President Obama got his start on the road to the White House right here in  
Iowa, at the caucuses, in January 2008.
 
It's ironic, therefore, but not surprising, that the issues most important  
over the long term to Iowa were never mentioned during caucus campaigning  or 
during the rest of the primary and election season.
 
I am referring to land use, meaning protection of Iowa farmland from urban  
sprawl "development"; transportation, meaning whether we continue to build more 
 highways and thus destroy--by means of the urban sprawl which highways  
promote--even more Iowa farmland, or invest instead in enviromentally sound  modes 
of transportation such as railroads; and agricultural biotechnology, which  
has made Iowa arguably the most genetically engineered place on earth, and 
which  is literally shredding the web of life.
 
Recent events, such as today's speech by Mr. Obama at a highway  construction 
site, in which he called for more road building to stimulate the  economy and 
create jobs, and the appointment of Tom Vilsack, a fervent supporter  of the 
agricultural biotech industry, as Secretary of Agriculture, do  not bode well 
for Iowa's future.
 
On the eve of Lincoln's 200th birthday it is being widely noted how our  
Civil War president was continually growing in thought and wisdom. We know that  
Mr. Obama looks to Lincoln as an inspiration. We remember too that  Franklin 
Roosevelt once told a group of progressive activists (I paraphrase)  that I 
agree with what you want me to do, now make me do it.
 
With pressure from the right people, it is likely that President  Obama, like 
President Franklin Roosevelt, can be made to do what  is right. Doing what is 
right for Iowa, and for the world, must include, in my  opinion, dealing with 
the issues I have touched on above. This  will mean work, a lot of work. 
 
Is this work that the Iowa Chapter of Sierra Club is capable of, and  willing 
to do? 
 
Thomas Mathews
Des Moines, Iowa
(Central Iowa Group)
**************The year's hottest artists on the red carpet at the Grammy 
Awards.  AOL Music takes you there. 
(http://music.aol.com/grammys?ncid=emlcntusmusi00000002)

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