Miller-Meeks Launches 2010 Campaign Against Loebsack in Iowa’s Second Congressional District

MUSCATINE – Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, the 2008 GOP nominee in the Second Congressional District, today formally launched her campaign for her party’s 2010 nomination by urging Iowans to make history by electing their first women to Congress and supporting economic, environmental health care, tax and budget policies that once again move the country forward.

“Just as they bravely did during the floods of 2008 when the federal response was too slow and they could not afford to wait any longer, ordinary citizens can again unite in a common cause and make history,” Miller-Meeks said. “America is not what is wrong with the world, and embracing weakness has never inspired confidence. It is our liberties that permit us to strive and achieve greatness and it is the duty of our elected officials to protect these liberties. I will defend those liberties.”

Accompanied by Barbara Grassley, state Sen. Jim Hahn of Muscatine and State Rep. Jeff Kaufmann of Wilton, the Ottumwa ophthalmologist made her announcement at the Quality Cobbler, a small business in the Muscatine Mall. She also scheduled appearances in Marion, Burlington and Ottumwa later in the day.

“As a physician, we take the Hippocratic Oath to ‘first do no harm.’ I believe this applies not only in medicine but to government as well. Government should play by the same rules it imposes on us – pay your bills and don’t overspend,” she said.

Noting that Quality Cobbler owner Larry Miller faces many of the same challenges other small business owners already face in keeping their doors open, Miller-Meeks that the prospect of “increased taxes, regulation and impending health care and cap and trade under the current administration and Congress dampen prospects of recovery.”

“Let’s make history with economic policies supporting small businesses like the Quality Cobbler. End the morass of regulatory and taxation uncertainty so Larry Miller and business owners just like him can plan ahead and expand and hire,” she said. “Our economic recovery depends on a level playing field. While big banks and businesses created this crisis, it is small banks and businesses who are asked to pay for it. Entrepreneurs and new businesses won’t take risks necessary to create jobs when they are placed in a straightjacket of regulation, taxes and fees.”

Miller-Meeks said voters in the 15-county district that includes Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Muscatine, Burlington and Ottumwa also can make history by electing her to support an environmental policy that “respects our planet but doesn’t not cripple the Midwest economy by killing union and non-union jobs alike.”

“Let’s make history with health care reform that first controls and reduces cost, is affordable, portable and has universal access. We can achieve that goal with individual health plans coupled with high deductible, catastrophic health insurance would be taking the road less traveled rather than the well-worn path of failure that will add a trillion dollars to the deficit and ultimately give us less quantity and quality of health care,” she said.

She noted that the district’s voters could also make history by “electing Iowa’s first woman to Congress and reclaiming Iowa’s and the Republican Party’s wonderful heritage on women’s and minority rights.”

“The conservative values of strengthening families, encouraging men to be true, active fathers to their children and empowering women to respect themselves can be advanced by a woman, even one with a hyphenated name,” Miller-Meeks said. “We can make history electing a conservative woman who understands that valuing life doesn’t devalue women.”

Miller-Meeks also alluded to Rep. David Loebsack’s support of the 2008 bailout of massive banks and financial institutions that continue to pay multimillion-dollar bonuses to executives and his vote in favor of the proposed government takeover of health care as indications he is out of touch with the district’s needs and priorities.

“If you can’t read the bill, at least understand what you are voting for. As a mother, I often waited 10 seconds or counted to three before disciplining my children. Can’t this same common sense be applied to a spending bill? Before enslaving generations of taxpayers for bailouts, economic stimulus, health care reform or cap and trade, can’t Congress wait even a mere 72 hours to ensure we’re are all treated fairly – not just big banks, big companies and big donors?” she asked. “Senators Grassley and Hahn and Representative Kaufmann live by these principles and have never forgotten that they are privileged to govern at the consent of the voter. They understand that just one or two ill-advised votes can enslave future generations and deny them their constitutional liberties by burdening them with the profound tax increases to service this massive debt. Protecting the unborn who have no vote today implies fiscal prudence, restoration of constitutional principles of representative democracy and electing politicians who recognize that they are to protect these liberties, not limit them.”

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