OTTUMWA – 2nd District Congressional Candidate, Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks said today that only one thing is lacking in the fight to get help for the victims of Iowa's June flooding: leadership.

"We've got Congressmen blaming the bureaucracy. We've got the bureaucracy blaming Congressmen. We've got large cities pitted against the small cities and rural areas. We've got state legislators and mayors blaming the Governor. We've got a lot of finger pointers, but no leaders; a lot of lapdogs, but no bulldogs. Pointing fingers and pushing paper at each other isn't going to keep Iowan's warm this fall and winter, or get their businesses reopened," Miller-Meeks stated.

Miller-Meeks noted Congressman Loebsack's efforts in obtaining crucial Iowa disaster relief have been "lackluster and lazy" since the initial appropriation of $2.65 billion was passed on June 19, 2008.  "Since that first appropriation was authorized, Congressman Loebsack has gone AWOL…Absent Without Leadership. He has now devolved to the level of a bureaucratic paper-pusher, sending letters and pointing the blame elsewhere," Miller-Meeks added.

Miller-Meeks noted, "The Constitution stipulates that Congress should appropriate money to ‘provide for the general welfare.'  I believe in small government, but if there was ever a time government is compelled to provide for its citizens, that time is now."

Miller-Meek added, "I think Congressman Loebsack needs to take a good look in the mirror and ask not what the Bush administration can do for him, but what he can do for Iowa.  Congressman Loebsack wasn't elected to point fingers or send letters blaming others; he was elected to work for his people. He is not getting the job done."