Governor Kim Reynolds’ office told a state regulator no public funds were used for the twelve “Fair-side chats” Reynolds held with Republican presidential candidates during the Iowa State Fair last month.

Reynolds conducted friendly interviews with the candidates in the courtyard of JR’s SouthPork Ranch, a restaurant on the state fair grounds. A sign produced for the events featured a logo and the words “Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Fair-side chats.”

I sought to clarify who paid for the sign and other expenses associated with the chats, because Iowa Code Chapter 68A.405A prohibits statewide elected officials from spending public funds on “any paid advertisement or promotion” bearing the official’s “written name, likeness, or voice” in a range of settings, including “A paid exhibit display at the Iowa state fair […].” Reynolds signed that statute (commonly known as the the “self-promotion law”) in 2018.

Photo of Vivek Ramaswamy at the Iowa State Fair by Greg Hauenstein, whose other Iowa political photography can be found here.

“Good things are going to happen in this country, and it just might take a different generation to help lead us there,” Vivek Ramaswamy said a few minutes into his “fair-side chat” with Governor Kim Reynolds on August 12. The youngest candidate in the GOP presidential field (he turned 38 last week) regularly reminds audiences that he is the first millennial to run for president as a Republican.

Speaking to reporters after the chat, Ramaswamy asserted, “it takes a person of a different generation to reach the next generation.” He expressed doubt that “an octogenarian can reinspire and reignite pride in the next generation,” and said his “fresh legs” can reach young voters by “leading us to something” instead of “running from something.”

But the candidate’s talking points—especially the “ten commandments” that typically cap his stump speech—are a better fit for an older demographic than for the young voters Republicans have been alienating for the past 20 years.

Dan Piller was a business reporter for more than four decades, working for the Des Moines Register and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He covered the oil and gas industry while in Texas and was the Register’s agriculture reporter before his retirement in 2013. He lives in Ankeny.

A cloud now scarcely capable of throwing shade has the potential to become a thunderstorm when country singer Jason Aldean performs on August 20 at the Iowa State Fair Grandstand.

In case you don’t watch Fox News, Aldean became the center of a music publicist’s dream controversy when the CMT country music channel yanked his “Try That in a Small Town” song/video from its playlist. CMT, with a wary eye on its audience demographic that includes both small town and big-city folks, didn’t say why “Small Town” was objectionable. But anyone who saw the video, with its images of urban rioters superimposed over the bucolic images of small towns, could get the message quickly.

Opinions can vary about the latest round of urban disruptions that began in 2020 with the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, but the idea of small-town vigilantism seemingly endorsed by the song is disturbing.

Politicians love spending time at the Iowa State Fair, and many candidates for state and federal offices made multiple visits this year. But in a break with a long-running practice, Republicans seeking statewide and federal offices mostly shunned the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox.

Just three of the eleven GOP candidates invited to the Soapbox were willing to devote 20 minutes of their state fair visit to a public speech outlining their agenda. Every elected Republican official steered clear.

Avoiding the Register’s platform is another sign of growing Republican hostility toward traditional Iowa media. Other recent examples: some GOP candidates refused to meet with high-profile editorial boards in 2018 and 2020, and Iowa Senate leaders abandoned more than a century of tradition to kick reporters off the chamber’s press bench this year.

More than four years after signing into law a ban on using public funds to promote the name, likeness, or voice of Iowa’s statewide elected officials in a “paid exhibit display at the Iowa state fair,” Governor Kim Reynolds continues to spend part of her office budget on an Iowa State Fair booth plastered with her name and picture.

Neither the Republican-controlled legislature nor the state board charged with enforcing the self-promotion law have taken any steps to remedy the situation.

This column by Daniel G. Clark about Alexander Clark (1826-1891) first appeared in the Muscatine Journal.

Did you know the Iowa State Fair was held on “the island” south of town in 1856 and 1857?

From the Muscatine Journal, October 9, 1857: “A squash raised by Alexander Clark weighed 177 pounds, but as Aleck is a colored man, we presume the committee could not, according to the Dred Scott decision, award the premium to him in preference to his mule. It would be ‘unconstitutional.’”

Randy Evans is executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council. He can be reached at IowaFOICouncil@gmail.com. -promoted by Laura Belin

The decision last week to cancel the Iowa State Fair was a reminder of the seriousness of coronavirus and the consequences of many people’s anxiety about returning to activities that normally are an important part of Iowa life.

But the State Fair’s decision also illuminated an embarrassing disconnect from the norms of government transparency and accountability in our state.

I have attended government meetings for 50 years — from small-town city councils and school boards, to state boards and commissions. I have never seen or heard about a more outrageous abuse of the principle of open government than the State Fair Board exhibited last week.

In its most closely-watched meeting in living memory, the Iowa State Fair board voted on June 10 not to hold the fair this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Although the board’s 11-2 vote was livestreamed, the brief meeting shed no light on the deliberations. There was no public discussion of the pros and cons of postponing the event until 2021. Nor did members debate alternative scenarios explored by staff, like holding a scaled-back event with limited attendance, mandatory face coverings, or temperature checks.

All board members present avoided a public stand on the difficult decision through a secret ballot vote, in apparent contradiction with Iowa’s open meetings law.

Governor Kim Reynolds’ designated representative on the body missed the meeting entirely.

Governor Kim Reynolds said on May 11 that it’s “too early” to decide whether to cancel this summer’s county fairs or the Iowa State Fair, which is scheduled to run from August 13 through August 23.

As much as I enjoy the fair, it would be reckless to bring Iowans from every county to mingle at the State Fairgrounds three months from now.

John Morrissey is a freelance writer in Des Moines. -promoted by Laura Belin

Iowa State Fair officials closed the fairgrounds on the east side of Des Moines to the public on March 18 and are readying the 4H dormitory near Dean Avenue to house homeless people in the Des Moines area who may come down with minor symptoms of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infections.

These plans were formalized after Polk County officials were briefed recently with World Health Organization estimates about the spread of COVID-19. If it gets a foothold in the metro area, as many as 34,000 central Iowans could fall ill, and perhaps 1,500 will need intensive care treatment, said Polk County Board of Supervisors Chair Matt McCoy. He repeated the call from local and state officials for people to stay home and avoid contacts that may spread the disease. McCoy said he and other leaders are confident the area’s health care facilities can handle the challenge if the virus infections do not all occur at once.

“Now these are shirts!”, Governor Kim Reynolds posted on her political Facebook page on August 12, next to a picture of herself with two Iowa State Fair-goers.

The shirts she found appealing sent a clear message: real Americans and military service members are Christians.

Pictures of Governor Kim Reynolds and acting Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg are plastered all over the governor’s Iowa State Fair booth, contrary to the intent of a law Reynolds signed in June.

Who else is sad that the Olympics are ending today? Although we’re not big sports fans, all screen time limits in our household go out the window during the winter or summer Olympics. We’ve been watching for hours every day, despite the poor quality of NBC’s broadcasts. I was spoiled by living in Europe during the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. State broadcast networks provided remarkably thorough coverage, not only of their own country’s athletes, with no commercial breaks. I was also able to watch some of the more obscure events, which don’t receive a lot of attention here. Viewership of the Rio Olympics on NBC was reportedly down 17 percent from the London Olympics in 2012, a “nightmare” for the network. Here’s an idea: try more live coverage of more competitors in more events, with less schlock passing for “human interest” features.

While the Olympics are arguably the greatest show on earth, the greatest show in Iowa is certainly the state fair, which also wraps up today. A summer cold kept my family away from the fairgrounds last week, so my kids and I only visited the fair once this year. We still enjoyed the day enormously, and I have no regrets about not trying to follow Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence around. I enclose a few photos below. I didn’t attempt to take a picture of the guy on the midway wearing a “Hillary Clinton for Prison 2016” t-shirt.

This is an open thread: all topics welcome, especially any favorite moments from the Olympics or the state fair. The huge model train display near the giant slide is one of the most under-rated fair attractions in my opinion. Well worth $2 a person. Looking at a toy train set might not sound that interesting, but the scenes are elaborately constructed, and as you move along, there are lists of things to find in the model (a boy flying a kite, a beekeeper, Superman, a waterfall, etc.). It’s a fun game, and the air-conditioned building provides a nice refuge on a hot day. I recently learned that the central Iowa railroad group opens up this exhibit for free on the last Friday of every month from 7 to 9 pm.

While Republican insiders across the country despair about the presidential race, dozens urging the Republican National Committee to stop investing in Donald Trump, others wishing in vain that Trump would drop out, and some even quitting their political jobs, Iowa’s most influential Republicans continue to stand with the GOP nominee.

This week, Governor Terry Branstad confirmed plans to advise Trump on policy; his major influencer Bruce Rastetter will reportedly do the same. In addition, two other well-known GOP operatives took on formal roles in Trump’s Iowa campaign. Jamie Johnson will be coalitions director and Jake Ketzner a senior advisor. Johnson is a veteran of Rick Santorum’s 2012 presidential bid. After a spell supporting Ted Cruz, he landed with Rick Perry’s short-lived campaign this cycle. An ordained minister, he will presumably focus on engaging evangelical Christians, a key constituency for Santorum in 2012 and for Cruz this year. Jake Ketzner managed Representative Steve King’s re-election campaign in 2012, the year he faced Christie Vilsack in a substantially redrawn district. Ketzner left Branstad’s staff for a lobbying job last summer and soon became a senior adviser to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s Iowa caucus campaign.

Why are more respectable Republicans joining what looks like a sinking ship? For one thing, the latest public polls show Trump running better in Iowa than in national polls or surveys in swing states with more diverse populations. So even if Trump gets blown out nationally, working on his campaign here might not be a liability, especially if he carries Iowa or loses by a relatively small margin. Also, hitching your wagon to a toxic nominee is less risky when your state’s governor, lieutenant governor, GOP U.S. senators and representatives are giving you cover. UPDATE: Forgot to mention that going all-in for Trump helped our state’s establishment secure a promise from the nominee that if he’s elected, the Iowa caucuses will remain first in the nominating calendar.

Neither Branstad nor any Republicans who represent Iowa in Congress have responded to my questions about worrying aspects of Trump’s candidacy. To my knowledge, only two GOP elected officials in Iowa have publicly ruled out voting for Trump: State Senator David Johnson and Hardin County Auditor Jessica Lara. Tips are welcome if readers know of other GOP officials willing to say #NeverTrump. I’ve sought comment from many whom I considered “likely suspects.”

Several experienced Iowa campaign operatives have said they won’t vote for the GOP nominee, including David Kochel, a former strategist for Mitt Romney and senior figure in Jeb Bush’s 2016 campaign. Justin Arnold, former state political director for Marco Rubio, explained in a March op-ed column for the Des Moines Register why he would not support Trump under any circumstances. He announced earlier this month that he has joined the direct mail and political consulting firm Majority Strategies. That company’s clients include U.S. Representative Rod Blum (IA-01) and at least one Iowa GOP state committee.

Joel Kurtinitis, a onetime staffer on Ron Paul’s presidential campaign and former Republican State Central Committee member, published a blistering commentary at The Blaze on Friday: Five Things You Can Never Say Again After Voting Trump. I enclose below excerpts from a piece that social conservatives might describe as “convicting.”

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton’s campaign continues to build a strong field operation in Iowa and other battleground states, while Trump’s ground game is remarkably weak and in some areas literally missing in action.

This is an open thread: all topics welcome. The Iowa State Fair opened on Thursday and runs through Sunday, August 21. A summer cold moving systematically through our household has so far kept us from the fairgrounds, but we will get there once or twice this week. Bleeding Heartland has previously published my best advice for enjoying the fair, especially in the company of young children. The schedule of candidates speaking at the Des Moines Register’s “soapbox” near the administration building is here. Like Brad Anderson, I was surprised Senator Chuck Grassley passed on the opportunity. Maybe I shouldn’t have been, though. Grassley tends to avoid putting public events on his schedule in Polk and several other large-population counties.

The Iowa State Fair opens today and runs through Sunday, August 23. The hundreds of thousands of people expected to attend will include eighteen presidential candidates. Their speeches on the Des Moines Register’s “soapbox” will be live streamed here. I’ve posted the current schedule after the jump, but it’s worth checking the Register’s site for possible changes.

As Catherine Lucey of the Associated Press observed, “For those who would be president, a visit to the Iowa State Fair may be the purest distillation of the campaign experience in the state that starts the voting in the race for the White House.” Most of the time, appearances on the Register’s soapbox are no more newsworthy than the average stump speech, but you never know when something important will happen. Mitt Romney infamously said “Corporations are people, my friend,” during the 2011 Iowa State Fair. Democrats across the country seized on those remarks to portray Romney as too business-friendly (which didn’t stop Iowa Democratic officialdom from later bashing the group whose heckling tactics provoked the Romney gaffe).

Last year, I shared my best advice about Iowa State Fair attractions and food. Your tips or any relevant comments are welcome in this thread.

The Iowa State Fair opened a few minutes ago and runs through August 17. I’m a big fan of the event, and after the jump, I’ve posted some of my favorite tips for enjoying the fair, along with the schedule for candidate appearances at the Des Moines Register’s “soapbox” on the Grand Concourse. The Register will live-stream speeches by candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, as well as a few nationally known politicians from out of state.

The fair has almost endless free entertainment, but bring cash with you anyway, because the State Fair board had to backtrack on plans to eliminate cash purchases for food. Instead, vendors have been encouraged to accept credit and debit cards. I suspect most will stick with a cash-only system.  

Only two days after rolling out plans to eliminate cash purchases, the Iowa State Fair board of directors announced yesterday that they will not require tickets for all vendor purchases at this year’s state fair.

Officials said they plan “to investigate future implementation of a more progressive system that will eliminate Fairgoers’ concerns of the inconvenience of paper tickets and long lines, improve the concessionaires’ reporting system and accommodate the Fair’s infrastructure.”

Feedback was overwhelmingly negative on all the comment threads I read this week, because the no-cash rule would inconvenience fairgoers. The state fair board will have to look for other ways to combat the problem of some vendors failing to report their full sales.

Meanwhile, Governor Terry Branstad’s office quickly released a statement noting that he and Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds “applaud” the State Fair Board’s decision. I’ve posted the statement after the jump. It does not explain whether Reynolds, who serves on the state fair board, argued against the planned no-cash policy before fair officials announced it in a letter to vendors this week. I have to say, it’s smart politics for Branstad to insert himself into this controversy. It costs him nothing to come out against a deeply unpopular change to the state fair.

There’s no announcement posted on the Iowa State Fair’s website yet, but fair officials will force vendors to go cash-free starting this year.

Fair patrons will need to buy tickets that can then be redeemed for purchases at the fair.

The tickets will be sold in 50-cent increments at more than 150 booths throughout the fairgrounds. The tickets don’t expire so if you don’t use them all this year you can save them for next year.

Fair officials say they’ve been considering the change for years.

They say it will reduce robbery of fairgoers and employee theft and create a universal payment method across the fairgrounds.

The fair’s official Facebook post about the policy change is after the jump.

I suspect this move is the Iowa State Fair’s way of preventing vendors from holding back some of their sales (thereby avoiding sales tax on a portion of their revenue). It will be a monumental hassle for fairgoers, who will need to guess at the beginning of the day how much money they will spend and either wait in additional lines or end up with extra tickets if they guessed wrong.

I expect the system will work against vendors not located near one of the sites where tickets are sold. You’re much less likely to buy food or anything else on impulse if doing so requires you to walk to a ticket booth, wait, then make your way through crowds back to the vendor. The system may work in favor of vendors located near the fairground exits, because it creates incentive to use up extra tickets before heading home.

UPDATE: The Iowa State Fair board of directors may backpedal.

The Iowa State Fair’s board of directors will “consider” the governor’s suggestion that they “listen to fairgoers” before switching to a cashless system for food and drink purchases during the 2014 Iowa State Fair.

The board issued a written statement late Wednesday afternoon following an onslaught of negative reaction and the governor’s caution about making such a “big change” to use 50-cent tickets as currency on the fairgrounds.  The Board said it has “been moved by the passion of fairgoers.”

What’s on your mind this weekend, Bleeding Heartland readers? This is an open thread.

Students and staff at John Dickinson High School near Wilmington, Delaware built the world’s largest lego tower, standing at nearly 113 feet tall. It’s an impressive structure.

In response to Senator Al Franken’s boasting about the Minnesota State Fair (the country’s largest), Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Braley did a guest post at Buzzfeed on 18 reasons nothing compares to the Iowa State Fair. By far, my favorite item on his list is the giant yellow slide. He left out the all-time greatest butter sculpture, depicting the Last Supper.

Braley and I have very different taste in Iowa State Fair food. My top two picks are Bauder’s ice cream and lemonade from the Iowa Honey Producers’ booth in the Ag building. I am not a fan of corn dogs or pork chops on a stick, but for meat eaters I would recommend the lamb kebab from the Iowa Sheep Producers kiosk, just outside the sheep barn.

I love these maps showing how Americans feel about different states. Texas, California, and New York evoke the strongest opinions in several categories. Iowa wasn’t tops on any question. We were near the middle of the pack on “Which state is most underrated?” Al Franken might be proud to know that Minnesota outscored us on “Which state is the nicest?” Then again, Minnesota was a top 5 state on “Which state has the weirdest accent?”

The Iowa State Fair opens this morning and runs through the evening of August 19. This thread is for any comments about the fair or advice for enjoying what can be an overwhelming experience. I’ve posted my suggestions after the jump.

All the Democratic and Republican candidates from Iowa’s four Congressional districts are scheduled to speak at the Des Moines Register’s “soapbox” between August 13 and 17. That schedule is at the end of this post. UPDATE: Some of the speaking times have changed on the soapbox schedule, and a few new speakers have been added, including Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

The oppressive summer heat broke in time for today’s opening of the Iowa State Fair. I’ve posted some of my tips for enjoying the fair below, along with the schedule for this week at the Des Moines Register’s “soapbox.” Ten Republican presidential candidates (including one I’d never heard of) are speaking, along with Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

We skipped the Iowa State Fair parade last night, but we are looking forward to going early next week or maybe this weekend, if the heat breaks. I know it’s not everyone’s idea of a great time (turns out Grant Young is a hater), but I enjoy the things you can’t see or do anywhere else. Here’s what we never miss at the Iowa State Fair:

“Little Hands on the Farm,” where kids pretend to be farmers and sell their crops for a fake dollar that buys them a real treat in the shop.

The Animal Learning Center, where you can see newborn animals and watch chicks hatching.

The animal barns, especially where there are “avenues” of unusual breeds.

The DNR building, with lots of tanks featuring indigenous Iowa fish.

The Ag Building, home of famous butter cow but more important (to me) the place with the best lemonade at the fair. You can buy it at the honey producers’ table, usually on the second level, for about half the price of lemonade at any of the kiosks.

The Bauder’s ice cream truck, usually parked near the Ag Building. Many people swear by the peppermint ice cream sandwiches, but I would go with the turtle sundae or the cookie sundae.

We’re not big fans of the midway, but my kids will probably want to do some of the smaller rides. As of last summer, they were afraid to do the Sky Glider or the giant slide.

I’m definitely taking them to the heritage hill area so they can play marbles and watch people toss horseshoes.

Sometimes my kids want to see the model trains (in a building near the giant slide) or the massive structure made out of matchsticks (in a building near the grand concourse).

We check the schedule for unusual shows. Some years there are frisbee-catching dogs, but this year it looks like they’ve brought in a high dive performer instead.

We are not buying anything fried on a stick. We’ll probably buy one of those cashew or pecan nut rolls to take home and eat later.

I used to like the popcorn with real butter at the kiosk near the grandstand, but last year it tasted too much like movie popcorn–nothing special.

Taking a change of clothes isn’t a bad idea in case your kids get muddy or slip and fall in one of the animal barns. Don’t ever dress kids in something you don’t want to get wet, because they will not be able to resist running around in the sprinklers.

This thread is for anything you love or hate about the fair, or any advice about how to enjoy a day out there. I usually park in someone’s yard on Grand, because it’s a short walk from there to the Grand Avenue entrance near many of the things we like doing. More important, when it’s time to leave it’s a short walk back to the car for tired kids. If you don’t want to pay to park in someone’s yard and you don’t mind walking a mile or so, you may find free street parking way up on Grand. There are also shuttles running to the fair from downtown Des Moines and Southeast Polk middle school out on highway 163.

After the jump I’ve posted the schedule for the Des Moines Register’s candidate “soapbox” and the candidates or elected officials who will be at the Iowa Democratic Party’s booth in the Varied Industries Building.

SUNDAY UPDATE: We spent most of the day at the fair. Huge crowds, which isn’t surprising for a weekend day with highs in the mid-80s. Although we spent a good five hours at the fairgrounds, we never made it to any of the animal barns. Maybe tomorrow.

The DNR building with its giant fish tanks and live turtles on display was a huge hit. Don’t miss this attraction, especially if you have kids. We also loved the high dive show, but the bleachers were packed 15 minutes before showtime. We ended up sitting on the ground nearby, which meant we didn’t get splashed like many of the other spectators.

It’s worth checking the schedule for any unusual demonstrations and shows. The kids loved watching an ice carver create a dragon with a chainsaw outside the Ag Building.

Speaking of dragons, I had the unexpected pleasure of meeting the Cedar Rapids Gazette’s Todd Dorman while waiting in line at the kiddie dragon ride. What are the odds? There had to be more than 100,000 people at the fairgrounds today.

My kids braved the giant slide for the first time ever. It was faster than I remember, and I couldn’t believe some people were riding down with toddlers.

I highly recommend taking the Sky-Glider down from Heritage Hill (near the horseshoe pitch) to the midway area. Most people want to ride it up to avoid walking uphill, and that was our original plan, but the line for the glider was way too long. We walked up to the high dive demonstration area, and after that show hardly had to wait at all to board the glider. The view riding down is spectacular–you can see very far down Grand.

Anyone else enjoy the first few days of the fair? One of my friends was there on East Sider night (the first Friday of the fair) and said it was packed.

The Iowa State Fair opened today and runs through Sunday, August 23. Senator Tom Harkin stopped by the Iowa Democratic Party’s booth in the Varied Industries Building (photos here).

Post any memories, comments or advice about the fair in this thread.

I like to park along Grand Avenue. You usually can find a spot within a few blocks of the entrance to the fairgrounds, and you don't have to walk through the midway like you do if you drive in from E. University. Also, the traffic can be very bad between the freeway and the fairgrounds all along E. University. Better to get off I-235 at E. 14th St, head south and then east on Grand.

Walking in through the Grand Avenue entrance, you're close to the DNR's building with lots of fish tanks on your left (kids love this). The Varied Industries Building is not far away on your right.

My kids like going through the animal barns, but I strongly recommend carrying young children (3 and under) in a comfortable backpack or soft carrier to keep them from stepping in manure.

If it's a hot day, kids like to cool off in the fountain area just south of the Ag Building. I buy lemonade from the honey producers in the ag building (tastes great, and they offer the best price at the fairgrounds). I never miss the Bauder's ice cream truck either.

Check the schedule ahead of time to see when there are shows you'd like to see. There's a huge variety of free entertainment at the fair. It could be a horse show or a frisbee-catching dog show or a musical act or a magician.

Tune out the corporate ag propaganda and enjoy looking at the animal babies in the Animal Learning Center, a little north of the ag building. Right next to that is a "little hands on the farm" outdoor activity that is so fun. Kids pretend to plant crops, then harvest them (riding on toy tractors) and sell them. When they leave the exhibit they get to exchange their pretend money for a real treat in the general store.

What do you love or hate about the fair?

Food advice for the Iowa State Fair, which runs from August 13-23: The best deal on lemonade is at the honey producers’ booth in the ag building. The best ice cream is in the Bauder’s truck, not far from the ag building. Don’t miss popcorn with real butter.

If you’re looking for something useful to do in August, I’ve got lots of event details after the jump.

Please consider attending some town hall meetings with members of Congress. Don’t let right-wing astroturf mobs dominate all of this month’s town-hall meetings.

As always, post a comment or send an e-mail to desmoinesdem AT yahoo.com if you know of something I’ve left out. You can volunteer for Curt Hanson’s campaign in Iowa House district 90 any weekend this month. I noticed that Mariannette Miller-Meeks has been knocking on doors for the Republican candidate, Stephen Burgmeier.

Who else is looking forward to the Iowa State Fair, which runs from August 13-23?

If you’re looking for something useful to do in August, I’ve got lots of event details after the jump. As always, post a comment or send an e-mail to desmoinesdem AT yahoo.com if you know of something I’ve left out. You can volunteer for Curt Hanson’s campaign in Iowa House district 90 any weekend this month.

Please submit a comment to preserve public input on CAFO permits by Thursday, August 6. The Sierra Club’s Iowa chapter has made it easy for people to send comments to the right DNR official as well as all the members of the Environmental Protection Commission.

UPDATE: Added some public events featuring Democratic members of Congress. Don’t let right-wing astroturf mobs dominate all of this month’s town-hall meetings.

Political activity slows down during the summer, especially in an off-year, but there’s still plenty for progressives to do. Event details are after the jump. Please post a comment or send me an e-mail if you know of other events I’ve left out.

If you live near southeast Iowa, please consider volunteering for Curt Hanson, Democratic candidate for the September 1 special election in Iowa House district 90. UPDATE: Senator Tom Harkin is headlining a fundraiser for Hanson on Saturday, Augsut 1. Details below.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is looking for volunteers during the Iowa State Fair (August 13-23):

The Iowa DNR River Programs will be at the Iowa State Fair this year and requests your help to staff our booth at the DNR building. We will have a River Programs staff person there the whole time, but our space is much larger this year. Because of the large number of visitors who pass through the building, any help we can get is greatly appreciated. We are asking for a 5 hour shift from each volunteer. You may sign up for more than one shift if you’d like. The morning shift will be from 9:00 to 2:00 and the afternoon shift will be from 2:00 to 7:00.  What you get: A River Programs Volunteer Cap and a ticket to the fair the day you volunteer, and the satisfaction of knowing you made a difference.

Please respond by email or phone with your desired shift(s) and availability Thursday, August 13th through Sunday August 23rd to John Wenck, IDNR River programs outreach coordinator, John.Wenck@dnr.iowa.gov, 515-281-8969 or 515-491-9881.

The Iowa Democratic Party wants to know. From an e-mail executive director Norm Sterzenbach sent out today:

The 2009 Iowa State Fair is just around the corner and the Iowa Democratic Party will once again have a booth. This year we want to include the voice of all Iowa Democrats in our booth.

Please take a moment to think about why you are a Democrat. Condense those thoughts to 140 characters or less and send them to us. Be sure to include your first name and home town. We will receive messages through our website, Facebook, Twitter, email and the U.S. postal service between now and the conclusion of the fair. Your thoughts will be incorporated into the Iowa Democratic Party State Fair booth.

You can use the following methods to send us your answer to the question: Why am I an Iowa Democrat?

   * Email – Send your email response to statefair@iowademocrats.org.

   * Facebook – If you are a fan of the Iowa Democratic Party on Facebook you can write a message on our wall at facebook.com/iowademocrats.

   * Twitter – If you are on Twitter, send @iowa_democrats a Direct Message or add the tag #IADEMS to your tweet.

   * Text Message – Send your text message to 515-238-0845.

   * Our Website – Not on Facebook or Twitter? Click here to send us your message.

   * U.S. Postal Service – Prefer snail mail? Write us a note and send it to:

          Iowa Democratic Party

          State Fair Booth

          5661 Fleur Dr

          Des Moines, IA 50312

Please remember to use 140 characters or less in your response and include your first name and your home town. Having trouble narrowing it down? Feel free to send us more than one message. We hope to hear from as many Iowa Democrats as possible so please forward this message to all your Democratic friends.

Stay tuned for future messages on how be involved with the Iowa Democratic Party at the 2009 State Fair.

Feel free to post why you’re an Iowa Democrat in this thread as well.

Earlier this year, Mrs. panstreppon wrote several stories on the conservative American Future Fund. You can find them here, here, and here.

This week Jason Hancock wrote a good piece for Iowa Independent about this advocacy group, which is running ads in close Congressional races across the country. This part caught my eye:

Public records show the AFF also has connections to Iowa businessman Bruce Rastetter, who is widely believed to be considering a run for governor in 2010. Rastetter is a regular donor to the Republican Party and founder of Hawkeye Renewables, the fourth largest ethanol producer in the nation. Eric Peterson, business manager at Summit Farms, another of Rastetter’s companies, is listed on documents filed with the Iowa Secretary of State’s office as president, secretary and director of Iowa Future Fund, a conservative nonprofit that essentially morphed into American Future Fund.

The address listed on an AFF ad buy in Minnesota is a post office box used by Nick Ryan, a Des Moines lobbyist who works primarily for Rastetter’s companies and who served as campaign manager for 2006 Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Nussle. In February, Ryan was acting as spokesman for Hawkeye Renewables when 29,000 gallons of ethanol was accidentally spilled at the company’s Iowa Falls plant.

Within the past year, Rastetter donated $1 million to the Iowa State Fair and $1.75 million to the Iowa State University Agricultural Entrepreneurship Program. That will build up a lot of good will across this state.

Anyone get to the State Fair today to see John McCain on the soapbox?

Dien Judge covered the story for Iowa Independent.

You can watch the video on this page of the Des Moines Register’s website.

The Register’s write-up is here. McCain threw in a dishonest line with a talking point he and other Republicans have been using this week:

He criticized Democratic candidate Barack Obama’s recent comments about the need for Americans to properly inflate their tires to get the best gas mileage.

“I’m all in favor of inflating our tires, don’t get me wrong. But that’s a public service announcement. It’s not an energy policy,” McCain said to a cheering crowd at The Des Moines Register’s soap box.

Earth to McCain and the entire press corps: Obama released a detailed energy plan last year. It’s easy to find at his campaign website. Obama also gave a major speech on energy policy earlier this week.

But never let the truth get in the way of a Republican one-liner.

I’ve been meaning to write a post about the various dishonest television commercials McCain has produced during the past week. It’s hard to keep up with the man’s mendacity.

Over at MyDD, Todd Beeton has a post about McCain’s latest tv ad as well as a story about  a hard-hitting new Obama radio ad regarding McCain’s role in facilitating the merger of DHL and UPS. If that merger goes through, some 8,000 jobs in Ohio (a state McCain desperately needs) could be lost.

The State Fair opens on Thursday morning and runs through Sunday, August 17.

This is an open thread for sharing any advice or memories related to the Iowa State Fair. What’s your favorite thing to do at the fair? What food can’t you resist at the fair?

As I wrote earlier this week, my number one tip is to buy lemonade from the Iowa honey producers on the second level of the ag building. They usually charge about half of what the kiosks around the fair charge.

For ice cream at the fair, hit the Bauder’s truck that is parked near the ag building.

I also like the popcorn with real butter. Food on a stick is not my thing.

The fair is an ideal place to carry your baby or toddler instead of using a stroller. First, your baby will get a better view of everything when riding on your back, front or hip.

Second, you won’t have to worry about animal excrement getting on your stroller wheels if you take your kids to the animal barns (always a highlight of the fair for my family).

Third, you won’t have to worry about your preschooler stepping in poop when you’re in the barns. Just bring a soft carrier (like an Ergo or an Asian carrier) in your bag. It doesn’t take up much space. Your child can walk around the fair for most of the day and just ride on your back while you’re in the barns. A lot of young kids get tired anyway and appreciate the break from walking.

Speaking of the fair, I got this e-mail from the Polk County Democrats today:

A group of Democrats are informally organizing a protest for the McCain event at the state fair and asked that we send this out:

Sen. John McCain will be speaking at the Iowa State Fair on Friday morning at 10:30 a.m. He will no doubt proclaim that he is a friend of rural Iowans in spite of his opposition to the farm bill that Sen. Harkin recently worked so hard to pass in addition to his well-known opposition to ethanol production, which has become a major Iowa industry.

If you’re planning to attend the fair on Friday, or are able to do so, we’d like to invite you to show up at the Des Moines Register’s “Soapbox,” located at the Northeast corner of the Varied Industries Building, with an appropriate sign.

A few ideas:

McCain Rejects Farmers, Iowa Rejects McCain

McCain is No Friend of Iowa’s Farmers

We Don’t Need A Third Bush Term

John McCain — Just Like Bush, But Older and Shorter

Be creative and have a little fun!

Thanks for your help.

As always, post a comment or send me an e-mail if I’ve left out an important event.

Go to www.barackobama.com to find more details about the Obama campaign events listed below.

It’s World Breastfeeding Week. You can check the La Leche League International site to find events in your area:

http://www.llli.org

Tuesday, August 5:

From the Sierra Club:

Here’s an opportunity for you to speak up in support of clean water.  After passage of the Clean Water Act 36 years ago and passage of a law requiring antidegradation review 21 years ago, Iowa still has no effective antidegradation implementation.  However, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be presenting a draft rule package to the Environmental Protection Commission in September.  The department has set up informational meetings across the state in July and August to share information with the public.

These meetings are an opportunity for the public to give the DNR input when making decisions about allowing pollution into our water.  It’s very important that Iowans take advantage of this opportunity and future regulatory processes, including decisions about issuing permits. The dates and sites for this first round of informational meetings are:

August 5, 2008 – Atlantic, IA – Atlantic Public Library – 10 AM

August 5, 2008 – Spencer, IA – Spencer Public Library – 6 PM

August 7, 2008 – Manchester, IA – Manchester Public Library – 10 AM

August 7, 2008 – Washington, IA – Washington Public Library – 6 PM

Attend one of the meetings and speak up on behalf of clean water.  You can find more information about antidegradation, including brief talking points, at http://www.Iowa.sierraclub.org…

Additional information about antidegradation in Iowa can be found at http://www.iowa.sierraclub.org…

Becky Greenwald is holding several public events:

11:45 AM – 1:00 PM

Mason City, IA

Lunch with Becky Greenwald

Chicago Dawg Restaurant

607 S. Taft Ave., Mason City IA

2:15 PM – 3:00 PM

Iowa Falls, IA

Coffee with Becky Greenwald

The Coffee Attic

220 Stevens St., Iowa Falls IA

4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Fort Dodge, IA

Make a Difference with Becky Greenwald Event

Webster County Democratic Headquarters

33 N. 12th St.

There is an open house reception for Kittie Knauer, candidate for Des Moines School Board, Hosted by Mayor Frank Cownie, Graham Gillette & Mary Brubaker at 5:30 PM at the home of Graham Gillette, 635 Harwood Drive Des Moines

(Two blocks northwest of 42nd St. & Ingersoll Ave.)

Rescheduled Precinct Organizational Meeting #3 (Barack’s Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)

Tuesday, August 5 at 7:00 PM

Barb Faust Residence (Iowa City, IA)

Wednesday, August 6:

Its Barack’s Birthday (Barack’s Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)

Wednesday, August 6 at 12:00 PM

Campaign For Change HQ-Ottumwa, IA (Ottumwa, IA)

Come over to the office on August 4th and have some Birthday cake and make 47 calls to celebrate Barack’s 47th Birthday!

Thursday, August 7:

The Iowa State Fair opens and runs for 11 days. My number one tip is to buy lemonade from the Iowa honey producers on the second level of the ag building. They usually charge about half of what the kiosks around the fair charge. For ice cream at the fair, hit the Bauder’s truck that is parked near the ag building.

U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) will attend  a fundraiser for U.S. House Candidate Rob Hubler on Thursday, August 7 at 12:00 p.m. at the Lakeshore Café in Storm Lake, IA. If you live in the area, come show your support for Hubler. You can also donate to Hubler’s campaign or sign up to volunteer through the campaign’s website:

http://www.hublercongress.com

There are two public meetings where you can give the the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR)  feedback on its draft antidegradation rules for water (see above notice from the Sierra Club for more details):

August 7, 2008 – Manchester, IA – Manchester Public Library – 10 AM

August 7, 2008 – Washington, IA – Washington Public Library – 6 PM

Also from the DNR:

Richard Leopold, director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, is holding public forums around Iowa through September, with the next session at the Lake Keomah State Park Lodge near Oskaloosa on Thursday, August 7.

“I’m looking forward to sharing some of the important initiatives underway within the department, but more importantly, I really want to hear from Iowa’s citizens. One thing I am particularly proud of is the rapport that the DNR

has with the public. This is a relationship we value highly within the DNR,” said Leopold.

The public forum begins at 6 p.m. with Director Leopold outlining the department’s top 10 priorities, work being done to develop environmental indicators for the state, providing an update on sustainable funding for natural resources and discussion of local issues. Another hour-and-a-half will be devoted to answering questions from the public.

Thursday, August 7

Lake Keomah State Park Lodge

Near Oskaloosa

If you are pregnant or nursing a baby or toddler, come to the La Leche League of central Iowa monthly evening meeting at 7 pm in the Ashworth Baptist Church (corner of Ashworth and Prairie View) in West Des Moines. All La Leche League meetings are free, and moms and children of all ages are welcome to attend.

Friday, August 8:

Barack Obama’s Birthday Party and Phone Bank! (Barack’s Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)

Friday, August 8 at 4:00 PM

Johnson County Democratic Headquarters (Iowa City, IA)

Join local staff and supporters galore at 625 S. Dubuque St. for an exciting evening in celebration of Barack’s 47th Birthday! We will have cake…

Barack’s Birthday House Meeting: August 4th (Barack’s Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)

Friday, August 8 at 5:00 PM

Barack Obama’s Campaign for Change (Council Bluffs, IA)

Join us and help celebrate Barack’s 47th birthday! We will enjoy food and the # 47 in all of its forms!

Open House (Barack’s Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)

Friday, August 8 at 5:00 PM

Democratic Headquarters (Marshalltown, IA)

We will be meeting at the Democratic Headquarters here in Marshalltown this Monday from 5-9pm to celebrate Barack Obama’s 47th birthday! We will be making…

Celebrate, Communicate, Change! (Barack’s Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)

Friday, August 8 at 5:00 PM

Campaign for Change Headquarters (Fort Dodge, IA)

Senator Obama will be turning 47 and we are having a party in his honor. We would like as many people to attend this celebration…

Union County Office Opening & Obama birthday celebration (Barack’s Birthday House Meeting: August 4th)

Friday, August 8 at 7:00 PM

Union County Democratic Campign Office (Creston, IA)

The Union County Democrats Campaign office grand opening will be Friday, August 8th 7-9-PM. Location is 209 N. Maple St., Creston. THis will be a…

Check out the Sweet Corn Festival in Adel (Dallas County). Directions to the event, schedule and parade information are here:

http://partners.adeliowa.org/s…