Food Bank veto should lead to Statehouse sacrifice

Gov. Terry Branstad dropped a bunch of bill signings and vetoes on the doorstep of the holiday weekend, when I was away from my post. Included in the pile was a curious veto of $500,000 for the Food Bank of Iowa.

Desmoinesdem over at Bleeding Heartland has written a definitive and exhaustive account of this cold, cold gubernatorial shoulder. He later signed a proclamation declaring June "Are there no Workhouses?" month. OK, maybe not.

In his veto message, Branstad noted that he's led fund drives for the Food Bank and its "important work," but he just thinks private donations are best. (And if that doesn't work, let them eat lean finely textured beef.)

This just doesn't feel right. There has to be a way to balance the governor's desire for private bucks with the need for our top state leaders to pitch in to help the food bank fund the considerable and growing need for its services.

No worries. I've got a solution.

Next year, all the special interest groups that normally hold free feeds for legislators and other Statehouse types can simply donate every dime of the money that they would have spent on those affairs to the Food Bank of Iowa. That should be a very nice budget boost.

I'd call it  "Fight Hunger, Starve a Fat Cat." Catchy.

Admittedly, I hate to see lawmakers, and maybe even the governor, go hungry. They do "important work."

But I also worry about what all this free grub may do to our leaders' ambition, initiative and work ethic. I'd hate to see them become a dependent class. Today, it's just a few cocktail shrimp. Tomorrow, it's full-blown European socialism. Swedish meatballs, even. So I think we need to act now, with some tough love.

You're welcome.