Until We Meet Again Rich

January 20, 2012 by 3 Comments

For the better part of the last week there has been a gaping hole in the hearts and minds of a large number of Iowa Republicans. You see, Tuesday afternoon Iowa lost one of the hardest working members of the grassroots movement here in Iowa. That was the day that my friend Richard Auwerda was called home to be with his Lord. I have only known Rich for a few years, but the interaction him and I shared has been one the greatest joys during that time.

In the short time that I had to get to know Richard I found him to be one of the most intellectually honest political activists I have ever known. His constructive criticism has guided many other activists to be more honest about the issues. His quiet confidence also had a way of instilling those around him with more confidence as well. And when it came to the principles that founded our nation, Rich was unwavering.

I also found Richard to be one of those rare individuals with which it was virtually impossible to not like. And when he was your friend he stood by your side through thick and thin. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.

My relationship with Rich began initially on Facebook. Though we come from distinctly backgrounds we both shared a passion for Iowa politics. This passion helped grow our relationship and quickly we began trying to find ways to unite Iowa conservatives in an effort to put forth a united front for the advancement of the principles of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. As our relationship grew I came to view Rich as more of a brother than a simple acquaintance. As our mutual friend Caree Severson so fondly states, he was truly a brother from another mother.

And so tomorrow we will gather in Huxley, IA to celebrate the richness that his life brought to all of us. We will gather to share the stories that characterized our relationships with Rich. We will lean on each other for emotional support as we mourn the possibilities that might have been. And we will look forward to the day that we are reunited in the Kingdom of Heaven. And so tomorrow we will say farewell to our friend and our brother Richard Auwerda, rest in peace at the side of the Lord until we meet again.

Filed under Commentary, Uncategorized Tagged with ,

New Feature on Iowa Defense Alliance

November 12, 2011 by Leave a Comment

With the race for the Republican Presidential nomination heating up, I have come to realize that finding news and commentary can sometimes be difficult and time consuming. There are a great many voters out there that simply do not have the time needed to conduct this search in order to vet the candidates. In attempt to help our readers become more knowledgeable and informed about the Republican Presidential candidates Iowa Defense Alliance has launched a new feature to the blog.

If you will avert your eyes to the right hand side of the page you will see a heading titled Pages. Underneath this header you will see, in alphabetical order,  a list of eight Republican Presidential candidates. To find the information and commentary that we have gathered you must simply click on the desired candidate’s name which will take you to a page with numerous links on it. These links will then take you to a multitude of news and commentary articles about the candidate you have chosen. Naturally we cannot and will not be able to catch all the stories and opinions out there, so if you have an article you would like us to link to simply post it in the comment section below or you can send it to me at abregarjr@hotmail.com.

Filed under News, Uncategorized Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Articles of Impeachment Filed in Iowa House

April 21, 2011 by 2 Comments

Articles of Impeachment filed in the Iowa House against remaining four Supreme Court justices

For Immediate Release

Contact: Representative Tom Shaw – tom.shaw@legis.state.ia.us

April 21, 2011

Statement by Iowa State Representative Tom Shaw upon the filing of articles of impeachment against the remaining four Varnum v. Brien Supreme Court justices:

“In order to protect the integrity of our form of government, we must maintain the separation of powers as is required by Article III, Section 1, of the Iowa Constitution. This is our sworn duty as the representatives of the people, who made their will quite well known when they removed three of the Varnum v. Brien Supreme Court justices in the last retention election. Clearly, by changing the simple meaning of the word “marriage,” and attempting to legislate, the remaining four judges committed malfeasance in office by greatly exceeding the scope of their lawful authority. Therefore, if the moral integrity of each individual member of the Iowa Legislature, and the institution as a whole, are to be preserved, these judges must be impeached and removed permanently from the bench.”

The four Iowa House Impeachment Resolutions, file numbers 47, 48, 49, and 50, brought by Representatives Shaw, Alons, De Boef, Massie, and Pearson, can be found here:

http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/Cool-ICE/default.asp?Category=BillInfo&Service=DspResoRids&frame=y&rid=14&GA=84

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , , , , , ,

Rep. Tom Shaw: SUPPOSEDLY “PRO-LIFE” “FETAL PAIN” BILL IS WORSE THAN ROE V. WADE

March 28, 2011 by 6 Comments

The proper question is not “do they feel pain?” It is “are they a person?”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Representative Tom Shaw

tom.shaw@legis.state.ia.us

March 28, 2011

State Representative Tom Shaw has issued the following statement:

Having come under political fire for my firm opposition to House File 5, commonly known as the “fetal pain” bill, even from some in my own party, I feel the need to clearly explain to my constituents in District 8, and to my fellow Iowans, exactly why I have taken this stand.

Thirty eight years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered the worst decision in American history, Roe v. Wade, leading to the destruction of upwards of fifty million innocent children in this country alone. On what basis was this horrific decision made? That the child in the womb is not a person. The court dehumanized an entire class of human beings based solely on their stage of development.

But even Justice Harry A. Blackmun, in the text of the court’s majority opinion, openly admitted that if the fetus is a person, “of course” they are protected by the provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Here is what that Amendment, which is part of the Constitution we all swore to uphold and defend, says:

“No State shall deprive any person of life without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

The authors of HF 5, which is being brought before the Iowa House, admit in the language of the bill that the fetus, or child, is a person. They admit that life begins at conception. And yet they allow this person to be killed.

Asking whether or not the child can feel pain is not even the right question, any more than it would be if the subject of the legislation were a paraplegic, or a child or adult who is under sedation. The proper and only question is whether or not this is a person. If they are a person, as every bit of modern science clearly indicates them to be, they must be protected by those who are sworn to protect them.

Article I, Section 1, of the Iowa Constitution:

“All men are, by nature, free and equal, and have certain inalienable rights – among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness.”

Article I, Section 2:

“Government is instituted for the protection, security, and benefit of the people.…”

Article I, Section 6:

“All laws of a general nature shall have a uniform operation; the General Assembly shall not grant to any citizen, or class of citizens, privileges or immunities, which, upon the same terms shall not equally belong to all citizens.”

Both the U.S. and Iowa constitutions imperatively demand the protection of the right to life of every innocent person, and require that every person enjoy the equal protection of the laws.  The law must be equally applied.  I swore an oath before God to do so, as I am required to do, as did all of my colleagues.

The language of House File 5 condemns itself. This is ill-conceived legislation that is both immoral and internally self-contradictory. It is clearly unconstitutional. However well-meaning, it can only lead to further destruction of thousands more innocent, currently defenseless, Iowa children and the further erosion of the sacred principles upon which we premise republican self-government and our claim to liberty in our state and in our country.

For the last 26 years the Republican Party’s national platform has recognized the personhood of all children in the womb, and their protection by the Fourteenth Amendment. I intend to continue to keep my pledge to those who elected me by doing everything I can to see that principled position implemented in the Iowa Legislature and in the laws of our great State.

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , , ,

HF 5 Press Release from Tom Shaw

March 17, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Tom Shaw

Press Release:

March 17, 2011

Representatives Tom Shaw, Glen Massie, Kim Pearson

Contact: tom.shaw@legis.state.ia.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“This morning House File 5 was voted out of the House Government Oversight Subcommittee. The bill is aimed at stopping abortions after 20 weeks. HF 5 does not protect innocent life from conception. This violates Article 1 of Iowa’s Constitution and we do not have the authority to legislate away an inalienable right. We do not support HF 5.”

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Shaw: “ISEA President Bern Must Resign”

March 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Saturday, March 5, 2011

Contact:  Tom Shaw (712) 841-7691

tom.shaw@legis.state.ia.us

 

Representative Tom W. Shaw:  ISEA President Must Resign

 

As reported in the Des Moines Register, Chris Bern, President of the Iowa State Education Association was arrested on December 17, 2010 for Operating While Intoxicated.  The December arrest was the second time of being charged with OWI.  He is currently serving a three day jail sentence.

 

The membership of the ISEA should demand that Bern resign.  His irresponsible and dangerous actions, on two occasions, directly put children in extreme danger.  He has set a horrendous example to both the Association and the children they serve.

 

Tom W. Shaw

State Representative

Iowa House District 8

 

Filed under Uncategorized

Introducing Liberty Line

July 12, 2010 by 7 Comments

Ladies and gentleman, I would like to introduce you to Iowa’s newest political blog by sharing with you the very first post published on the site. This post will go far in describing and detailing what it is the contributors hope to accomplish.Liberty Line.

Liberty Has Some New Champions

There is a battle raging in America today. On one side we have those that would spend more and more money that the United States does not have. They would regulate more and more of our freedoms so as to fit their own personal view of the world. They would steal more and more of our hard earned money in an effort to fund their state sanctioned bribery programs. They are more than willing to sacrifice the livelihood of average hard working Americans in a misguided effort to “reform” our government. They have a tendency to willingly cede U.S. Sovereignty to a foreign world organization. This side of the battle is more about individual personalities than it is about hard and fast principles. With this side of the battle it is pretty much anything goes.

On the other hand we have the true patriots. These are the individuals that fight for the constitutional rights of every single American. They work hard against the forces of globalization. They fight against the other side’s desire to create a larger more ponderous and inefficient state and federal government. They fight in an effort to restrain the growth of government. They fight to restrain bloated government budgets. They fight through all the criticism leveled at them. With this side the battle is more about ideas and principles than it is about the individual. When any one personality begins to stand out they tend to shift to the other side of the battle because ego then takes over. The saying that really fits this side comes from Harvey Dent in The Dark Night,  “you die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

Unfortunately we have some of our so called leaders that are trying to straddle the fence. They want the best of both worlds. What they do not realize is that it does not work that way. Either you defend freedom and liberty wholeheartedly or you aid and abet those that want to restrict freedoms. You can rest assured that those of us at the Liberty Line will always come down on the side of Liberty and Freedom.

And now I would like to formally welcome you to the Liberty Line, a conglomeration of freedom loving Iowan’s no longer content to sit on the sidelines as our liberties are compromised in the name of political pragmatism. For the last several months we have watched as some of our most respected and principled leaders have compromised on our freedoms and liberty’s all for the sake of power. We have watched as supposed news sources turned to more tabloid like policies by publishing unsubstantiated rumors as proven fact. We watched as supposedly neutral observers launched a spin campaign that would have made Bill Clinton proud. We have surveyed the range of media options available to Iowan’s online and we have found them wanting.

The Liberty Line will be one of the most unique blogs in the state of Iowa. It is our desire to be completely open and honest. Our commentators will not hide behind a veil of anonymity. Instead they will comment about the current state of politics in the state under their real name. Furthermore we will apply this same high standard to our comment section. We believe that anyone commenting from behind a wall of anonymity is a detriment to civil and reasonable discussion. To facilitate this requirement we will require each commenter to register on the site and use their real name. Any comment that fails to fulfill this requirement will be deleted immediately and the individual responsible for the comment will be given a warning. For more information on our Rules for Participation please visit this page.

The Liberty Line will be leading the charge in defending our liberties and freedoms. We will be in the thick of the fight. The question yet to be answered is what side will you take in the battle? Will you side with the tyranny and oppression or will you stand with the new patriots in defense or liberty? The choice is yours.

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , , , , ,

Rally in Protest to Supreme Court Decision

April 10, 2009 by 6 Comments

We Can Stop Same-sex Marriage in Iowa!

Join other Everyday Americans at a rally to protest the recent Iowa Supreme Court opinion and let our lawmakers know that this can still be stopped!
Monday, April 13th
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
West side of the Iowa Capitol Building
Des Moines

The Court’s same-sex marriage opinion can be stopped!
• Courts only issue “opinions” about the law.
• The Legislature and Governor can still stop this.
• This is a pivotal moment in Iowa history.
• Let your voice be heard. If not now, when?

Participating Organizations:                        Guest Speakers:
Everyday America                                          Bill Salier
Iowa Family Policy Center                          Rep. Kent Sorenson
Iowa Christian Alliance                                Bob Vander Plaats
Concerned Women of America                               Tamara Scott
and many more to be announced Monday.             and others.

For more information or to participate call Everyday America at 515-401-2488
Or email contact@everydayamerica.com

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , , , ,

(UPDATE) ACTION ALERT: EMAIL THESE NINE DEMOCRATS

April 7, 2009 by 1 Comment

Tomorrow, April 9th, there will be the first procedural vote to bring the Iowa Marriage Amendment (IMA) to the floor.  Now is the time for action!
Be Sure to Wear Red To Identify Yourself as a Supporter of Marriage.
Who:                Every Iowan Who Supports Marriage.
What:               A Day of Lobbying for the Iowa Marriage Amendment.
Where:             Meet us at the West Terrace of the Iowa Capitol (west of the Capitol steps, towards downtown).
When:              8:30 – A time of prayer followed by comments from IFPC Action   Board Chair Danny Carroll.
Why:                Because it is time to demand action from the legislature on the IMA
 
NOTE: Parking at the Capitol is always an issue.  Come early to find a parking spot.  Guest Parking may be easiest to find in the parking garage (1 block West of the Capitol) on the Northwest Corner of the intersection of East Grand and Pennsylvania Ave.

 

 

 

Iowa Family Policy Center has sent out this action alert:

 

Thank you for your interest in protecting marriage!

The Iowa House DOES have time to pass the Iowa Marriage Amendment, also known as HJR 6.

HJR 6 is the first step toward giving Iowans the chance to vote to protect marriage, in response to the Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage ruling.

In order to debate HJR 6, the House must force it out of committee with a procedural vote. The House Republicans are prepared to initiate this procedural vote, but to pass it we need your help!

We only have 43 votes, and we need 51 to pass the procedural vote so HJR 6 can be voted on. Please contact the House Democrats listed below, and tell them to vote to bring HJR 6 out of committee.

THERE ARE NO LEGITIMATE EXCUSES FOR VOTING AGAINST THIS CRITICAL PROCEDURAL VOTE! In this case, a “no” vote on procedure is a “no” vote on traditional marriage.

The following Democrats have indicated they support traditional marriage. Therefore, they SHOULD vote to bring the IMA out of committee. Call AND email them repeatedly until they commit! You may also consider knocking on their door.

 
Representative Brian Quirk – brian.quirk@legis.state.ia.us, 515.242.6436 (desk), Home Address: 1011 Sunset St., New Hampton, IA, 50659

 

Representative Mike Reasoner – mike.reasoner@legis.state.ia.us, 515.281.3238 (desk), Home Address: 702 New York Avenue, Creston, IA, 50801

 

Representative Kurt Swaim – kurt.swaim@legis.state.ia.us, 515.242.6417 (desk), 641.208.6330 (cell) Home Address: 504 North Davis, Bloomfield, IA, 52537

 

Representative Larry Marek – larry.marek@legis.state.ia.us, 515.242.6442 (desk), 319.430.0294 (cell) Home Address: 1741 Riverside Road, Riverside, IA, 52327

 

Representative Kerry Burt – kerry.burt@legis.state.ia.us, 515.281.7342 (desk), 319.215.8685 (cell) Home Address: 150 Hawthorne Ave., Waterloo, IA, 50702

 

Representative Wayne Ford – wayne.ford@legis.state.ia.us, 515.281.4061 (desk), 515.271.0605 (home) Home Address: 3301 Cottage Grove Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311-3709

 

Representative Nathan Reichert – nathan.reichert@legis.state.ia.us, 515.281.7332 (desk), 563.571.5242 (cell) Home Address: 1155 Iowa Avenue, Muscatine, IA, 52761

 

Representative Paul Shomshor – paul.shomshor@legis.state.ia.us, 515.281.7325 (desk), Home Address: 3018 Avenue M, Council Bluffs, IA, 51501

 

Representative Phyllis Thede – phyllis.thede@legis.state.ia.us, 515.281.7336 (desk), 563.508.1773 (cell) Home Address: 2343 Hawthorne Court, Bettendorf, IA, 52722

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , , , ,

URGENT: IOWA HOUSE COULD VOTE ON MARRIAGE AMENDMENT MON. OR TUES.

April 4, 2009 by 2 Comments

I received an email from the Iowa Christian Alliance that there could be a vote in the Iowa House as early as Monday or Tuesday for a Marriage Amendment to be placed on the ballot.  It is urgent that you call your representative and let them know that the people of Iowa deserve the chance to vote on this important issue.  You can find out who your representative is here along with their contact information.  Spread the word.

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with

← Older posts

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 688 other followers