Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Iowa
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 12-13-2016, 12:46 PM
 
Location: Iowa
3,316 posts, read 4,101,038 times
Reputation: 4611

Advertisements

Sculptor, as I recall, the agent involved with the state trooper incident was fired for insubordination related to earlier offences, not for anything related to giving Branstad's driver a ticket. Jack Hatch pretty much got WHO TV to make him an epic motion picture about this speeding ticket, and many of the other things you have mentioned. Did the voters buy it? NO, Jack Hatch lost to Branstad by one of the widest margins ever in 2014, The Branstache got 59% Hatch got 37%, and Hatch did worse than Culver in 2010, 42% to 53%.

So often when a state employee is fired for being incompetent in his or her job, if that person happens to be of a minority group, they will often try and fabricate a discrimination case for financial gain. The recent incident with the Waukee bus driver that had her face planted in a smart phone while she was driving, and was fired, comes to mind as one of the many examples of this.

The juvenile home that Branstad tried to shut down had 20 juveniles with 150 staff members, it was an inefficient use of taxpayer money to keep it open. This was similar to his closing of the state hospital in Clarinda, it was a 100 year old spook house in the middle of nowhere, and hard to staff with the proper medical people because of the location. I think for the most part, the residents were sent to better facilities. I know of one resident whom was transfered from there, and is much happier in their new location.

I have read that many of these Ambassador job appointments only run for 3 years, and perhaps Branstad will be back home before the next election. I hope he runs for governor again if that is the case. Not sure how the law works on this, but could Reynolds step down and let Branstad return as governor if his time in China is cut short for some reason? Could Reynolds run in 2018 on the platform that if Branstad wants his old job back in the upcoming term, that she will step down to Lt. Governor position whenever Branstad returns. If she would do that, I can see her being in a much better position to win in 2018.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 12-15-2016, 03:45 PM
 
459 posts, read 2,220,556 times
Reputation: 422
Regardless of your political affiliation, Mr. Branstad is a perfect case study regarding the need for term limits in elected positions. Whatever you consider the strongpoints of his administration to be, there have certainly been severe weaknesses in other areas which will impact Iowa's future prospects for economic growth. I think the most concerning (and this one seems to be largely ignored by the voting public because no one likes to hear it) is Iowa's demographics are not conducive towards future economic growth prospects...Iowa's population is aging at a rate in excess of the national average (our young people are leaving or have already left for greener pastures), we are a mostly homogenous population in regards to race, and we have a relatively low percentage of highly educated individuals in our workforce. Our national economy has evolved from agrarian and manufacturing based positions to hi-tech services which require a diverse, educated, and youthful workforce. The Branstad administration has not invested resources towards changing Iowa's demographics and quite frankly fails to even recognize our demographic make-up as being a problem.

This leads into education. The Branstad administration has not invested in Education. When Branstad first became Governor in '83, Iowa was regarded by many as having the best public education system in the country. When he left office 16 years later, Iowa's education system had been relegated to mediocrity. We see this again today in his second stint as Governor with constant bickering about school funding and fighting with our State Universities over spending and enrollments.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-19-2016, 01:11 AM
 
760 posts, read 761,027 times
Reputation: 1452
So often when a state employee is fired for being incompetent in his or her job, if that person happens to be of a minority group, they will often try and fabricate a discrimination case for financial gain.


A 25-year veteran with the department, Hedlund plans to file a lawsuit for wrongful termination, contending that he was fired not for the comments but for an incident April 26 where he directed a state trooper to pull over a speeding vehicle.
That vehicle was travelling on the highway at more than 80 miles per hour and turned out to contain Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds. A state trooper was driving the car.

Since he was a 25 year veteran of the dept he must have been doing SOMETHING right for all those years, what an amazing "coincidence" he gets fired right after the ticket thing!


Iowans lose their license when convicted of driving 25 mph or more over the limit.




But see, the Rep Guv lives by a different set of laws than the rest of us saps here, and his retaliatory firing of Trooper Hedlund is going to cost the state LOTS of moolah, more than it's already cost.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-19-2016, 08:21 AM
 
2,010 posts, read 3,162,775 times
Reputation: 4062
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sculptor View Post


But see, the Rep Guv lives by a different set of laws than the rest of us saps here, and his retaliatory firing of Trooper Hedlund is going to cost the state LOTS of moolah, more than it's already cost.

Amen to this. Eric Branstad, the 1991 incident involving an elderly couple and then further problems related to the first offense ... now in public office under daddy. Lt. Gov Kim Reynolds, 1991 and 2001 offenses ... groomed under Terry Branstad, now planning to be the next Governor of Iowa. Also, UNI President and the planegate fiasco.

Last edited by smpliving; 12-19-2016 at 08:34 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-19-2016, 11:40 AM
 
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
2,401 posts, read 4,326,974 times
Reputation: 1464
Quote:
Originally Posted by rigizug View Post
Amen to this. Eric Branstad, the 1991 incident involving an elderly couple and then further problems related to the first offense ... now in public office under daddy. Lt. Gov Kim Reynolds, 1991 and 2001 offenses ... groomed under Terry Branstad, now planning to be the next Governor of Iowa. Also, UNI President and the planegate fiasco.

How is Eric Branstad in "public office"?? From LinkedIn, he appears to have 3 different current positions...none of them elected:


Quote:
Iowa State Director
Donald J Trump for President
June 2016 – Present (7 months)

Owner, Partner
Matchpoint Strategie
s
May 2011 – Present (5 years 8 months)510 east locust, des moines ia 50309
Matchpoint Strategies is a Public Relations and Fundraising Firm "making the impossible happen" for a wide range of clients - corporations, trade associations, governments and non-profit advocacy groups.
Partner

Goldfinch Development proudly presents Thinklite USA
April 2011 – Present (5 years 9 months)315 east 5th street, suite 123 des moines, ia 50309
Our team at Goldfinch Development proudly presents ThinkLite USA, a state-of-the-art lighting solutions company. We have recently enjoyed successes throughout Iowa and would like to sit down and visit with you about our products. Simply, we want to show you the benefits our lighting solutions can provide your business and more importantly your bottom line. Whether your perspective is an economic or a green one, we can help with both! There is nothing high pressure about our approach because a kilowatt hour is a kilowatt hour is a kilowatt hour. We want you to join the LED lighting conversation. Let us get you a quote or a facility lighting survey. We can confidently provide you with the answers you seek.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericbranstad
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-19-2016, 12:19 PM
 
2,010 posts, read 3,162,775 times
Reputation: 4062
You're right. My bad.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-19-2016, 03:56 PM
 
Location: Jonesboro
3,874 posts, read 4,661,988 times
Reputation: 5364
Thanks to the antagonistic & stability-rocking tweets from trump combined with Chinese expectations of how a U.S. president normally behaves, it would appear that Gov. Terry is going to have a rough time in Beijing.
Branstad really isn't that smart, according to the word from some Capitol insiders in Des Moines, & I'm afraid he will be seriously over his head as our ambassador to China.
Good lord, dealing with another superpower is difficult enough w/out the flagrant bating via our "tweet-crazed president's tweet storm that's ongoing on now. This, folks, is the purely narcissistic behavior of a megalomaniac who has no conception as to how diplomatic misunderstandings lead to incidents & then onto.... "fill in the blank" here.
Thanks to a connection in the U.S. Department of State, I know that career diplomats appointed by both Democrats & Republicans are aghast at the prospect of what an impending amateur hour trump Administration could do to world diplomatic channels & alliances.
Good luck Terry...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...se-state-media
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-19-2016, 08:36 PM
 
4,858 posts, read 7,568,269 times
Reputation: 6387
I just watched an episode of vice where they talked about how the current Chinese president once stayed in Muscatine, Iowa as a part of a foreign exchange program. Has been in constant contact with Bombstach over the years.

The Chinese prez has referred to Bomb as an "old friend to the people of China.", and I guess being called an 'old friend' in Chinese is a great honor.

'stach might end up being the smartest appointment Trump ever makes.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-20-2016, 07:55 AM
 
Location: Des Moines Metro
5,103 posts, read 8,547,523 times
Reputation: 9793
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dport7674 View Post
The Chinese prez has referred to Bomb as an "old friend to the people of China.", and I guess being called an 'old friend' in Chinese is a great honor.
It'll work out, and Trump will come to understand the value of Tweeting less and thinking more. Give it time.

At least he's not as bad as Billy Carter, former President Jimmy Carter's relative.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-20-2016, 12:43 PM
 
4,858 posts, read 7,568,269 times
Reputation: 6387
I'm not sure we're on the same page.. The president of China considers Terry Brandstad an old friend. They've known each other since they were young men.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Iowa

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top