Dear Friends,

Before I tell you about two important events coming up, I gotta share this absolutely true phone call I received last week from a guy with the Iowa Democratic Party:

“May I speak with Edward please?”

A caller asking for “Edward” is never a good sign. “This is Ed, ” I respond.

“Would you be able to volunteer to help our candidates on the south side this weekend?”

“No.”

“Would you be able to volunteer sometime this fall leading up to the election?”

“No.”

“Are you going to vote for all the Democrats on the ticket this fall?”

“No.”

“Can you tell me which Democrats you are going to vote for?”

“No.”

“Well, thanks for wasting my time.” Hangs up.

Wow! I was trying to help him with time management by giving short, concise answers. No gratitude at all. Of the many things the Democratic Party is doing wrong these days, you can add “poor customer service” to the list.

Anyway, two big events are happening in the next few days. I would love to see you at both of them. And stay tuned for more developments with the Pledge of Resistance, as Dakota Access has begun construction on the Bakken Pipeline in a few places in Iowa.

• On Saturday, July 23 at 11:00 in front of the Federal Building, 210 Walnut Street in Des Moines, Lakota and Dakota youth on a 2,000-mile relay run to Washington, D.C. will hold a rally and protest to challenge President Obama and the Army Corps of Engineers to take action to stop the Bakken Pipeline. (See their promotional video here.)

• Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and Bold Iowa are encouraging members, allies and supporters to attend the condemnation hearing for the Higginbottom family on Monday, July 25 at 9:00 a.m. at the Polk County building at 2309 Euclid Avenue in Des Moines. When the hearing recesses at roughly 9:30-10:00, pipeline opponents and members of the Higginbottom family will hold a press conference outside the building.Writes Dan Higginbottom: “For my family, today’s hearing marks the final event resulting from the deplorable failure of government, at all levels, to protect the rights of property owners and to protect Iowa’s fragile environment. It is our firm belief that the condemnation of our property constitutes an illegal taking and that the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) does not possess the statutory authority to grant the power of eminent domain in this case. It is our sincere hope that the Courts will uphold property-owner rights in the suits pending before them.” Dan’s family has farmed the land targeted by Dakota Access for 50 years.

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Listen to the Fallon Forum:
– Live Mondays, 11:00-12:00 noon CT on La Reina KDLF 1260 AM (Des Moines, IA)
– Outside of central Iowa, listen live here: FALLON FORUM LIVE-STREAM
– KHOI 89.1 FM (Ames, IA)
– KICI.LP 105.3 FM (Iowa City, IA)
– WHIV 102.3 FM (New Orleans, LA)
– KPIP-LP, 94.7 FM (Fayette, MO)

Thanks! – Ed Fallon