Tip of the hat to http://all-hat-no-cattle.blogspot.com

I got this email from occasional contributor and friend of blogforiowa, Don Paulson. You can almost hear the frustration in Don’s narrative of a legislative session in Muscatine not long ago. I get the distinct feeling that the legislators, all Republican, were there not to listen but to dispense far right wisdom from on high and accept praise. That was not happening:

Queen (Evil) “Covid Kim” Reynolds has issued a Proclamation bestowing the title of “Defender of the Faith” on Iowa House Representative Bobby Kaufmann (R-Arrogance) for his performance at the Muscatine legislative forum at Muscatine Community College last Saturday.

In a crowded Student Center many attendees were there to question and protest the many discriminatory bills and legislation introduced by Republicans in the Iowa legislature targeting the state’s gay and lesbian community. They were clearly agitated.

Representative Mark Cisneros (R-Ignorant) spoke on a bill he co-sponsored to outlaw same-sex marriages, which has been legal since an Iowa Supreme Court ruling years ago. The crowd grew more restless. He then mentioned Critical Race Theory and the attempt in Florida to indoctrinate students there. More unease from the crowd- with good reason!

The next speaker asked the legislators not to be divisive, hateful or to express bigotry. Representative Kaufmann then went into action, apparently thinking questions or criticisms of other Republican’s legislation was a personal affront to himself. He retorted that forum speakers were asking legislators not to be divisive, hateful, or express bigotry as they were being called divisive, hateful, and bigots. Brilliant! Even though it was the Republican legislators introducing the bills, make the forum participants the bad guys! If you criticize Republicans for trash-talking Critical Race Theory, then you are the racist! Pay no attention to that divisive, hateful bigoted man behind the curtain!

The Defender of the Faith Proclamation is sponsored by the following. (Keep those checks coming!)

Iowa Farm Bureau (The volunteer efforts on clean water are working just fine!)

Bob VanderPlaats, Chuck Hurley, and the Iowa Family Leader Team (if you’re not with us, you’re going to Hell)

Iowa Motor Carriers (Can’t you lower our liability some more in that bill?)

Odyssey (We welcome administering your religious school voucher program- just keep the million dollars coming!)

Sports betting industry coalition (We’re betting you Republicans are winners! Oh no, we’re not using House money!)

Private healthcare industry (Did we mention your claim has been denied? Oh, by the way, our administrative costs are going up)

Americans for Prosperity (Has the maid cleaned Drew Klein’s room in Terrace Hill yet?)

Just dripping with righteous sarcasm from top to bottom, and deservedly so.