Happy Independence Day to the Bleeding Heartland community! I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday weekend–preferably not by setting off amateur fireworks. Although the Iowa House voted this year to legalize fireworks, the bill never came to a vote in the Iowa Senate. So amateur fireworks are still illegal, which is just as well, since they cause too many emergency room visits and distress for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. We caught the fireworks display after the Iowa Cubs baseball game on Friday night and are going out in a little while to see the Windsor Heights fireworks.
The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation marked the holiday by posting some stunning pictures of Iowa wildflowers, “nature’s fireworks.”
Alfie Kohn noted today that socialists authored both the Pledge of Allegiance and the words to “America the Beautiful,” which for my money should be our national anthem.
Speaking of which, former Iowa Insurance Commissioner Susan Voss sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the Iowa Cubs baseball game last night. Who knew she had such a good voice?
Two Democratic presidential candidates spent the day in Iowa. Senator Bernie Sanders and many supporters walked the parade in Waukee, a suburb of Des Moines. Former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley was in Independence, Dubuque, and Clinton.
As is our family’s custom, I took the kids to the Windsor Heights parade this afternoon. It’s one of the smaller parades in the Des Moines area, which explains the relatively sparse presidential campaign presence. On the Republican side, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal was there; he also walked the Urbandale parade route earlier in the day. A few volunteers handed out stickers for Ben Carson, and I didn’t see any other GOP campaigns represented. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton’s campaign had a small presence; apparently more supporters walked for her in Waukee.
U.S. Representative David Young (IA-03) was working the crowd along the parade route. One of his potential Democratic challengers, Desmund Adams, mingled with Windsor Heights residents before walking the Waukee parade.
This is an open thread: all topics welcome. After the jump I’ve enclosed a few photos from the Windsor Heights parade, including one wildflower shot, inspired by the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. I also posted the roll call from the Iowa House vote in May to approve the fireworks legalization bill. That legislation split both the Democratic and Republican caucuses.
Representative David Young (IA-03) and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal at the Windsor Heights parade. I couldn’t get any better shots of Jindal, because he was working the other side of the street when he passed us by. Ditto for our GOP State Representative Chris Hagenow, whose campaign vehicle can be seen in the background.
Patriotic band performs during Windsor Heights parade:
Nightshade (Solanum nigrum) growing next to a chain-link fence along the Windsor Heights parade route. Sylvan Runkel and Alvin Bull write in Wildflowers of Iowa Woodlands that this plant is “common around the edge of gardens and house yards.”
The Iowa House approved House File 614 on May 20 by 53 votes to 43. The House Journal for the day includes the roll call.
The following 44 Iowa House Republicans voted to legalize fireworks:
Rob Bacon
Chip Baltimore
Terry Baxter
Brian Best
Darrel Branhagen
Josh Byrnes
Peter Cownie
Dave Deyoe
Cecil Dolecheck
Dean Fisher
Greg Forristall
Joel Fry
Tedd Gassman
Pat Grassley
Chris Hagenow
Greg Heartsill
Lee Hein
Jake Highfill
Steve Holt
Megan Jones
Ron Jorgensen
Bobby Kaufmann
Jarad Klein
John Kooiker
Linda Miller
Brian Moore
Zach Nunn
Kraig Paulsen
Ross Paustian
Dawn Pettengill
Ken Rizer
Walt Rogers
Sandy Salmon
Tom Sands
Mike Sexton
Larry Sheets
David Sieck
Chuck Soderberg
Linda Upmeyer
Guy Vander Linden
Ralph Watts
John Wills
Matt Windschitl
Gary Worthan
The following nine Iowa House Democrats voted for the bill too. Several of them live near Iowa borders, where lots of people drive to neighboring states to buy fireworks:
Deborah Berry
Dennis Cohoon
David Dawson
Chris Hall
Jim Lykam
Charlie McConkey
Brian Meyer
Rick Olson
Mary Wolfe
These eleven Republicans voted against House File 614:
Clel Baudler
Gary Carlson
Jack Drake
Stan Gustafson
Dave Heaton
Dan Huseman
Kevin Koester
John Landon
David Maxwell
Quentin Stanerson
Rob Taylor
So did these 32 Democrats:
Ako Abdul-Samad
Marti Anderson
Liz Bennett
Timi Brown-Powers
Nancy Dunkel
Abby Finkenauer
John Forbes
Ruth Ann Gaines
Mary Gaskill
Curt Hanson
Lisa Heddens
Bruce Hunter
Chuck Isenhart
Dave Jacoby
Jerry Kearns
Dan Kelley
Bob Kressig
Vicki Lensing
Mary Mascher
Helen Miller
Jo Oldson
Scott Ourth
Todd Prichard
Patti Ruff
Kirsten Running-Marquardt
Mark Smith
Art Staed
Sally Stutsman
Todd Taylor
Phyllis Thede
Beth Wessel-Kroeschell
Cindy Winckler
Two Republicans (Norlin Mommsen and Mary Ann Hanusa) missed the vote on the fireworks bill, as did two Democrats (Bruce Bearinger and Sharon Steckman).
8 Comments
Susan Voss
She does have a marvelous voice. The Branstad Administration’s Insurance Commissioner also sang at the final Harkin Steak Fry!
rockm Sat 4 Jul 11:15 PM
Speaking of Hagenow and HD 43
That’s a winnable seat for D’s but not if Jon Neiderbach is the candidate. He has absolutely no shot.
Clive City Council member Susan Judkins might decide to run again for the House and could win with Hillary at the top of the ticket, but would Susan would want to do a primary?
Hopefully someone will have a talk with Mr. N. House D’s have enough problems.
rockm Sat 4 Jul 11:27 PM
given how close the race was in 2012
Susan Judkins should have a clear shot if she wants to try again.
Normally I think competitive Democratic primaries help rather than hurt.
desmoinesdem Sun 5 Jul 6:38 PM
HD 43
Hagenow campaigns like Branstad. He can’t be beat and Hilary will loose in HD 43.
Adams was also at the Farmers Market Sat morning. He needs to be told he doesn’t have a chance. Young will be hard to beat either in a primary or the general.
se Sun 5 Jul 2:35 PM
I disagree
The last two times he was on the ballot in a presidential year, Hagenow won by 90-something votes and by 23 votes. HD-43 continues to change demographically. This will not be a safe seat for Rs.
I also disagree with your prediction about Hillary Clinton. I believe she will do quite well with white suburban women and would not be at all surprised to see her carry HD-43.
desmoinesdem Sun 5 Jul 6:37 PM
Hillary
Hillary will do well with people who want more and more government programs. That does not fit the bill for suburban women. She has too much baggage.
se Mon 6 Jul 9:28 AM
Hagenow
Judkins can beat him if she runs. Question she’s probably asking herself is if she wants to work that hard to be a freshman member of the House minority, because it is highly unlikely the House will change hands in 2016. House Dems blew it in 2012.
Dez Adams has more baggage than O’Hare at Thanksgiving. None of the current group of rumored D candidates for 03 has much of a shot. Maybe someone else will get in.
rockm Sun 5 Jul 10:15 PM
Hagenow
One issue that stands out is Judkin’s support for a gas tax increase. Hagenow and all republicans in Dallas and Polk bucked leadership and voted NO on the gas tax.
Judkin’s personality doesn’t lend itself to being elected to state rep. She is not a stand out in many ways.
se Mon 6 Jul 9:44 AM