DES MOINES – Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn issued the following statement on today’s passage of health insurance legislation by the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Instead of working for bipartisan reforms that most Iowans could support, Iowa’s congressional Democrats chose a partisan approach that amounts to a staggering, half-a-trillion dollar cost to the American taxpayer while giving the federal government an unprecedented amount of control over personal health care decisions.

“The blatant disregard shown for the opinions of everyday Iowans who oppose this partisan bill is offensive enough, but it is unconscionable for Congressmen Boswell, Braley and Loebsack to force another $562 billion in debt on our children and grandchildren.”

Training sessions for Temporary Chairs for Polk County Caucuses will be held this week, Tuesday Jan 12 at 7:00 PM and Saturday Jan 16 at 10:00 AM.  If you have questions, please contact John Bloom at  515-280-6438, email johnbloom@polkgop.com.

U.S. House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) laid out four reforms today that will be highlighted in the House Republican Health Care Reform Plan.

· Number one: let families and businesses buy health insurance across state lines;

· Number two: allow individuals, small businesses, and trade associations to pool together and acquire health insurance at lower prices, the same way large corporations and labor unions do today;

· Number three: give states the tools to create their own innovative reforms that lower health care costs; and

· Number four: end junk lawsuits that contribute to higher health care costs by increasing the number of tests and procedures that physicians sometimes order not because they think it’s good medicine, but because they are afraid of being sued.

You can learn more about the House Republican plan here.

You can read the current House health care bill being pushed by House Democrats here (all 1900 pages of it).

HT: Caffeinated Thoughts

We have an incredible opportunity to make a difference for the 2009 Iowa General Assembly by switching a Democrat vote to Republican.  But we have to act now!

As you may already know, John Whitaker (D-Hillsboro), from Iowa House District 90, resigned to accept a position with the federal government.  Stephen Burgmeier, a Republican and Jefferson County Supervisor, has been nominated as the Republican candidate for the special election to be held on September 1, 2009.

Do you remember the Labor bill we held off by 1 vote in 2009?  Remember how close Federal Deductability came to being repealed?  In order to cut back the Democrat majority, Stephen needs our help!

This will be a tight race, but we have a candidate that is well known and liked in his district.

Can you help?  Can you take some time to knock on doors in Jefferson, Wapello and Van Buren Counties?  Or can you help with phone calling?  Here are some great opportunities for you to make a difference in the 2010 Iowa Legislative Session:

Door Knocking Weekends:

Saturday, August 8

Saturday, August 15

Saturday, August 22

Saturday, August 29

Phone Calling:

Please contact Mary (info below) to get set up. 

Headquarters:

The campaign office is open Monday through Saturday if you have additional questions.  For the door knocking weekend’s people will gather at the office and then go out to volunteer.

60 South Main Street, Fairfield, IA

—It is at the corner of Burlington and Main Street on the Fairfield Town Square—   Map

To volunteer please contact:

Katie Koberg
Email: katiekoberg@gmail.com
Phone: 515-971-4571

Mary Earnhardt
Email: mkearnhardt@gmail.com
Phone: 515-778-5229

Energy Tax Disaster: Congressmen Boswell, Braley, and Loebsack vote to raise energy costs on Iowans by about $400 a year for Iowa families and cost Iowa jobs.

ACTION ITEM: Call Senator Harkin, IMMEDIATELY, and tell him to vote

NO on cap and trade (HR 2454)!

You can reach his Washington, DC office at: 202.224.3254

You can reach him via email at: https://harkin.senate.gov/c/index.cfm

Last Friday was a dark day for our country. Dark because the U.S. House of Representatives, with the support of Iowa’s three Democrat members, voted for energy legislation that will dramatically increase energy costs for Iowa consumers and turn the lights out on Iowa’s economy with staggering job losses.

Congressmen Boswell, Braley, and Loebsack all sided with California’s Nancy Pelosi and Henry Waxman in support of HR 2454, even though data from the Energy Information Administration and Congressional Budget Office show the bill will increase electricity costs in Iowa and most of the rest of the country (while actually lowering them in Pelosi’s and Waxman’s home state of California). Click here for the report.

In fact, with energy costs estimated to rise by $250 million a year in Iowa as a result of this legislation, that equates to nearly $400 annually for an Iowa family of four.

In addition, research from the Heritage Foundation shows Iowa will lose nearly 18,000 jobs by 2012 if HR 2454 becomes law (this is in addition to the more than 90,000 Iowans currently out of work). Click here for the report.

Higher energy costs for Iowa families and fewer jobs for Iowa workers. Reps. Boswell, Braley, and Loebsack have a lot to answer for when they come home to face Iowa voters.

THANK YOU to Republican Congressmen Steve King and Tom Latham. Thank you for standing up for Iowa families, Iowa farmers, and Iowa businesses in opposition to this economy-killing legislation.

Now, it is not too late to stop this terrible legislation from becoming a reality. We need EVERY Iowan to contact Senator Harkin’s office, IMMEDIATELY, and ask him to vote NO on HR 2454 (the cap and trade bill).

You can reach his Washington, DC office at: 202.224.3254

You can reach him via email at: https://harkin.senate.gov/c/index.cfm

Below please find talking points on this legislation from the Republican National Committee:

The so-called “cap and trade” plan proposed by President Obama and Congressional Democrats is nothing more than a huge multi-billion dollar national energy tax that will hit almost every American family, small business and family farm.

• President Obama and Congressional Democrats will tax our lights out — families and businesses will face higher energy costs every time they flip on a light switch, start a car or delivery truck, or manufacture a product.
• Various studies also show that between 1.8 million to 7 million jobs could be lost.
• Those hardest hit by this massive tax will be the poor and middle-class who are already struggling to make ends meet in today’s recession.
• President Obama himself said on the campaign trial that if “cap and tax” were to pass families’ utility bills would “necessarily skyrocket.”
• The American people want energy independence and a cleaner environment without a national energy tax.
• Republicans have a better way – an “all of the above” approach that would lead to lower energy costs, more jobs, a cleaner environment and greater energy independence.
• Republicans want to increase the use of all energy sources that will reduce carbon emissions, especially nuclear, clean-coal and renewable energy technologies.
• Republicans want to increase environmentally-safe energy production to take advantage of abundant supplies of energy right here in America on remote lands and far off our shores.
• Republicans would do all this while reducing frivolous lawsuits and encouraging Americans to conserve energy to preserve and protect our natural resources.

Members of the president’s own party oppose his national energy tax scheme.

• John Dingell (D-MI): “Nobody in this country realizes that cap and trade is a tax, and it’s a great big one.” (Rep. John Dingell, Subcommittee On Energy And Environment, Energy And Commerce Committee, Hearing, 4/24/09)
• Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN): “And you also run the risk of taking jobs away and not actually solving global warming.” (MSNBC’s “Hardball,” 3/25/09)
• Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA): “I just don’t think an economy-wide cap and trade works.” (Gerard Shields, “La. Democrats key figures in federal emissions debate,” The Advocate, 5/2/09)
• Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA): “I believe this bill would create an undue burden on families who are already paying too much in energy bills…” (Gerard Shields, “La. Democrats key figures in federal emissions debate,” The Advocate, 5/2/09)
• •Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA): “Any way you do it, it hurts Pennsylvania, especially western Pennsylvania. I think cap and trade is bad policy.” (Alex Isenstadt, “Cap and trade hits speed bumps,” Politico, 4/27/09)

CALL Senator Harkin, TODAY, and help stop this legislation from becoming a reality. YOUR voice can make a difference, so call Senator Harkin, NOW!

You can reach his Washington, DC office at: 202.224.3254

You can reach him via email at: https://harkin.senate.gov/c/index.cfm

Tired of Democrats taking our country in the wrong direction? Donate, NOW, to the Polk County Republicans by sending your check made out to “Polk County Republicans” to 621 E. 9th Street, Des Moines, IA  50309. Help us continue the fight to take back our state and nation.

Content provided by the Iowa GOP.