Governor’s Re-nominations Show Lack of Leadership At a Time When Iowa’s Economy Needs It Most

Sen. McKinley: “I ask Governor Culver to show some leadership, re-consider these two appointments, and get serious about growing Iowa’s economy through the creation of new electrical generation instead of throwing a temper tantrum because he did not get his way.”

DES MOINES, IA – Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley issued the following statement today regarding the nominations of Carrie La Seur to the Environmental Protection Council and Shearon Elderkin to the Iowa Power Fund board:

“Earlier this month, the Senate exercised important oversight of the executive branch through advise and consent of Governor Culver’s nominations and found the governor’s nominations of Carrie La Seur to the Iowa Power Fund board and Shearon Elderkin to the Environmental Protection Council not to be in the best interest of the taxpayers of Iowa. Today, Governor Culver again nominated both Ms. La Seur and Mrs. Elderkin to serve in important roles in state government but simply traded their positions around. These two nominations show that Governor Culver is more interested in thumbing his nose at the will of the Senate than showing real leadership that all Iowans deserve.

Ms. La Seur and Mrs. Elderkin have consistently shown themselves to be activists that ignore legislative intent at a time when this state’s economic future relies on added electrical generation. I ask Governor Culver to show some leadership, re-consider these two appointments, and get serious about growing Iowa’s economy through the creation of new electrical generation instead of throwing a temper tantrum because he did not get his way. We will continue the advice and consent role of the Iowa Senate again next session.”

King Statement on Same-Sex Marriage in Iowa

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve King made the following statement today as Iowa county recorders begin processing same-sex marriage applications.”Iowa law says that marriage is between one man and one woman, yet activist judges molded Iowa’s Constitution to achieve their personal political ends. Ultimately, the people of Iowa should decide whether or not Iowa should allow same-sex marriage, not activist judges handing down extra-constitutional rulings.

“I believe the majority of Iowans are committed to marriage between one man and one woman, one of the essential building blocks of civilization. I will continue to work with the Iowa legislature to pass a Marriage Amendment to the Iowa Constitution, clarifying that marriage is between one man and one woman. Along with a constitutional amendment, the legislature must also enact marriage license residency requirements so that Iowa does not become the same-sex marriage Mecca for America.”

Culver chooses to allow same-sex marriage

Dear Friend,

This morning, same-sex couples will line up at county courthouses across Iowa while many others will be traveling into Iowa from other states to obtain an Iowa marriage license. As we watch this situation unfold in Iowa, supporters of traditional marriage are left to ask themselves one question: How did this happen? Why did our governor and legislators fail to show leadership after the Supreme Court issued its unconstitutional court order, when so many of them claim to believe that marriage is a union between one man and one woman?

On April 13, I called on Governor Culver to exercise his legal authority as chief magistrate of Iowa to issue an executive order to stay same-sex marriage in Iowa until the people were given the right to vote. Governor Culver said at that time that he did not have the power to issue such an order. Instead, he hid in his office as Attorney General Tom Miller claimed power he did not have and threatened county recorders with legal action if they did not comply with the court’s opinion.

On April 23, our team did Governor Culver’s job for him and delivered an executive order to Governor Culver’s office for him to review and sign. Signing the order would have protected traditional marriage in Iowa until the people were given their constitutional right to vote on the issue. Again, Governor Culver refused to defend the right of Iowans to vote on the issue and again claimed that he did not have the authority to issue such an order. On Friday April 24, constitutional attorney Herbert Titus wrote the opinion editorial to the Des Moines Register (attached below) emphasizing that Governor Culver possessed the right and authority to issue the executive order. Again, Governor Culver refused to act.

The same-sex marriage licenses that will be issued by county recorders across Iowa today are a direct result of Governor Culver’s failure to lead. The marriage issue is just another example of what happens when leaders fail to lead. I believe that Iowans deserve better. As your governor, I will lead. I will not hide behind the Supreme Court and the attorney general on controversial issues.

Please take a moment to read Herbert Titus’ opinion on the issue. Share it with your friends and help to dispel the misinformation Governor Culver is trying to dispense to justify his lack of leadership. Join our team and help us to provide real leadership in Iowa.

Sincerely,
Bob Vander Plaats

Herbert Titus’ Opinion Editorial

Vander Plaats: Iowans Pay the Price for Culver’s Failures

SIOUX CITY – The conclusion of this year’s General Assembly, which resulted in record state spending and massive borrowing, and today’s start of same-sex marriages in Iowa underscore Gov. Chet Culver’s failed legacy, Bob Vander Plaats said this morning.”We’ve heard it a lot these past few months; elections have consequences. Iowans are also seeing firsthand there are long-term consequences when a governor failed to lead. Iowans are paying the price for Chet Culver’s failures and we cannot afford to let that go on and on and on,” Vander Plaats said.

The Sioux City businessman noted that Culver “sat on the sidelines when the Iowa Supreme Court decided to change the definition of marriage in Iowa, passively went along with legislative Democrats to take away Iowans’ right to deduct federal taxes from their state returns and basically gave over the governor’s office to organized labor to try to gut our right-to-work laws and force non-union workers to pay union fees.”

He added, “While Iowans are fighting keep their small businesses open or avoid getting a pink slip and ending up in the unemployment, Chet Culver and legislative Democrats are piling more government spending on them.”

Vander Plaats pointed out that more than 70 percent of Iowans said the state shouldn’t borrow money right now but Culver did not listen. Instead, he forced passage of a plan that borrows $830 million and will require Iowans to pay back $1.7 billion in principal, interest and other costs.

“It’s especially telling that Iowans got nothing from Chet Culver when they wanted a vote on a constitutional amendment defending marriage, but when it comes to higher taxes and spending he’s leading the charge,” Vander Plaats said. “Iowans are mobilized against this spending and borrowing and the marriage issue. They’re angry about the Democrats’ backroom dealings and refusal to represent the public’s best interests. Chet Culver may not be listening to Iowans now, but I’m convinced he’s going to hear them loud and clear on Nov. 2, 2010 when they give him his pink slip and elect a governor who respects the will of the people.”

Release: GOP Joint Statement on Marriage

Joint statement from Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn, Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley, and House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen

This joint statement marks the first day same-sex couples will be allowed to seek marriage licenses since the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision in Varnum v. Brien

Today marks the first day same-sex couples in Iowa will be able to seek marriage licenses as a result of the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision to declare unconstitutional Iowa’s law that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Republicans in the Iowa Legislature made repeated attempts to begin the process of bringing to Iowans a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman only to be stopped cold by Democrat obstructionism and a lack of executive leadership from Governor Culver.

Whether it be the pursuit of a constitutional amendment to give Iowans the right to vote on this issue; the establishment of residency requirements to obtain marriage licenses; or the appointment of future judges–none of these options are possible as long as Chet Culver remains Governor and Democrats control the Iowa Legislature.

Democratic legislators who campaigned at home to protect marriage and then hid behind procedural votes in Des Moines to thwart the will of the people will have to answer for their hypocritical actions in 2010.

Iowans who are looking for leaders who will truly work and vote to protect marriage need look no farther than Iowa Republicans.

Vander Plaats Unveils Executive Order to Stay Same-Sex Marriages, Challenges Culver to ‘End ‘Irresponsible Silence, Take Action’

Attorney General’s Memo Ordering County Recorders to Issue Licenses Lacks Constitutional Authority

DES MOINES – Releasing the text of an executive order that would stay same-sex marriages and withstand a legal challenge, Bob Vander Plaats today called on Gov. Chet Culver to sign the order before county recorders are expected to issue marriage licenses on Monday.

“The governor’s acquiescence to a court opinion is tantamount to neglecting his constitutional responsibilities,” Vander Plaats said at a Statehouse news conference. “Because he hasn’t been willing to do his job, we’ve done it for him. I have worked with a team of attorneys who understand the Iowa Constitution and the end product is an executive order that defends our constitution and defends the will of the people. It gives Governor Culver the opportunity to exercise the authority that only he has, but has so far given away to the courts and Attorney General Tom Miller.”

Vander Plaats noted that Miller’s April 8 memo directing county recorders to adhere to the Iowa Supreme Court’s April 3 opinion and issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples is “without constitutional basis.”

“On April 15, 1998 Governor Terry Branstad signed House File 382 into law after it passed the General Assembly as prescribed by law. According to the constitution, this is the only method by which laws and statutes in Iowa can be created. The constitution does not grant the Supreme Court the power to write, amend or strike legislative law. Its opinion, to secure justice for the parties, should have been to refer the matter back to the Iowa General Assembly with the opinion that its members should either rewrite the law or bring it before a vote of the people of Iowa as a constitutional amendment to remedy the issue.”

Vander Plaats continued, “Iowa’s 99 county recorders are caught between a rock and a hard place. They’re being threatened with legal action from our state attorney general if they don’t comply with a court opinion but that opinion does not carry constitutional weight to change our marriage laws. Governor Culver has a responsibility to take that burden off Iowa’s county recorders and issue a stay on same-sex marriages in Iowa until this matter can be resolved by the only two authorities in the state legally qualified to resolve it: The General Assembly or the people of Iowa.”

Paulsen Reacts to Governor’s Statement on Federal Deductibility

(DES MOINES)-House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) today issued a statement in response to Gov. Culver’s recent claim to have picked up a few Republican votes for the Democrat plan to eliminate federal deductibility and raise taxes on Iowans.

“While the governor may be eager to raise taxes to support the most spending in the state’s history, he is in error that Republicans will help him with that task. There are no Republicans in the House that will vote to eliminate federal deductibility. House Republicans continue to stand firm with Iowans and will not support any attempts to raise taxes on Iowa’s families.”

Statement on Iowa’s New Unemployment Rate Figures

Sen. McKinley: “It is not too late for Governor Culver and legislative Democrats to abandon their wayward priorities and join the leadership of the Senate Republicans in putting Iowans back into sustainable jobs.

“DES MOINES, IA – Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) issued the following statement this morning in response to the new Iowa unemployment rate figures released by Iowa Workforce Development today:

“Iowans should be disappointed that the end of this legislative session is rapidly approaching and Governor Culver and legislative Democrats have yet to introduce a single piece of legislation that will create sustainable jobs for the over 80,000 unemployed Iowans. While Senate Republicans have made job creation a top priority with the introduction of our ambitious ‘Grow Iowa Not Government’ jobs creation initiative that provides an immediate jolt to Iowa’s economy, the governor and legislative Democrats’ priorities seem to lie with raising taxes, increasing spending, putting hundreds of millions of dollars on the state’s credit card through bonding and resurrecting unpopular union bossed backed bills that will drive even more jobs out of this state. It is not too late for Governor Culver and legislative Democrats to abandon their wayward priorities and join the leadership of the Senate Republicans in putting Iowans back into sustainable jobs.”

BOB VANDER PLAATS: Bold leadership in defining moments…

Dear Friends,

These past two weeks have demonstrated more clearly than ever how real
leadership can make a difference and why your involvement is so crucial to
our freedom. We’ve seen Chet Culver surrender to the Iowa Supreme Court’s
opinion attempting to overturn 161 years of state law and 5,000 years of
cultural heritage on the institution of marriage. Meanwhile, the Democrats
in the General Assembly have labored day and night to raise taxes……

Read the rest of Bob’s letter here.

King Addressing National FairTax Rally on Tax Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve King today made the following statement on Tax Day, the date taxes are due to the Internal Revenue Service. King will speak at a national FairTax rally this evening in Columbia, South Carolina. King will be joined by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and radio host Neal Boortz.”April 15th is our annual day of reckoning with the Internal Revenue Service and the day the government stakes its claim on our hard-earned money. Our current tax system is simply broken.

“The worst part of our tax system is the way the income tax penalizes our work. That’s backwards. Why would government want to tax us for the work we do – taxing us more when we work harder and smarter and earn more money? Instead, the tax should be on consumption, not productivity, just like the FairTax -a national sales tax that un-taxes productivity.

“Our current income tax system is a relic of the past and we should toss it into dustbin of history. The FairTax will unleash the power of America’s worker and allow us to grow out of the current economic downturn.

“By shifting taxation from productive behavior to consumption, the FairTax allows Americans to take home their entire paycheck and eliminates the income tax and IRS. This will have a stimulative effect on our economy. Not only will Americans have more money to spend, they will have more money to save and invest-which will give American businesses more access to capital. This, in turn, will allow greater investment in research and development and result in the creation of new jobs.

“I hope you join me in firing the IRS, scrapping the income tax code and establishing the FairTax. Once we join together to get that done, we can let April 15th fade into history as just another day.”