June 2019
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Pete Buttigieg Only Candidate With Plan For Expanded Supreme Court
Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is the only candidate among 21 who has laid out a full vision for reforming the Supreme Court. Though many other candidates have recognized the need for reform, Buttigieg has advocated for expanding the number of justices during his campaign. His idea for the expansion would put…
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New Finkenauer Bill Focuses On ‘Ignored’ Rural Health Care Providers
Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer was back in her home district this Monday to introduce a new piece of legislation centered on helping health care providers cover the costs of serving Medicare recipients. At St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Finkenauer laid out the pieces of the “Keeping Physicians Serving Patients Act of 2019,” a bipartisan bill…
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Violence Against Workers Spikes At Independence Facility
Four staff members were attacked while working at the Independence Mental Health Institute over a nine day period, according to an AFSCME Council 61 statement earlier today. The incidents began on June 6 when a residential treatment worker was hit on the head and jaw by a patient who escaped restraints. The staff member is…
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Iowa Republican Leaders Brag About Their Court Appointee Success
Sen. Chuck Grassley and other top Iowa Republican leaders made it clear over the weekend what they view as their party’s signature accomplishment in recent years: a conservative takeover of the judiciary at all levels. With the 15 minutes he had to speak at Sen. Joni Ernst’s Roast and Ride on Saturday, Grassley spent about…
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Iowa Labor Lawsuits Pile Up, But State Rarely Gets Punished
At least seven unions have filed lawsuits against the State of Iowa since collective bargaining rules changed in 2017. Complaints have been filed against the Iowa Board of Regents, the State of Iowa and the Public Employment Relations Board for alleged unfair treatment of public safety employees and for questions about the validity of agreements…
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Iowans Appreciate Candidates Like O’Rourke’s New LGBTQ Plans
Health care discussions in the presidential primary have increasingly begun to include specific ideas for the LGBTQ community. Beto O’Rourke recently rolled out his “LGBTQ+ Equality” policy proposal aimed at ensuring everyone can “live openly without fear of discrimination or violence.” “What I appreciated [about the proposal] at first was that we need to address…
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The Caravan Congress Should Be Focused On
A small caravan crossed the United States border last month, but this was not the kind of caravan that has been in the news for more than a year. The caravan was not being led by a “coyote” who was guiding hundreds of illegal immigrants to the border so they could try to sneak into…
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Kirsten Gillibrand Stakes Out Strongest Women’s Health Platform In Plans, Actions
When it comes to reproductive rights and women’s health, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand from New York has staked out one of the strongest positions in the presidential field. Before she officially launched her candidacy in March, Gillibrand had already declared she was running a campaign focused on feminism. Since then, Gillibrand has been vocal about issues…
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Iowa Reps. Konfrst, Nielsen, Smith: Together, We Will Rise With Cory Booker
A guest post from Iowa State Representatives Jennifer Konfrst, Amy Nielsen, Mark Smith. For centuries, our nation has served as a beacon of hope to the rest of the world because of Americans rising above our differences and celebrating what we had in common — being part of one of the first Democratic experiments in…
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Ep106: Ernst Kick-Off, NJ Governor Phil Murphy Interview
Iowa Starting Line Podcast host Pat Rynard and federal reporter Libby Meyer recap Joni Ernst’s first speech for her reelection campaign. And we interview New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, who was in Iowa last week to support Cory Booker in the Iowa Caucus.
