The High Five!

Posted on March 13, 2022 by Dave Bradley

As the legislature grinds on, ProgressIowa sends these daily updates. We will post Friday’s weekly to remind us all of what Republicans are doing:

Happy Friday!

It has been another long week dealing with the divisive and harmful agenda of Iowa Republicans and their leader, Corporate Kim Reynolds. We’re thankful to have reached Friday, and excited for a couple days off.

Before we head out for our long weekend nap, let’s take a look at today’s number one story:

1. ONE YEAR ARPA-VERSARY: In the year since President Biden signed this historic piece of legislation into law, it has become the backbone of the country’s COVID-19 recovery. ARPA ensured Iowa families had what they needed to survive a pandemic, helping parents ensure their kids didn’t go hungry, and had what they needed to learn, at home and at school.

Thanks to ARPA, Iowa has $210 million in federal funds to expand rural broadband, $100 million for housing infrastructure, and another $100 million for water quality infrastructure and nutrient reduction. Best of all, plenty of funds are going directly to schools and cities to immediately recover, without having to wait on the Governor.

Click to tweet: Thank you @POTUS and @RepCindyAxne for passing the American Rescue Plan Act one year ago today, and investing in Iowa families & workers! #ARPA #ARPAversary 

Once you’ve shared that message, check out our other top stories for today:

2. REYNOLDS CAN’T HIDE FROM HER RECORD: We are tired of Corporate Kim Reynolds selling us out, taking credit for the work of others and trying to hide from the press and the public. Iowans deserve to know the truth, not the Governor’s twisted version of it. That’s why our team has launched ReynoldsRecords.com, a website for all Iowans to get the facts about Reynolds’ terrible record.

Iowans work hard every single day, and we deserve better than Governor Reynolds selling us out to the wealthy corporations who support her politically. She failed to keep us safe during a global pandemic, undercut our public schools and waged war on Iowa’s working families.

3. STUDENTS, FACULTY PROTEST TRANSGENDER ATHLETE BAN: Today at 11 a.m., Iowa City Students joined their Cedar Rapids peers in walking out of class in protest of the transgender athlete ban that forces children to sit on the bench while their friends go and have fun. Iowans know that Corporate Kim Reynolds doesn’t stand for what we believe in. We applaud these students for taking a stand and telling Governor Reynolds that Iowa is a home for all, not just the wealthy donors she works for.

4. HOW TO HELP TORNADO DAMAGE VICTIMS: You can sign-up to volunteer or donate to one of the organizations helping tornado victims at this link here: How You Can Help Tornado Victims.

There are also ways to donate to the families who lost their loved ones and homes this weekend. The Bolger family lost their father, grandmother, and two children in this weekend’s storm. You can donate to their recovery efforts here: Bolger Family GoFundMe.

Another central Iowa family, the Burketts, also lost their home this weekend. You can help support them at their page here: Burkett’s Bounce Back GoFundMe.

5. RUSSIA CONTINUES TO INVADE UKRAINE: Our thoughts remain with the people of Ukraine as Russia continues their unlawful invasion into the Eastern European country. Ukraine’s cities and citizens continue to resist the invading Russian army, while protests continue worldwide in opposition to Putin’s imperialism. Now, the Kremlin is doing even more to shut down press and coverage of dissent in Russia. We need to continue to uplift the Ukrainian people, their voices, and the reporters on the ground who are risking their lives to overcome the Russian propaganda machine. If you want to help the people of Ukraine, you can go to NPR’s article about organizations leading the humanitarian efforts in the country.

Want to hear more from our team? You can go to our online news blog, Potluck, to hear from Iowans and leaders around the state. You can also hear more from our team on our podcast, “What a Week,” where we break down each week’s top news stories and speak with leaders from around Iowa about issues you care about.

Want to help progressive messaging and policy in the state of Iowa? Sign up at ProgressIowa.org to volunteer, donate, and hear more from our team!

Thanks for reading, and we’ll get back with you Monday for another Hive Five!

– The Progress Iowa Team

 

 

 

Progress Iowa | P.O. Box 548 | Des Moines, IA 50302

Posted in iowa legislature 2022, Kim Reynolds | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Sunday Funday: High Holy Days Of Basketball Edition

Posted on March 13, 2022 by Dave Bradley

Short highlight reel of Caitlin Clark (2:17 minutes):

It’s that time of year folks. Yep the High Holy Days of Basketball are upon us. Some of you may call it March. For us true believers, it is the holy days of the world’s greatest sport. And for Iowans, this year may bring the very greatest of rewards possible – national titles. This ride is about to get exciting.

Today is also national screw up your sleep day. Did you set your clock? Did you set it correctly? Why do we do this?

One simple word to Senators Grassley and Ernst. We don’t need ethanol to replace Russian oil, we need more and more electric cars. That will help the environment also.

And now – on to the quiz before the games start.

A) Following airplane engine problems leading to an emergency landing, what former major politician is fundraising for a new plane online?

B) The forecast for this spring and summer in the USA’s east includes what insects invading from the sky?

C) What is the newly identified variant of the corona virus called?

D) One teen was killed and two young women were hurt in a shooting that took place outside of what Des Moines high school?

E) We now have a female Vice-President. Who was the first female nominee by a major party for Vice-President?

F) Extremist Republican congress member Madison Cawthorn declared what world leaders be a “thug” in a speech last week?

G) Former VP Mike Pence, with an eye on the White House, showed up in what foreign country last week?

H) China has once again locked down a major city due to Covid. This time it is Changchun a city with a population of about what?

I) Long term effects: A new study has found a direct correlation between air pollution and what discriminatory mortgage practices of the ‘30s?

J) Two icons of the early women’s movement, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, organized what seminal women’s convention held in 1848?

K) Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education” bill (no doubt soon to come to Iowa) has been dubbed what by the public?

L) Millionaires and billionaires end lockout. What major league sport announced a settlement to end a 90 day lockout and preserve their upcoming season?

M) Amazingly, the US senate passed what bill, after 200 attempts and over 100 years, last week by unanimous consent?

N) In another legislative surprise what bill geared toward women was passed as part or the $1.5T omnibus spending bill last week?

O) Once again, what Republican senator has announced he would slow down Biden’s nomination for SCOTUS reprising his role in the Merrick Garland nomination?

P) Studies on the effects of long covid are just beginning. So far evidence indicates that even mild covid can cause damage in what organ?

Q) Proposals have been made to suspend the federal gas tax as prices spike. How much is the federal gas tax?

R) The ship of what Antarctic explorer has been discovered sunken but intact 107 years after it was lost?

S) What member of congress paid out her annual salary in fines related to refusing to wear a mask in the chamber?

T) President Biden ordered a study concerning the risks and other issues of what?

We CAN’T ban Russian oil. Gas prices will soar, people will drive less, and climate change will slow. Oh wait. – Andy Borowitz

Answers:

A) Trump – and we thought he was a billionaire

B) parachute spiders

C) deltacron – it appears to be a cross between the delta and omicron variants

D) East HS

E) Geraldine Ferraro by the Democrats in 1984

F) Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine

G) He made an appearance at the Poland – Ukraine border.

H) 9 million

I) red lining

J) The Seneca Falls Convention

K) the “don’t say gay” bill

L) Baseball

M) The Emmitt Till Anti-lynching Bill.

N) the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was renewed after many lapsed years

O) Our own Chuck Grassley who refused to give Merrick Garland a hearing in 2016

P) the brain – some damage to the portion that processes smells and some loss of total volume

Q) 18 cents a gallon

R) Earnest Shackleton

S) Marjory Taylor Greene.

T) crypto currency

“I stand with Ukraine, but f*ck you, Biden, for making me pay higher gas prices” is going to be the stupidity we’re gonna hear for months. – Rude Pundit tweet

Posted in Covid-19, Humor | Comments Off on Sunday Funday: High Holy Days Of Basketball Edition

Miller-Meeks Wants Unneeded KeystoneXL

Posted on March 12, 2022 by Dave Bradley

From Miller-Meeks house.gov account:

On March 2nd, Miller-Meeks cosponsored the American Energy Independence from Russia Act, which would require President Biden to make an energy security plan within 30 days and take action to unleash America’s oil and natural gas production to offset Russian imports. This bill would also immediately approve the Keystone XL pipeline, unleash U.S. LNG exports to boost natural gas production, restart oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters, and protect energy and mineral development from attacks by the Biden administration.

From an article in Forbes magazine dated March 4th by Robert Rapier:

When I am discussing gasoline prices with people, inevitably someone will blame the cancellation of Keystone XL. That’s totally inaccurate, but the appearance is there superficially. I will say that in a few years, the failure to have Keystone XL in place could be a contributor to higher gasoline prices. If the demand is there, and it is more expensive to ship oil from Russia, for example, then gasoline prices are going to be higher.

Even Forbes admits the Keystone XL ploy is bullshit.

So once again, Miller-Meeks comes down against the environment for a project that is only symbolic. Once again Miller-Meeks does not do her due diligence. A very superficial member of congress. The high price of gas is now mostly due to greedy corporations:

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Reminder: Elections Are About Issues

Posted on March 12, 2022 by Dave Bradley

Republicans push “culture wars.” Democrats have solutions to problems.

A daily news letter from Robert Reich reminded me that elections should be about issues. On of the biggest issues that affects nearly every American every day is health care. Somehow year after year Republicans stop health care legislation and Americans suffer because of it either physically or economically.

Here we have Washington representative Pramilla Jayapal on DemocracyNow explaining why Medicare for All is an idea whose time has come (4 minutes):

Our current system gives us the highest prices in the world and nearly the very worst results. It is amazing that Americans would accept this when there are so many easily implemented plans that would in the long run be cheaper while covering all Americans.

From Robert Reich’s newsletter of Feb. 17:   

Even before the pandemic, the typical American family was spending more than $6,000 a year on health insurance premiums. Add in copayments and deductibles that doctors, hospitals, and drug companies also charge, and that sum rises to $6,400. Add in typical out-of-pocket expenses for pharmaceuticals, and it’s at least $6,800. That’s not all, because some of the taxes the typical family pays are for health insurance, too — for Medicare and Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Add them in, and the typical household pays $8,975 a year for health insurance. This number doesn’t include what typical workers’ employers spend on their health insurance – which might otherwise go to their wages.

American spending on healthcare per person is more than twice the average in the world’s other thirty-five advanced nations. Yet the United States ranks near the bottom among advanced nations for life span and infant mortality. Americans are sicker, our lives are shorter, and we have more chronic illnesses. Canadians, for example, can expect to live on average almost four and a half years longer than Americans, even though health care spending per person is only about half as high as in the U.S.

Healthcare is so expensive that many Americans put off seeing a doctor until their health has seriously deteriorated. Even with the Affordable Care Act, some 30 million Americans have no health insurance coverage at all.

Not only do too many dollars go to super-specialists and too few to preventive generalists, but the administrative costs involved in private for-profit insurance are humongous. About a third of what the typical American pays for health insurance goes to the people who oversee billing and collections. And then of course there are marketing and advertising expenses, and the profits that go to shareholders or private-equity managers.

Finally, if the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that we need to decouple health insurance from employment. Losing a job shouldn’t mean the loss of a family’s lifeline to healthcare.

Why do we have such a ridiculous, badly designed, massively expensive system that we can’t seem to jettison? Near as I can figure it comes down to this:

First it is massively profitable for the for-profit health care companies. They in turn use those profits to buys US senators and representative. I am sure you can find huge donations to Iowa’s Republican congressional contingent.

Secondly, this is a leftover of the Jim Crow era. Unaffordable health care premiums serve as a way to keep “undesirables” out of the health care system.

Third, having privatized health care controlled by employers is a huge hammer that employers can use to keep employees in line and afraid to leave their jobs or rebel in ny way. One of the greatest control mechanisms ever created by the right. Makes me laugh out loud when the right talks about freedom.

Who here does’t know an individual who had a great idea for a business but chose to stay with their job because of fear of losing health care?

That is just one of the issues that Democrats will work for when they are elected. In this case, lower premiums and decoupling health care from employment are a great example of truly liberating ideas. Republicans ideas want o keep you tethered to a job you hate out of fear of losing health care. That is the opposite of the freedom they mouth but do not support.

Posted in Covid-19, Economic Justice, Jobs, Medicare for all | Tagged | Comments Off on Reminder: Elections Are About Issues

How The American Rescue Plan Is Helping Iowa

Posted on March 11, 2022 by Trish Nelson

No thanks to Republicans.

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Watch This Week’s Blue Statehouse Alert Live

Posted on March 10, 2022 by Trish Nelson

Go to Iowa House Democrats FB page and sign up for weekly updates.

 

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Media, “Culture Wars” And Rural Voters

Posted on March 9, 2022 by Trish Nelson

The RuralVote.org folks don’t get into the whys, but I think we know why.  Fake news, Fox News, Facebook, conservative talk radio spreading anti-democratic propaganda.  But it’s too late to do much to change the mass media before November. So we just have to fight back with what we have.  Please consider donating to the candidate or organization of your choice.

There’s a new poll out from Morning Consult showing the Democrats are losing the messaging war in rural America.

➡️ 65 percent of rural voters view the Democratic Party unfavorably

➡️ Only 23 percent of rural voters believe the Democratic Party cares more about their community than the GOP

This is a messaging problem. President Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act and the infrastructure bill made huge investments in rural communities, arguably the strongest investments we’ve seen in the 21st century. From child care assistance to rural broadband expansion to clean drinking water, Democratic policies are directly helping rural communities.

And yet, the message is not getting across. Republicans are inflaming the culture war and it’s clear in the polling that their messaging is breaking through in these communities. We must fight back! Chip in $5 to help us get out the vote in rural America and break through the wall of Republican misinformation.

We have some exciting news on the horizon. We will be launching another rural strategy session to bring together the country’s leading rural organizers to strategize about the best way to get out the vote in the 2022 election. And we’ll soon be launching our first rural messaging campaign for the 2022 election. Stay tuned!

– Team Rural Vote

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Crafting A Response To COVID-19 And Its Variants

Posted on March 8, 2022 by Trish Nelson

by Ralph Scharnau
published with permission

We are witnessing the onslaught of the COVID-19 virus at various locations around the world. The impact of COVID-19 has been most apparent over the last two years. The COVID-19 virus has truly reached a global scale as reports of outbreaks or surges come from cities and metro areas, rural areas and small towns and along borders. This virulent infectious disease spared no individual or country, rich or poor.

COVID-19’s dramatically different impact by age has been one of the virus’s defining characteristics. It tends to be mild for children and younger adults but more often severe for the elderly. Around three-quarters of all U.S. Covid deaths have occurred among people 65 and older.

The United States, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, fell victim to the scourge of this virulent infectious disease. The United States, in fact, just passed a somber milestone of 800,000 official deaths from COVID-19. This figure amounts to more than any other country, with the real death toll likely much higher.

Despite its wealth and renowned health care system, the United States has not avoided the scourge of this virulent infectious disease. The vast majority of deaths occur among the unvaccinated. In the weeks before vaccines became widely available in early 2021, Covid was the country’s No. 1 cause of death, above even cancer and heart disease.

Researchers have also observed higher COVID-19-related hospitalization and mortality rates among racial and ethnic minorities and low-income people than among the general populace. The factors associated with high poverty rates and racial discrimination include limited access to healthcare, poor housing conditions, and high-risk workplace environments. Studies have also shown a higher number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths among individuals belonging to Indigenous, Black, and Hispanic communities.
The United States has long been regarded as having one of the world’s leading health care systems with well-known doctors, scientists, and researchers. But it has not always delivered the best outcomes for the poor, workers, minorities, women, and people of color.

Ironically, the very persons experiencing inequities often provide health care to others. They work, for example, as nurses, aides, and transcribers. They function, in short, as essential healthcare workers.

Consider also media images of nurses facing relentless demands for care and support. These front line personnel appear exhausted. And inside and outside of hospitals and clinics issues of employment and sick pay provide a swirling context.

Looming as a basic, overarching contextual issue here is the fact that the United States has no free, universal health care system available to all. This lack of a national health insurance program affects everything from vaccine hesitancy to the ability to get tested to how we manage the virus going forward. Inequities are built into the U.S. health care system because healthcare is not considered a basic human right for everyone.

While the struggle to make healthcare a right continues, political action generates an agenda to improve the American healthcare system from access to treatment. In the midst of these healthcare issues, we receive daily media briefings on the course of the virus. And the World Health Organization reminds us that the pandemic is not over, countries should remain vigilant, and that vaccines and boosters provide the best protection against COVID and its variants like omicron.

The corona-covid pandemic has touched the lives of people everywhere. We need to take care of each other in our families, our communities, our nation, and our world.

Ralph Scharnau
February 28, 2022

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Historian Heather Cox Richardson Interviews President Biden

Posted on March 7, 2022 by Trish Nelson

Watch this amazing interview. You won’t be sorry. 30 minutes.

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The High Five

Posted on March 6, 2022 by Dave Bradley

We will continue to post one of these daily emails from Progress Iowa each week. Iowa’s Republicans hit some new lows last week:

We made it to Friday.

But it feels like we made it to Friday in 1950. Iowa Republicans, after a week of national news coverage of their many terrible, harmful bills, have continued their attacks against everyday Iowans in favor of corporate greed.

Luckily, our team is connected with amazing grassroots advocates like you, and we will stand up together against Reynolds’ divisive agenda.

We are holding our third Iowa Legislative Website Training next Tuesday, March 8th, at 12pm to help equip you with the knowledge and skills to help fight against the Iowa Republican’s harmful agenda. You can pre-register for this training at the link here: Legislative Website Training Pt. 3

So, without any more delay, let’s take a look at today’s top news:

1. STATE, NATIONAL GROUPS OPPOSE IOWA’S TRANSPHOBIA: Yesterday, despite opposition from numerous local, state, and national organizations and businesses, Governor Kim Reynolds signed a law that would bench trans athletes in the state of Iowa and allow for state-sanctioned bullying against trans students.

Iowa used to be a leader in the United States for civil rights. From the University of Iowa being the first public university to acknowledge an LGBTQ+ student organization to being one of the first states in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage, our state has consistently been on the right side of history and helped move civil rights across the country.

Now, Governor Kim Reynolds and Iowa Republican lawmakers want to undo nearly 150 years of progress by attacking marginalized children across our state. Our team stands unequivocally against transphobia, and will continue to support organizations like One Iowa and Iowa Safe Schools to keep up the fight for an inclusive Iowa.

Stand with us and share this message of hope for Iowa’s transgender athletes.

Click to tweet: Regardless of what Iowa’s bullies, @IAGovernor and Republican legislators, say, Iowa is a home for ALL. I support our transgender students and athletes.

Once you’ve shared that message, take a look at the other stories we’re watching today:

2. KIM’S TRANSPHOBIA WILL COST IOWA TAXPAYERS: Beyond the detrimental harm that the Republican ban on trans athlete will have on the mental health of already marginalized students, this bill will also open Iowa up to a host of lawsuits against this discriminatory practice. National organizations like the NCAA have pulled out of states like North Carolina for their transphobic laws, and Iowa may lose the national basketball tournaments University of Iowa and Iowa State University were set to host next month. Republicans are moving our state backwards, and it’s going to cost us.

3. REYNOLDS IS STILL THE LEAST TRANSPARENT GOVERNOR: After already having been named one of the least transparent administrations in Iowa history, Governor Kim Reynolds is still fighting to have lawsuits for illegally ignoring open record requests from three different media organizations in Iowa dismissed. We rely on our free press to hold our leaders accountable, but Iowa Republicans have made it clear that they don’t want that. Earlier this year, the Iowa Senate rebuked a century-long tradition of allowing reporters on the chamber floor, and instead chose to bar them from direct access to Iowa’s elected officials. We need leaders who are fighting for Iowans always, not hiding behind bureaucracy to push their agenda.

4. BONUSES FOR EVERYONE… JUST NOT YOU: Corporate Kim Reynolds was proud to announce a $1,000 bonus to Iowa’s education professionals in her Condition of the State address. What she didn’t mention? That money was made possible by American Rescue Plan dollars, and many school workers aren’t eligible to receive the bonus. People working in positions like school nurses, librarians, bus drivers, and more, are cut out of Reynolds’ band-aid solution to underfunding public schools for over a decade. We urge Reynolds and her Republican allies to properly fund Iowa’s public school system and pay our professionals what they are worth.

5. BIDEN’S ECONOMY IS BOOMING: Fortunately, we get to end our High Five today on a happy note, thanks once again to President Biden. February 2022 saw nearly 678,000 new jobs added to the U.S. Economy, up a quarter-million from earlier projections. Thank you President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Democratic Members of Congress like Cindy Axne for always putting Iowan families and workers ahead of corporate greed.

Want to hear more from our team? You can go to our online news blog, Potluck, to hear from Iowans and leaders around the state. You can also hear more from our team on our podcast, “What a Week,” where we break down each week’s top news stories and speak with leaders from around Iowa about issues you care about.

Want to help progressive messaging and policy in the state of Iowa? Sign up at ProgressIowa.org to volunteer, donate, and hear more from our team!

Thanks for reading, and we’ll get back with you Monday for another Hive Five!

– The Progress Iowa Team

Progress Iowa | P.O. Box 548 | Des Moines, IA 50302

Posted in Biden-Harris, Covid-19, Kim Reynolds | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments