Letter: GOP disregarded Iowans during session

The GOP-run state legislature has shown blatant disregard for the majority of Iowans. Republican legislators have demonstrated they would rather please certain special interest groups and corporations and punish groups they disagree with rather than do the people's will.

In 2013 the legislature gave massive tax breaks to corporations in the vain hope trickle-down economics would yield more jobs. That failed. Now state revenues are down and this session had to do not one but two big budget cuts to public education, social programs, judicial access and research centers. In fact, Republican legislators made bigger cuts than the governor requested.

Even with decreased revenues, the Republican legislature has turned down millions of federal dollars for women's health services provided by Planned Parenthood, rather than alienate special interest groups. This despite the fact that no federal funds can go to abortion services anyway. With less money available, the Republicans want 'approved” (re: anti-abortion) organizations to reinvent the wheel and backfill those services.

The Republicans would rather cater to corporations and groups pushing their own agendas rather than to what the majority of Iowans want. Local wage control, access to courts, good schools and universities, health care, union bargaining, environmental stewardship, public safety were all disregarded as the GOP rammed their legislation through. Look for increased poverty rates, lower quality of education, increased shooting incidents, and poorer quality of life, especially for those with lower incomes. Too bad local Republican legislators won't even go to local forums to hear constituents!

Anne Salamon

Cedar Rapids