Daily Archives: June 22, 2008

McCain needs to make nice to farmers

June 22, 20086:05 a.m.

brownmccainA Bloomberg article by former Eagle reporter Alan Bjerga examined the low regard for John McCain among many farmers and agricultural interests, and how that might help Barack Obama (who represents Illinois, No. 3 among ag states). McCain voted against the farm bill in 2002 and also opposed the latest one, calling it “corporate welfare” (neither he nor Obama were present for the original vote). McCain champion Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., said McCain can attract rural voters by other means. “It’s problematic, but it’s something he can well overcome,” Brownback said. “You overcome it on values.”

By Rhonda Holman | Filed under Presidential race | Comments (106)

Open thread 6/22

June 22, 20086:04 a.m.

thread

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Open thread | Comments (115)

Roberts wasn’t lapdog on SCHIP

June 22, 20086:02 a.m.

patrobertsDemocrats are trying to label Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., as a lapdog for the Bush administration, especially on the war in Iraq and intelligence issues. But Roberts’ latest campaign commercial highlights one disagreement he had with President Bush — though the ad doesn’t point this out or explain the context. The ad spotlights how Roberts “voted to cover 34,000 more Kansas kids.” That vote was part of a bipartisan effort to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, which Bush vetoed. To his credit, Roberts was a vocal supporter of the expansion and critic of the myths and misinformation that the Bush administration and some Republican opponents, including Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, spread about the expansion.

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Congress, Health and safety | Comments (22)

Iowa flooding man-made?

June 22, 20086:00 a.m.

IowafloodDid humans have a hand in the recent flooding in Iowa and the Midwest? Yes, according to some land-use experts, who say practices such as plowing under prairies and buffer strips, channelizing creeks and streams, and installing drainage tiles in fields have enhanced runoff and made rivers more susceptible to flooding.

“We’ve done numerous things to the landscape that took away these water-absorbing functions,” said Kamyar Enshayan, director of an environmental center at the University of Northern Iowa. “Agriculture must respect the limits of nature.”

Not everyone agrees that the transformation of the landscape played that much of a role in the recent flooding. Mother Nature dumped a whole lot of rain on Iowa.

But it’s also clear that a lot of rain wasn’t absorbed or diverted and went straight into the rivers.

By Randy Scholfield | Filed under Current Affairs, Environment | Comments (19)