Friends of IFC,
Have you ever managed to catch your hair on fire? I mean really, actually, truly, on fire? It can feel as if your head is ablaze during Iowa Legislature’s funnel week. I was on the phone solid from dawn to dusk and well after the entire week. IFC’s Chief Lobbyist, Richard Rogers, was under the golden dome for subcommittee and committee meetings all hours of day for the duration this week. As IFC testified at hearings, we live streamed most, and were able to capture particularly energizing comments from Representative Steve Holt during committee closing remarks on HSB615. (<– The best 7 minutes and 36 seconds on YouTube you’ll spend this week. Watch it!) We love it when elected officials stand up and support freedom and liberty!
Rep Holt and Rep Baxter were attacked early in the week by the Des Moines Register Editorial Board. You can read about their blather in IFC’s blog post HERE from earlier this week.
The funny thing about watching Representative Holt’s closing comments on HSB615 from above you ask? There can often be a duality in what you witness unfold before your very eyes. I found myself cheering Rep Holt from my office chair. Then during my glow, I was interrupted by the disappointment of watching my own local Representative vote against my civil rights.
Observing liberty inch forward while viewing my Representative vote against his district offered me, and by extension all of you, a valuable lesson. While there are great proponents of your basic human rights willing to take the bruises and bashing from the progs and incoherent-of-thought among us, there are far too many willing to TAKE from you things as basic as your rights, choices, and responsibilities.
I’m not sure I understand what the progs believe they’ll accomplish in stripping you of your core, one little piece at a time. But make no mistake they intend to take from you. They’ll never say that aloud. Typically it’ll be shrouded in comments of being ‘reasonable’ or ‘for safety’ when they avoid the fact they’ve placed themselves in a position to TAKE from you, what is yours – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You can set back on your duff and watch them erode both you and this country, or you can get engaged with the Iowa Firearms Coalition to elevate freedom loving Senators and House Representatives, and send the others packing… If any politician seeks to TAKE from you your freedom for the purposes of making THEM feel better, they’re unfit to lead. From my favorite line in The Untouchables, “Here endeth the lesson…”
BE THERE this week at the Capitol for our 2A lobby day – February 27th!
We have several eligible bills in the House and Senate that could come up for debate at any time now. We’ll keep a close watch on the calendar. There is always a chance that you could witness a great piece of 2A legislation be debated on the floor of the Senate or House from the gallery above. It truly is quite a sight to behold. I’d love nothing more than to witness a sea of blaze-orange-2A-sticker-clad Iowans monitoring a vital piece of legislation as it takes a huge step forward.
I’m referring of course to the 2A Lobby Day at the Iowa Capitol on February 27th. We will meet in room 15 of the Capitol Building from 10am-11am. We welcome you to please come by, and say hello to your Representatives and Senators. We will also have informative tables in the rotunda from noon through 4pm. We’ll walk you through 2A engagement best practices, show you how to locate and contact your elected officials, arm you with methods to continue meaningful and persuasive communication with them, and engage in volunteerism and electioneering.
Parking is all around the Capitol building and many use the ramp a block to the west of the State House. Walking into the West or South lower levels is simple and fast. Room G15 can be found on this map. Let us know you’re coming if you can by responding to this Facebook Event.
For those of you interested in a tour of the Capitol, there is a great map and QR coded tour you can take through the use of your smartphone HERE. Iowa has a unique and beautiful Capitol Building, so drink it in when you can. I recommend bringing children to learn about this magnificent structure as often as you can.
Legislation Status You Ask?
There are two funnel weeks during each legislative session. The first funnel is important because a bill must pass both subcommittee and full committee in its originating chamber in order to stay live and continue through the legislative process. The steps of going from a subcommittee to the larger full committee are significant to the process as they allow for a multitude of discussions on the bill between the Senators, public, and stakeholders who are for, undecided, or against the bill.
This week concluded the first funnel. There are times the bill tweaks require new language, amendments, and careful considerations, and time is never on our side. Thus, some pieces of legislation run out of time. We were able to trounce a dizzying list of bad bills and some really ugly stuff. And, thankfully some great pieces of legislation remain alive and well for the moment. The status and disposition of each of those bills is listed on our 2020 Legislative Tracker, better known as the “GBU Page” by IFC insiders. If you want the skinny, that’s your source. Get there and read down through the list.
A new IFC President you say? Parting Considerations…
Check out the bills we’re pushing forward, the bills we’re glad are dead, and those you need to make your House Representatives and Senators aware are coming before them. Let them know you have an expectation they honor you by placing these in front of the Governor to sign. Join us for the 2A Lobby Day at the Capitol. Don’t stay home or avoid coming because it sounds foreign to you. We’ll be there to walk you through each question you have and help you engage on the level you’re capable.
We have a new President we’re installing at IFC. Our former President, Kurt Liske, left big shoes to fill but we’re confident our next leader of the Executive Committee within IFC will propel the organization, thus all of you, forward. We’ll announce this person during the 10am-11am meeting at the Capitol on the 27th during our 2A Lobby Day. #excited #2A #freedom #liberty
In liberty,
Michael Ware – IFC Chairman
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