Given the density of Jonathan Narcisse's ideas and plans, he's smart to dispense the easy-to-grasp metaphor or example.

"Imagine you have a kid who hasn't cleaned his room for six months," Narcisse said in a phone interview last week. "And you can try to go in and you can try to clean the room. Or you can get some heavy-duty garbage bags and just go through that room and basically throw everything away, except the bed, the dresser, and a couple other things."

The 47-year-old Narcisse, a former member of the Des Moines school board, is running an independent candidacy for Iowa governor, appearing on the ballot under The Iowa Party banner. And he wants to approach Iowa state government with some heavy-duty garbage bags in hand. (Full disclosure: River Cities' Reader Publisher Todd McGreevy is a co-chair of Iowans for a Fair Debate, which is pushing for Narcisse to be included in gubernatorial debates.)

Narcisse's proposals are radical in the sense that they have no respect for the status quo. Narcisse thinks the two major-party candidates - Governor Chet Culver and former Governor Terry Branstad - are like parents who think a light cleaning is good enough. He disagrees: "We just literally wipe out the massive bureaucracy, because at the end of the day, we spend that money wiser."

In total, Narcisse is proposing cutting state and local taxes by $1.5 billion to $2 billion a year, with the caveat that equivalent spending reductions must precede tax cuts. For perspective, the Iowa Revenue Estimating Conference in March put the state's Fiscal Year 2011 general-fund receipts at $6.6 billion.

That type of bold plan has the potential to connect with voters who are dissatisfied with government and politicians.

A pair of governors -- one current and one former -- will headline Iowa's major-party fundraisers in the months before the November election.

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will headline the Iowa GOP's Ronald Reagan Dinner on September 17; Palin was last in the state in December, for a book signing in Sioux City.

Tickets for the event are $100 each or $1,000 for a table of eight. The Iowa GOP is also offering Iowans the opportunity to volunteer at any of its 10 statewide "Victory Centers" in exchange for a ticket to the "Salute to Freedom" dinner.

A month after Palin's appearance, the Iowa Democratic Party will host Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell as the keynote speaker for the October 16 Jefferson Jackson Dinner.

Governor Chet Culver used an appearance at the Iowa State Fair to say mistakes have been made under his watch, and to tell the approximately 100 fairgoers that he takes full responsibility for those mistakes.

"There's been a lot of criticism, there's been a lot of questions about things we've done or we've not done ... and I want to say that some of that criticism is justified and that we have made our fair share of mistakes," Culver said. "And I take full responsibility for those things that have happened in various state agencies, that happened on my watch, and I take responsibility for those mistakes that have been made."

Culver later elaborated, saying scandals in the Iowa Film Office and the Alcoholic Beverages Division are his responsibility, and that he must do all he can to effectively manage government and limit those mistakes. "The thing I feel good about is that we've replaced those individuals that were responsible and as quickly as I learned about those things, I acted, but I still take responsibility," Culver said.

Iowa Republicans believe they can regain control of the Iowa House in the November election, although they agree with Democrats that the 16 seats left open because of retirements after the 2010 legislative session will play a key role in determining who will call the shots over the next two years.

Republicans note that they have the largest field of candidates since 1994 -- when they picked up 13 seats in the House -- and that 25 Republicans are running unopposed compared to just 11 Democrats.

"Republicans have a tremendous opportunity to win back the Iowa House, and the candidates we have give us a tremendous opportunity to win significant seats and knock on the door of winning back the Iowa Senate," said Republican Party of Iowa Chair Matt Strawn.