i am mildly political.  sure, i make presidential jokes, especially ones during a Democratic administration.  i vote, but i probably wouldn't get too fired up about getting and sending in an absentee ballot.  i care about what goes on around me.  i'm pissed when i hear some little girl has been raped and murdered by some slob.  i'm disappointed to see "touch screen" lottery machines all over iowa as a poor attempt at solving a budgetary issue.  i'm glad to see more bald eagles flying around my farm this year alone, than i've seen throughout the state for years.  i would imagine this describes a lot of us.

do we act when the time comes?  this is where i falter.  i bitch about the way things are in the tavern and here online, but i rarely do things to make it better or impact the issue in a positive fashion.  i decided yesterday i would.  the Concealed Carry issue has struck a chord with me.  

i've never met a person elected into office that reflected ALL my beliefs.  hell, i'd be tickled if somebody genuinely shared half of them...  regardless, i can pick up that phone and call my rep.  i can send him/her an email and tell them what i think.  

i took the time to get on here and cruise around.  why not let my elected official know i take issue with something?  these elected officials are people just like you and me.  they are rarely any smarter than the rest of us.  too many times, dummer...  i don't say this so you feel empowered, i say this because you'll be received well by them when you call.  i wonder if most people are embarrassed or shy about talking with them.  they are waiting for your calls and emails - quite literally and by definition this is what they do...

should you feel strongly about an issue, would you speak up?

i just got finished sending emails again.......i just hope that they help





Brett

I do all the time.About many issues.

I have been writing,calling,and recently e-mailing for years.My problem is I'm getting so fed up with the crap that my correspondence has a nasty "tone" to it.This touchplay deal really fired me up-I don't play them or any lottery-never have/never will,but to approve something then less than 2 years make it illegal is majorly messed up.

How many small businesses are getting screwed by this??The lottery in itself is nothing but state sanctioned gambling.Ban it all.

O.K.,I'll end this rant while my blood pressure is still reasonable.The comment that blew my gasket was from King Vilsadsack-"What the State gives,the State can take away".That might not be word for word,but it's the gist of it.

WTF???

i contact my reps all the time about many issues.

the only problem is, my reps are herman quirmbach and beth wessell-kroeschell.

needless to say, they listen about as well as a 10-year-old with ADD.

I just contacted my senator about SF 2090, changing Iowa from a may issue state to a shall issue state. He was one of the five or six that introduced it. Also the house has a bill HF 2688 that is in committee right now. I contacted my rep about supporting that too. Hopefully, something really good will come out of these two bills like Iowa being a shall issue state, with a statewide standard for training, and having reciprocity with other states that have conceal carry. If this doesn't work a bill has been introduced in the U.S. House that creates a national standard for reciprocity. I got a hold of my rep. and asked him to support it.

Yes.

State Senate: (Dem) Mike Gonstal
State Rep: (Rep) Doug Struyk
State Rep: (Dem)Paul Shomshor

I have listed 2 state reps because I live on a District border street I get fliers from both districts.