Posted on November 4, 2006

It was great to rally in Davenport as the “Common Sense” bus tour gathered steam. Union members and community activists took a break from door knocking and phone banking to hear from the candidates. I had the opportunity to ride on the campaign bus with them and Change to Win leaders from across Iowa, where we met hard-working Hawkeyes from the Teamsters, SEIU, UFCW and the Laborers.

What a determined bunch - they know that they can grow the voice of working people in Iowa.

These activists are working day and night in Davenport, Dubuque, Waterloo and Clinton to elect a whole team of pro-worker candidates, including Bruce Braley as their Congressional representative in the 1st District. He's proud to be a progressive Democrat and isn't burying his head in the sand about the health care crisis, like so many current members of Congress. He is ready to roll up his sleeves and get to work so that everyone in America has access to the quality, affordable health care they need.

Braley truly values the support of union members. He is committed to the Employee Free Choice Act, which would enable American workers to unite their voices and change their lives. His opponent, Mike Whalen, is a dyed-in-the-wool businessman who will put corporate profits over pocketbook issues important to ordinary Iowans.

So to fight these kinds of anti-worker interests, volunteers from the CtW unions are doing more than just helping send new leadership to Washington. They have a ground game to take back their state, too – starting with Chet Culver, the next governor.

At Friday’s rallies, Culver was proud to talk about his plan to boost the economy by creating good jobs through the use of renewable energy. And, it’s sound environmental policy too, leading the Des Moines Register to note in their endorsement of Culver that his opponent, U.S. Rep Jim Nussle, merely pays political lip-service to the issue.

President Bush campaigned in northwestern Iowa for Culver’s opponent that day, and defended the reasons he is putting our troops at risk for a deadly, costly war. Nussle currently holds the 1st Congressional seat and gave the rubber stamp to Bush, so when union members send Culver to the governor's mansion and Braley to the U.S. Capitol, they will also send you-know-who into early retirement.

Iowa seems ready to take back their state for working people. Teri Murphy, an SEIU member from Dubuque, is helping to elect a pro-worker majority in the state house of representatives, and not just because her husband, Pat, is currently the minority leader! Teri became politically active as a nurse and a union member, and has helped organize over 20,000 "health care voters" statewide to work with elected leaders on both sides of the political aisle to find real solutions for her patients and Iowans affected by the crisis.

CtW activists envision an Iowa that is proudly progressive and positively pro-union - and they are standing up for politicians who will work with them to make it a reality. It’s not just common sense, it’s for the common good, and you can still help bring about the same in your state - join a phone bank or canvass this weekend, and be sure to vote on Tuesday.