Where Liberals and Conservatives Agree with the American Majority in the Center: Meet Moderate America

Where Liberals and Conservatives Agree with the American Majority in the Center: Meet Moderate America

"All Politics is Local"

That well known political quote was first attributed to Former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill (who served in that role from an entire decade from January 1977 to January 1987) and in many ways it still holds true today and that's what I would like to talk about today in my first post in a while. And to "celebrate" my return I have decided to get off my soapbox and return my blog to its original intended focus: Helping folks filter to the political bull and do their own research on the political issues that effect our nation today and that includes local politics. I rarely if ever post about specific political races (except the Presidential rat race of course), but this one hits close to home and I feel a little extra exposure is the least I can do.

And on that very topic I so happen to know a man running for a seat in the Iowa House of Representatives (as you might have guessed its the larger of the two legislative bodies in Iowa). The particular district he is contending is arguably one of the most hard hit in the whole state, especially when it comes to the local economy. So just as the economy is a big issue in the national races, it is a major issue in Small Town America (in this case small town Iowa). Now as you might imagine there are more than one person vying for this particular seat. To help sum up the race, here is an article from one of the local newspapers, the Ottumwa Courier:

http://ottumwacourier.com/local/x2108292790/Judge-Sheets-explore-new-territory-in-District-80

And before anyone gets all worked up, I will be the first to admit I am definitely a little biased as to who I want to win this particular race but for good reasons. Without getting into my personal life too much (a big no-no for me on the net), all I will say is Mr. Judge had a big influence on my interest in politics and I feel is the best person for the job. But don't take my word for it, here is a statement from that man himself:

"I am writing you today to ask for your support in my candidacy for the Iowa House of Representatives, District 80.I was born and raised right here in southern Iowa. Today, I live on our family farm east of Albia and I have the privilege of teaching Government and History in the high school where I graduated. I attended the University of Iowa where I earned a Bachelors Degree in Political Science, a Masters Degree in Social Studies Education and a Masters Degree in School Administration. I chose to come home to teach for the same reason I am now seeking to represent you in the Iowa House of Representatives - because I know how critically important strong leadership from my generation will be to the future of Southern Iowa.

But I can’t do it alone, please join me today with a financial contribution to help me get my message to the voters of District 80. A check to Judge for Iowa for $25, $50, $100 or more will make a big difference in this campaign.We know southern Iowa is a wonderful place to live. But, we also know that our communities face tough challenges today - like attracting and retaining good jobs for our families, ensuring the best possible education for our kids, and making sure we have access to quality, affordable health care. WILL YOU HELP ME MEET THESE CHALLENGES BY JOINING MY CAMPAIGN TODAY?

For far too long we have seen special interests direct efforts away from our part of the state. We need a strong voice to fight and make sure southern Iowa gets its fair share. I will be a voice that puts the families of Southern Iowa first and gets the job done! In order to stand up against interests that want to take away from southern Iowa, I need your help. Will you make a commitment today and lend your voice to my campaign? A check to Judge for Iowa for $25, $50, $100 or more will make a big difference in this campaign.

In both 2000 and 2008 I was elected to be a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions. I was elected twice to serve you on the Iowa Democratic Party State Central Committee, served as the chair of the Third District Democratic Central Committee and as Monroe County chair. With my political experience and my passion for serving our part of the state, I am ready to serve and contribute new ideas for our hometowns, our families, and our future.

Will you consider helping my campaign with a financial contribution, by volunteering to hold a house party, display a yard sign, make phone calls and talk to your neighbors about the campaign? With your support, I know this campaign will be a success."

http://www.judgeforiowa.com/

DISCLAIMER:

The views expressed in the above posted link are purely those of Judge for Iowa House campaign and not necessarily of this blogger or the Modern Whig Party.

Now obviously for those reading this and who are not from Iowa (or the US for that matter) this story may not mean much to you, but for my American readers I encourage you to take a hard look at this race because local politics are arguably as important as the nationals because what these folks do DIRECTLY affects you and to ignore them is IMHO pure laziness as an American voter. Now am I telling you to vote for Mr. Judge? No. I fully encourage my readers to look over his campaign site and read the news article on the race and come to their own conclusion. If you think what Mr. Judge is saying is the kind of message you want to hear from an American politician than I do encourage you to help his campaign in whatever way you can. If you don't agree with what his saying, then I thank you for at least taking the time to read this blog post and more power to you.

DISCLAIMER:

The views expressed in the above piece are purely those of the author (unless otherwise noted) and not that of the Modern Whig Party or any other political organization(s).