In The News
Romney/Ryan want to destroy social contract
“Paul Ryan’s budget plan is not good for folks like me,”says Barb Kalbach, a working nurse and fourth-generation family farmer from Adair County
The future of America’s tax code and the social contract between government and everyday people is now at the very center of the presidential election debate after GOP candidate Mitt Romney named Wisconsin representative Paul Ryan as his vice presidential nominee.
One year ago today…#corporationsarepeople
One year has passed, but that quote follows Mitt Romney around like a stray dog wherever he goes.
I do a quiet cheer every time I see it. Why?
Well, for all the obvious reasons, but also because it's the best example of how much "bird-dogging", what we call it, can accomplish.
Storytime with Leonard Boswell
CCI Action members met with Congressman Boswell on August 6 in Greenfield. Find out what he said (or didn't say) and upcoming opportunities you have to bird-dog the candidates on the campaign trail.
read moreEnd Bush tax cuts for richest 2%
Congress will soon decide whether the rich should pay their fair share or if we should continue trying to cut our way to prosperity.
Tell your US Representative to end the Bush era tax cuts for the richest 2%!
Berkley Bedell: Taxing according to ability to pay could revitalize the nation
In 1936, when I was 15 years old, I started making fishing tackle in my home with $50 saved from my newspaper delivery route. When my son, Tom, sold the business a few years ago, it was by far the largest, most successful fishing tackle manufacturing business in the nation.
That business was successful primarily because we recognized a basic rule of business and for almost every organization. It is: Revenue matters.
Play-by-play of the House District 36 candidate forum
Before they cast their primary vote June 5, CCI Action members wanted to find out where three Democratic candidates running for the open House seat stand on key Iowa CCI Action issues.
The goal was to get to know the candidates and find another CCI champion like outgoing representative Janet Peterson. We need more Iowa CCI Action champion in the Statehouse!
NEW POLL: Iowans say no cuts, tax corporations!
A new poll, conducted by Public Policy Polling (PPP) from April 24-26 and released by Iowa CCI Action Fund, has found that 63 percent of Iowans oppose spending cuts to balance the budget, particularly to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. 59 percent support balancing the budget by letting the Bush-era tax cuts expire, while 63% said corporations do not pay their fair share of taxes.
read moreLegislative leaders, Governor leaving our communities high and dry
“The proposal we are just now hearing about is going to mean property tax increases on those who can least afford it – low and middle income homeowners across the state,” said Adam Mason, Iowa CCI Action’s State Policy Director.
“If Governor Terry Branstad, Speaker of the House Kraig Paulsen, and Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal are dead set on handing out $350 million to big corporations, they could at least look for ways to help replace that lost revenue by closing corporate tax loopholes on out of state corporations doing business in Iowa instead of forcing our communities to decide between cuts in services or raising property taxes.”
Don’t rush tax cut bill just to get a deal
Iowa CCI Action Fund members are calling on the Iowa legislature not to rush a commercial property tax cut bill just to “beat the clock” on an expiring legislative session during an election year, and warn that a political compromise could lead to bad policy that leaves everyday Iowans and Main Street communities holding the short end of the stick.
LTE: Campaign money colors our trust
Great letter to the editor by a member calls to light the influence of campaign contributions:
Gov. Terry Branstad has asked us to believe that finely textured ground beef is safe and perfectly good to eat. He has also accepted large campaign contributions from the company that produces the beef. Is the governor being sincere in his exhortation that this ground beef is perfectly fine, or does he just want the campaign contributions to continue?...