Dear Iowa Democratic Party Candidates,
How are you? You may or may not have noticed that the Republicans in our state are making a solid case to retain their leadership in November. They point at low unemployment, increased manufacturing, a poll that shows Iowa is one of the best places to live. They are painting the picture that with them at the wheel, things are getting better. And you're saying what?
Iowa is a state where 1/2 of the population is not working either because they are too old or too young. This means that those who are working are carrying a lot of weight. Wages need to be increased for sure--and good of you to kind of talk about that. But, how about pushing to keep more young adult aged Iowans in Iowa? Between UNI, ISU, and UI, we educate over 80,000 students and only about 55% stay in Iowa upon graduation.
Iowa is also a state that has a pretty amazing healthcare system that is being undercut by privatizing medicare and cutting resources for training. Why not create a single-payer system using these great existing resources and putting services where they are needed? How about your plan to shore up a failing mental health system that has watched consolidations without improvement to care?
And what a great time to be pro-farmer? With the federal government making it harder than ever to make it as a farmer, unless you're one of the big boys, what's your plan to help farmers to farm? At the same time, can your plans also help use clean up the water supply in our state? Can your plans give back local control for CAFO approvals, encourage sustainable farming practices and deal with runoff issues?
What about education policy? Do you have ideas to help rural and small towns to have schools that meet the educational needs of their students? Can teachers continue to make good earnings for good work and be able to also have healthcare and other benefits that are affordable?
And what about labor? Is it good to allow Republicans to dismantle labor laws and to get rid of collective bargaining and even the Labor Center, as if the middle class would have been around without labor fighting for it? What is your message for the hardworking Iowans who are not seeing much more income, but are seeing more inflation taking away from what they bring home.
What about jails and prisons in Iowa. What is your plan to make sure that we don't incarcerate unfairly and make it less likely that prisoners will be returning to prison?
Iowans need to hear from you about that.
Best of Luck,
Popular Progressive (Redux)
How are you? You may or may not have noticed that the Republicans in our state are making a solid case to retain their leadership in November. They point at low unemployment, increased manufacturing, a poll that shows Iowa is one of the best places to live. They are painting the picture that with them at the wheel, things are getting better. And you're saying what?
Iowa is a state where 1/2 of the population is not working either because they are too old or too young. This means that those who are working are carrying a lot of weight. Wages need to be increased for sure--and good of you to kind of talk about that. But, how about pushing to keep more young adult aged Iowans in Iowa? Between UNI, ISU, and UI, we educate over 80,000 students and only about 55% stay in Iowa upon graduation.
Iowa is also a state that has a pretty amazing healthcare system that is being undercut by privatizing medicare and cutting resources for training. Why not create a single-payer system using these great existing resources and putting services where they are needed? How about your plan to shore up a failing mental health system that has watched consolidations without improvement to care?
And what a great time to be pro-farmer? With the federal government making it harder than ever to make it as a farmer, unless you're one of the big boys, what's your plan to help farmers to farm? At the same time, can your plans also help use clean up the water supply in our state? Can your plans give back local control for CAFO approvals, encourage sustainable farming practices and deal with runoff issues?
What about education policy? Do you have ideas to help rural and small towns to have schools that meet the educational needs of their students? Can teachers continue to make good earnings for good work and be able to also have healthcare and other benefits that are affordable?
And what about labor? Is it good to allow Republicans to dismantle labor laws and to get rid of collective bargaining and even the Labor Center, as if the middle class would have been around without labor fighting for it? What is your message for the hardworking Iowans who are not seeing much more income, but are seeing more inflation taking away from what they bring home.
What about jails and prisons in Iowa. What is your plan to make sure that we don't incarcerate unfairly and make it less likely that prisoners will be returning to prison?
Iowans need to hear from you about that.
Best of Luck,
Popular Progressive (Redux)
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