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Jim Leach, who represented Iowa in Congress for 30 years, has died at 82. Leach served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977 to 2007, a tenure rivaled only by two other U.S. representatives in Iowa history. Only Iowans Neal Smith at 36 years and Gilbert Haugen at 34 years served longer than Leach. Former Congressmen Jim Leach, R-Iowa, center, and Dave Loebsack, right, D-Iowa, talk about their support for Christina Bohannan, Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress, during a press conference at the MLK Interpretive Center Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. Leach was born Oct. 15, 1942, in Davenport, Iowa. He was a Davenport High School wrestling standout, winning the state championship in 1960 at the 138-pound weight class. He would later be inducted into the Quad-City Sports Hall of Fame and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Waterloo. Jim Leach He continued wrestling at Princeton University, graduating cum laude in 1964 with a degree in political science. He went on to study at Johns Hopkins University and the London School of Economics. With a master's in Russian studies, he enlisted in the U.S. Foreign Service. But in 1968, Leach resigned in protest of the "Saturday Night Massacre," President Richard Nixon's firing of Attorney General Eliot Richardson and Archibald Cox, the independent counsel investigating Watergate. People are also reading... Instead of going to Moscow, where he'd been assigned, Leach came home to Davenport and began working for his father's businesses. Leach first ran for office in 1974 to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Ed Mezvinsky for Iowa's 1st Congressional District seat. Leach, who had no experience running for elected office, was defeated. Congressman Jim Leach and George H.W. Bush. Tuesday, Oct. 28, 1986 (Photo by Brent Hanson/Quad-City Times) "I've always said it was the best race I ever ran," he told the Quad-City Times in a 2007 interview. He ran against Mezvinsky again two years later and won, launching his three-decade career in Congress. During that time, he chaired the Banking and Financial Services Committee, the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. He quickly became known as a moderate Republican who worked across the aisle. Leach was one of six House Republicans who voted against using force against Iraq in 2002. Former U.S. Rep. Jim Leach, R-Iowa, speaks Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018, to members of the League of Women Voters at the Rogalski Center on the campus of St. Ambrose University, Davenport. A Congressional Quarterly study in 2005 found Leach voted with most members of his party against most Democrats at the lowest rate among House members at the time — 63%. In addition to his vote against invading Iraq, he admonished the Republican congressional campaign arm for sending flyers in the 2006 campaign targeting his opponent Dave Loebsack for his stance on gay marriage. His career in Congress ended with a 2006 loss to Loebsack in a Democratic wave across the country. James Estes, second from right, was among those at the opening of the Quad-City Times building in January 1990 because his company built it. Other dignitaries were, from left, Don Decker, Rejuvenate Davenport; Thom Hart, Davenport mayor; Rep. Jim Leach, R-Iowa, and W. Stephen Burguss, Times publisher. Leach then taught at Princeton and Harvard before being appointed as chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities by Barack Obama, where he served in that role from 2009 to 2013. In 2008, Leach broke with his party to endorse Obama for president. He spoke at the Democratic National Convention in support of the future president. After his time as endowment chair, Leach joined the University of Iowa College of Law as a faculty member and at one point as interim director of the Stanley Museum of Art. “Jim Leach contributed significantly to the College of Law after he left Congress,” said Kevin Washburn, dean of the UI College of Law in a prepared news release. “Though not a lawyer, he wrote many laws during his 30 years in Congress, and that made his teaching a rich resource for students and faculty. We will miss him.” Leach donated his public and private papers to the UI Libraries. Leach holds 13 honorary degrees, has received decorations from two foreign governments, and is the recipient of numerous awards. Christiana Bohannan, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Congress and former Congressman Jim Leach, R-Iowa, talk to each other before the start of a press conference Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022 Ahead of the 2020 general election, Leach endorsed Joe Biden . Afterward, he criticized then-President Donald Trump in the wake of his denial of the 2020 election results and the events of Jan. 6, 2021. In 2022 said he had changed his party registration to Democrat for the first time in a further rebuke to his former party. He endorsed Christina Bohannan for Congress over Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks. “My own view is that there is no excuse whatsoever for an insurrection," Leach told the Quad-City Times in 2022. "And that we're in one of the most profound challenges to American democracy ever, excepting the Civil War." Former Congressmen Jim Leach, R-Iowa, center, and Dave Loebsack, right, D-Iowa, talk about their support for Christina Bohannan, Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress, during a press conference at the MLK Interpretive Center Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. 'An all around good guy' Ed Winborn wrestled with Leach in high school, and the two remained friends through life milestones and politics. His daughter babysat the Leaches' children while they were in D.C. and talked frequently. Jim Leach "He's just absolutely wonderful, extremely bright, very humble, just an all-around great guy," Winborn said. "And very honest. You know, people say politicians aren't honest. But Jim's just an extremely honest fella." Winborn hadn't thought about going into politics until Leach suggested it — Winborn went on to become the mayor of Davenport and a long-time Scott County Supervisor. Debby Stafford, a Bettendorf resident who volunteered, then managed his campaign in the 1970s and 1980s said Leach "was everything you would expect a statesmen would be." "He was honest, articulate, hard-working, he cared deeply about his constituents," Stafford said. "He had such moral fiber. You never had to doubt he would do the right thing." She said he refused to accept money from political action committees and didn't take more than $500 from an individual, which she said challenged campaign operations because others financed their campaigns with larger donations. "He wouldn't give an inch on that," Stafford said. "...20 years ago, he was talking about civility in government and importance of civility in government. Every year it seems we get less civil in our politics and I wish more people like Jim would run for office." An obituary for Leach posted by Lensing Funeral and Cremation Services said a celebration of life would be held in the spring. He is survived by his wife Elisabeth, two children and two grandchildren. Iowa leaders react to Leach's death Sad to hear of the passing of former Cong Jim Leach I served w him for many yrs & he was a friend He served the ppl of Iowa well Barbara & I are praying for his family Sad to hear of the passing of former Congressman Jim Leach, a true statesman who represented Iowa in Congress for 30 years and was known for his bipartisan efforts. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and loved ones during this time of loss. pic.twitter.com/ikajWEKpfT Kevin and I are saddened to hear of the passing of long-time public servant Jim Leach. As a member of U.S. Congress for 30 years, Jim dedicated his life to serving his country and the state of Iowa. Our prayers are with Jim’s family. I am very saddened by the passing of Jim Leach. Jim served Iowa in Congress for 30 years. He was principled and thoughtful, so much so that he ran afoul of his own party leadership on several issues. Terry and I send our condolences to Deba and the rest of his family. Deeply saddened to hear that Jim Leach passed away. He dedicated his life to serving Iowans & reaching across the aisle. My prayers are with his family during this time. My statement on the passing of former Iowa Congressman Jim Leach: pic.twitter.com/Slltzput5h Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Bettendorf, East Moline, and Silvis Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.RFK Jr. Once Compared Trump To Hitler
Workers in Southern California’s lesser-compensated counties are getting the bigger pay hikes. My trusty spreadsheet reviewed quarterly wage stats from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics for the second quarter, focusing on details for 29 California counties and seven from Southern California. The 9.9 million local workers collectively saw annualized earnings rise 3.6% in 12 months to an average $75,600 annual wage. By the way, Southern California’s workforce is roughly the size of all the employees in New York state or the Netherlands. Details Let’s start with paying the Inland Empire and its big logistics industries. Across San Bernardino County, annual wages rose 5.3% in a year to $62,504 for 837,800 workers. That’s the region’s biggest raise – but its only eighth-best out of the among 29 California counties tracked by the report. Meanwhile, neighboring Riverside County had 4.3% increases (No. 14 statewide) to $59,384 for 836,100 workers. And in Santa Barbara County, an economy heavy with hospitality jobs, wages were up 4.7% (No. 9 statewide) to $67,496 for 222,400 workers. Now, let’s contrast those raises better-paid parts of Southern California. These counties have higher concentrations of workers at technology and business-services companies. Orange County’s one-year raises averaged 4.2% (No. 15 statewide) to $78,312 for 1.65 million workers. Los Angeles County pay was up 4.1% increase (No. 16) to $79,768 for 4.5 million workers. In Ventura County, there was a 3.2% increase (No. 19) to $68,068 for 339,100 workers. And then contemplate San Diego County, with the region’s best pay. These 1.54 million workers got the smallest raises statewide – only a 0.1% increase to $79,352. Bottom line Stronger raises at the bottom of the pay spectrum earlier in 2024 likely reflect hikes in various minimum wages and continued staffing challenges for bosses in lower-paying industries. Southern California pay hikes were significantly below what bosses handed out in nine Bay Area counties, which amounted to 6.1% increases to $138,900-a-year wage for 4 million workers. By the way, the state’s biggest raises were in Santa Clara County – a 10% jump to $188,864 for its 1.1 million workers. Southern California also trailed 13 other California counties in the study, where collectively pay was up 4% in a year to $64,300 for 3.1 million workers. Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com Some of my popular tales of 2024 ...Once called a "monument of failure" of the UPA government by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) was one of the flagship schemes launched during the Manmohan Singh government's first tenure, and it proved to be a lifeline for rural workers during the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020. Launched in 2005, the MGNREGS was one of the first major schemes brought by the Manmohan Singh government, which at that time had Left parties supporting it. The UPA government had then described it as a "landmark in our history in removing poverty from the face of the nation". The National Advisory Council (NAC) chaired by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, which had several social activists and experts in an advisory role to the prime minister, also played a key role in shaping the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) based on the 'Right to Work'. The MGNREGA aims at enhancing the livelihood security of rural households by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household that has adult members engaged in unskilled manual work. The scheme was lauded for its impact on reducing distress migration from villages. However, as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government came to power in 2014, it appeared to be critical of the UPA's flagship rural job scheme and reports surfaced that it may be restricted to the most backward districts, triggering a backlash from activists. In 2015, Modi said in the Lok Sabha that the MGNREGS should not be discontinued as it is a "living monument" of the Congress's failure to tackle poverty in 60 years. Also Read: MGNREGA: Choking it to a slow death Paying tribute to former prime minister Manmohan Singh today, activist Nikhil Dey said the fulfilment of the National Common Minimum Programme initiated by the NAC and backed by social movements brought "significant and path-breaking economic rights legislations", empowering the unorganised and marginalised sectors through basic entitlements to food, employment, education and land, amongst others. "Manmohan Singh is considered to be the person who heralded economic liberalisation in India in the early 1990s. Yet the UPA government that he headed came to power in 2004, with a message from India's electorate that for a vast number of people, India was not shining and the market had not given them the benefits of economic growth," Dey said. He said the reforms undertaken during the UPA regime have withstood hostility from "market fundamentalists and subsequent governments" and have shown their enormous value, particularly during periods of economic recession — including Covid. "While there were many voices even in his cabinet who critiqued and opposed these measures, it was clear that Dr Manmohan Singh had himself realised that the market could not be relied on for distributive growth and ordinary people would have to be empowered economically, socially and politically for India to address poverty, malnutrition and deprivation," Dey said. The MGNREGA proved to be a lifeline for many in 2020, when a lockdown was enforced due to the Covid-19 pandemic, triggering a massive reverse migration to villages. According to a 2022 study conducted by the Azim Premji University in a partnership with the National Consortium of Civil Society Organisations on MGNREGA and Collaborative Research and Dissemination (CORD), the scheme helped compensate between 20 per cent and 80 per cent of the income loss incurred because of the lockdown for the most-vulnerable households. Former bureaucrat and activist Aruna Roy, who was a member of the NAC and played a crucial role in several rights-based laws being brought during the UPA regime, said the government under Singh introduced a range of reforms and favoured transparency. "The Manmohan Singh government initiated social audits in MGNREGA and was aware that transparency was an essential prerequisite to the more effective functioning of social sector legislations with a vast canvas, such as the employment guarantee, the right to food, the right to education and the forest rights Acts," Roy said. According to a recent statement from the rural development ministry, more than 6.7 crore workers from about 5 crore families across the country have been provided employment through MGNREGA in the 2024–25 financial year so far and more than half of the beneficiaries are women. Singh died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on Thursday, 26 December 2024, at the age of 92. A seven-day national mourning has been declared in his honour. Also Read: Let Manmohan Singh’s last rites be at a place fit for a memorial: Kharge to Modi
Liverpool receive new referee verdict after Premier League instant VAR statement vs Leicester
