Category: Jake Porter

That’s the Ticket!

Unless you’ve had your telephone and television unhooked for the past four months, you know that the election is Tuesday. Like a growing number of Iowans I already voted by mail. Here are some of the people I was proud to vote for:

U.S. Senate:
Dr. Doug Butzier (L.)

Sadly, Doctor Doug passed away at the age of 59, Monday October 13, when the light plane he was piloting crashed. The good doctor was an emergency room physician and leader at Mercy Hospital in Dubuque.

Given his position, it might not be surprising that flaws in Obamacare and government interference in medicine are what helped convince Butzier to run for U.S. Senate. He believed that there should be a free market for healthcare, not “free” healthcare.  He pointed out: “When you receive anything for ‘free,’ that means that someone else paid for it.  You should not be forced to pay for or subsidize someone else’s healthcare.  Government involvement only lowers the quality for everyone and drives up the costs.”Butzier also wanted America’s veterans to receive quality healthcare in their own communities rather than going off to shoddy government run VA hospitals.

Dr. Doug also believed in extending the free market into the education system as well. He believed in curtailing the Constitutional usurpation of the federal government and was a supporter of Americans’ Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. Although largely ignored by the media until his death, Dr. Doug Butzier stood out from his two mudslinging rivals for the Senate seat.

U.S. House Dist. 1
Rod Blum (R.)
Rod Blum.jpg

Blum is owner of Digital Canal Software.  He is also a student pilot, real estate developer, and has written a conservative column for the Telegraph Herald. Blum is active with Liberty Iowa, a leading “Constitutional conservative” group, and is endorsed by the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America.


The five “cornerstones” of Blum’s campaign are: 1. Personal Responsibility 2. Constitutionally Limited Government 3. Fiscal Sanity 4. Free Markets and Competition 5. Sanctity of Life.

Iowa Governor
Dr. Lee Hieb (L.)
Dr. Lee Hieb

Dr. Hieb is a long time orthopaedic surgeon who served as an officer in the U.S. Navy. See has written numerous articles in professional journals, political columns and has a forthcoming book, Surviving the Medical Meltdown.


Hieb states she will use the following principles in governing Iowa: “1. I shall always vote to increase individual liberty. 2.  I shall sign and vote to restrain the power and scope and size of state government. 3.  I will fight to eliminate any tax which compels citizens to pay for things they find morally objectionable. 4.  I will legislate to push back the Federal Government from our border and exercise (for a change) our Tenth Amendment rights to state sovereignty.”

Iowa Secretary of State
Jake Porter (L.)
jake_04



Porter is a business and non-profit manager who has served on non-profit boards, managed several political campaigns, and has retail management experience running multi-million dollar department stores. One of the Secretary of State’s most important duties is to oversee the state’s elections. Says Porter: “We need someone who is independent of the two major political parties to act as a referee and that is the type of candidate I am.” In addition to keeping the Secretary’s office independent and transparent, Jake wants to make starting a business in Iowa easier.



Iowa Libertarian Candidates 2014

After the Libertarian Party of Iowa had their state convention this weekend, the slate of candidates is now set. Those listed below will be on the November ballot. Names are hotlinked to the candiate’s website where available.

Federal Office:

US Senate-  Dr. Doug Butzier
US House District 1- Gary Sicard
US House District 4-  Forest R Johnson III

State Office:


Governor of Iowa-  Dr. Lee Hieb
Lt. Governor of Iowa- Ryan Ketelsen
Iowa Secretary of State– Jake Porter   
Iowa State Treasurer- Keith Laube
Iowa House District 10-  Lynne Gentry
Iowa House District 33-  Josh Herbert
Iowa House District 45-  Dr. Eric Cooper
Iowa House District 57-  David Overby


And let’s not forget our elected Libertarians in Iowa:
Cedar Falls City Council At-Large- Nick Taiber
Mayor of Roland- Roger Fritz-

Jake Porter for Iowa Secretary of State

About 31% of Iowa’s registered voters are Democrats and 31% are Republicans. However, 38% are aligned with neither party. So why is it that our state’s elections are always overseen by an Iowa Secretary of State who is in league with one of the two major parties? Such an official will obviously always “have a dog in the hunt” in any major election. In fact, we’ve seen our state’s current top election official endorse a candidate in the election he was officiating. It’s like having a referee always wearing one team’s jersey.

Isn’t it time we had anindependent voice in the Iowa Secretary of State’s office? Jake Porter is such a candidate.  Porter is not beholden to either major party which would make him an independent arbiter in our state’s elections. He pledged not endorse any candidate as Secretary. Porter wants to “keep the Secretary of State’s office non-partisan and make it easy for all Iowans to participate in the election process.” He does not believe in “disenfranchising voters through intimidation and voter suppression tactics.”

Porter also wants to make it easier for Iowa business owners to file state forms online. He believes in reducing red tape and bureaucracy and understands “the need to follow the Iowa Code and Iowa Constitution.” You can read more about him at JakePorter.org.

It’s time for an independent leader as Iowa Secretary of State. It’s time for Jake Porter.

Porter for IA Sec. of State Commercial

The Libertarian Party of Iowa is saying that this is perhaps the first TV commercial for an LP candidate in the state. It’s for Jake Porter for Iowa Secretary of State.

IA Libertarian Candidates Oct 2013

The Libertarian Party of Iowa has given their website a much-needed overhaul. Among the information that can now be found on there is the current slate of candidates that the party is running for office.

2013 Elections:


Ajai Dittmar is running for Cedar Rapids City Council District 1.

Dittmar tells me the following about herself: “I am a 42 year old mother of four who is tired of crony capitalism running for public office for the first time. I am a local activist critical of the overreach in our local government. The only way to get the government out of our business and back to the basics is to get in office and bring these policies to the table.”

Alan Modracek is running for Cedar Rapids City Council District 3.

Alan is running for Cedar Rapids City Council, District 3. A family man, he has lived and worked in Cedar Rapids all his life except for a brief 6 years in the Navy.

Modracek’s Facebook page says: “I am running for Cedar Rapids City Council, District 3, to end the ‘tax and spend’ mentality of our local government. I will never vote in favor of a tax increase, and will fight tooth and nail to reduce the tax burden suffered by the people of Cedar Rapids. We can still fix our roads, have first class schools, and even flood protection. I want to make Cedar Rapids the most business friendly city in the Mid-West.”

Ariel Echevarria is running for Humboldt City Council At-Large as a write-in candidate.

Echevarria described himself to me thusly:

“I’m a 28 year old married man with a degree in Business Administration. I am currently running for Humboldt City Council. I recently moved to Iowa 6 months ago from Klamath Falls, OR. That town was about the size of Fort Dodge but I saw a lot of things that needed to change to make the city better. When I got to Humboldt I noticed some of the same things. For example, lack of business growth and things for young people to participate in. I believe that in order to have a healthy city we have to include the voice of the younger population (18-39 range). I believe city property taxes are very high in comparison to other near by cities and would like to see that change. I also feel like we need to strive to attract more small business in the local area.

“A few weeks ago a young woman wanted to place a cross in memory of her son on roadside property that was owned by a private company but the rights were given to the city for city purposes. She was initially denied her request. I do not believe that she should have been denied right off the bat. If I’m elected I will do everything within my power to make compromises between the city, it’s public and the private sector that operates within city limits. I also want to limit and change some of the city ordinances that tread on private residences. I want to see a dedicated dog park built within city limits as well.”


Nick Taiber is running for reelection to Cedar Falls City Council At-Large.

Taiber has served as a Councilman since 2010. He lives in the community with his wife and two children.

Says Taiber’s website: “Cedar Falls is a great place to live, and keeping it great requires initiative, fresh thinking, and a willingness to be bold. I bring unique perspective, bountiful energy, and careful leadership to Cedar Falls City Council.”

2014 Elections:


Jake Porter will seek the nomination to run as the Party’s candidate for Iowa Secretary of State in 2014.

Porter resides in Council Bluffs, Iowa and works for a large Internet corporation in Omaha, Nebraska.

Porter’s website states: “Jake Porter is the only candidate who has policies that will not increase the size of government. While Porter’s opponent wants to create additional rules and bureaucracy and in the past has suggested bringing economic development into the Secretary of State’s office, Porter understands the importance of having a small but efficient Secretary of State’s office and the need to follow the Iowa Code and Iowa Constitution. […] Jake wants to keep the Secretary of State’s office non-partisan and make it easy for all Iowans to participate in the election process. […] Jake believes in keeping government from disenfranchising voters through intimidation and voter suppression tactics.”

Elected Libertarians:
 

Roger Fritz-Mayor of Roland

 

Nick Taiber-Cedar Falls City Council At-Large (See above.)

Jake Porter Back in the Ring

Jake Porter has once again declared his intention to run for Iowa Secretary of State as a Libertarian. Porter was the party’s nominee in 2010 and received 33,854 votes, covering the margin of Republican Matt Schultz’s victory over Democrat Michael Mauro.

One of the Secretary of State’s most important duties is overseeing the state’s elections. As I’ve pointed out before, it would be nice to have a third-party official in that post who wouldn’t be tempted to tip the electoral scales for the Democrats or Republicans. Porter addressed that very notion in his announcement of intention.

“As Secretary of State, I would not endorse any political candidate like Matt Schultz did when he supported Rick Santorum for President. Additionally, I do not have ties to one of the two major political parties like Brad Anderson does. Unlike Anderson, I have never advised or worked for John Edwards or President Obama. We need someone who is independent of the two major political parties to act as a referee and that is the type of candidate I am.” said Porter.

Porter will be getting my support and my vote. You can read more about him at http://jakeporter.org