October 2019
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Griping Got Old: Chelsea Chism-Vargas Inspired Me To Action
I’m supporting Chelsea Chism-Vargas for Des Moines City Council, and the reason why is a lot different than my usual line of thinking. In the past, I’ve been perfectly candid about my disappointment with several elected officials in the Des Moines area, including my current city council member, Joe Gatto. When I heard that Chelsea…
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RNC Runs “Desperate” Iowa Impeachment Ads, Democrats Respond
Since Iowa’s House Democrats announced their support on Sept. 24 for the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, the Republican National Committee has blanketed congressional districts with TV ads slamming their decision. One 30-second ad even targeted Rep. Dave Loebsack, who isn’t running for re-election in 2020. “Instead of fixing health care and lowering prescription…
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Michael Bennet’s Housing Plan Focuses On Home Ownership
Presidential candidate Michael Bennet today joined the slate of 2020 democratic hopefuls with detailed housing plans. The Colorado Senator’s plan looks to build more affordable housing near good jobs, help middle-class families rent or purchase a home and reform housing tax incentives on the federal level. Over half of the current democratic candidates campaign for…
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Biden Earns Endorsement From Top Iowa Labor Leader
Bill Gerhard, President of the Iowa State Building and Construction Trades Council, announced his endorsement of Joe Biden for President today. “Born into a working class family in Scranton, Joe Biden will always stand with labor because at his core, he’s one of us,” said Bill Gerhard of Iowa City in a news release. “Whether…
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One Caucus-Goer At A Time, Harris Climbs Back In Iowa
Kamala Harris returned to Iowa this week on a mission: rejuvenate a stalled campaign. The lead-off caucus state is a natural place to stage a comeback, though her new rally playlist specifically directs you to “don’t call it a comeback” via a LL Cool J song. As Harris herself explicitly explained to the crowds in…
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Iowa Dems Blast Pence On Market Disruption, Disrespect To Farmers
Recent weeks have been full of disappointment for Midwest and Iowa farmers and ethanol producers. Amid ethanol and biofuel facility closures, farm bankruptcies and continued economic fallout from a trade war with China that seems to have no end in sight, the Trump Administration has made more empty promises, and even gone as far as…
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Booker On SCOTUS Case: LGBTQ Workers Should Be Protected
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments about whether employers are allowed to discriminate against their employees based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The trio of cases concern two gay men and a transgender woman, all of whom argue they were illegally fired. The argument hangs on how the justices choose to interpret…
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Joni Ernst Refuses To Condemn Soliciting Foreign Interference
Three times in a row yesterday, Sen. Joni Ernst dodged questions about whether it’s appropriate for a president to ask a foreign power to investigate a political rival. After a round of questions from a CNN reporter looking for a “yes” or “no” answer from Ernst, the senator walked away and talked with a few…
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Warren’s New Environmental Plan Addresses Iowa’s Poisoned Water
While nearly all 2020 Democratic presidential candidates have released climate plans, and some frame their policies in the context of social equity, Elizabeth Warren today released a separate plan specifically about environmental justice. The Massachusetts Senator directly addresses rural Iowa’s poisoned drinking water and the state’s recent flooding in her plan, which focuses on tightening…
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The Climate Phrase Tom Steyer Doesn’t Want To Hear
When Tom Steyer visited Crescent last week to tour damage of western Iowa’s third round of major flooding in six months, he was asked a climate question beginning with the clause, “If the science is true … ” Steyer, a Democratic presidential candidate and former California businessman, had a visceral reaction to the statement because he…
