Running to restore the Iowa dream

Sami Scheetz | Iowa House District 78

The American dream is out of reach for many Iowans. Systemic poverty and inequality make it nearly impossible for working people to do better than their parents. Until recently, Iowa was the exception to this unfortunate truth. If you worked hard and played by the rules, you could make it in life. It's the reason my father — despite growing up with foster parents and little financial resources — has been able to have a successful career as an attorney. It's the reason my mother — an immigrant from Damascus, Syria, who came to Iowa more than 35 years ago — is an active member of the community that has become her second home.

Whom you are born to shouldn’t determine your trajectory in life; unfortunately, it now does in Iowa. A decade of Republican leadership has eroded this Iowa Dream. Our education system, once the golden standard, has been gutted by chronic underfunding and the elimination of collective bargaining rights for teachers and other public-sector employees. Moreover, 40,000 people have had basic health services reduced by the disastrous privatization of Medicaid. This, in addition to a litany of other terrible legislation, has made it increasingly difficult for Iowans to escape an unending cycle of poverty.

After a decade of organizing and working in progressive politics, I decided last year that I wanted to have a voice in the future of my state. Through thousands of conversations I’ve had on the campaign trail, I have heard the personal struggles of Iowans and their families: the high costs from record inflation, an unequal criminal justice system, and, generally, that our government is only serving the needs of the wealthy and powerful, and not working people. I’ve talked to countless families who worry that their kids who have left Iowa will never come back.

Cedar Rapids is my home. It is where I was born and raised, and where I intend to raise my family. I am running for the Iowa House of Representatives in District 78 to represent and advocate for the working people of Cedar Rapids. I am going to fight to rebuild our state into a forward thinking, inclusive place where young people choose to build their lives. Iowa can once again become a beacon of hope for those who wish to work hard and succeed. I will work every day to ensure that the Iowa dream becomes a reality once again.

Sami Sheetz is the Democratic candidate in House District 78. Republican candidate Anne Fairchild has not submitted a column.