4th of July Parades a Big Success!!!
July 7, 2008 by dannycarroll · Comments Off
We had a very nice July 4th weekend with two parades. The first was in Grinnell on Friday and the weather was great. The Carroll campaign had over 30 children and adults join the float with signs and flags. We were really honored this year to have Bill Owens with his Calliope “music machine”. It was a great addition to the parade.
On Saturday we were in the Montezuma parade and then joined the ceremony on the courthouse lawn to dedicate the Bill of Rights monument. This first in the nation monument to the Bill of Rights is an impressive reminder of those special amendments to the United States Constitution that protect some of our most precious rights as a free people. I thought it was of particular interest that the dedication came only a few days after the US Supreme court upheld the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms.
As the Iowa motto reads…”Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.” What a fitting way to celebrate the Fourth of July by recognizing the importance of the United States Bill of Rights.
Thanks again to all the volunteers and supporters that helped us reach out to the people of Montezuma and Grinnell!
-Danny
Thoughts from the Campaign Trail
July 1, 2008 by dannycarroll · Comments Off
Recently, I was talking with some voters over coffee at the Mayflower Nursing Home in Grinnell. I enjoy these opportunities to talk with you informally. One attendee had recently moved to Iowa from southern California. She had seen the negative effects of illegal immigration on the region and enquired as to my position on the issue.
I replied that I have the same opinion as many Iowans in that everyone should obey the law. We understand the desire of families that want to improve their lot in life by coming to our country for better jobs and living conditions. However, if you want to enter this country to work or visit you must do so according to our laws. Companies that depend on immigrant labor should be held accountable too. They have a responsibility to verify the legal status of their workers. I don’t want to oversimplify the issue but to me it is clear…obey the law. If you choose to ignore our laws then you should not be surprised by the consequences when you are caught.
On another issue, I was pleased to learn that the US Supreme Court upheld the 2nd amendment to the Constitution in its ruling on gun ownership. We could go on at length about the issue of gun ownership, the various kinds of guns and so on. My opinion though is very simple; the 2nd Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms, and secondly if we outlaw guns our citizens will not be safer because criminals will have the upper hand. This right, however, brings with it certain responsibilities. For example, parents should teach their children gun safety and guns should be properly stored and maintained. Just like any tool, they can be dangerous.
I look forward to discussing these issues with you further. See you on the campaign trail.
-Danny