Town Halls sorted by date and time. For a list of town halls alphabetically by county please go here.   http://www.blogforiowa.com/2017/06/20/schedule-of-joni-ernst-travelling-office-hours/

We attended town halls in Johnson County, Cedar County and Muscatine County last Tuesday.

In Johnson County the staffer merely took comments with no discussion. There were about 30 people and the main topics were health care and internet neutrality. Most comments on health care focused on how bad the Republican proposals were single payer being a much more encompassing system for a much lower cost. The staffer asked for comment cards to be filled out if a constituent wanted a reply. One person noted it would be the boiler plate standard reply and not really answer the questions.

In Cedar County there were 7 folks and the same staffer.The comments focused once more on the huge problems with the Republican health care proposals and all pointed to single payer as a solution that would lower costs and extend health care to most if not all citizens. Comments were also taken on internet neutrality. Once again the staffer merely recorded comments and asked that comment cards be filled out for an individual reply.

Muscatine County was a different staffer and quite a different scene. We arrived about 15 minutes early and the meeting was already in full swing. The staffer was making comments that statements that single payer was not cheaper and asking for sources. One woman who had lost her job to Branstad’s Medicaid privatization was visibly upset about the prospect of even larger cuts in Medicaid. The staffer had a running argument with her as she described her plight. Since the woman herself had to apply for Medicaid after losing her job she was simply scared. It was the first time in her life she had ever needed help. Another member of the audience told her she was the problem and she should get a job.

The town hall then descended  into almost anarchy with 6 or 7 conversations breaking out with some occasionally being heard above the din. After about 30 minutes one man declared “We wouldn’t have these problems if Obama hadn’t pushed through that piece of shit.” Another declared “republicans never got to see it.” Both were inundated with responses. The first man left  immediately, visibly upset and mad.

The town hall then broke up about 20 minutes before the scheduled end time.

July 25th Tuesday

Hardin County 
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Iowa Falls Public Library
921 Washington Avenue
Iowa Falls, IA

Audubon County 
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Audubon Public Library
401 North Park Place
Audubon, IA

Osceola County

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Sibley Public Library

406 9th Street

Sibley, IA

 Hamilton County 

Tuesday, July 25, 2017
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Hamilton County Courthouse
Meeting Room
2300 Superior Street
Webster City, IA

Shelby County 
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Harlan Public Library
718 Court Street
Harlan, IA

Grundy County 
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Kling Memorial Library
Conference Room
708 7th Street
Grundy Center, IA

O’Brien County 
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Primghar Public Library
320 1st Street NE
Primghar, IA

Black Hawk County 
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Waterloo Public Library
415 Commercial Street
Waterloo, IA

Harrison County 

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

3:30 PM – 4:30 pm

Missouri Valley Public Library
420 East Huron Street
Missouri Valley, IA

July 26th Wednesday

Emmet County
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Armstrong City Hall
519 6th Street
Armstrong, IA

Palo Alto County 
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Mallard City Hall
605 Inman Street
Mallard, IA

July 27th Thursday

Fayette County 
Thursday, July 27, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
West Union Community Library
210 North Vine Street
West Union, IA

Webster County 

Thursday, July 27, 2017

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Fort Dodge Public Library

Lobby Meeting Room

424 Central Avenue

Fort Dodge, IA

Winneshiek County 

Thursday, July 27, 2017

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Decorah Public Library

202 Winnebago Street

Decorah, IA

Allamakee County 
Thursday, July 27, 2017
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Robey Memorial Library
Conference Room
401 1st Avenue NW
Waukon, IA

Pocahontas County 
Thursday, July 27, 2017
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Pocahontas Public Library
14 2nd Avenue NW
Pocahontas, IA

Clayton County 

Thursday, July 27, 2017
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Strawberry Point Public Library
Meeting Room
401 Commercial Street
Strawberry Point, IA

July 28th Friday

Buchanan County 
Friday, July 28, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Independence Public Library
Freedom Room
805 1st Street East
Independence, IA

Delaware County 

Friday, July 28, 2017

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Manchester Public Library

Genealogy Room

304 North Franklin Street

Manchester, IA