The
last week of the 2005 session of the Iowa legislature is upon us and it
seems that instead of trying to get their feet out the door, some are
trying to get their feet out of their mouths.

Last week I told you about the egregious remark that Senator Iverson
made regarding the minimum wage issue. “The minimum wage really isn’t a
huge issue because I don’t know anybody working for that,” said Senator
Iverson.

Would you like to meet some, Senator?

Not to be outdone, Senator Mark Zieman, a Republican from Postville,
described government workers as “bottom feeders out there with their
hand out.” This was during senate debate on the state’s public
retirement system. It was later reported that Senator Zieman has
received more than $1 million in farm subsidies since 1995. When asked
about this, Senator Zieman replied, “I readily admit I got’ em and I
admitted at the time that I’m one of those people that’s using the
system.”

So then, are you also a bottom feeder, Senator?

In the closing week of the 2005 session, it appears as though the tax credits are flying.

There is an interesting proposal in the House that would extend a tax
credit of up to $10,000 if you donate a kidney or bone marrow. “I’m not
saying that everybody’s going to rush out and give away a kidney or
anything,” said Representative Linda Upmeyer, a Republican from Garner.

I would say that’s probably a safe bet, Linda.

There’s talk of tax breaks for people who donate to private schools as
well. Representative Christopher Rants, a Republican from Sioux City,
is in support of this saying, “We want to have those schools as a
viable alternative so people have some choice of where to send their
kids to school.”

Are you under the false impression that you have properly funded public education in this state, Senator?

Let’s not limit the wordplay to state politics, 4th District U.S.
Representative Tom Latham was in town again the other day. It’s kind of
funny, through the fall campaign you couldn’t find the man, and now it
seems like he’s everywhere. Anyway, he spoke to a government class at
NIACC yesterday, and offered up these nuggets.

On Terry Schiavo, he said that he has “real reservations about Congress
getting involved in situations like this” but that they didn’t vote on
whether or not to remove the feeding tube, but “whether the federal
court should have jurisdiction and I voted for that.”  

With all due respect sir, you got involved in an unprecedented way and there’s no turning back.

On No Child Left Behind, he said that like many federal programs “the
intent is good, but the implementation is not always perfect.”

Well, at least you admit it, Tom.