2017
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Teamsters’ New TeamCAN Partners With Indivisible Iowa
Iowa Teamsters Local 238 has created an exciting new organizing group and are quickly reaching out statewide to partner with other progressive groups. In March they launched a Teamsters Community Action Network (TeamCAN), a 501(c)3 nonprofit which is separate from their traditional Teamsters labor union. The first TeamCAN organizational meeting in Cedar Rapids in March…
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Republicans Show No Fear After Divisive Legislative Session
If Iowa Republicans were concerned about a voter backlash in response to the deeply conservative agenda they passed in the Iowa Statehouse this year, they’re not letting on. After a legislative session in which new GOP majorities passed sweeping rightwing reforms that transformed the very nature of Iowa government and society, Republicans are promising to go even…
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Pete D’Alessandro Launches 3rd District Bid
In what could easily become the most interesting 2018 campaign to watch, Pete D’Alessandro filed papers today to form an exploratory committee for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District. D’Alessandro is a longtime Iowa political operative, with a resume that includes prominent campaign positions for Tom Vilsack, Chet Culver and Leonard Boswell. His most notable recent role was…
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Rural Iowans Give Urban Iowans Some Tough Advice
The Iowa Democratic Party has been conducting a 2016 post-election postmortem on why they lost rural Iowa so badly. One recommendation resurfaces in every one of these autopsies conducted over these losses. The suggestion is that urban Democrats must listen to the needs of rural Iowans if they ever expect to gain their votes. However,…
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It Begins: Klobuchar, Sanders Schedule Iowa Events
In the state where presidential politics never ends, two potential 2020 Democratic contenders have scheduled Iowa visits in the coming months. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar will speak at the Polk County Democrats Spring Dinner on May 7 in Des Moines. Senator Bernie Sanders plans on keynoting Citizens for Community Improvement’s annual convention on July 15,…
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Consumer Rights Eroding Under GOP And Trump Administration
In the first ninety days of Donald Trump’s presidency, his actions speak more to his business background than of politics. He has been frank about his disapproval of government laws, which are oftentimes burdensome to businesses but essential for the safety of consumer rights. He has followed through on his campaign promise of cutting funding…
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Iowans March For Science This Saturday
Science and fact-based scientific research is under attack by Republicans at all levels of government. The national scientific community is asking the public for support. There will be national Science Marches in cities all across the country tomorrow. Here’s the stated mission of the Science March: “The March for Science champions publicly funded and publicly…
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The Case For Staying Involved In 2017
The people of the state of Iowa have been subjected to arguably the most sweeping, malicious legislation in the state’s recent memory. Public schools and family planning services were underfunded. Collective bargaining rights have been quashed, local minimum wages were preempted and lowered, workers compensation laws intentionally weakened, strict limitations passed on abortions, gun restrictions…
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Congressman Blum, I Too Am America
Congressman Rod Blum has caused quite a commotion among many of his constituents, both Republicans and Democrats, for his response to being asked about holding public town hall meetings in his District. Rep. Blum, with an alarming casualness, brushed off the requests claiming that real Americans don’t ask him about town hall meetings. He went on…
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DREAMer Deportation Increases Fear Among Iowa Immigrants
Yesterday’s shocking news on the deportation of Californian Juan Manuel Montes has increased the anxiety in the immigrant community. Montes, 23, came to the United States at age 9 and believed he was protected from deportation under President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA). This is the first reported deportation of a DREAMer…
