Iowa Green Party
http://greens.org/iowa/
June 12, 2006
Released Friday, June 9, 2006
Contacts:
Co-chair Wendy Barth (peacenik@usa.net)
319-363-5345
Co-chair Daryl Northrup (dnorthrop@PolkCoGreens.org)
Media Coordinator: Richard Johnson (seiowagreen@grimsson.info)
319-601-1364
The Iowa Green Party announces the selection of
Wendy Barth of Cedar Rapids as the party's candidate for governor.
Wendy is co-chair of the state Party and serves as president of Women for Peace Iowa. In setting
forth her goals for her campaign the candidate identified three areas of
focus.
Peace
"The governor is supposed to have control over the Iowa National Guard,
but the President has usurped that authority. Using the National Guard
in a war of aggression is an abuse of their purpose and the honorable commitment that the Guard
members make to our state. I propose that as a state we create a new organization, tentatively called "Iowa Emergency
Response Guard", and transition the Iowa National Guard to this "well regulated militia" as defined in the Bill of Rights, to
meet the needs that the Iowa National Guard has so capably filled, but beyond the reach
of federal authorities who clearly have abused their authority."
Agriculture and Sustainable Economics
"Overproduction of corn threatens both Iowa farmers and their customers.
There has been a glut of corn on the market for a many years, resulting
in the cost of production being consistently higher than the market price. Subsidies allow us to dump
this corn on the Mexican market. Mexican farmers, unable to compete, are forced into poverty. It's time
to re-examine our farm subsidy programs. In addition, corn is energy-intensive and involves yearly tilling, which contributes to
erosion. This is squandering our precious topsoil. As governor Ms. Barth
would promote development of alternative crops by our state's farmers.
There are so many good reasons to look for other crops to grow on this,
the best topsoil in the world. Why shouldn't we compete with produce imported from other areas, such as asparagus from Peru and rhubarb from
Washington?
"Washington continues in a prolonged tax-cutting mood, and sooner or
later corn subsidies will fall victim to the tax-cutter's axe. Iowa needs to be proactive in finding other crops and competing in these
markets."
Energy
"Switchgrass is a prairie grass that thrives in Iowa. It can be
fermented to create ethanol, with a larger yield per acre (over 1000 gallons) than corn. Since it is perennial and requires no annual
cultivation, erosion is no longer a problem and fewer chemicals are needed. Switchgrass is one way we can seriously compete in the fuel
market, as Brazil has demonstrated."
If the low turnout in Tuesday's primary is any indication, Iowans want a
real choice when it comes to their state leaders. Wendy Barth offers that choice, and we feel Iowans will respond to her message.
MORE INFORMATION
Iowa Green Party
P. O. Box 2448
Iowa City, Iowa 52244
319-337-7341
iowa@greens.org
