A letter from Ed Fallon

Dear Friends,

With the general election finally over, I again would like to thank everyone who supported my campaign and the campaigns of other good candidates. This January, at both the state and national levels, Democrats will have a truly unique opportunity to lead Iowa and America forward, and that opportunity is in part due to our efforts.

However, while many key victories were won on election night, the most important battles are still to be fought. In both Washington, D.C. and Des Moines, this new generation of Democratic leadership must prove it is worthy of the voters’ confidence. It is time to enact progressive legislation that puts people before profit. In Iowa, this long list of priorities includes:

* Voter-owned clean elections;
* Controlling urban sprawl;
* Better levels of financial support for all aspects of our educational system;
* Improved health-care access for all Iowans;
* Addressing a wide range of long-neglected environmental concerns;
* Increasing the minimum wage to a livable wage; and
* Redirecting economic development monies from corporate giveaways to small business development.

Over the next two months, I’ll take some much-needed down time to rest and to reflect on my options. (This much is clear: my life is firmly committed to public service.) Most of my and my co-workers’ efforts through the end of the year will focus on restructuring our organization so it can continue to provide a strong, grassroots framework for justice and political work. During this time, we will stop sending out weekly updates, and the website will be down to give us a chance to rebuild it. A new website will be launched and e-mail updates resumed after the first of the year.

Again, thank you for your help and support. I look forward to being back in touch with you after the holidays. May this season of political and seasonal transition be one of peace, comfort and reflection for us all.

Sincerely,

Ed