Schulte Recaps Agenda for Congressional Term

Joyce Schulte, candidate for the 5th District Congressional seat in Iowa is eager to begin working for the great people of Western Iowa.

As she continues her constant travels across the district, she takes time to review the primary points she's planning on taking to Washington on behalf of Western Iowa. She has been running on a promise to restore Iowa Quality to the U.S. House, which was illustrated in the recent whirlwind trip through the district Saturday with Sen. Tom Harkin and Gubernatorial candidate Chet Culver.

Education

Redesigning No Child Left Behind is a top priority for Schulte in her first term in office.

This is followed by increasing the available monies accessible through Pell Grants and Perkins Loans. Schulte says "Pell Grants have been frozen for the past four years while costs for families continue to rise."

Adequately funding programs that aid all levels of education, from Head Start to TRiO will be topics that Schulte continues to fight for in Washington, though this fight will now be from within Congress.

National Security

Working on real, comprehensive security for our land and people is Schulte's first step toward national security. "We still have nothing in place for the most basic security measures for the American people", Schulte says, noting that most all cargo on commercial airliners still isn't fully screened is a massive failing of the current administration, among other aspects such as port security.

Schulte also will work to properly support our military and military families. "As a Mother of a serviceman, I am at odds with the lack of full support these men and women, and their families have received over the past few years, especially in light of sending them to war. They give us their all, yet this administration continues to provide inadequate support for their mission."

Schulte states that we have to work on all levels to rebuild and restore our global alliances.

Agriculture

Schulte, a member of the Iowa Agricultural Development Authority Board, has been working directly with and for beginning farmers and the Ag community in Iowa for four years, "which may be longer than my opponent," Schulte says.

Schulte has worked on numerous plans to benefit farmers while on the board, the most recent being the Livestock Water Quality loan program, which offers millions of dollars of low interest loans to help aid in feed lot waste clean up.

Reauthorizing the 2007 Farm Bill would also be the top priority in Agriculture from the Capitol.

Medicare

Schulte points out that the current Medicare bill was handed over to be authored by special interests, saying "When this Congressional majority abdicated their responsibility to author a bill for our senior citizens, they abdicated those votes."

She wants to recast the bill nearly from scratch, seeking the goals of cutting confusion among more than 70 plans, doing away with the so-called doughnut hole in the coverage, and most importantly, allowing Medicare to negotiate for better prices.

"It will be hard work, but our seniors deserve nothing less." Schulte says.

Economy

Raising the federal minimum wage to at least $7.15 per hour is at the top of Schulte's action list. She cites "The growing disparity in wages in America, encouraged by favoritist practices by the current administration and Congressional majority must be halted and reversed."

To further help close the new gaps in America's economic strata, Schulte looks forward to strengthening beginning business and entrepreneurial activities through grant and low-interest loan programs for capital investments.

Underlying all goals is to bring a return of fiscal responsibility to Congress and bring about greater efficiencies and common sense to the Federal Government. "Raising taxes for most all Americans would be a last resort. The savings we would realize as a nation by altering our basic budgetary requirements and processes may even result in yet further tax cuts for most." Schulte concludes by stating that "inappropriate tax cuts made for the ultra-rich and corporations, as favors, will be reviewed and reversed. The majority of us did not vote persons into office to then have them turn their backs on that majority."

Schulte's Fiscal Plans to Help Iowans

Joyce Schulte, candidate for the 5th District Congressional seat in Iowa is eager to help the clear majority of Americans, and all citizens of the 5th District, play on a more even playing field economically.

Clearly the place to start is with the lowest wage earners in our society, though many of them represent the hardest of workers. If the minimum wage that buoys their lives kept pace with the average increase of CEO compensation over the past 16 years, they would be making a minimum of $23.03 instead of $5.15. Obviously, this is an unrealistic amount that would equate to rampant inflation, but it does point to the inequity of earning power in our society. This inequity partially derives from Congressional manuevers that favor the already rich and squeeze the hard working people of our great country. This is why I favor increasing the minimum wage by $2.00 per hour to $7.15 per hour.

However, when looking at the middle class, from lower to upper, they too continue to be stung by favors made by the current administration to the ultra-rich. Under this plan for the rich, the Republican tax cuts give a 2 child family earning one million dollars per year 4% more in savings than the same family earning $50,000.

Other ramifications of the failed economic policies include:

• Nationally 80% of us pay more annually for health care than we do entertainment
  
• 49% more Americans receive food stamps today than they did in 2000
  
• The average Wal-Mart employee earns $1,820 less than the poverty line for a family of four

In Iowa, we trend slightly below the national average in employment rates, which proves our work ethic, but we trend much lower in annual pay compensation, showing the inequities put upon us.

Hard working people need to be given their just due.

While I’m in favor of estate tax reform, the current proposal benefits only the richest 1% of Americans, costing the rest of us a net sum of $55 billion a year. And the estate tax is the only time this increase in net worth is actually taxed, creating further concentration of wealth to the detriment of the great majority of the rest of us. This is not sensible and does not portray true American values. Sensibility regarding our common good needs to be restored in Congress. I have more in common with the person at the check out counter than I do in the CEO of the company they work for.

That cashier is my neighbor, my friend, my fellow Iowan.

I want to stress that taxes do not need to be raised to accomplish these basic goals. I want to first look at creating or strengthening efficiencies in government, working with budgetary processes, and cutting the needless and wasteful bills put forth by the Republican majority over the past few years.

Should taxes need to be raised, I certainly would work to close some of the favoritisms enacted in the tax code to benefit the ultra-rich during these past few Congressional terms. Some talk about fair tax and focus on the elite. Those benefits are not fair, nor are they beneficial in return to America. Everyone should be willing to pay their "fair share" of the cost of good government, especially those most able to pay, the very wealthy. This is not class warfare, but common sense.

In Congress, I will work to strengthen all of America, not just a few of us.

Schulte Talks Straight about Fiscal Responsibility

Joyce Schulte, Democratic candidate for the 5th Congressional District, Iowa, wants to set the record straight about fiscal responsiblity.

Republicans claim they own the title of fiscal responsibility despite multiple misnomers over the years. Yet in the years 2001-2005 total government spending rose more than 30%. The national debt is out of control, and we have a Congressional majority unable to balance a budget or keep within limits, so they raise the ceilings to avoid breaking the law.

Perhaps the largest lie told by Republicans is that they stand for smaller government. Smaller government must relate to the overall federal budget, not the federal payroll. By moving jobs from a federal role to a private contracting role, the overall expense actually rises. Pointing only to the payroll expenditures is misleading, as has been done for the past decade.

Related tactics, such as pretending that raises in defense spending mean empathy and compassion for our military families when those dollars are actually going to private interests, further muddle the truth.

When Republicans assert that our tax dollars are spent on education, the fact that these programs are misguided seems benign when we recognize that their behavior elsewhere is jeopardizing our security, financially and physically.

These actions are beyond the well known cases where contract awards are given out preferentially, at times through no bid processes.

It is obvious that the Republicans have forfeited their credibility when it comes to spending restraint.

As I have mentioned numerous times, work needs to be done with our federal budgetary process. This process needs to become more aligned with the economic values we know so well as Americans, including:

• Rewards for not spending everything alloted in a budget. At present, there are penalties at times for saving the government money.
  
• Increased savings relates directly to increased security on the world stage. Currently we have too much debt being held by foreign interests.
  
• Having a store of savings for rainy days. Right now we are stretched too thin to absorb incidences such as Katrina.

We must regenerate a culture of investment that will benefit our economy, our safety, and our children.

Members of Congress must lead with prudence, good practice, and thoughtful actions.

I am eager to bring these Iowa values to Congress in order to better serve the 5th District, Iowa.

Practical Immigration Policies

As I consider the current immigration law and its impact on all concerned, I have come to the following conclusions:

1. National security and immigration policy must be separated. Linking the two stigmatizes primarily Hispanic and Latino people while ignoring that most of the people who entered the United States with terrorist intent came through our airports and sea ports on the East Coast.
   
2. The security of our nation must be paramount when considering how to control our borders. Focusing our efforts to control all of our points of entry, land, sea or air, will be more efficient and effective in identifying terrorists trying to enter our country. Security at all points of entry into our country must be strengthened. We must know who is coming and why they are entering our country.
   
3. Immigration policy is much more complex than can be reduced to a few sound-bites or slogans. It also is much more than building a wall or a fence. It will take comprehensive and thorough analysis to develop an approach that is in our national interest.
   
4. A comprehensive immigration policy not only provides needed additions to our labor pool, but gives meaningful opportunities to those wanting to make a new life for themselves in the United States, as many of our ancestors did when they came to the United States. The abuse and exploitation of undocumented workers must end. We can begin by enforcing the laws already in place, and strengthening them where appropriate, to discourage employment of undocumented workers.
   
5. People already in the United States with proper documentation should be provided an avenue to obtain citizenship, if they so desire. Close relatives of current citizens and permanent resident aliens should also be given a meaningful opportunity to submit a family petition if they are otherwise not disqualified. Disqualification would include a criminal history for offenses classified as felonies in the United States.
   
6. Within a reasonable period of time people already in our country without proper documentation would be required to apply for proper documentation at their country's embassies. Once they receive the proper documentation, they could apply for Permanent Resident Alien status or for Naturalized Citizenship after paying a substantial civil penalty. People with criminal histories or terrorist links would not qualify for consideration in this process, and when identified, would be prosecuted or deported, as appropriate.
   
7. Corporate entities found employing undocumented workers should be prosecuted to the fullest extent the current law provides. New legislation should enhance penalties for chronic offenders, including criminal prosecution for individuals responsible for corporate violations. If the demand and tolerance for undocumented immigrant labor was curbed, and if we provided aid to develop the Central American economy that did not exploit labor and the environment, or end up in the hands of the elite, fewer undocumented immigrants would risk the dangerous route of illegal entry into the United States for work. Immigration is an economic issue, both for the immigrant and the companies that employ them
   

I believe this approach would give meaningful consideration to many of the issues associated with immigration. We must remember that except for those peoples already here when Europeans first landed in North America, we are all immigrants. While our history is replete with unfavorable treatment of all newly arriving people, and the people already here, we are not required to repeat that history. We must treat all with charity, as we are taught by our culture and faith.

Endorsements Keep Pouring In

Endorsements keep pouring in and adding to the Schulte momentum as the election draws near. Keep up to date with the latest endorsements for the next Congressperson from the 5th District, Iowa.

Farmers' Union

Midwest Region Laborers

Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO

American Federation of Government Employees - AFGE

Local 766

Local 769

Local 774

Local 836

Local 1226

Local 1228

Local 2071

Local 2955

Local 3015

Local 3390

American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees - AFSCME

Local 35

Local 96

Local 212

Local 525

Local 1014

Local 1185

Local 1414

Local 1639

Local 1682

Local 1741

Local 1774

Local 1868

Local 2048

Local 2051

Local 2364

Local 2770

Local 2844

Local 2990

Local 2991

Local 2992

Local 2993

Local 2996

Local 2997

Local 2999

Local 3000

Local 3004

Local 3006

Local 3007

Local 3012

Local 3013

Local 3015

Local 3016

Local 3018

Local 3094

Local 3289

Local 3450

Local 3462

Local 3467

Local 3568

Local 3642

Local 3673

Local 3747

Local 3849

Local 3861

American Postal Workers Union - APWU

Local 44

Local 186

Local 813

Local 7027

Amalgamated Transit Union - ATU

Local 779

American Women for International Understanding - AWIU

Local 57

Local 74

Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco, and Grain Millers Union - BCTGM

Local 36

Local 50

Brotherhood of Maintenance Way and Employees Division,
International Brotherhood of Teamsters - BMWED, IBT

Local 1847

Iron Workers AFL-CIO - BSOIW

Local 67

Local 89

Communication Workers of America

Local 7102

Local 7103

Local 7171

Graphic Communications AFL-CIO - GCIU

Local 727

Glass, Molders, Pottery International Union - GMP

Local 17

Local 459

International Association of Firefighters - IAFF

Local 4

Local 7

Local 15

International Association of Machinists, and Aerospace Workers - IAMAW

Local 254

Local 1300

Local 1426

International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees - IATSE

Local 67

International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers - IBB

Local 83

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers - IBEW

Local 13

Local 22

Local 55

Local 204

Local 231

Local 347

Local 499

Local 949

Local 1362

International Union of Elevator Constructors - IUEC

Local 33

International Union of Operating Engineers - IUOE

Local 234

International Union of Painters and Allied Trades - IUPAT

Local 214

Local 246

Local 1075

Local 2003

Laborers' International Union of North America - LIUNA

Local 177

Local 353

National Association of Letter Carriers - NALC

Local 352

Local 645

Office and Professional Employees International Union - OPEIU

Local 45

Local 277

Transportation Workers Union of America - TWU

Local 223

United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the U.S. and Canada - UA

Local 25

Local 33

Local 669

United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Equipment of American International Union - UAW

Local 2320

United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industry and Service Workers International Union - USW

Local 7-503

Local 11-795

Local 7-1257

Local 164

Local 310

Local 3141

Schulte's Work Helps Agriculture and the Environment

Joyce Schulte, Congressional candidate for the 5th District Iowa, is already working for Iowa.

Schulte has been hard at work for Iowa for years as a board member with the Iowa Agricultural Development Board. Through the Livestock Water Quality loan program, she has worked with other board members to put into place low-interest loans to those farmers interested in proactively taking care of their land.

"Farmers are inherently the best stewards of the land because they depend on its health," says Schulte, "More needs to be done to help them succeed in business now and into the future. This loan package lets them do just that."

Through the loan program, farmers qualified by their trusted local banker can take out a minimum of $10,000 with an extremely low one percent closing fee and three percent lifetime interest rate. The monies can be directed toward manure management structures such as lagoons, natural plant filtering and water processing equipment.

To date, $1.65 million, of a potential $9 million has been loaned, including localities in the 5th District such as Arcadia, Rock Rapids and Marathon.

"I believe that not only is this the fiscally responsible way to handle the needs of our farmers; by preserving our environment, it makes sense for ALL of us." Schulte continues, "I am proud of my work on this and all of the work of the entire board since I've been a member the past few years."

Schulte says she will carry these same values to Congress to represent the people of Western Iowa. Schulte adds, "This is a great example of the type of synergistic policy that I've heard Iowans call for now for years. With my representation, those voices will be heard."

The Public Demands the Truth from Congress

Steve King is now covering up the truth regarding the timing of his fellow Republicans' knowledge about former Rep. Mark Foley tainting the Congressional page program. King's actions belie Rep. Hastert's admission that he alerted the FBI about Foley.

Additionally, more unsettling facts about King's behaviors in office are coming to light through scandal.

Mr. King accepted money from former Rep. Bob Ney.

Mr. King accepted money from former Rep. Tom Delay.

"The public wants to know what else Steve covered up. Iowans are asking if other money was traded. We all are asking if this money went before the wishes of his bosses, the people of the Fifth District, Iowa." Schulte said after hearing of Ney's guilty plea and King's apparent cover up of the Republican leadership. "His voting record is one that is clearly bought with this money, voting over 90% in line with the leadership's decrees.

"The cheap talk issued today also continues King's commitment to political convenience over truth or substantive character," adds Schulte.

In the past few months, King has given many contradictory statements within time frames too short to attribute to personal growth. A few of them include:

• His statement in April to the Des Moines Register claiming his job is to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution", though he is sponsor of H.J.RES.16 which aims to remove the 16th amendment
  
  
• His feverish pursuit to alter the 14th amendment to stop what he termed "Anchor babies" though less than a month before he oversaw a naturalization ceremony claiming pride in his immigrant past
  
  
• His claim on June 13th that Americans would work any job if given adequate pay, prior to helping block a raise in the minimum wage without tying more breaks to the rich to it
  
  
• His continuing claims that he fights for increased military spending without acknowledging that most of the increased funding goes to corporate friends rather than military families

These lie outside of the false statements about the safety in Washington D.C., questions as to who actually writes his letters to Congress, and other party lines such as the NAFTA superhighway and smaller government equaling less spending. "The latter we know to be extremely false," continues Schulte.

"When I am in Congress, my door, email account and phone will be open to my constituents, not corporate donors seeking favors. My votes will be cast with education and a firm decision. The people of the 5th District, Iowa will always know where I stand.", states Schulte, "People in Iowa will know that my work in Congress is on their behalf."