2019
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Iowa GOP Rep Calls Trans Flag-Flying A ‘Rainbow Jihad’
The acknowledgment of transgender Iowans appears to have deeply upset a pair of Republican lawmakers in Iowa. State Rep. Skyler Wheeler called the flying of a transgender flag over the Iowa Capitol for a few minutes “one of the most egregious acts of political aggression I’ve ever seen.” In an interview with The Iowa Standard,…
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Joni Ernst’s Issue With ‘Boyfriend Loophole’ Holds Up VAWA
Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst and California Sen. Dianne Feinstein have worked together this year on legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. That is, until negotiations stalled over language dictating whether a dating partner or stalker could be barred from owning a firearm. The fight over the so-called “boyfriend loophole” has held up much-needed…
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One Country Tracking The Rural Political Chatter On Social Media
Are the impeachment hearings moving many rural voters’ opinion of President Donald Trump? Short answer: they’re sort of not. Anti-impeachment sentiment has actually gotten stronger amongst rural voters in swing states over the last couple of months. One Country Project, an organization started by former North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp to help Democrats understand how…
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Out Of The Debates, Marianne Williamson Visited Her Iowa Stronghold Instead
Marianne Williamson was not on the debate stage Wednesday night in Atlanta. The last time she qualified for a debate was in July when she spoke for about nine minutes over the course of a long night. Instead, she hosted an event in Fairfield, Iowa, home to her one, unique stronghold of support in the…
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Mayors Presidential Forum Is Coming To Waterloo
The issues and challenges that Iowa cities face will get their time on the national stage early next month, as the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Accelerator for America brings a major presidential forum to Waterloo. Mayor Quentin Hart of Waterloo will welcome candidates to his city to discuss topics from housing to transportation to…
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Elizabeth Warren Lands New Iowa Endorsements After Debate
Elizabeth Warren brought her number of Iowa state legislator endorsements to ten today following last night’s Democratic debate. Cedar Rapids State Representative Art Staed announced he’d be in Warren’s corner on caucus night, along with 24 other notable Iowa Democratic and community leaders. “Elizabeth Warren has the passion and intellect to unite and lead our…
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What Iowans Thought Of A More Substantive Democratic Debate
Iowans gathered around TV screens across the state this evening to watch the fifth Democratic debate, and the Starting Line team was out there with them in the Des Moines area. There were less “neutral site” debate watch locations as Iowa activists start to make up their mind, so we attended more candidate-specific events. Tonight’s…
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Iowa First State To Fly Trans Flag Over Capitol For Transgender Day Of Rememberance
For the Transgender Day of Remembrance, Iowa Safe Schools made history and flew the transgender pride flag at the Iowa State Capitol Building. Nate Monson, the executive director of Iowa Safe Schools, said it sent an important message to Iowans. “Doing something like having a flag flying over the Capitol is a message and a…
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Extend The START Nuclear Treaty: How Iowans Can Make A Safer World
Guest op-ed from Deborah Rosenblum, Executive Vice President, Nuclear Threat Initiative. She will be holding an event Thursday, 11/20 at Levitt Hall at Drake University, noon to 1:00 PM. For nearly a half-century, the world’s nuclear superpowers have been bound by a set of agreements reducing and limiting the size of their nuclear arsenals. These…
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IA-01: GOP Megadonor Really Doesn’t Like Unions
Americas PAC, a Marion-based super PAC, largely is funded by a wealthy Illinois man who has made dismantling labor unions a key focus of his campaign donations. Todd Dorman, a columnist with the Cedar Rapids Gazette, wrote this week about Americas PAC and how it is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a 12-week…
