Iowa governor scores a spot on the national stage

Wow! Our small state’s governor will be giving the Republican response to the president’s State of the Union address. There really are rewards for dutifully enacting the national Republican Party’s dictates on discriminating against LGBTQ+ athletes, starving public school funding while promoting the use of public moneys for private schools, enriching Republican donors with tax benefits, and maintaining that we must “live” regardless of a pandemic that has killed over 8,900 Iowans.

I fervently hope and pray that Iowans understand these legislative actions as the promotion of nationalistic authoritarianism, and not representative of a majority of Iowans. Who are your locally elected state senators and representatives? Have you communicated what you think they should be doing to improve the lives of Iowans? Here are a few ideas. Enact tax reform that helps those who need it the most. Enact water quality standards that are measurable and hold polluters accountable. Listen to scientists and reform the Department of Natural Resource’s guidelines that currently allow large scale livestock operations in vulnerable karst regions. Fund our state parks and recreation areas, including staff. Allow farmers to sell their property for conservation purposes at market value. Stop denigrating teachers.

Walt Stephenson

Cedar Rapids