Contact Your Representatives!

Posted on January 29, 2017 by Dave Bradley

Iowa Capitol

The very most effective action you can take following the liberating experience of standing up to the bully is to now start contacting your national senators and representatives on national issues.

But do not forget that the overwhelmingly Republican Iowa legislature will be slashing our quality of life to smithereens so that their big donors and owners can buy some more congress critters and legislators. Remember also that the Iowa legislature will be working hard to do the bidding of ALEC, a group they hope you forget exists.

We attempted to go to a legislative forum in Iowa City Saturday. We weren’t able to get in because the crowd was so large. This is a good sign.

Here is an email I will be sending to my Republican reps, Sen. Tom Greene of district 44 and Rep. Dave Kerr of district 88.

Sen. Greene, Rep. Kerr,

I was extremely disappointed to see the Iowa budget was large on cuts for education, corrections and health care. We had no budget crisis except for the one created by the desire to drastically cut taxes for the wealthiest in this state. This was unneeded and most likely will not work. What businesses need more than tax cuts is customers, but customers who have no money because of low wages and overwhelming health care bills have little money for discretionary spending.

One only need to look at two states in our neighborhood to see the foolishness of these policies. Kansas has already followed the path you prescribe and it has been a miserable failure. The stories are easy to find on the internet.

On the other hand, Minnesota has followed a fiscally responsible approach which has included some tax increases and no cuts like you propose to education or healthcare. I believe they also have one of the highest minimum wages in the country. We along with others have the lowest. If I recall, Minnesota will be raising that minimum. The result of all that is a booming economy in a state that is not exactly known for good weather. We have children who live there and they would never come back to Iowa with its backward policies.

I find it hard to believe that as someone who is supposed to represent all of your constituents that you would not look to living examples of budget choices.

Also of concern is the Republican stated policy of defunding Planned Parenthood. As a father of females we found Planned Parenthood to be an indispensable source of valid information as they became adults. When they grew up they were off my insurance policy at age 18 so they used PP for their medical. Without their low cost and thorough services geared toward women I fear my kids may have ended up with an unwanted pregnancy.

The best way to lower abortions is through contraception and sexual education. This is a proven approach. Once again we have state such as Texas who have shown how disastrous defunding Planned Parenthood and taking away contraception and scientific sexual education can be. Closing PP clinics in other states has also led to a rise in venereal disease. Heck of a price to pay for some ideology.

Forcing women to have babies doesn’t mean that the child will be cared for. Considering the budget cuts proposed both here and at the national level that fall on the most vulnerable in our society, those children will face a real challenge to becoming productive citizens. It is a much better idea to give women a chance to plan their reproduction with advisors who have their best interests in mind.

Finally – the “Stand Your Ground” law. Are we the wild west? Do we want tools used to kill in the hands of every person with little to no instruction or licensing. Good lord hairdressers have to go through at least a year of training.

Much better that we make guns hard to get and their owners well trained on their use. Another good idea would be to mandate liability insurance for gun owners

The other day in a mall parking lot a man came very close to hitting my wife and I. Would I have been justified in shooting him? He certainly threatened my safety. We also have a case in Columbia, Missouri this week of a man shooting another man who was running away from the first man claiming it was covered under Missouri’s new Stand Your Ground law.

We already have the right to defend ourselves. Stand Your Ground has been an excuse for murders of people that others don’t like because of their looks across the country.

Posted in Budget, Education, Iowa legislature 2017, planned parenthood, Republican hypocrisy, Republicn Policy | Tagged | Comments Off on Contact Your Representatives!

Democrats in Davenport: HD 89 Election Tuesday

Posted on January 29, 2017 by Dave Bradley

Vote Tuesday for Monica Kurth!

Just a reminder for our friends down in Davenport: Tuesday is the election to replace Rep. Jim Lykam. Lykam moved to the senate to fill the seat of the late Joe Seng.

Turnout will be key. Please be sure to vote for Monica Kurth! And drag a few friends to the polls with you.

Posted in Blog for Iowa | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Sunday Funday: Don’t Be A Sucker Edition

Posted on January 29, 2017 by Dave Bradley


First question for today: Are there any lessons for today in the following 1947 from the US military produced post WWII? (17.5 minutes)

1) A 140,000 gallon diesel pipeline spill occurred on farm ground in what northern Iowa county?

2) “Alternate Facts” will be a phrase that will hang around forever. What administration spokesperson uttered this toxic phrase on network TV?

3) In a really unusual move, what foreign leader made an appearance in front of a Republican party gathering rather than before Congress?

4) What TV star who died last week had a series that was a major step forward in showing women could stand on their own?

5) Our enemies are now friends and our friends are now enemies. The head of what country cancelled a trip to visit the new president last week?

6) Vladimir Putin claimed last week (and our new president would no doubt concur) that Russia had the very best what?

7) What is the latest number of illegal voters that our new president claims voted in November?

8) How many instances of voter fraud have been substantiated?

9) One of the methods of paying for the Republican Wall against Mexico was a tariff of how much on goods coming from Mexico?

10) Another misguided Republican bill in the Iowa legislature would expand the religious reasons for parents to opt out of what?

11) What ballot initiative was given the go ahead to start collecting signatures to put the measure on the ballot in California?

12) For the first time in its 70 year history the Doomsday Clock has been moved how much closer to Midnight?

13) What was the reason scientists in charge of the Doomsday Clock gave for the move they made?

14) The new president ran into heavy Republican opposition as he moved to reinstitute what tactic used under W?

15) What ethics watchdog group filed a lawsuit against the new president for violating the emoluments clause of the constitution?

16) What American city did the president threaten to invade if they didn’t do more to reduce crime?

17) The governor of Minnesota collapsed Monday during his state of the state address due to what?

18) An official complaint against Trump in what foreign country was expanded Wednesday to include not having proper permits added to tax evasion?

19) Butch Trucks died last week. He was a founding member of what iconic rock band?

20) The senior staff of what cabinet level department all quit Thursday?

Sign from the Women’s March: YOU WOULDN’T TRY TO REGULATE MY VAGINA IF IT FIRED BULLETS

Answers:

1) Worth

2) KellyAnne Conway

3) Theresa May PM of Great Britain

4) Mary Tyler Moore

5) Mexico. He cancelled in reaction to Trump signing an order to build The Republican Wall Against Mexico

6) prostitutes. Surely Donny agrees

7) over 5million (or that was the last I heard and every on voted for Hillary)

8) 4 – all republicans including one in Iowa

9) 20% – remember Iowans, Mexico buys a lot of our corn

10) childhood vaccinations

11) Calexit or an initiative for California to leave the US

12) 30 seconds

13) Donald Trump and heated up nuclear weapon talk and backing off on climate action

14) torture. Thune noted it was against the law

15) CREW (citizens for responsibility and ethics in Washington)

16) Chicago – he actually said he’d send in the National Guard. But if they are nit requested, I’d say it’s an invasion.

17) prostate cancer

18) Mexico – Trump signed the wall order later

19) the Allman Brothers band

20) State Department

A signature line seen on the internet:
Truth Justice and the American way -that’s all we ask. I refuse to subscribe to the culture of victimization that plagues white males in this country. The poor and the powerless are not the ones organized to screw me over.

Posted in Humor | Comments Off on Sunday Funday: Don’t Be A Sucker Edition

The People Speak: Letters To The Editor

Posted on January 28, 2017 by Dave Bradley

let them know you are mad!

Reminder: letters to the editor of our local newspapers are a free and great way to get our points out. And do not be shy. If you write a great letter share it with all the newspapers in the area. Most are looking for items to publish.

Letter to the editor from Don Paulson, Muscatine County Democratic chair

Not a smooth beginning to the Trump Era, is it? To those of you who voted for Trump or didn’t vote at all, you are going to get the kind of governing that no one deserves. Except the wealthy, of course. They’ll do just fine.

Do you want to know the first thing the Trump folks did? They canceled a cut in the mortgage fee that President Obama’s Administration set. So much for the blather about helping the American people. It will now be more expensive for Americans to buy a house.

And how about that wall? They still want to build it, but have finally admitted that American taxpayers will shell out about $20 billion to pay for it. No word yet on whether the Canadians are going to build their $200 billion wall and make us pay for it!

Over the weekend they fessed up and said Trump will not ever release his tax returns, federal audit or not. Where there is smoke there is fire- how many years did he not pay federal income tax, and what incriminating Russian evidence is in there?

His millionaire and billionaire cabinet picks are alarming. Some have no experience whatsoever in the departments he expects them to run. Examples-

* Secretary of State- Rex Tillerson- no government experience, CEO of ExxonMobil and pals with Vladimir Putin.
* Secretary of Education- Betsy DeVos- billionaire heiress to the Amway fortune, Republican mega donor, enemy of public education.
* Secretary of Housing and Urban Development- Ben Carson- no experience and no clue.
* Secretary of Energy- Rick Perry- former Texas Governor and dullard from “Dancing With the Stars”. He has said that until recently he thought the Dept. of Energy was a rah-rah club for the oil and gas industry.

These are disturbing choices from a disturbed President. No one who is serious about the decorum of the office of President of the United States would use tweets to talk about inconsequential things like the size of crowds at an Inauguration. Not to mention lie about it. There is no such thing as “alternate facts”- they are just lies. Trump and his Press Secretary getting into an argument with the press over this is nonsense.

We may get some clarity on Mr. Trump’s huge ethical challenges. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has filed a lawsuit, claiming he is in violation of Article 1, Section 9, Clause 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

I believe the American Civil Liberties Union is also planning a suit along similar lines. Trump has so many holdings all over the world that the corruption argument is certainly plausible.

This is going to be a wild and terrifying ride for ordinary Americans, and it’s only going to get worse.

Posted in #nevertrump, 2016 Election Campaign, Guest Posts, Republican hypocrisy, Republicn Policy, Trump | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The People Speak: Letters To The Editor

Ajit Pai: New FCC Chair Foe of Net Neutrality

Posted on January 28, 2017 by Dave Bradley

An email from freepress.net

Reactionary agenda
Timothy Karr, FreePress.net

Ajit Pai — a former Verizon lawyer — is now the head of the FCC. And he’s vowed to destroy Net Neutrality.

The open internet is more important than ever — we need it to mobilize the growing resistance movements happening in our communities.

Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FCC wants to destroy Net Neutrality.

Ajit Pai, a former Verizon lawyer, has vowed to reverse all of the agency’s pro-consumer free speech protections. He told phone and cable lobbyists that he’ll take a “weed whacker” to the Net Neutrality rules.(1)

It makes sense that Trump promoted Pai, who’s served on the FCC as a commissioner since 2012. He’s long pushed “alternative facts” about Net Neutrality, which must have endeared him to the president and his corporate handlers.

Chip in $5 to help save Net Neutrality and defend your online rights.

There’s a powerful and growing resistance movement in the United States and destroying Net Neutrality — and our ability to fuel activism online — would cut it off at the knees. Millions of people from across the political spectrum took action at the FCC to protect our rights to connect and communicate.2 Your voice was heard in the many victories we’ve won over the years. We weren’t quiet in the past and we won’t be silent going forward.

With your help, we can keep winning.

Tim, Candace and the rest of the Free Press team
freepress.net

1. “Open Internet Activists Fear Pai Will Reverse Crucial Free Speech Protections,” Motherboard, Jan. 24, 2017:

2. “New FCC Boss Doesn’t Look Great for Consumers: ‘Seems Like Prices Go Up Every Time You Deregulate,’” Los Angeles Times, Jan. 23, 2017:

Free Press is a nonpartisan organization building a nationwide movement for media that serve the public interest. Learn more at www.freepress.net.

Editor’s note:
I believe since Pai is already serving on the FCC and therefore has had a confirmation hearing, he will not have to have another confirmation hearing as he moves up to chair.

Also, the party controlling the White house usually gets the majority on the FCC so the new president will be appointing someone to fill Pai’s seat. Pai is filling the seat of the retired chair Tom Wheeler. Expect mostly 3 to 2 Republican votes as we lose net neutrality.

Finally, our best guess of what a pay to play internet may look at, look at your cable or satellite TV system with it’s many tiers, premium channels and pay-per-view set ups.

Posted in Internet Issues | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Ajit Pai: New FCC Chair Foe of Net Neutrality

Last Saturday You Learned That You Are Not Alone

Posted on January 28, 2017 by Dave Bradley

image from #sistermarchic



The Women’s March On – well, Everywhere was an incredibly liberating experience. The most liberating aspect of this march was simply to see in real life that you are not alone! Your sense that something is very wrong in this country is not just a feeling that you and a few others have. There is no need to hide your feelings for fear of reprisal. Most of America feels the way you do.

Sitting in the parking lot at the English-Philosophy building at the University of Iowa we sat and watched as the crowd swelled and swelled. Few expected much of a turnout. It was simply inspiring.

What Iowa City saw on a small scale cities like Des Moines, Omaha, Denver and on up to the major cities such as LA, Boston, New York saw on a grand scale never before seen. Washington DC has seldom, maybe never, seen the likes of this march. It was confined to US shores. Sister marches were held across the world on all seven continents.

Nosiree, you are not alone.

One of the hallmark tactics of an abuser is to isolate the victim and make them think that they have no friends and no support network. The idea is to make them think that they are somehow so repugnant that no one wants to associate with them. It is an amazingly effective tactic that turns a victim from their friends and family and into isolation where the abuser can easily manipulate the victim and make them feel unable to manage on their own. The victim having no where to turn becomes nearly defenseless to the abuser.

Following the 2004 reinstatement of George W. Bush, a woman friend asked me how in the hell we could have put Bush back in office. I responded that it made me think of an abuse victim who can’t break away from an abuser because they are more afraid of the unknown that they they are afraid of the psychological and physical punishment handed out by the abuser. Our corporate media aids in this to a great degree by refusing to report what is actually happening but instead give republicans unquestioned coverage.

My friend started crying. I didn’t know that in her past she was the victim of an abusive relationship that she seldom spoke of. She said “that’s exactly right!” She then gave me the brief story of her abuse and said that she, too, was afraid to leave. She said that was just what that election had proved.

Flash forward to 2016 where the corporate media simply did not question Republicans. This followed decades of outrageous lies from that same media attacking Hillary Clinton and 8 years of attacking Barack Obama. They were aided by voter suppression laws in many states, the FBI interfering in the election and even interference by an enemy state on the side of the Republicans.

Interesting that the target of their abuse this time around was a woman.

Abusers are bullies and there is no better way to stop a bully than to stand up to them. Stand we did in numbers unheard of before.

And we all learned that not only are we not alone, we are the majority! What we need now is for politicians to follow the women’s marchers. It would be a smart move for any politician to do.

Now that you know you are not only not alone and that you are the majority – remember Hillary actually won by 3 million votes and Trump was opposed by 54% of those who did vote and probably most of those whose vote was suppressed – what will you do? Please don’t stay silent. Please be active.

There are a couple of groups just starting here in Iowa that could really fill the bill for someone just getting active. The first is Strong Women. This group is just starting in Iowa City. One can only assume they would love to have chapters across Iowa.

The other group is Action Iowa (formerly Pantsuit Iowa). Sorry, I do not have a contact for them. But what we do know is that there will be a meeting.

Strong Women will be having a meeting next Wednesday evening Feb. 1st from 7 to 8:30PM at the Coralville Library. A great way to channel your energy from the Women’s March!

Posted in #nevertrump, womens rights | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Last Saturday You Learned That You Are Not Alone

Dan Rather Trying To Bring Back Journalism And #ToppleTrump

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Trish Nelson

learnprogress.org

Respected news icon Dan Rather launched a Facebook page to counter the lies and “alternative facts” from Donald Trump. As with so many of us, he had enough of the garbage from Trump and the news media.

The Facebook page, “News and Guts,” will report honest, hard-hitting news. The media needs to follow Rather’s lead and begin telling the truth and not repeating the lies from the Trump Administration.

Please join me on an exciting new endeavor.

I love news. I always have and can confidently say I always will. Journalism, real journalism, deep-digging reporting without fear or favor, is as important now, if not more so, than any time I can remember.

Together, on this Facebook page, we have built a community that I know values real news. But there is only so much I can share and on which I can comment. Take a week like this week, where the news of the confirmation hearings is coming fast and furious. There are far more articles that deserve your attention and great reporters who I would love to spotlight.

I got into news in the first place to be part of something noble and bigger than myself. For those reasons, I am starting a second Facebook page called News And Guts, a digital news feed of sorts. It’s also the name of my digital news and production company. The goal is to inform, innovate, and inspire. This Facebook page will be under the stewardship of a very talented group of reporters who work at my company. These are men and women who know real news. They’ve reported with me around the globe from dangerous and difficult datelines. I trust them and so should you.

You may find the tone of the page a little more free-wheeling than mine but we also want this to be a two-way street. Share with us your thoughts or articles or stories you want us to cover.

In an era of fake news, false equivalence, and too much fluff, let’s take a stand together to demand better, and bring attention to all those doing great work. Please click here: News And Guts, give the page itself a like, and let’s jump into a new experiment.

###

In just a few weeks, the page has over 350 thousand followers. These are people who can no longer take the reporting of lies and “alternate facts” as news.

Rather wants the page to be “a little more free-wheeling” than his personal page. It encourages a two-way street of thoughts and articles that followers want to see covered.

This truthful journalism is welcome by all. With Trump wanting to control what the media reports, and many going along with him, “News and Guts” will be a source for the truth.

For sure, it will not be one of Trump’s selected news sources. And it will not cower under Trump’s threats.

There are many warnings from journalistic professionals on Trump’s handling of the media. And some of his closest advisers want him to close access to those who criticize him.

The First Amendment of the Constitution protects freedom of the press. Trump’s actions to control the media are unconstitutional, contrary to the oath of office that he took, and criminal.

There are other media outlets who will sometimes fairly report the news. Both The New York Times and CNN called Trump a liar about the size of his inaugural crowds and the absurd claim that he lost the popular vote because of voter fraud.

The media must stand up to Trump and accurately report the news. Those who choose to confirm the lies of Donald Trump can be punished by not supporting advertisers and turning them off. Also, letters to advertisers do wonders.

Please share this story on Facebook!

Posted in Media Reform | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Dan Rather Trying To Bring Back Journalism And #ToppleTrump

Republican Health Care “Replacement” Is YOU Pay

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Trish Nelson

FYI.

Sure, it’s easy to save up for that cancer surgery, chemotherapy, and 30 radiation treatments.  The cost of one bout with cancer probably would cost many people more than a few years annual salary. I had a cancer scare a few years ago and  the chemo portion alone cost was $8,000 per day.  You can imagine the final cost. Even though we have employer health insurance, the out of pocket co-pays alone were burdensome.  But you just have to be a bit more frugal according to the Republican plan.

Grassley and Ernst think they have a mandate to wipe out Obamacare (ACA) and replace it with nothing they’ve thought of yet. They haven’t figured out what yet because they haven’t had enough time to think about it, apparently.  Let’s face it, they are unconcerned about health care for the people or they would have a plan already.

When you contact Grassley and Ernst, don’t forget to ask if they too will be using the new GOP plan or if they will continue to enjoy actual health insurance coverage that we the tax payers are providing them.

###

“We all need to understand this: First, for those who are confused, the Affordable Care Act ‘ACA’ is the same thing as ‘Obamacare.'”

Now, when Trump or Paul Ryan say they want to replace the ACA with ‘Health Savings Accounts’ (HSAs), they are also saying they want to replace Obamacare or Medicare or Medicaid with YOU paying for your healthcare.

That means YOU pay for chemotherapy… YOU pay for all surgeries and hospitalization… YOU pay for all your family’s doctor visits, urgent care, ER visits, and prescription drugs out-of-our-pocket.

A Health Savings Account is just a tax-free way for you to save up money to pay for your own medical bills. So if you are paying off college loans, or saving for a house down-payment, or simply living paycheck to paycheck, guess what — a Health Savings Account does you no good, unless you have discretionary funds to deposit into it. And even if you manage to save five grand or ten grand in an HSA, that could all get wiped out in one hospital visit for you or a family member. Then you are back to square zero again.

Even if you can supplement your HSA with affordable health insurance, you will be eating away at money that you should be investing for your retirement or your kids’ college tuition.

Statistics reveal only the top 3-5% of Americans can save enough for retirement, college AND their own out-of-pocket medical expenses. Therefore, the tax benefits of HSA’s will only help those people.”

Please call your members of Congress to express your concern.

House & Senate: 202 225-3121
White House: 202 456-1111

Posted in 2016 Election Campaign, Affordable Care Act, Obamacare | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Republican Health Care “Replacement” Is YOU Pay

Bait And Switch Over Manufacturing Jobs

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Paul Deaton

Workers

Since the general election I’ve been laying low, listening to people talk about the new administration and what President Donald J. Trump means to them.

Most supporters found a lot of what the president said and stands for to be objectionable, but voted for him because of the hope of jobs — a central campaign theme. Manufacturing jobs specifically. The kind with which I am very familiar.

On an issue page of the White House web page the administration laid it out:

Since the recession of 2008, American workers and businesses have suffered through the slowest economic recovery since World War II. The U.S. lost nearly 300,000 manufacturing jobs during this period, while the share of Americans in the work force plummeted to lows not seen since the 1970s, the national debt doubled, and middle class got smaller. To get the economy back on track, President Trump has outlined a bold plan to create 25 million new American jobs in the next decade and return to 4 percent annual economic growth.

As a deal-maker, 45 asserts he knows how to do it. His plan is not public so it’s impossible to evaluate it.

The metrics to evaluate 45’s proposal against what happens already exist in the Labor Department jobs report which shows the millions of jobs created during the Obama administration. Fill out the chart as time passes and new results are in, and there is an objective basis on which to evaluate performance. That is, assuming the methods of calculating jobs growth remains constant. A similar metric holds true for measuring economic growth. We should have a solid couple years in before the 2020 campaign begins. Thumbs up or thumbs down. It should be that simple.

I’ve worked several manufacturing jobs during my life and as a director of a logistics company that evaluated countless others. While living in Indiana I interviewed more than 10,000 people impacted by the exodus of jobs in the rust belt which produced what 45 described as the “American carnage” in his inaugural address. This is my turf, although it was in the Reagan administration, not during the Obama administration the web site references.

45’s discussion of bringing manufacturing jobs “back” is a bait and switch. Globalization of the manufacturing process and automation that includes robots doing repetitive tasks has eliminated many manufacturing jobs permanently. It will eliminate more.

Yes some went to Mexico. When Mexico got too expensive they went to China and other parts of Asia. Those jobs are gone and we can’t and don’t want to go back to manufacturing as it was.

Like it or not, with Wall Street occupying four key positions in the administration whatever jobs are created are likely to be similar to those under Obama.

Coal mining runs through my family tree.

It was unskilled labor required of the Industrial Revolution and whether my forbears had been in the United States a century before the American Revolution or had just arrived in the late 19th Century, cheap unskilled labor was needed to mine coal and men in our family did it.

Automation and changing methods of strip mining significantly reduced the number of workers required. Those jobs aren’t coming back either, especially as the cost of renewable energy continues to reach grid parity with coal, and countries like China realize the growth of coal powered electricity generation is making its people sick and look to other electricity generation means. Demand for coal is expected to wane.

I am not hopeful for resurgence in manufacturing jobs, nor was this my issue. However, 45’s posture on jobs came from the lips of every Trump voter with whom I spoke, no exceptions.

If Democrats hope to win the next presidential election we need to understand why friends, neighbors and work colleagues voted for 45. In part, it was about jobs I don’t believe will be back the way we knew them.

Posted in Labor | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Bait And Switch Over Manufacturing Jobs

Joni Ernst Says She Has “Clear Mandate” To Repeal The Affordable Care Act (202) 224-3254

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Trish Nelson

Returning some money on the Koch investment?

“Iowans sent me to Washington with a clear mandate: repeal Obamacare. I am determined to stand up for Iowans and people all across America and fulfill my promise to them—that I am committed to stopping this failed law and paving the way to implement real health care reform that ensures folks have affordable coverage and access to needed health care services.”

CALL JONI ERNST:   (202) 224-3254  

Probably a good idea to put this number in your phone. Also, we suggest putting Grassley’s number, and the other Iowa members of congress, particularly your representative, your state reps and the governor’s office in your phone. There is going to be a lot of calling to do.

###

I received this letter from Joni Ernst; please give it a read if you have time. This is my reaction to it.  Are we to believe that the most pressing issues she is hearing about are framed in this way:  “Oh, just wondering, how does Donald Trump pick his nominees?  Nothing much else on my mind..”  and “Oh, btw, what are your thoughts on Obamacare?  I’m not worried about losing my health care or anything, just curious what you’re thinking..”

I happen to know for a fact that she’s hearing some stiff opposition because I and my co-editor here at Blog for Iowa Dave Bradley, met with one of her staffers about our concerns about losing the ACA, Medicare, and Social Security.  As lefty liberals from eastern Iowa, this statement by Ernst confirms what I already suspected, that we don’t actually exist in her mind. I am quite sure we are not the only ones to have contacted her office in opposition to repealing the ACA.  According to the Des Moines Register, 240,000 Iowans could lose their health care if they repeal Obamacare.

Republicans don’t mind pretending that they’re only hearing from people who support their view. But just in case, why not give them a call just to make sure they’re lying when they say they aren’t hearing from us.

###

Good afternoon –

Each day, I hear from Iowans across our great state about important issues, legislation, and their ideas. I am so appreciative of your questions and feedback, and I always look forward to hearing from you.

Below are my thoughts on some of the questions I’ve received recently

Recent Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTION: How does President Trump pick his nominees?

ANSWER: On Friday, Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. He has been tasked with appointing approximately 4,000 individuals to staff the executive branch.

Positions that require Senate confirmation include the secretaries and undersecretaries of executive branch agencies and departments, such as the Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Defense – to name a few. Top positions at certain commissions and independent agencies may also be subject to Senate approval. As a United States Senator, I intend to fully vet each and every one of these nominees to ensure that the American people have qualified and capable individuals in these leadership positions.

QUESTION: What do you think should happen with ObamaCare?

ANSWER: As you are aware, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as ObamaCare, was passed into law in 2010. This law is wrongly rooted in a Washington knows best mentality that has left the American people with a string of broken promises. President Obama promised health insurance premiums would go down under ObamaCare by $2,500. They haven’t. In fact, Iowans looking for health care plans on the exchange are potentially facing an increase in premiums between 19 and 43 percent.

Americans were promised job creation and economic growth, but instead, we have seen employers reduce employee hours in an effort to avoid ObamaCare’s employer mandate.  Worse, the law’s many burdensome taxes have been passed onto patients, further increasing the costs of health care and making the “Affordable Care Act” unaffordable.

It’s time to repeal this failed law and replace it with quality, affordable alternatives. Patients, families, and doctors are best suited to make personal health care decisions, not bureaucrats in Washington.

Iowans sent me to Washington with a clear mandate: repeal Obamacare. I am determined to stand up for Iowans and people all across America and fulfill my promise to them—that I am committed to stopping this failed law and paving the way to implement real health care reform that ensures folks have affordable coverage and access to needed health care services.

QUESTION: How can we reduce unnecessary federal government regulations?

ANSWER: Earlier this month, I helped re-introduce the REINS Act , legislation that would increase accountability and transparency in the federal rulemaking process by requiring all new major rules to be approved by Congress. As defined by the legislation, a major rule is a regulation that has an economic impact of $100 million or more, is likely to result in price or cost increases for consumers, industries, governments, or regions, or is likely to adversely impact competition, employment, investment, or productivity.

Like many Iowans, I am concerned that excessive and burdensome federal regulations are holding back our economy. The REINS Act restores transparency and accountability in Washington by requiring congressional approval for major rules and limiting the reach of federal government agencies. The REINS Act will allow elected officials to review new major rules and regulations that will have a significant impact on Iowans – and folks across the country. We must continue working to find solutions that enable our economy to thrive rather than being stymied under burdensome federal rules and regulations.

I am honored to represent you in Washington, and am here to serve you. If you are looking for more information, need assistance with a federal agency, or have questions or concerns you’d like to share with me, please do not hesitate to reach out. You can send me an email, call, or see our office locations by clicking here .

For more updates on what’s happening in Washington, D.C. and Iowa, be sure to ‘Like’ my Facebook page , follow me on Twitter @SenJoniErnst , and subscribe to my YouTube channel .

Thank you!

 

Posted in Affordable Care Act, Joni Ernst | Comments Off on Joni Ernst Says She Has “Clear Mandate” To Repeal The Affordable Care Act (202) 224-3254