Letter to the editor: Conservation PAC to engage at ‘more serious level’

0
1166

To the editor:

After 10 years of working for clean water, wildlife habitat, protection of public lands, climate issues and the Iowa Water and Land Legacy (IWILL) through the Raccoon River Watershed Association, Izaak Walton League and Citizens for a Healthy Iowa, I have learned that reason and moral persuasion are not enough to move our policy folks.

It takes political engagement at a more serious level.

Over the years, I have repeatedly asked why there is no influential conservation political action committee (PAC). I have been involved with a few efforts to help like-minded legislators get elected, but it has not been enough. Our friends got “killed” in the last election. Working for IWILL, clean water, public lands and climate issues resulted in targets on the back of our friends, and they got taken out.

We need to step it up.

Rob Davis, Mark Langgin and I have created Iowa Conservation Voters political action committee. We are recruiting top-notch advisors: Mark Ackelson, Linda Appelgate, Pat Boddy, Liz Garst, Steve Falck, Linda Kinman, Dave Osterberg, Steve Roe and Ralph Rosenberg so far. We have a bookkeeper, a bank account and a little money.

Rob and I have each put in $1,000. We need to have about $100,000 to be taken seriously and have influence in the next election.

We are asking you to put something in our account. For $1 you will get on our all-important list of supporterters. We want a long list. Some of you can put in $25, $50, $100 or more. We expect some larger donations from people who have been supportive of these goals in the past. These are PAC donations and are not tax deductible.

We will strategically select candidates who share our values, will work hard and can win. This is not a short-term process. If we are going to protect Iowa’s “natural capital” — its ecosystem — then we will have to get serious. This is a start.

Make checks out to: Iowa Conservation Voters. Send to: Jennifer Fiihr, 5825 Waterbury Circle, Des Moines, Iowa 50312.

Mike Delaney
Des Moines

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.