64 agencies to 25 agencies. The one we weren’t able to get done was the Commission for the Blind, because the Legislature just couldn’t take the heat from the tap tap tap of the white canes."
November 3, 2009
Last week, Terry Branstad met with a small group of prominent conservative activists and one of the attendees posted an audio recording of the discussion on a blog.
At one point, Branstad was asked a very direct question about how he would govern the state if elected:
MODERATOR: I guess the first thing that I would ask is, do you have a specific plan that you have prepared on how to fix or repair state government? And if so, where can we find that?
BRANSTAD: Ok, well I don’t.
November 2, 2009
Earlier today, Chris Ranst posted a few articles for the "days before google" about Terry Branstad's record as Governor. Here is his campaigns description of the articles:This editorial on the left by David Yepsen of the Des Moines Register was written at the start of former Governor Branstad's last year in office. Mr. Yepsen provides a historical perspective on how a "conservative" governor racked up such a liberal record over sixteen years.Here are the articles he posted on his site:
The articles in the middle come from the first year of former Governor Branstad's first term in office. Despite campaigning in opposition to raising taxes, his first order of business was to raises the sales tax.
The article on the right is from the former Governor's second term when he proposed the elimination of federal deductibility and a massive 11% increase in spending.
November 2, 2009
For weeks it’s been clear Terry Branstad is running for governor. His cronies may have violated campaign finance law with the Draft Branstad 527. He quit his job at Des Moines University. He created a new campaign committee and hired two long-time Republican activists to work for him. This past weekend, Branstad even said "It's been a while since I've been on the campaign trail, but this is a great place to start" [WCF Courier, 11/1/09].
October 30, 2009
Republican candidate Bob Vander Plaats called the Governor's bold, decisive budget decisions an "utter failure of leadership" Thursday. [Cedar Rapids Gazette, 10/29/09]
"Vander Plaats is the one with the clear record of failure," Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan said Friday. "It's tough to find a bigger failure in Iowa business or political circles."
October 26, 2009
In Northeast Iowa on Saturday, the Allamakee County Republican Party held a straw poll to gauge local support for the various candidates for Governor. Several of the candidates made good showings, including State Representative Rod Roberts who won the poll (he’s from Western Iowa and must be thrilled folks know him in Waukon) and Bob Vander Plaats, who finished second and once again proved he has a consistent base of support statewide.
The big loser? Terry Branstad. He finished all the way back at 5th, pulling in just 10 percent and beating only State Senator Jerry Behn. That is a total meltdown.
October 23, 2009
DES MOINES – Terry Branstad may have a tough time winning the Republican primary for Governor in 2010. That’s not coming from Democrats who want to see Branstad fail – its coming from the Dean of the Iowa Republican Party himself!
October 21, 2009
Faced with the ramifications of the Bush/Cheney recession, Governor Chet Culver acted swiftly and decisively to balance the budget through a 10% across the board spending cut.
That decision stands in stark contrast to Terry Branstad’s tenure as governor. Back in 1991-1992 when Branstad was Governor, the nation faced a recession (though not nearly as bad as the current one).As the state began to run out of revenue, Branstad’s mismanagement made the situation that much worse.
October 19, 2009
Terry Branstad would like Iowans to think he'll be riding in on a white horse to fix all our state budget problems. The reality is Branstad likes working on the budget about as much as a root canal. Branstad has been open with his disdain of budget issues, and it's clear he'll be relying on others to do the dirty work for him.
As Branstad was leaving office in 1998, he gave a series of interviews outlining likes and dislikes about the job. His number one dislike? Budget meetings:
October 16, 2009
Today, Terry Branstad is finally announcing what everyone has known for months; he is again running for governor. Here at IowaKnowsBetter.com, we feel like Iowans know that some things are better left in the past. In case you missed it, check out our video about Terry’s new run for Governor:
Now, pass the video on to your friends and family.
October 16, 2009
Terry Branstad’s Campaign for Governor may have its best moments before the candidate even admits he’s in the race! As Branstad quit his post at Des Moines University today, he continued to be coy about the fact he’s running for Governor, saying only that he was “exploring” the option. At a counter press conference organized by the Iowa Democratic Party, Senator Mike Gronstal declared “he [Branstad] may have equivocated today, but he’s running for Governor.”
October 15, 2009
There’s been a lot of talk in conservative circles about the funding for Governor Culver’s I-JOBS plan, the $830 million stimulus package that’s rebuilding roads, bridges and public buildings while preserving and creating jobs in the depths of a worldwide recession. The funding process was to take some money the state took in from gambling, and each year apply that to pay off government bonds the state sold to fund I-JOBS. (We also got an excellent interest rate on the bonds because of our AAA bond rating.)
October 13, 2009
The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board will take up the issue of the ‘Draft Branstad’ group’s violation of Iowa campaign laws next week unless corrective action is taken by the group, according to published reports Tuesday [see Radio Iowa news excerpt by clicking keep reading or read the whole story on their site]October 12, 2009
Over the past week, Chris Rants has been trying to have it both ways on Iowa’s budget, and it’s time someone called him on it. In a story posted last Wednesday afternoon, Rants had the following to say about across-the-board budget cuts:
October 9, 2009
The political action group called Draft Branstad, formed to promote Terry Branstad’s candidacy for Governor before he became a declared candidate, is ignoring Iowa ethics law and engaging in express advocacy for Branstad, who became a candidate on Wednesday, Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan said Friday.
October 7, 2009
If you want to know why Doug Gross has been using a 527 group to promote Terry Branstad’s campaign, look no further than the bottom line. As we shared with you in a post yesterday, Gross billed taxpayers for more than $188,000 to lobby Branstad on behalf of just one client in 1993-94!October 6, 2009
In 1994, Terry Branstad said he couldn’t “recall conversations" with his former Chief of Staff Doug Gross, regarding the building of a $21 million dollar privately-run prison facility in Clarinda. The controversy arose when Gross' law firm, Brown, Winick, Graves, Donnelly, Baskerville & Schoenebaum, filed $188,455 in legal bills for its work on the prison, to be paid by Iowa taxpayers. Gross said he had eight conversations with Branstad between June 1993 and April 1994.October 3, 2009
Terry Branstad is clearly not the right Governor to have during a recession. In times like these, Iowans go back to basics and start pinching pennies. But Branstad will make sure the basics take an even bigger bite out of our monthly budgets.October 1, 2009
Iowa law requires potential candidates to a file a ”statement of organization” after raising or spending more than $750 in pursuit of elective office. This process puts state ethics officials on notice of campaign activities and makes the candidate accountable. But Terry Branstad can’t do that and keep his day job too, so he asked his friends for help.September 25, 2009
Chris Rants voted against SF 2425, a bill providing $1.2 billion in state general funds for health and welfare programs including Medicaid. This budget includes a 1% Medicaid provider rate increase, more money for prevention of elder abuse, the creation of an emergency mental health crisis services system and a mental health services system for children, and creates an Iowa Autism Council.
September 24, 2009
One of Terry Branstad’s biggest challenges in his 2010 campaign will be making members of his own party, and all Iowans, forget what happened to the state budget on his watch. The short answer? It exploded.
September 21, 2009
Iowans who are counting on IPERS to provide a stable retirement got a major shock from GOP candidate for Governor Christian Fong. It didn’t get much attention, but it’s important for Iowans to know Fong’s position. He wants the public pension system to resemble the private sector! [Source: Fong Campaign News Release, Wednesday, September 16, 2009.]
September 6, 2009
... it was interesting this week when Bob Vander Plaats, a Republican candidate for governor, made a point of telling reporters what kind of running mate he won’t be choosing at some point.
September 6, 2009
Bob Vander Plaats claim of being the "turnaround CEO" Iowa needs to lead the state out of its financial problem is being challenged by Rep. Chris Rants, a rival for the GOP gubernatorial nomination. "In every speech he gives, Bob says he was a 'turnaround' CEO at Opportunities Unlimited,” Rep. Chris Rants of Sioux City said Tuesday, but “the facts show Opportunities Unlimited tanked financially during his tenure as CEO and Chairman."
September 6, 2009
Somebody needs to tell Branstad that coming back could be the biggest mistake of his life. And that's saying a lot. With his four terms in office, Branstad was part of the Terrace Hill decor almost as long as the signed portrait of Queen Victoria
September 6, 2009
... Vander Plaats said instead of doing it in 20 years as the bonds specify, he'd pay them off by the end of his first four-year term as governor. Representative Christopher Rants says it's not possible, "Those are things that sound good on a stump speech but the reason why we haven't seen any other Republican candidates echo those same sort of proposals is because they don't work." ...
September 6, 2009
... But Branstad, still undeclared, showed himself while in office to be only a hair less ideologically driven than the others. During his 16 years as governor he staked out a territory squarely on the side of social conservatives. ...
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