On Politics

Prevailing Rage

DavidYepsen — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:40:00 GMT

The flap in the Iowa House over prevailing wage legislation brings to mind that old adage: When you are in a hole, quit digging.

For two years, Democrats at the State House have flopped around on labor bills, upsetting unions by failing to deliver and upsetting Main Street Iowans for messing around with legislation that lacks public support and may hurt Iowa’s business climate. This weekend, House Democratic leaders made mistakes in how they handled a prevailing wage bill and those errors will have long-term political consequences.

Some background: It takes 51 votes to pass a bill in the Iowa House. They can only muster 50 for the prevailing wage bill. Five Democratic lawmakers won’t go along. One is on vacation. In order to give time for unions to pressure the hold-outs, Democratic legislative leaders kept open the electronic tote board that records the votes of members on bills during the weekend.

The consequences:

*House leaders failed to have a solid vote-count before the called the measure up for a vote. That’s essential on a close tough vote. Now, they look inept. This episode will make it more difficult for them to amass votes or strong-arm members on other controversial and important pieces of legislation. (Author Note: Statehouse insiders said privately Sunday night after the initial post that leaders had a promise from Rep. McKinley Bailey to vote for the bill but that he flaked off, embarassing everyone.)

*While much has been said about the hold-out Democrats, there are Democratic members from marginal districts who sided with labor on this bill and by doing so have now created a political problem for themselves back home. It’s stupid to expose troops to hostile fire for no good reason.

*There are bad feelings and tensions inside the Democratic caucus. That will make cooperation on other issues more difficult. In recent years, such pressures and tactics forced one Democratic lawmaker to become a Republican. (Author Note 2: Look for some Democrats to try to kick Bailey out of the Democratic caucus over this.)

*There are implied threats of labor-backed primary challenges and the withholding of campaign contributions in the 2010 election. But such moves may backfire and simply make martyrs out of legislators who showed some backbone in Des Moines. Purges sometimes work, but most often they don’t. But they can weaken an incumbent, enabling the opposing party to win.

*Democratic leaders and labor lobbyists can’t be surprised. They wanted to take control of the Legislature. To do that in a closely-balanced state like Iowa, they needed to recruit some good Democratic candidates in rural and suburban districts that historically elect Republicans.

These recruits tend to be impressive people, they have to be to overcome their partisan disadvantage. They are business people, Iraq war veterans or local elected officials. They are people who think for themselves, who have courage and who also have earned the respect of people in their community.

Democrats can’t recruit and elect people like that and then expect them to be lapdogs.

The alternative is for Democrats to recruit traditional liberals, who would then lose in November. While these moderate Democrats may frustrate the unions and others on the left, it’s also true they put the party in the majority. Without them, Christopher Rants would be House Speaker today and it’s hard to see how any Democrat thinks that’s a neat idea.

*This has rallied the Republican opposition. The GOP hasn’t won much lately. They’ve lost elections. Minority members are ignored and many are in therapy for a lack of political self esteem. But this issue has given them the sweet taste of victory, forced them to set aside their difference and work together. It has energized the GOP base - no divisions on social issues here - and it’s doubtful Murphy and McCarthy will ever have much luck raising money from Republican business types.

Elections do matter. One vote makes a difference. Which is why the GOP business community can be expected to dig deeper for the 2010 elections.

*The real reason these labor bills have such a difficult time is because the labor movement hasn’t sold them to average Iowans.

This is another example of how Iowa culture and history works against unions. Some labor bills, like changing right to work laws, intrude on worker freedom and personal liberty. Others, like prevailing wage legislation, will increase government spending and that intrudes on the taxpayers’ pockets.

Iowans tend to think freedom, merit and frugality are good things. And that explains why, for over 60 years, the labor movement in Iowa has fought an uphill battle on these questions and most of the time it has lost.
By continuing to shove Democratic candidates into the buzzsaws of public opposition over these issues, it’s likely to continue to lose.

These bills may energize a Democratic primary electorate but historically they turn off voter November’s voters.

Obama's Press Conference

DavidYepsen — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 03:37:00 GMT

It’s refreshing to have a president who can talk. And talk. And talk. And talk.

President Barack Obama’s first formal press conference as chief executive Monday night was a big change from the stumbling ones President Bush held. (You know, the ones where you sat on the edge of your chair hoping he wouldn’t mangle the language.)

Obama was knowledgeable, articulate and in command Monday night. He just wasn’t very succinct at times. Hence the long-winded and sometimes repetitive answers.

Another problem is he is still slips into campaign mode. Several times he bashed Republicans over the high deficits incurred during Bush’s administration. Once slap would have been enough. The way he kept at it was overkill.

He won they election. They lost it. And they know one big reason they lost is because of how they ran the deficit and debt through the roof. He’s now the president. When he belabors that point, he contributes to the very partisan atmosphere he bemoans in Washington. He needs to rise above it and tweak more carefully.

There’s one other thing I wish Obama could do and that’s get rid of the scowl. As a scowler myself I know how hard that can be but I’m not the president. (Maybe an adjustment in the lighting or the Teleprompter is needed. Perhaps some Botox is order.)

It’s a fact you didn’t see FDR or Ronald Reagan scowling a lot when they jawboned and delivered bad news. They made Americans feel happy and upbeat in spite of any gloom. That’s important right now considering Obama’s biggest job is changing the national psychology - as well as passing a stimulus bill.

Obama’s got a warm, million dollar smile that exudes self-assurance and confidence. Next time around, let’s see more grin and less furrow.

Culver Gets Testy Over Budget Cuts

DavidYepsen — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:51:00 GMT

The pain of making budget cuts is starting to get to Gov. Chet Culver.

He turned prickly Wednesday at his press conference when asked if this latest round of cuts was the end of the budget cutting or whether he might have to come back and chop more later.

“How much farther do you want us to go, David?” he asked. “I do not anticipate coming back to make changes. This is not a game. We’re doing what we have to do by law to balance the budget. We’re not anticipating coming back. We’re doing the responsible thing. To suggest that six and a half percent is not enough, which represents perhaps the largest cut in the history of our state, coupled with the $180 million, is just wrong.”

The charitable view here is that Culver didn’t understand the question and went to red alert unnecessarily. Of course he hopes he doesn’t have to make another round of cuts this year or next but aides were quick to tell reporters afterwards that if the economy continues the downward spiral, of course he’ll be back to make more trims.

No one knows what the economic crisis will bring.

Culver’s always had a short fuse and he’s been under a lot of pressure lately. So, we must cut him some slack.

As a good Democrat, he didn’t get elected of office to make cuts. He got elected to do things. For two years he did. Iowa’s economy was cooking and throwing off lots in tax revenues. He and the Legislature spent those revenues and then some.

Now it’s all come crashing down around them. The economy has cratered and so are state tax revenues. Instead of being the governor who built education and fostered the growth of wind energy, he’s having to cut education budgets and lay off workers.

He could also be vulnerable for re-election next year, which explains why he spends most of his time trying to spin the blame for all this on George W. Bush and not on his own spending practices. But getting defensive about budget questions is counter-productive. Reporters focused on his outburst, not on his efforts to blame Bush.

So, if he’s a little grouchy these days, well, that’s understandable. But a little anger management may be in order. If the economy does get worse, our governor risks having a stroke.

But We'll Have To Fire The Firefighters!

DavidYepsen — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:24:00 GMT

That loud boo-hoo you are starting to hear coming out of the Iowa Statehouse is the sound of state agencies reacting to the budget cuts Gov. Chet Culver will unveil tomorrow.

There’s talk of layoffs and downsizing and people are complaining. In other words, state government is beginning to learn to live like the people who pay for it.

Life is now full of layoffs, downsizing, furloughs and uncertainty for many Iowans and plenty of them are in tears now too. It’s likely to get worse and state and local governments can’t be insulated from that.

But it triggers a whole bunch of political game-playing. State agencies are reluctant to talk publicly about things they could do without. They know someone will take them up on the idea and cut it from their budgets.

The biggest game that’s going to be played at the Statehouse in the come days is one called “firefighters first.” It’s an old maneuver played by seasoned bureaucrats and is named after the city managers who tells their city councils - “if you cut my budget I’ll have to lay off the firefighters first.”

Horrified at that prospect, alarmed citizens press their council members saying: Raise our taxes, don’t get rid of the fire department!

There are signs some are already playing “firefighters first.” Dave Neil, the former Iowa United Auto Workers political boss who is now Culver’s state labor commissioner, is saying he won’t be able to inspect the rides the kids take at amusement parks.

Oh the horror of it! Our children will be unsafe at all the midways in Iowa if his budget is cut! He’s hoping Iowans will be so mortified at the prospect they will badger the governor and legislators to make sure it doesn’t happen.

It’s a great game. After a couple years of it, lawmakers will get so tired of it, they’ll vote to raise the sales tax. I figure that will happen sometime after next year's elections.

Culver Cuts - And Dips Into The Cookie Jar

DavidYepsen — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:35:00 GMT

Gov. Chet Culver said Monday he will cut state spending next year by 6.5 percent - and dip into the state’s cash reserve fund to make the budget balance.

And that’s only for 2010. Culver’s aides said they expect to dip into the cash reserve again to make the budget balance in 2011.

Culver’s proposed dip into the bank account drew fire from Republicans. House Minority Leader Kraig Paulsen, a Hiawatha Republican, said the “6.5 percent cut will not bring the state out of the red.”

“No one is certain the economic downturn has reached it’s bottom point yet,” he said. “Now is not the time to raid the state’s savings account.”

Culver told reporters he’d follow state law in trying to repay the fund but his aides said he may need to ask the Legislature to bypass the law and tap the fund again for the 2011 fiscal year.

Culver’s proposal, which must be approved by the Legislature, comes on top of a recommendation that the state also tap the economic emergency fund to pay for some of the flood damage in Eastern Iowa. There is widespread support for using that fund, called the rainy day fund, in response to the emergency.

There will be more debate over whether or not to dip into the state’s other reserve account, the cash reserve, to make the books balance in 2010.

Is it time to dip, as Culver proposes? Or should we wait to see if things get worse, as the Republicans suggest? Your crystal ball is as good as anyone else’s.

Democrats are likely to go along with the governor, though their leaders didn’t promise to do so on Monday. As it is, the cuts Culver is proposing will force layoffs, program elimination and other draconian measures to programs Democrats hold dear. Without tapping the savings account, those reductions would be even more painful.

Yet Culver and the Democrats are gambling we’re near the bottom. Taking a $620 million fund and draining it of $200 million is something you can do for three years before you either have to cut more or raise taxes or both.

Culver repeated Monday he does not want to raise taxes.

While all the talk on Tuesday will be the cuts, state layoffs and complaining by the interest groups that get nicked by this, Culver said something else that shouldn’t be overlooked:

“Let’s take this opportunity to improve the way our government works. Let’s not be afraid of changing how we do business. Let’s create and find efficiencies in government...and continue to do all we can to make sure Iowans taxpayers are getting the most from their tax dollars.”

He added: “If we do this, I believe we will not only get through this national economic crisis, but we will come out of it stronger, and better prepared for the future.”

Amen. Everyone can agree with that. But what, specifically does it mean?

Asking lawmakers to do things like get rid of state departments, merge cities and counties or close small inefficient school districts will create political fire storms.

It’s tough enough just to cut a budget, let alone restructure government. Culver needs to provide some specifics - and some leadership - on just how he wants to remodel Iowa’s overbuilt system of state and local governments so cuts aren't needed again.

Either that, or he needs to start telling us his "no new taxes" promise is only good for one year.