Local News
Cesar not afraid of stirring it up
Candidate for 90th district says he won’t be forced to follow party lines
FAIRFIELD — Dan Cesar is not afraid of stirring the pot in the special election for House District 90.
This isn’t the first foray into politics for the Keosauqua man, who also sought the seat in the 2008 general election under the banner of his Fourth of July Party. Cesar doesn’t see that as a problem. He has been a member of both the Republican and Democratic parties, and isn’t sorry to be going his own way now.
While the election is drawing interest from observers hoping it will give them an idea of Iowa’s political climate heading into 2010, Cesar says the attention by the state parties limits his opponents. He says both Republican Stephen Burgmeier and Democrat Curt Hanson will fall into line with whatever their party leadership orders if they are elected.
That’s not a problem when you’re the only member of your party.
“I have convictions, not just positions,” Cesar said. “This [election] is just another case where we’re going down the same road. There’s no race here. ... Everybody wants to run a safe race. They’re looking for the money, the backing.”
Burgmeier has drawn particular attention from Cesar, who describes himself as a conservative. He called Burgmeier a “sellout” in interviews earlier in the campaign and said during an interview with the Courier and KRUU-FM that the Republicans picked Burgmeier because he is “willing to go with the party 100 percent.”
To Cesar, Burgmeier’s focus on opposition to gay marriage, a position with which he agrees, doesn’t match a relative disinterest in making abortion a prominent issue. Cesar opposes abortion, citing Darwinian concepts of natural selection as support. Abortion, he says, “limits our potential, our creativity,” by removing additional individuals from the overall population.
One thing Cesar won’t argue with is that the system in Des Moines relies heavily on party and caucus discipline. That means it would be very difficult for a member of a party aside from the Republicans or Democrats to have a major impact, assuming that person could win election in the first place.
Cesar has two responses to that apparent problem. The first is that he is willing to work with any party who would agree to advance his goals. Those goals include abolishing the property tax, something Cesar sees as a violation of the “sacred right to own property in America.” Cesar would also seek to cut any state funding that currently goes to Planned Parenthood.
His other response is that American political history is rich with people and parties who influenced the political debate without winning office. Cesar holds up Teddy Roosevelt’s run as head of the Bull Moose Party as an example.
“It’s a herd mentality. A few people who are in power can do anything,” he said. “The leadership will hear me.”
The fourth candidate in the race, Douglas Philips of Keosauqua, did not appear for Thursday’s scheduled interview.
Matt Milner can be reached at (641) 683-5359 or via e-mail at mwmilner@mchsi.com
- Local News
-
-
Art lovers drawn to festival
The third annual Walk on Art Street expanded on past events with 65 booths and beautiful weather for shoppers and artists Saturday in downtown Ottumwa.
-
Candidates promote organized labor
The Southern Iowa Labor Council, AFL-CIO, sponsored a Labor Day picnic Sunday with the support of the Wapello County Democrats and visits from local, state and national political candidates.
-
Browsing Around: Troop 11 honors their ‘Eagles’
Troop 11 of the Boy Scouts of America now has a beautiful gift to honor its Eagle Scouts and the Boy Scouts’ 100th anniversary as an organization.
-
Council to consider dog fee ordinance
The council will consider increasing the price of a dog license at their Tuesday meeting. Members will also discuss I-JOBS improvements to City Hall.
-
Case of the missing ’82 OHS class ring
A New Mexico family contacted Ottumwa High School this week to notify them of their discovery of a 1982 OHS men’s class ring engraved with the initials GLH.
-
Trials set in three attempted murder cases
Judges have set trial dates in three attempted murder cases. Two defendants were involved in a June shooting, a third is being tried for an unrelated May stabbing.
-
Woman sentenced for V.A. pension thefts
An Ottumwa woman has been sentenced to probation and home detention for stealing V.A. pension benefits
-
E-B board reviews building designs
The Eddyville-Blakesburg School Board reviewed options for a new elementary school building in Blakesburg this week.
-
Supervisors look to replace attorney
Supervisors will meet 9:30 a.m. Tuesday to discuss the possibility of replacing the current county attorney, who is resigning.
-
Five charged in string of church burglaries
Five people have been charged in connection with at least nine church burglaries in southeast Iowa and northeast Missouri.
- More Local News Headlines
-
