Iowa's Failure to Fund Education May Be Due to GOP Corruption

TAKE ACTION NOW!

Marcy Mattison of Cedar Rapids posted a comment to the National Grassroots Yahoo Group regarding the financial collusion going on in the Iowa Statehouse that is keeping GOP senators & reps. from passing funding for education. I quote the following:

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“Even though our state has a reputation for a terrific education system, it is being crippled by the double whammy of No Child and conservative stonewalling.

Then this:

I recently spoke with a friend about her recent trip to Des Moines with the Cedar Rapids Jefferson students who had prepared a video in support of continued funding for education. They visited several representatives to lobby for the Dem's education tax bill. The Republicans listened politely and for the most part, blew them off. A conversation with a Dem revealed one of the reasons: apparently every Republican who toes the line by opposing ANY new taxes – no matter how vital to the state – will be rewarded from the GOP's deep pockets; break rank, and the funds go away. They are selling our state's future for their own gain. One or two have decided to take a stand against the pressure: Mary Lundby (R – Marion) is one that I know of.

If you have any more information on this sell-out in the State house, please share it – more people have to hear about this.  Talk about corrupted!! This is one more place where grassroots efforts can highlight and possibly correct a problem. I hope we can come up with some strategic responses beginning with getting the word out!
Thanks –
Marcy”

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We need a place on this Blog where these kinds of issues can be posted easily and action taken accordingly. To my thinking at least, what will make us effective as a group, is not only to activate the grassroots on national issues, but also issues that impact us here in Iowa directly. This is one such issue, and EVERY GOP legislator in the Iowa Statehouse should be pressed on this issue.  Are they refusing to act to help our schools in exchange for campaign financial assistance from the state or national GOP?  I am writing my own Senator, David Miller, on this issue right now. If he or any other GOP waffles in the slightest degree, we should be finding and supporting Dems. who will toss them out at the earliest opportunity.

To find your Iowa legislators, go here.

by Phil on 2004.04.13 11:10AM CDT  

Thanks for passing this along, Phil.  To get an issue or action item posted on the main blog, please contact Linda.