LATE UPDATE: I posted more about my background here and here. A better e-mail for contacting me: desmoinesdem AT bleedingheartland.com
Desmoinesdem is the pseudonym of a woman who has been interested in politics since she took on the role of John Anderson for a 5th-grade class debate. She wonders whether there are any other Bleeding Heartland registered users old enough to remember John Anderson.
She first participated in an Iowa caucus as a Paul Simon supporter in 1988. She wonders whether there are any other Bleeding Heartland registered users old enough to remember Paul Simon.
Now she is a mother of two in the Des Moines suburbs. She was a precinct captain for Kerry in 2003/2004 and for Edwards in 2007-2008. Aside from electoral politics, her interests include a wide range of environmental issues and attachment parenting.
The best way to contact her is to comment in one of her diaries, but she can also be reached at desmoinesdem at yahoo.com.
15 Comments
You bet!
I remember Paul Simon of the bowtie and John Anderson, independent candidate for President. They were both from Illinois.
Anderson is now with FairVote, trying to help us escape from the electoral college straitjacket.
Keep on posting.
iowavoter Thu 12 Apr 7:46 AM
I remember John Anderson
and Paul Simon (though I was in 8th grade and a freshman in college respectfully).
8th grade was an important time for me, I moved to Pennsylvania, got new friends, listened to punk rock and went from a Reagan Republican to a Anarchist to a Marxist-Leninist in the span of about 3 months.
While I’ve not been fortunate enough to live in Iowa, I did support and vote for Jesse Jackson in 1988 — and he stunned the world and won Michigan!
I’ll look forward to continue to read you.
philgoblue Thu 12 Apr 7:49 AM
Jackson's campaign
That brings back memories. In August 1987 I went to a Democratic presidential candidates’ debate at the Iowa State Fair. Even though I was for Simon, I remember that Jesse Jackson stole the show. It wasn’t just his rhyming rhetoric (“farmers want parity, not charity”), it was the way he related to the audience.
To make a point about our country’s manufacturing base, he asked people to raise their hands if they personally owned a VCR. He went on about how Americans invented the VCR but there were no VCRs manufactured in the US–just about all of them came from Japan. Then he asked the crowd, “Raise your hands if you personally own an MX missile.” Laughter and huge applause.
desmoinesdem Thu 12 Apr 11:04 PM
I was a Gore supporter in 1988,
but I remember Simon, Anderson and Jackson too. I am a southerner, and I was very surprised that Jackson could win votes in the midwest. I got to meet Sen. Simon late in 1999, when he was campaigning for Gore in the 2000 caucuses.
corncam Fri 13 Apr 9:48 AM
Paul Simon?
Yeah, always hanging around with that Garfunkle guy.
I got a couple years on you but was not politically active at such a precocious age.
(My daughters, however, have already been in Time magazine at a Kerry rally. They liked his early meetings much better than the Obama rally as Kerry accepted a picture they drew and gave the oldest one a hug. Cold and aloof my butt, he was very nice. Obama’s music was too loud for the kids.)
boringdad Thu 12 Apr 6:42 PM
Yes I remember John Anderson
I was a precinct committeeman in Union County when I announced for John Anderson. It really pissed off the rest of the county central committee. I didn’t really care. I couldn’t support Carter. 21% interest rates was crippling our business. The prime skyrocketed. For those of you that think a poor credit rating caused the high interest rates. You are wrong. It was a family owned grain elevator the business had been in my family since 1887. We had banked with that bank for over 30 years. In 1978 our interest rate was 7% by 1980 it had risen to over 20%. We could borrow hundreds of thousands of dollars just on our voice on the phone. All loans were paid off early.
I was very impressed with John Anderson’s openness and honesty. I recieved a fundraising letter in which he said they would pay back donations with interest if he qualified for matching funds. I sent him a check and six months later got a check from his campaign with interest. Yes John Anderson was a good man. One of the last sane republicans.
I do remember Paul Simon. The man with the bowtie. I was a precinct chairman for him in Polk County. I liked his openness. He kindof reminded me of what I had read about Harry Truman.
I was first elected as a precinct committeeman in 1976 I was 18 years old, in Union County. I have since been a committeeman in Polk and Dallas Counties. And until 2006 I have always been active in my local democratic party. After the 2000 election I started to become angry at how the Democrats in Washington cowered to Bush. They acted as if Bush won the election with 400 electoral votes. At times when they should have stood their ground and fought they caved in. At times they might have lost, they could have stood for their values and beliefs. They could have stood for something only to raise the white white flag of surrender. In 2006 the cowards of Congress (the Democrats) voted 35-9 for the patriot act. After that I left the party. Actualy I didn’t leave the democratic party, the party left me.
For thirty years I had been there for the party. Knocking on doors, making phone calls and selling tickets. Every year I donated one thousand dollars to democratic candidates. But I couldn’t do it anymore. I donated instead to MoveOn. Atleast they were trying to fight back. Something the cowards in Congress (the Democrats) refuse to do. IN 2006 I was excited to see the Dems take Congress. I thought we would see oversite hearings. But Pelosi has said impeachment is off the table. If not now then when. I would love to see the 20 republicans in the Senate that are up for reelction this year be forced to defend Bush/Cheney or vote for impeachment. I realise we don’t have the votes for impeachment but they atleast should go on record for history as fighting for it.
Keith Nichols
keith-nichols Sun 27 Apr 12:48 AM
thanks for your comment
I haven’t left the Democratic Party, disappointed as I am sometimes by their lack of a spine. I will always be a yellow-dog Democrat. But if I’ve got a better option in a primary, I will take it.
We need to elect more good progressives in primaries. That’s how the right-wingers took over the GOP, and we can do it too. It will be a long-term project, though.
desmoinesdem Sun 27 Apr 12:55 PM
Hey
DSM dem…
I had an Idea… Modeled after what Harkin did. We can set up an Act Blue account Called “Bleeding Heartland Bloggers” and we can hold a vote (single vote) for which Representative candidate we would “endorse”, of course we support all democrats, but I think this would be a great way to connect the candidates with the voters and the voters with the candidates, I’ll do my best to get the word out to every candidate that I talk to and maybe you could get a hold of your blogging friends?
I have a special interest in a few races but I REALLY want to stay impartial, I’ll donate 20-50 dollars to the act Blue winner, if we hold this. I dont know what others think but Im sure there are a few people who would like to throw in too.
Once again I have worked with a few campaigns but I dont want to suggest who to vote on or how to do so, because I would like to be fair and impartial.
If this sounds like something you might like to plan and promote, get a hold of me, and I will do everything I can!
Thanks
Adam
secondtonone Sun 8 Jun 6:59 PM
What do I remember?
Geez, dmdem, I remember exactly where I was when JFK was shot.
By one lone gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald.
As for John Anderson? Well, that would have been the tail end of the 70’s. My memory is pretty fuzzy about them daze. I do remember every single Cheech and Chong schtick however.
eltondavis Wed 24 Dec 4:46 PM
hmmm...
What does it say about me that I think of this guy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J… when I think about John Anderson?
clarencepcanine Sat 16 May 9:25 PM
I'm so old I my first vote for president was for
McGovern in 72. I have only been in Iowa since 1993 after I retired from the Air Force. My parents were from Iowa and dad was also a career Air Force NCO. When they got out they came back here. I’ve been active off and on with the Warren County Democrats since moving to Carlisle in 1996.
mark
carlisle, iowa
abgdinstr Sat 7 Aug 9:29 PM
Season's Greetings!
Season’s Greetings, Desmoinesdem!
Whose gonna grab the spotlight next Tuesday? Hat tip to John Anderson, and your initial leap into politics–great story! Best Wishes for a Happy New Year!
alan Thu 29 Dec 9:39 PM
link to blog
Is there a way to create a link on this site to my libertarian blog on the Register’s site?
Kurt Johnson
kurtedjohn Tue 7 Feb 7:26 AM
Closed hearing at EPC
As a former member of the EPC, I was shocked to read this in the newspaper. Your article is particularly a good one. I am going to send it to a former law school professor who authored the Administrative Procedures Act. Keepfollowing and asking questions! I have two unrelated questions: How do I post a comment onto the site that has your article? How do I change my password or contact Bleeding Heartland to ask them how I can change my password?
cbhubbell Mon 30 Jul 10:52 AM
Post comment
here:
http://www.bleedingheartland.c…
Look under post for “Post a comment” link or reply-to existing comment.
Changing passwords:
Go to:
http://www.bleedingheartland.c…
Click on “Profile” tab
Click on Email & Password
Enter assigned password for current password, your new choice is then entered twice, plus you enter the security code.
Future shortcut: You can always get to your page by going to the top left under Menu and clicking “chubbell’s Page.”
albert Mon 30 Jul 1:11 PM