Meanwhile in Iowa…

Climate related wild fires are raging all across Canada making the great Iowa outdoors essentially uninhabitable throughout the state. Yesterday SCOTUS struck down college affirmative action setting the country back 50 years. And also yesterday a big win for Iowa voters and another bad week for Kim Reynolds.

“On June 29, 2023 an Iowa court ruled that Iowa’s English-only law does not apply to voting materials and dissolved the previous injunction that prohibited the Iowa secretary of state from providing non-English voter registration forms. As a result of this ruling, counties will now be permitted to provide voting materials— including voter registration forms, absentee ballot applications and ballots — in languages other than English.” – Democracy Docket

Here’s another morsel of the current political situation in Iowa. Check out the action alert below from House Democratic Leader JenniferKonfrst. 

Follow Leader Konfrst on Twitter,  Instagram , Facebook

What’s next for reproductive freedom in Iowa?

The Iowa Supreme Court upheld a ruling to protect reproductive freedom in Iowa a few weeks ago. It means Iowa’s current law remains unchanged.

With speculation running wild right now amongst insiders at the State Capitol, lots of Iowans are wondering what comes next. The answer is pretty simple: no one knows yet.

The Governor was furious she didn’t get her way from the conservative judges she appointed. GOP legislative leaders are equally mad and they all pledged to do something.

The special interest groups were quick to weigh in. They’re demanding immediate action from lawmakers to ban all abortion in Iowa without any exceptions including rape or life of the mother. Some GOP lawmakers have already jumped on board, but it’s not clear how many.

The charge is being led by Bob VanderPlaats, a long-time, ultra-conservative political insider. He’s got outsized influence over Republican politicians at the State Capitol with a well-funded team of lobbyists. Since the ruling came out, he’s called to impeach the Iowa Supreme Court judges who didn’t agree with him and is now trying to wield more power by forcing GOP presidential candidates to stand by his side.

Honestly, that’s just all politics.

We all know Iowans are sick and tired of politics as usual. We also know Iowans want reproductive freedom. In fact, an overwhelming majority of Iowans believe everyone deserves the right to make their own health care decisions, especially when it comes to reproductive care and abortion.

And I agree with the majority of Iowans. Politicians and judges have no place interfering in someone else’s decision about when to start a family. These decisions are deeply personal and the ability to make our own health care decisions is fundamental to our rights as individuals.

I think the way forward is clear: put people over politics. It means listening to and then acting on what Iowans actually want, not doing what the special interests demand.

We should not just protect reproductive freedom for Iowans, but expand it. Here are some steps the Iowa Legislature can take to do it:

• Make birth control accessible through a pharmacist without a prescription
• Extend postpartum coverage to 12 months for Iowans on Medicaid
• Guarantee reproductive freedom by adding it to Iowa’s Constitution
• Restore family planning programs under Medicaid

I’m not naive. It’s unlikely that the Governor and Republicans will change course. They are more likely to strip away the fundamental right to reproductive freedom that we have in Iowa today.

At a minimum, the Governor and Republican leaders ought to wait until the next legislative session starts in January before making any changes to our law. A special session held quickly to appease demands from special interests and lobbyists would likely result in a new law that even more Iowans don’t agree with.

Iowans are terribly frustrated with politicians and I think being ignored is a big part of the problem.

When the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and sent this issue back to the states a year ago, I heard from so many women who felt hopeless and angry and scared. I’ve listened a lot and thought about how this huge policy change would impact my fellow Iowans, friends, family, and neighbors.

Here’s what gives me hope. Even in today’s divisive, corrosive political climate, a strong and growing majority of Iowans believe in and want reproductive freedom.

I don’t know what – or when – the Governor and Republican leaders are planning next, but I’ll never stop fighting to protect reproductive freedom for Iowans.

It’s people over politics.

– Jennifer

P.S. If you are part of the majority of Iowans who support reproductive freedom, please click here to show your support, take action, and get updates about a potential special session this summer.

###

And also of interest…

“Smoke from wildfires is different from other sources. That’s because of the unhealthy matter it contains, how it can travel long distances and persist in the air, changing over time and getting more toxic.

Wildfire smoke contains noxious or poisonous gases and particulate matter, tiny particles that can be inhaled. Those particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and affect people with respiratory problems.”  Link

Fires are shown burning across Canada in this June 28,2023 map created by NASA and the Fire Information for Resource Management System US/Canada.

And that’s a wrap for BFIA for the week. Be sure to check in tomorrow and Sunday for Dave Bradley’s outstanding political commentary and Sunday civics quiz.

Friday love to all our loyal readers!