This ban goes directly against the 14th amendment to the US constitution and the equal protection clause of the Iowa constitution. In both cases these clauses state simply that laws apply to all citizens equally. You can’t speed and neither can I. You marry whom you love, so can I.

The banning group has all sorts of reasons for their constitutional amendment. So far all have been proven wrong. Iowa has not collapsed since April 2009, nor has marriage in Iowa been destroyed. Now their mantra is the “people must vote” on this. Well then let’s open all rights to a vote. I would be willing to bet that almost all would be voted down, including the right to practice your own religion and the right to free speech. I get an occasional note that I shouldn’t be allowed to speak out. That is why they are rights – there are things that are fundamentally available to all people. One of those rights is that laws must apply equally to all.

I listened to an excerpt of the debate on Youtube with Mary Mascher questioning a couple of Republicans on rights. At one point she questions Rep. Dwayne Alons (R-4th district) whether or not he is a member of a religion. Alons is very careful to answer that he is a Christian. Twice. I broke out laughing. It was like there were only certain right answers that his party would accept. I also got the impression that if he could, the next target would be getting rid of those heathens and atheists in Iowa. Another ‘vote by the people may do it, right Mr. Alons?

By the way this ‘vote by the people’ line brings to my mind Pontius Pilate. He knew what he was about to do was wrong so he passed the decision off to the mob. Well that appears to be what the republicans want to do. They know it is wrong to limit rights and that it will probably be ruled unconstitutional again, making them look like fools. So they pass it to a popular vote, thus giving them an out plus giving them a wedge issue to raise money on. Very, very cynical.

But not to be outdone, the Republican senate members signed a statement that would declare Iowa sovereign over US laws based on the 10th amendment. Perhaps they should have read the whole constitution. Maybe they would have stumbled on the Supremacy clause that makes laws of the US the law of the land.

Iowa and Mississippi are the only two states that have never elected a woman to one of the big 3 elected offices – governor, senator or US representative. I am getting the feeling that republicans want to turn us into the Mississippi of the north. This would not be something to be proud of. Iowa has a great history as a progressive state where all are allowed to live pretty much unencumbered. Or at least that is the way it once was.

One final note – gas prices and food prices have been rising since the last election. A sure sign that Republicans are back in power.