Research campaigns before voting

Tobacco companies poured money into suppressing medical research and convincing people that smoking cigarettes did not contribute to cancer.

People continued to purchase and use toxic products, filling the company coffers.

Oil, gas and coal barons spent millions on attacks challenging climate change science as they continued to profit while polluting air, water and land and developing more environmentally damaging extraction techniques such as fracking.

Gun manufacturers and sellers, funding the NRA lobby, have spent years convincing people that guns are for self-defense and recreation and people kill people while they profit from sales of assault rifles, high-capacity ammunition clips, bump stocks as well as handguns and rifles.

Iowa for-profit banks portray nonprofit, member-owned credit unions as tax dodgers so they can get their own taxes reduced and put more money into pockets of their shareholders.

Follow the money. Think about funding for legislation and campaigns as we head into election season.

Nancy Sauerman

Cedar Rapids