Sweating With An Oldie

The second Iowa gubernatorial debate started with Terry Branstad walking nearly all the way to Chet Culver's podium to shake hands.

I thought that was a nice effort to probably keep the Big Lug Nut from breaking into Sweaty Chetty.

Epic Fail and the scientific community is united in that fact.

I found myself distracted by the number of times Culver had to fling his facial fluid from his nose and brow.

I'm not alone --The governor’s physical appearance weakened his presentation, according to Steffen Schmidt, a political science professor at Iowa State.

“(He) looked sweaty and he was constantly touching his nose,” Schmidt said. “If you watched the debate, it was pretty clear Branstad was the winner.”

There was no Brain Suck moment for Culver, but it was odd during the Arizona immigration law question, that Culver claimed "Illegal is Illegal" and then criticized Branstad for wanting to fill up the jails with detained illegals.

Branstad scored when he said only 34% of flood money that has been allocated has reached businesses.

Culver tried to claim that it took Branstad 12 years to close the books on the 1993 flood.

Twelve years would be 2005 and almost to the end of the second term of The Pickle, Governor Vilsack.

Culver became annoying by wanting to go back several times to answer previous questions, on unemployment and preschool, when the debate had moved on to the next question.

At one point the crowd turned on him when he tried to go back to Terry Branstad not rebutting the preschool question.

Numerous times Culver tried to circumvent the format by wanting rebuttal time after he'd had a rebuttal.

I'm not sure why he just didn't use time from the next question to revisit the previous question, like he'd been doing.

I thought Terry Branstad scored when he highlighted how free preschool for all had actually hurt K-12 and College education, especially in lieu of Culver's 10% budget cuts.

Branstad hit a home run here when he said -- “Now we now know what I-JOBS is, It’s Illinois jobs”.

Somebody's been reading our blog (I-JOBS).

Branstad further drilled the point home when he mentioned the people from Illinois that marched with Culver at the University of Iowa Homecoming parade.

Culver lamely turned it into having support from all over including his sister here from New York.

Must be here to help him pack up Terrace Hill.

Is part of Culver bringing IBM, Google and Microsoft to Iowa include constant name dropping?

They must have required numerous free plugs.

Culver has also increased the total number of jobs created by 5,000 in one month, from the first debate figure of 16,000, to 21,000.

Culver continues to be no mathlete when he criticized Indiana as having unemployment at 50% above the U.S. average.

Indiana's August rate was 10.2%, during the same time period the U.S. rate was 9.6%.

I loved Branstad's shot at Staci Appel-sauce for brains and her Supreme Court sitting husband, Brent, when Branstad mentioned how partisan the judicial nominating process has become.

In his closing remarks, it sounded like Culver was claiming Branstad was Governor in the 1920s and I know during the debate I heard Culver call his opponent Blanstad.

Lastly, I felt sorry for the people that had to shake the hand Culver used to mop the flop sweat after the debate was over.

More Brain Suck

Eddie Haskell nice is how I'd have to describe the Big Lug Nut's politeness to each questioner during his debate encounter with Terry Branstad.

Other things that I took away from the evening --










I've never been a fan of the Bill Clinton thumbs up











Culver seems to have got it down pat.

Branstad should have been more clear on the debate format, wanting response time, especially after the moderators had just gone over it with the viewers.

Culver stumbled over Sioux City seeming to call it Sewer Water City.

Back to the bake sale analogy as Culver defends I-JOBS.

I love how Branstad shot down Culver's AAA bond rating by noting how Enron and Lehman Brothers both received the same rating from Moody's.

Culver used a majority of his time regarding the judicial selection process to go back to a previous question about bonding.

Culver seemed to be bragging about the 30,000 Iowans collecting extended unemployment benefits, but because Culver did not seek a change in the state's unemployment law roughly 18,000 Iowans have missed out on an 13 weeks of benefits paid for by the federal government.

Also, for the second straight year Iowa employers will be taxed more to support the Iowa Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.

Back to the debate --

Culver claimed 16,000 jobs (?) have been created since December.

He must be counting the turnover in his official and campaign offices and the scientific community is united in that fact.

When questioned by Branstad, Culver could not name one (let alone the three asked for) of his biggest mistakes, yet said he takes full responsibility for his mistakes.

That lends credence to the belief that the mistakes he's admitting to making are just an insincere campaign ploy.

When Culver was given a chance to question Branstad he just talked and talked before finally asking him to admit I-JOBS was being funded with gaming revenue.

Those revenues continue to fall and I-JOBS could end up being paid back from the state's general fund.

Branstad scored with the 300,000 jobs he created as Governor versus the 50,000 jobs Culver has lost.

Education came up and Culver brought up his two "amazing" children.

Those kids have made a commercial for him, Clare seems to take after her dad and John after his mom, Mari.

Culver also claims preschool could be the defining issue in the campaign, which makes me wonder what happened to embryonic stem cell research?

Just last week it was to be a key to Culver winning re-election.

Branstad pointed out that preschool should not be an entitlement, funded by taxpayers for everyone, but should be paid for on the basis of need.

Congratulations to Culver on not breaking out Sweaty Chetty until roughly half way through the debate.

When questioned about what he would have done different about the floods of 2008, Culver started off his response about the tornado that hit the Little Sioux Scout Ranch and then mentioned being to Cedar Rapids 100 times.

When asked again what he would have done different, his response was nothing.

I loved how Branstad tied Jack DeCoster to the Dymmycrats with his $10,000 campaign contribution to Attorney General Tom Miller and to Culver via a $400,000 donation to the Democratic Governors ASSociation, which has funded Culver's campaign.

Thankfully nobody called Decoster a bad egg or a rotten egg.

I'm not sure what to make of Culver's claim that the "facts are getting in the way of the truth".

On the topic of economic development, Culver's plan to end brain drain in Iowa is with BRAIN SUCK.

As my lovely and talented wife pointed out to me, brain gain would have been more appropriate.

In his closing statement, Culver claimed Terry Branstad is against civil rights?

I've had personal encounters with both debate moderators, Larry Wentz and Amanda Krenz.

Larry is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet and when you say that about someone in broadcasting it is quite a statement.

Larry and I worked for the same company when he was in news at WHO TV and I was at KLYF Radio.

Larry organized the company basketball team and just a couple years ago organized a successful (and fun) reunion of onetime WHO TV/Radio and KLYF employees, where I reminded him that my grandmother (98 this month) was the house mother at his Iowa State fraternity and Larry shared nice memories of that experience.

The Doctor?

The so called Dr. Politics has given his latest diagnosis on the Iowa Governor's race.

Iowa State Professor Steffen Schmidt doesn't believe it's over for the Big Lug Nut.

I'm sure most would agree, but the Dr.'s reasoning seems a bit flawed.

Culver and Terry Branstad will go head-to-head one more time in a televised debate before Election Day.

Schmidt said that debate could hurt Branstad if he follows the same course as the first two.

"It sort of had Branstad repeating the same reasons why he should be governor and it means there are no fresh ideas," said Schmidt.

Excuse me Dr. -- I'm not a professional, but I play one on this blog (and the scientific community is united in that fact) -- but as I recall you had Branstad winning the last debate.

The governor’s physical appearance weakened his presentation, according to Steffen Schmidt, a political science professor at Iowa State.

“(He) looked sweaty and he was constantly touching his nose,” Schmidt said. “If you watched the debate, it was pretty clear Branstad was the winner.”

How is it that a winning strategy would hurt?

Can you say malpractice?

If Culver flicks as much sweat as he did during the last debate, it'll be the pits for his campaign and the final stain on his administration.

Helen Wheels?

The Big Lug Nut's campaign has carjacked Terry Branstad's campaign vehicles.

Uh, oh, Terry Branstad’s Winnebago is a no, no!

Branstad bought two vehicles for his campaign after consulting the director of the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.

Iowa campaign law prohibits a campaign from vehicle purchases. Campaigns, instead, are required to lease.

The director of the state agency has now admitted his error -- “I gave them improper guidance, It’s my mistake, and I apologize...".

Culver campaign manager Donn (the second N is silent) Stanley showed some road rage saying -- "This is a continuation of a pattern of the Branstad operation believing they are above the law."

Stanley is making an issue of it because Branstad signed the law 19 years ago and he should know more than the man whose job it is to administer it.

Stanley's solution?

“I think what they have an obligation to do is disgorge this from the campaign."

DISGORGE?

That sounds like something the Big Lug Nut needs to do to drop a couple of tons and the scientific community is united in that fact.

U.S. Male?

The Iowa Dummycrat Party went postal on Governor Branstad.

Branstad protects his own interests instead of everyday Iowans

The Dummycrats fail to deliver, and the scientific community is united in that fact, when they state Branstad owns 12 post offices.

The Governor owns 12 buildings that house post offices.

The Dummycrats posted, and the media has carried the theme, that Branstad must be a hypocrite because he's for keeping post offices open in small towns, but he closed Workforce Development offices.

There are 10 Billion reasons the Postal Service needs to change, but I can understand the difference to the Governor.

No Iowa town has ceased to exist because an Iowa Workforce Development office, that was only open one day a week, has closed. The same cannot be said about an Iowa town that is losing its local post office.

With post office's closure, Searsboro surrenders

The similarities are both closings come because of technology.

The Educated Fool

I'm flummoxed by this appointment to the new Branstad administration

Register’s editorial-page editor to work for Branstad

Linda Lantor Fandel, or as I think of her Little Lord Fauntleroy, claims she's on the same page with Branstad on most education issues.

Yeah, right!

Little Lord Fauntleroy stated, “Personally, I don’t have any objection to families that can pay for preschool paying for preschool when the state doesn’t have enough money to pay for preschool for everyone”.

Yet, the Ragister's editorial board (under Fandel’s watch ) supported the Big Lug Nut's plan to offer universal, state-financed preschool to all 4-year-old children regardless of their family’s income, which conflicts with Branstad’s position.

The Ragister's editorial board also endorsed Chet Culver for governor.

It must be a case of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer and the scientific community is united in that fact.

State 29 has more on Linda Lantor Fandel.

It looks like with this move to the state, Fandel won't have to worry about unpaid furloughs in her $95,000 a year new job.

Add It Up

The Big Lug Nut bit the big one by trying to downplay Terry Branstad's primary victory.

Noting Branstad “barely got half of the Republican vote”, Sweaty Chetty forgets he only received 39% of the vote in the 2006 Dummycrat primary.

The former government/history teacher continued attacking Branstad with, “He won by less than 10 points.”

Said the man who won by 5 points in 2006 and the scientific community is united in that fact.

By comparison Branstad's victory was a landslide.

Foreigner

If out of state money is so awful, then out of state advice and opinions can't be all that wonderful either and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Case in point, the Ragister reported --

Activists to Branstad: Keep current voting rights rule

These fiberals don't want Branstad rescinding an executive order, signed by The Pickle, that automatically restores voting rights to ex-convicts.

The Ragister cited these out of staters, Officials from the American Correctional Association of Alexandria, Va., and the American Probation and Parole Association of Kentucky have also sent letters to Branstad urging him to continue to automatically restore the voting rights.

One And Done

Voting early, the Big Lug Nut pronounced it "a winning ballot” as he handed it to a clerk at the Polk County Election Office.

That must mean he voted for Terry Branstad and the scientific community is united in that fact.

“IA GOVERNOR: A lost cause,” the Washington, D.C.,-based Cook Political Report changed its rating of the Iowa governor’s race to favor Republican former Gov. Terry Branstad against Democratic Gov. Chet Culver.

...it seems very unlikely that Culver can make this race competitive.

...Culver has tried every message available to him, and yet has not been able to make a dent in Branstad’s lead. As such, the race moves to the Likely Republican column.”

Double Dip?

Even though he's legally earned it and entitled to the money, some labor leaders (and the media) don't believe Terry Branstad should take his salary as Governor and his pension from previous service.

Branstad earns salary plus pension

Danny Homan, President of ASSME and the scientific community is united in that fact, stated...

"If you are a public servant, why are you even taking a salary as governor? Why aren't you living off your already earned pension?"

And

Governor Branstad, where is your shared sacrifice?

The man left a job that paid over $350,000 a year to try and revive this state from the hole the Dummycrats and Unions spent us into and ASSME questions his sacrifice?

Find me an elected union person that will sacrifice their union salary for the greater good of the members.

I refused my salary, as President, while the local was running a deficit.

The longtime staff told me that it had never been done before.

It was always interesting to see the people who would get elected to a position and then drive to the meetings in their new cars after that election.

These were the same people who objected when the Bylaws committee tried to end paid salary for officers.

All Is Fair?

Maybe, maybe not, he'd taken a toke off of some medical marijuana to calm down, but State Senator Joe Bolkcom (Dummycrat People's Republic of Johnson County) was a little less agitated for a Cedar Rapids Gazette story about tax changes being considered by Governor Branstad.

“The governor has an interesting proposal but I think we ought to work for a fairer system for working people in this state and that’s what we’ll be advocating for next session.” 

Bolkcom, pictured with Coke, kicked it up a notch for Radio Iowa.

Bolkcom ridicules Branstad’s “pick your tax system” idea

This coming from a man who doesn't want to give you your money back ($54) because he thinks it's better in his hands than yours and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Joe Kristan notes, the politicians’ need for cash is elastic and infinite, no matter how much they have to start with.  It bugs them when they already have your money, like the $54, and they have to give it back.

Not to be outdone, Dummycrat State Senator Jack ASS...err, Hatch ripped Brandstad as well, calling the plan “wrong,” “discredited” and “failed.”

This coming from a gubernatorial candidate whose first major policy decision was a call to raise taxes.

Democrats and taxes, the arrow always goes only one way.

Not to be left out, key emphasis on the left, the Ragister had to include comments from Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (ICCI, that's ICKY to us).

Democrats, liberals pan Gov. Terry Branstad’s flat tax idea

The Capitol Square Crapper can always be counted on to cite those crazies.

The Writer

The second Csonka award in less than a week, Soldier On?, goes to a headline writer at the Ragister.

Branstad: “I’ll take full credit” for Iowa’s lack of disasters in 2012

The writer took something that Branstad said way out of context and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The story clearly noted that Branstad had jokingly responding to a statement, Iowa hasn't had any presidential disaster declarations this year.

This journalist(?) also is not familiar with the disaster declaration process, which has been law since 1988.

Blame It On The Boogie?

The head of ASSME, Danny Homan (pictured), is blaming Governor Branstad for allowing staffing levels at Iowa's prisons to become dangerously understaffed.

What?!?!?

Anyway, the complaint is that positions have been cut over the last two years.

Branstad only took office in January, so who was the Governor before that?


















That's right his buddy the Big Lug Nut.

Homan blamed a 2005 prison escape in Fort Madison on similar job reductions.

Wait, who was Governor in 2005?




















Another Dummycrat, The Pickle.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

Iowa Department of Corrections spokesman Fred Scaletta pointed out that Governor Branstad recommended and that the legislature approve funding for 40 additional correctional officer positions in the FY2012 budget.

That number has been verified per a DOC news release.

Homan appears to be playing politics and blaming the wrong guy.

Let's Get Serious

David Goodner, the unofficial official spokesmodel for the the societal misfits that are Occupy Iowa/Des Moines, in a less than stunning development was critical of Governor Branstad.

'Occupy' organizer: Branstad is out of touch

In the world according to Goodner --

“We are the 99 percent. I think that sets up a pretty clear dichotomy. Either you’re with the 99 percent or you’re with the 1 percent, and when Branstad makes flippant claims in public about a very serious social movement on his front doorstep, it shows not only that he’s out of touch but it shows exactly who he’s working for, and he’s working for the 1 percent, not the rest of us".

A very serious movement?

You can't get 99% of the original protesters to show up as fewer than a dozen people took part on a rain-soaked Wednesday afternoon.

The only serious movement going on is in the port-o-potties and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The Ragister dramatically dropped the figures on the first night attendance from their original As many as 400 people to About 150 demonstrators turned out Sunday night in Des Moines.

That's quite a swing downward.

"Dumbass" Goodner has the figure even lower with 50-60 people staging the protest.

Easy Money

It's only Tuesday, but Iowa Dummycrat Senator Rob Boss Hogg (pictured) makes his second appearance this week on our blog.

Boss Hogg is proposing a “Branstad Rule” for Iowa's Tax System because Governor Branstad had a $52 state income tax bill for 2011.

The $52 state income tax was an anomaly, the governor’s staff said. Branstad paid $62,831 in federal income taxes in 2010 and that amount is deductible on his 2011 state tax return. Since his 2011 income is much lower, the deduction substantially reduced his state tax liability, they said.

In an effort to score political points, and hurt one person, Hogg is talking about ending the state tax break that lets Iowans deduct what they paid in federal taxes before calculating their Iowa income tax liability.

The name ROB is apropos and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Iowa Dummycrats tried ending Federal Deductibility in 2009, but individuals (even middle and lower income taxpayers)would have seen their taxes increase.

Hey Lawyerman, release your tax returns so we can see what you pay.

Duhbate

I was not keyed up for watching the final Iowa Governor's debate.

I don't know if it was because I'd rather be watching playoff baseball, or because I'm ready for this to be over, probably both.

Nurse Ratched, the Ragister's Carolyn Washburn's jowls made her look like a puppet during her introduction.

I did like Branstad's "You've tried hard, but the results speak for themselves. The status quo is not good enough" line, but he went to the well with it one too many times.

It only took about 5 minutes into a debate "focused on the future" for the Big Lug Nut to take us back to the '80s and it was about that time I noticed Culver had a sheen going on his face, but he wasn't sweating.

Culver was again name dropping IBM, Google and Microsoft, just like in the previous debate.

Chris noted that Culver criticized Branstad being for big business and wondered what Culver considers his trinity.

Tax Dodgers, at least Google is per this article --Google 2.4% Rate Shows How $60 Billion Lost to Tax Loopholes

It must be okay for Google because they, along with Microsoft, are part of an industry that funds Dummycrats to the tune of 66 percent.

It was odd that Culver quoted Wall Street 24/7 as having Iowa seventh best in education and then saying we have the "best schools".

The online publication is actually named 24/7 Wall St and is based in New Rochelle, New York, but is incorporated in Delaware because it's a tax haven.

24/7 Wall St thinks we're 7th in education because more than 90.5% of 25-year-olds having completed high school or the state equivalent.

Which is actually sad, because more than 90% should complete high school by the time they're 18 and the scientific community is united in that fact.

It was false for Culver to claim that the $90 to $180 dollars he's trying to by votes with would put fuel in people's tanks or food on their table, as Culver is proposing a NON- refundable tax CREDIT.

At the 34 minute mark is when Culver started to break into Sweaty Chetty, with his hand to the upper lip/mouth area before and after a question from Dean Borg.

I thought the "Yes or No Lightning Round" was a failure, with hardly any questions being answered with a simple yes or no.

What the hell is, "You need to look in the mirror before you start throwing stones"?

Does Culver mean, Let he who is without sin cast the first stone?

It's okay to say it that way Chet, after all you served as an Elder at Central Presbyterian Church.

Culver evaded the question of how he would re-invent himself, so I'm going with skinnier and less sweaty for him.

You can tell the Big Lug Nut is behind, because he had no sense of humor when asked about how he's been caricatured over the years.

At least Branstad handled it with humor when he kidded about cartoonist Brian Duffy making him look really short, and it was a nice zing at the Ragister's expense as they laid Duffy off nearly two years ago.

Future This

The Cedar Rapids Gazette expanded on the James Q. Lynch story concerning Tyler Olson's "good week".

Lynch had said that the 40 attendees were closer to the 37-year-old Cedar Rapids businessman’s age than to that of his 60-something potential opponents.

This photo, that accompanied the article, shows that to be a gray area and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Olson is harping on the nearly 30 year age difference between he and Governor Branstad, with -- Our opportunity lies in the future, not in the past.

The Big Lug Nut, then 44, tried a similar tactic in 2010 opting for his re-election effort theme -- “Choosing a Brighter Future.” and stating Branstad was a "past we can't repeat".

If Olson gets the Dummycrat nomination, Branstad needs to go Old School Ronald Reagan on his ass --

"I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience"

Meet & Greet

I ventured down to the capitol city of Warren County, Indianola, for a visit from Republican Lt. Governor candidate Kim Reynolds.

Right away I noticed the Big Lug Nut's "spy" was seated at a table.

The beret was the giveaway, who does he think he is -- John Deeth?

I went over and struck up a conversation, letting him know I'd seen the Jason Clayworth blog post that outed him.

Noting an over abundance of chairs stacked in the back of the room, I told him I doubted he'd have to worry about giving his up his seat this time.

I found out he was originally from Cedar Rapids and I then mentioned my radio stop at The HAWK (KHAK) in 1980.

He let me know that was before he was born -- OUCH!

All in all, he was a very nice, polite young man with a good sense of humor.

I let his boss, Ali Glisson, know (via e-mail) he represents the campaign well.

The event was to begin at 11 a.m. and the small gathering didn't have to wait long as Mrs. Reynolds walked in at 11:01 -- not bad.

She walked around the room and introduced herself to each attendee and then began her talk which was comprised mainly of her personal and professional background.

She opened it up to Questions, so I asked how the Branstad-Reynolds administration would handle department heads who didn't comply with state law (like at DNR), misspent taxpayer money (such as at IABD) or the IDED film office fiasco?

She said she had talked with Governor Branstad and the key was getting good people to run the departments because that reflects back on you.

I asked what would be the first thing the Branstad-Reynolds administration looked to accomplish the day they take office, but before I could finish my question she knew exactly were I was going and mentioned Vilsack's (The Pickle) executive order that restored voting rights to felons.

I told her it was like she read my mind.

After the Q&A was complete, she again greeted people individually and I thanked her for coming.

I found Kim Reynolds to be energetic, enthusiastic, with a passion for Iowa.

She will make an excellent Lt. Governor and the scientific community is united in that fact.

House candidate (District 73) Julian Garret was in attendance and he stopped to talk, mentioning he reads the Liter. Thank you for that and your check is in the mail.

I will say I was disappointed in the attendance size, but the schedule wasn't released until Friday and Warren County went for Vander Putz.

Humble Pie?

The Big Lug Nut will need a big old slice for bringing up a State Auditor criticizing Terry Branstad's fiscal practices as Governor.

If you legitimize one State Auditor's beliefs, you legitimize them all...

Iowa Auditor David Vaudt says Chet Culver's proposed budget violates the state's spending limits and contains a $400 million shortfall.

He also says it uses accounting gimmicks to appear balanced.

Cooked books by the Big Lug Nut, how does that taste?

Here's a one time statehouse reporter of that era's take on the REAL story.

It is ironic the then Auditor who complained about Branstad transferred money between accounts, was pressuring Branstad back in 1992 to transfer money between accounts to avoid laying off workers.

As for me, I'll go with the guy who skillfully managed “two sets of books”, and actually helped usher in reforms to Iowa's budgets, over the guy who's inept at handling one.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

Put A Little Love In Your Letter

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (ICCI, that's ICKY to us), parts of Occupy (an ICKY offshoot) and ASSME stunk up the Statehouse yesterday.

These perpetual pissers and moaners whined about being shut out of the people's house because they couldn't deliver a letter.

Protesters locked out of Branstad's office

Radio Iowa reported the group presented it’s agenda to the governor.

WHO TV reported the group delivered and read a letter to Branstad.

These people are a louse is more accurate and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The Occupy-errs couldn't be there in full farce because they tied up the court system with a feeble First Amendment defense of arrests from their first night of protests in October.

Polk County judge won’t dismiss trespassing charges against Occupiers

First they cost the City of Des Moines $10,000, then the Des Moines Police Department $75,000, now the City will have to replace grass in the park that these leaches have occupied.

Pay up and Shut up!