Help, I need info on Vander Plaats

[pstans]

My mother-in-law is county chair for the Vander Plaats campaign. She has asked me what I have thought of him and I really don't know much about him, so I told her that at least he isn't Nussle.

All I know about Vander Plaats is that he is from Sioux City and has had like 12 jobs in his lifetime (is that good thing?). Where does he stand on the issues? I have heard him called a one trick pony, what is that all about?

Any info would be greatly apreciated.

I am leaning towards supporting Fallon, so I am pretty sure I won't be able to convice my mother-in-law to vote that way, but at least I will be able to have a reasonable discussion with her.

[cyberswede]

1. Here's a discussion on Vander Plaats...

...between a bunch of republicans.

Sorry it's on FR, but the thread was very illuminating regarding Vander Plaats and various impressions of Nussle (and less nauseating than many FR threads). It seems Nussle's camp has decided to ignore Vander Plaats and not participate in straw polls or debates, which is pissing off some grassroots repubs. Amusing read, actually! :)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1425820/posts

Hope this provides a start for you, anyway. I've always been under the impression that Vander Plaats is a hard-core right-winger.

thx - cs

[pstans]

2. Thanks for the link

I loved this response. Add that with the fact that Nussle has been in charge of the largest deficit in history and you'd think that no way he would become the Republican nominee.

Rep. Nussle is a fine legislator and a good family man

Ohmygosh, I just can't let that one go by... Nussle left his wife (and a daughter who has Downs Syndrome) to marry his secretary. I thought everyone in the world knew that. He may very well be an excellent legislator, but please don't call him "a good family man."

[kariatari]

3. Vander Plaats is WAAAAAAAAY far right

Definitely Anti-Choice. Wouldn't mind if teachers and/or school administrators led school prayer.

Although I don't really agree with his politics, he's spoken at my high school a few times and seems like a genuinely likeable and decent guy.

[DU9598]

4. A bit of what we are in store for - I hope and pray ...

From the Civic Skinny in the Des Moines City View:

While everyone and their mother (or grandmother) seems to be running for the Democratic nomination for governor, the real battle continues behind the scenes with regards to the two-person race for the GOP nod. "Everyone is ready to hand this to (Jim) Nussle, and he is the likely nominee," a top Republican insider told us. "But he's not going to get out of the primary without some serious wounds." This individual told us that Cityview is correct in reporting that the race is going to get "nasty," and that Nussle's opponent Bob Vander Plaats is going to get extremely personal, "but even you guys might be surprised at just how personal he gets. (Nussle) has been quite the playboy in Washington and has more than a few skeletons in his closet - not to mention more than a few out in the open. And while Bob is a stand-up guy, he's got pretty serious convictions and doesn't think that someone with such a questionable past and questionable morals should get a pass just because he's from the same party."

Link to more: <http://www.dmcityview.com/skinny.shtml>

[Hardrada]

5. Switch party affiliation temporarily

and support Vander Plaats in the primary. This will weaken the Nussle campaign. We now have the joy of getting Nussle out of our congressional district and will be delighted to help him lose. Our rural population seems to be antichoice and, for that reason, has given Nussle a pass so far.

[pstans]

6. I researched his website

After hearing that one of the Rethugs was against No Child Left Behind I decided to do some research on Vander Plaats' website. I found 3 good things on there.

1. AGAINST further use of the Values Fund. It does not meet the criteria of Iowa’s constitution and puts the government in charge of picking winners and losers.
2. AGAINST Federal involvement in Iowa’s classrooms and a one-size-fits-all approach.
AND
FOR allowing parents and local school boards, not Washington D.C., to determine what works for the students in their communities.
3. FOR the continued development and use of alternative fuels, including high ethanol blends (E85) and higher biodiesel blends (B20). With Iowa being a top corn and soybean-growing state, supporting production of these alternative fuels simply makes good economic sense for Iowa.


Now if you just took away the marriage is between a man and a women, English only law, and a flat tax, he might be decent.