Democratic candidate: My family’s past will help me build a better tomorrow
MUSCATINE, Iowa - Roxanne Conlin is talking about a dark side of her life that she has never spoken about before publicly.
The Des Moines Democrat - who is seeking the U.S. Senate seat held by longtime Republican incumbent Chuck Grassley - is sharing the story of her early life as the oldest of six children in a family headed by an alcoholic and abusive father.
She told an audience of around
20 people at Muscatine Community College Friday afternoon that she can talk about it now because her parents are dead, and she has permission from her five siblings.
Conlin says her family fell from the middle class when her father lost his job, and she started working at age 14 at a soda fountain because "my family of eight needed my income to put food on the table." After working her way through college and law school, she says she dedicated her life and political career to people who have no voice.
She has served as an Assistant Iowa Attorney General and a U.S. Attorney in Iowa, and she manages a small law firm in Des Moines.
"I won't be hungry and I won't be cold ever again," she told the MCC audience. "But you never forget. I'm fed up with double digit unemployment and explosive bailouts for Wall Street but nothing for main street. Together, we can fix it."
Conlin began her candidacy for the Senate Nov. 9, 2009. She describes Grassley as a formidable and popular candidate. "We should thank him for his 30 years of service," she says, "but the guy deserves a rest. He's no longer in touch with Iowa."
Conlin told the audience Iowans need and deserve a Senator who will speak for them, defend and protect instead of trying to privatize Social Security, and who will speak for the middle class instead of attending to tax breaks for the very wealthy. "We need a fighter for the middle class," said Conlin. "I do not for a moment underestimate the challenge we face, but I wouldn't do it if I didn't think we could be successful."
Conlin was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Governor in 1982. She quipped yesterday, "I was first runner up."
She addressed several issues brought up by yesterday's audience.
"It was Sen. Grassley who had a great deal to do with the explosion of debt in the Bush administration," she said, adding that President Clinton left office with a huge surplus. She said when President Bush left office, the deficit was $1.14 trillion. "We need to figure out what to do about it," she said. "There aren't any magic answers. We'll have to get our economy back on track and deal with the mess Bush left us."
"Health care is a right," she said, winning a round of applause. "It's our responsibility as a society to make sure people don't die because they can't get coverage. Every one of us who can afford protection needs an avenue to make insurance companies do the right thing."
Conlin calls the war in Iraq an unnecessary war - "a huge, expensive mistake, economically and more importantly in the lives and limbs of our soldiers."
The Afghan war was necessary, she said, adding the Taliban had to be taken out. "But we took our eye off the ball." And she said she's concerned about sending 30,000 more troops. "I don't like it at all." She says President Obama is on the right track, except for adding troops.
Conlin says she favors tax credits for small business directly related to creating jobs. And she says she's studying accelerated depreciation for manufacturing equipment.
Conlin says education is of grave importance and a lifelong process, and she says Pell grants must be extended. Reflecting that she held four jobs as a student, she asked, "Who could do four jobs? There aren't four jobs to be done."
And Conlin says she's pro choice and supports the Iowa Supreme Court's decision on gay marriage.
Conlin told yesterday's audiece she will compare Senator Grassley's record with what Iowans need. "I fully expect this to be an ugly campaign, but not on our side," said Conlin. "He is in for the race of his life. I don't mess around. I will challenge him to defend what he has done in the name of the people of Iowa."
Source: Muscatine Journal
