2nd District: Miller-Meeks wants to stand up to 'arrogant, overreaching' federal government

 Mariannette Miller-Meeks pulls off her campaign lapel pin and pulls on her white lab coat as she hurries through the rain into the Cedar Rapids Community Free Clinic. 

Despite a campaign schedule that started well before her 8 a.m. meeting with folks at the Edgewood Boulevard Burger King, and won't end until after an evening house party in Hiawatha and return trip to Ottumwa, Miller-Meeks continues to volunteer her time at the clinic, seeing patients with vision concerns. 

“I have to keep my skills up,” says Miller-Meeks, an ophthalmologist, who left a private practice in Ottumwa to campaign for the Republican nomination for the 2

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District seat in the U.S. House. 

An hour later, she's back in her family's van that already has 379,000 miles on it and heads for a Kalona to meet with home school students who are finishing a course on the Constitution. Miller-Meeks encourages the students to get involved in politics, which she defines a broad way. 

“People tend to think of politics as something way up there that doesn't involve us, but politics is the engagement of people,” she says. “Every day you are involved. If you help a neighbor or pick up trash, that doesn't sound like politics, but you are engaging in your community. You can influence your community, regardless of your age.” 

Miller-Meeks admits she was content to influence her community by contributing to candidates. It wasn't until she went to Washington to meet with members of congress as president of the Iowa Medical Society that her attitude changed. 

After an unsuccessful run for the 2

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District seat two years ago, Miller-Meeks barely paused before wading into the health care reform debate and a second campaign. She traveled Eastern Iowa to speak at forums on congressional health care reform plans, sometimes challenging Democratic Rep. Dave Loebsack in town hall meetings. 

Miller-Meeks' campaign seems to be about playing  “small ball” -- she concentrates her efforts on meeting small groups of people believing that gives them the best chance to get to know her. 

“I try to connect to the voter,” she said. 

At Burger King, the conversation runs from taxes to taxidermy with a measure of politics, including an introduction to George Hill of Cedar Rapids, who John Erceg introduces as the group's token Democrat. 

“Just because I'm a Democrats doesn't mean I'm satisfied with everything that's going on,” he tells Miller-Meeks. She assures him that just because she's a Republican doesn't mean she agrees with everything her party did when it was in power. 

Like many at those meetings, Miller-Meeks shares some sentiments with the Tea Party movement, especially what she sees as its anger over an “arrogant and overreaching” federal government. She's encouraged at how the movement is “moving people from apathy to action.” 

The federal government “appears to be an elite governing group – almost like a monarchy,” she said. “That has invigorated people against government as a whole. There is a lack of responsiveness, even an acknowledgement of people's concerns.” 

“I'm mad,” Brandon Heefner, who operates a family business in Cedar Rapids, tells Miller-Meeks. “I've worked too hard to give all my money to the government.” 

 The consensus of this group is that the federal government treats citizens like they aren't smart enough to make decisions for themselves. They want to know what Miller-Meeks can do to change that. 

“People start out with good ideas, but they go to Washington and come back ugly,” says Barb Lindstrom, who hosted an after-hours meet-and-greet at Trade Show Marketing in southwest Cedar Rapids. 

“My job,” Miller-Meeks says, “is to stand up for the little person, to be their voice. “I think one person can make a difference and collectively we can make change.” 

It will take a collective effort to defeat Loebsack in the heavily Democratic 2

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District, Miller-Meeks acknowledges. However, without Barack Obama on the ticket and with Democrats showing little enthusiasm for Gov. Chet Culver, Loebsack might be vulnerable. 

Republicans and independents are more motivated this year than Democrats, according to Miller-Meeks. 

“It's not an unwinnable district,” she says. 

Miller-Meeks has made a believer of Keith Wright of Marion, who introduced the 4-foot, 11-inch candidate as “the candidate who name is longer than she is.” 

“This is the most important vote since I've been alive,” he said. “If we let the people in office continue it will be harder to take back our country.” 

“This is a turnaround election,” Miller-Meeks says. “Besides, what's going to motivate the Democratic base to come out this year? Chet Culver?”

Name: Mariannette Miller-Meeks 

Age: 54 

City of Residence: Ottumwa 

Political Party: Republican 

Education: bachelor's in nursing, Texas Christian University; master's in education, University of Southern California; medical degree, University of Texas at San Antonio; University of Iowa Ophthalmology Residency; University of Michigan Glaucoma Fellowship 

Occupation: Ophthalmologist 

Related Experience: president, Iowa Medical Society 

Family: Husband, Curt; two children 

Contact:

www.millermeeks.com;

Mariannette@millermeeks.com; PO Box 3091, Iowa City, Iowa 52244; (641) 777-4251