For Immediate Release: May 11, 2021

Contact: Ivy Beckenholdt, ivy@progressiowa.org

Gov. Kim Reynolds: Heartless

Des Moines, Iowa – Progress Iowa Executive Director Matt Sinovic issued the following statement in response to Governor Kim Reynolds announcing that Iowa will end its participation in federal pandemic-related unemployment benefit programs, which as of April, benefited about 33,000 Iowans:

 “Most Iowans believe in helping neighbors in times of crisis. This decision is absolutely heartless.”

 “The Governor is putting her corporate pals ahead of Iowans in our time of need. And this is hardly the first time. She has made it easier for landlords to evict tenants, turned down resources to protect kids in schools, and bungled the state’s response to the pandemic.”

 “Too many Iowans are out of work because of the crisis the Governor made worse. And now she has the audacity to cut off a life line when we need it most, because her millionaire and billionaire backers demand it.”

 “Her priorities are completely backwards, and far too many in our state will suffer as a result.”

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Progress Iowa is a multi-issue progressive advocacy organization with a network of more than 75,000 progressives. Year-round, Progress Iowa advocates for a stronger middle class, first-class public education, and fairness for all Iowans under the law.

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Comment:

This was just the most recent of Reynolds unilateral moves. As mentioned above, the Governor made it easier for landlords to evict tenants. On national TV a couple of weeks ago, she tried to make a good program from the federal government to catch corona virus pikes in schools early on seem like a boondoggle. Her decisions hurt Iowans daily, especially those in poorer end of the income scale.

Anymore, Reynolds seems more like an overseer from an unfriendly colonial power than a governor for Iowa. In a way she is an overseer for the Republican Party making sure that Iowa is signed up for the latest in Republican crazy laws: permitless open carrying of guns, transgender shaming laws, voter suppression, and suppression of teaching reality in American history. 

Why did she cut off the extra unemployment insurance benefits? I don’t know, but my guess is to starve folks into accepting minimum wage jobs from her corporate buddies.

Here is a 3 minute video from Mother Jones discussing how the Heritage Foundation pushed through voter suppression in states especially Iowa: