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Friday, January 20, 2012

Who WOULD be against education?

Again, I hope it's fine to repost the beginnings of Facebook conversations here. You all put it out on the internet in the first place, but if you ever want, I can always take it down.


This post is dedicated, obviously, to Patrisha Dean. I like the passion in your argument.


Patrisha Dean 
Where are all the jobs Bush created? The best thing that ever happened was the GI Bill after WWII. It is EDUCATION that propelled
the middle class as well as unions. Like the trickle down theory? The
Bush tax cuts LOST jobs. If you wish to aid your fellow vets, you must fight vigorously for the cuts planned especially in health services. I do
not think commercial property tax cuts would help a single vet, but
EDUCATION would since it is something no one can take from anyone.
Back in the '60s (JFK) I helped elect the youngest representative ever
in WI (21 yrs old at time of oath) and he is still serving proudly.





Patrisha Dean 
I do not think our US or IA Constitution calls for us to support business
in any way, but calls for regulation of the same to PROTECT us. Where
is it said we must support business? In the old days, we bartered.


We lead all countries in innovation, production and soon to occur, exploitation unless we stop the greed of those who produce nothing.
Wall Street is a big casino for the rich as well as big banks. They play
with us along with hedge fund managers. The best investment is in yourself and education. Maybe we should go to the Cayman Islands.







Education is good. There, I said it. I'm in favor of it. I have used the GI Bill to go to school. I especially admire the efforts of Senator Jim Webb of Virginia in updating the GI Bill for the post 9/11 generation. In fact, if there is one person I would like to draft to be President after Obama, it would be Jim Webb.



Why can't we support business and support education? And do you really prefer a barter economy?



Education is not the sole reason why we lead the world in innovation. We live in a free market economy where there is incentive to innovate.



I don't agree with the idea that we're all victims of business. Business (and Wall Street) is neither evil nor benevolent. It's motives are to maximize profit. Businesses use us to sell things to and as employees to make things. We use businesses for employment and to consume the products they make for us.


The government has a delicate role to play: regulate business but don't stifle it.

We get into trouble when government goes to far to either side. If all liberals ran the world, business would be choked off and everyone's quality of life would suffer. If conservatives ran the world, there would be no environment left to provide materials and no middle class to buy the products they make.

I'm running in the center. Create conditions in which businesses can grow, provide the best education system we can, and repeat. 

Education is a great investment. But ask a recent Harvard art history graduate how great an investment that was. Four years of room and board, for the most basic of degrees at Harvard: $240,000 (inflation excluded of course).

Let's assume that that recent Harvard grad could immediately get a job making $200,000, would work for 50 long, wonderful years, and would never, ever pay a cent in taxes. Total income: $10 million.

The stock market historically returns 10%. If you invested $240,000, left it alone for 50 years to the those wicked, evil Robber Barons of Wall Street, and made no additional contributions....$28,173,804.69.


Luckily, we don't have to make an either/ or choice. We can and must support business and education. Cutting commercial property taxes makes it easier for business owners to know that their costs for the entire fiscal year will be less than what they are currently. With that certainty, they can hire a worker to help increase their output. They'll know they can afford to, because they know ahead of time what their tax burden will be.


It isn't to be nice to corporations, it's to do everything we can to get people back to work.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Why would a Democrat want to cut commercial property taxes?


    • Phil Seibert ahhhhh Mikey your running as a candidate for rep . Which party???
      47 minutes ago · 
    • Mikey Connolly Democratic good Sir.
      46 minutes ago · 
    • Phil Seibert Ok I see yoru a Dem but runnign on lowering taxes on commercial property is that correct?
      46 minutes ago · 
    • Mikey Connolly 
      It is correct. I'm not a knee jerk tax cutter in all circumstances, but we need to make sure there are jobs for the several thousand Soldiers from Iowa who just came back from Afghanistan. Businesses are facing unsteady demand (which we can...See More
      9 minutes ago · 
    • Mikey Connolly Cutting their income tax is ineffective, as they can just move their base of operations overseas, or to another state. This is the only bullet in our gun to help lower unemployment in Iowa even further, which is the most important objective.
      7 minutes ago · 
    • Phil Seibert 
      Mikey as vets trickle back to Iowa we will absorb them into our communities. Passing the commercial tax debt to the citizens is not the right thing to do. Teaxes on commercial properties is the fairest way to tax. That way all pay equally. ...See More
      5 minutes ago · 
    • Mikey Connolly Go to http://connollyforiowa.blogspot.com/ to finish the conversation. I'll answer your questions there, because I have answers for them. But I really think your asking good questions that are shared by a lot of people. See you there!
      connollyforiowa.blogspot.com
      2 minutes ago ·  · 

Monday, January 16, 2012

Formally Announcing the Campaign launch.

Thank you for anyone reading this site, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to spend it here. Today, I'm formally announcing my candidacy to represent Iowa's District 23 as State Representative.

The district covers Iowa's Mills County, Fremont County, and the top half of Montgomery County. I am running as a Democrat, which normally would be an uphill climb in this district, but I'm confident we will succeed.

We need a candidate who shares our values, and who understands the problems we face in Southwest Iowa. One of the biggest problems we have ahead of us, whether we know it yet or not, is the number of veterans we have that have just returned from war.

As someone who has served two combat tours in Iraq, and as a currently serving Non-Commissioned Officer in the Iowa National Guard, I understand the problems these Soldiers face as they come home.

Iowa has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, but that will provide little comfort to the thousands of Iowans back from Afghanistan if we can't make a few thousand more. We can't do that with one of the highest commercial property tax rates in the nation. We can't do that as long as businesses are facing unsteady levels of demand that make it hard to hire new workers. And we can't do that by allowing medical costs to continue to skyrocket by reversing the gains we've achieved through the passage of the Affordable Care Act.

To take care of our Soldiers properly when they return home, we need to do our best to make sure they have economic security and access to health care and counseling. The VA system in Iowa is in need of massive overhaul, especially in the way it processes Compensation and pension claims.

These Soldiers need Representatives who understand their experiences, and have shared them. They need leaders who will stand up and make enemies in the Federal and State bureaucracy to make sure we have implemented changes that streamline the process for returning veterans to get what they need.


That is why I am running for State Representative in District 23 this year, and that's why I need your help to get there. Please support my candidacy, be a part of the conversation, and make a donation today.


                                              Thank you.
                         Michael Connolly, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Investments
                         Sergeant, IA Army National Guard
                         Candidate for State Representative, District 23