Letters: Our ‘free society’ has fed us lies about Hunter Biden, Donald Trump

Our ‘free society’ has fed us lies about Hunter Biden, Donald Trump

William Proctor, in his Nov. 5 guest column "Could I convince Iowan that Trump isn't president?" says, "The MAGA folks are blind to the fact that trust in our system is required to keep our capitalist, free society afloat..."

The problem is that the actions of our "system" have caused many of us to lose trust in that "system." How do we trust a system that includes 51 current and former intelligence officials willing to sign a letter saying that the Hunter Biden laptop was Russian disinformation when in fact the laptop was real, and at the same time the "system" used a fake dossier to try to make us believe that Donald Trump was colluding with the Russians? Without those deceptive actions of the "system" that we are supposed to trust, I believe Donald Trump would indeed be our president now.

— Tim VanderPloeg, Altoona

Keep religion and government separate

The United States is one of the most religious nations on earth. More Americans believe in God and practice religion than in any western European or other G-6 country. We are also a country of great religious diversity. We got this way because we are a secular republic. You would hope the speaker of the House of Representatives would know that and strive to keep religion and government separate.

— Ivan T. Webber, West Des Moines

Reject adding voter qualification to constitution

The Iowa Legislature this year unanimously approved a change to the Iowa Constitution that would take away control from city councils and school boards. It will be on the ballot in 2024.

The amendment would constitutionally prohibit local governments from allowing all residents to vote in local and state elections. If this amendment passes at the ballot box in 2024, the right to vote, currently guaranteed for every US citizen in Iowa, will be restricted to only US citizens.

It takes new Americans years or decades to move from a green card to citizenship. In that time, they can study, start businesses, buy homes, raise families, and participate in every facet of American life – except democracy.

And while the state of Iowa does not, at the moment, allow non-citizens to vote, Iowans can change that through democratic means. Maybe next year, maybe a decade from now.

This measure aims to enshrine in the Constitution that the people of Iowa will no longer have that choice. We, as Iowans and Americans, should vote to defeat this measure and tell our representatives they can’t take away our local control and democracy.

— Hendrik van Pelt, Windsor Heights

Rita Hart owes UI Democrats an apology

On Nov. 1, the Iowa Democratic Party released a statement that claimed that a statement from the Democrats group at the University of Iowa “included problematic anti-semitic slogans including ‘from the river to the sea Palestine will be free.’”

The Iowa Democratic Party’s statement misquotes and misconstrues the original statement. The original University Democrats at Iowa statement was “May every Palestinian live long and free, from the river to the sea.”

The Arab American Caucus of the Iowa Democratic Party stands with University Democrats at Iowa in support of the freedom of every Palestinian: in Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and inside Israel itself, as well as the right of return for Palestinians in line with the UN Resolution 242 and 338, as approved by the United States Government.

While the Iowa Democratic Party makes the false claim that the original University Democrats at Iowa statement “is a call for Jewish genocide,” in fact, genocide is occurring right now as Israel bombs Gaza indiscriminately, killing over 8,800 people, including more than 3,600 children.

We call on party chair Rita Hart to correct the quote, and we stand with the IDP’s Progressive Caucus in calling for Rita Hart to apologize to University Democrats at Iowa.

— Newman Abuissa, chair of the Arab American Caucus of the Iowa Democratic Party

Was showing Kirk Ferentz’s son the door really so hard?

Beth Goetz pulled the rug out from under Kirk Ferentz and showed him that the athletic director should be the one running the athletic department at the University of Iowa.

— June Swenson, Clermont

Congress must work together for a fairer Child Tax Credit

Ending child poverty is not rocket science. We know what to do. In 2021 the expanded Child Tax Credit, or CTC, reduced child poverty by 40%. We were doing something right, then we stopped. Why? Because Congress allowed it to expire.

Last year the child poverty rate more than doubled, from 5.2% in 2021 to 12.4% in 2022. It’s been six weeks since the US Census Bureau reported this alarming trend, and what has Congress done about it? Nothing.

Here’s the problem: Imagine two families with two parents and four children each. In 2023, the family making $400,000 received a CTC of $8,000, or $2,000 per child, but the family making $25,000 only received $3,375, or $844 per child. Is this fair?

The current CTC is upside-down. Families that need it more get less, while those who need it less get more. At the very least, if a low-income family is eligible for the CTC, should they not receive the same amount as the rich family?

The CTC has had bipartisan support for decades. Our members of Congress must work together to make it fairer. To start, I call on Sen. Chuck Grassley to work with his colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee to expand the CTC so every eligible family receives the same Child Tax Credit.

— Peggy Fitch, Des Moines

Nikki Haley has the qualifications and the character to lead

Iowans have a unique opportunity to impact the presidential races. We can tell the rest of the country who we feel is best equipped to lead our country with conservative principles.

Today, Donald Trump is not the best candidate. He is divisive; he does not bring out the best in America. He does not treat others with respect, and I fear what he would do if he would return to power. Many Republicans are blindly loyal to him, cheering him on because they feel they have someone on their side. Trump has many people on his side, but I am not sure Donald Trump is on anybody’s side but his own.

Nikki Haley is the best candidate. She was a very strong governor in South Carolina, creating jobs, and leading in character – uniting people after a mass shooting. Her time as United Nations ambassador gives her credibility on the world stage, and she is strong in standing up for American interests. She can defend her positions well, but she is also willing to work with others to get things done. She can bring conservatism back to Washington in an honorable way that sets the foundation for good government.

— Paul Iekel, Atlantic

Working together to end hunger

On Oct. 28, I attended the Save the Children Action Network Iowa summit. As a volunteer leader for SCAN from Cedar Rapids, I know up-to-date information grows our ability to advocate. We partnered with the Des Moines Area Religious Council for a day learning how we can advocate to end childhood hunger. Our keynote speaker was author Erik Talkin, who is also the CEO of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara, California.

We learned that while food banks are important tools to fight hunger, we need to educate families on how to budget, garden, plan healthy low-cost meals, and learn how to cook those meals. Programs to educate young children will be invaluable for their future.

Many thanks to state Sen. Sarah Throne Garriott and state Rep. Jon Dunwell for providing important information on how to build trust so that our elected officials can rely on the information we provide them. They also stressed the importance of how personal stories can impact decisions.

Working together we can help end childhood hunger.

— Cathy Meyer, Marion

Provide service for homeless people at Nationwide building

Recently there have been several articles in the Des Moines Register reporting that the city of Des Moines is in the process of purchasing the Nationwide Insurance building in downtown.

I would like to suggest that part of the street level of that building be made convenient for some of the less fortunate (homeless) members of our society.

I would like to encourage the city of Des Moines to create an area in this building with restrooms and showers to accommodate the needs of the homeless people.

An additional area could be divided into small cubicle like areas that would allow the homeless people a safe place to sleep. The shorter cubicle walls would provide a more open atmosphere thus more security.

These areas could be constructed in such a manner to make them easily cleaned.

It has been reported the City of Des Moines wants to show some compassion to homeless persons and does not want to throw them out onto the streets in the cold winter months.

If implemented these specially designed areas in the new city police station would:

• Help to solve the problem of people sleeping in the skywalks, especially during the winter months.

• Provide facilities for improving hygiene for the homeless.

• Help to restore personal dignity for some of the homeless.

• Provide a positive image for the police.

I realize this may sound absurd, but during the World Series in Chicago, the Chicago Police Precinct near Wrigley Field was open to the public and allowed anyone to come in and use the restrooms. I must admit, I was a bit uneasy on my first trip into the precinct to use the facilities. As long as you were well behaved, you remained unnoticed, and everyone tended to their own business.

I would like to strongly encourage the City of Des Moines to take this suggestion into consideration.

— Michael Welch, Des Moines

Is Donald Trump a person of faith?

According to the recent Iowa Poll, more than four of five likely Republican caucusgoers believe it is either important or extremely important for a candidate to be a “person of faith.” “Faith in WHAT?!?” I must ask, because this same poll shows the one candidate who is the living embodiment of all seven deadly sins (and innumerable other less-than-deadly sins) running away with the 2024 caucus. Are you OK, Iowa? Please make it make sense to me.

— Peter Spaulding, West Des Moines

Ron DeSantis bring competence, intelligence

I am endorsing Gov Ron DeSantis for president. I met with him last week and was impressed with his grasp of foreign policy. He is a strongly competent conservative as evidenced by his record of leading one of our largest states. Fellow Iowans I know who now live in Florida are high on his competence handling Florida's hurricanes.

He is a smart, small-town boy who graduated with honors from Yale undergrad and was the captain of its baseball team. After Harvard law school (magna cum laude), he didn't take a lucrative Wall Street job but, instead, joined the military and served as a JAG officer to Seal Team 1 in Iraq.

DeSantis served three terms in the U.S. Congress before winning the Florida governorship twice, the last time by a 20% margin while helping turn the state red. He did well at the polls with minorities and women showing the wide appeal of his policies and that he keeps his campaign promises.

He is generous in his praise of his staff, "not that they are loyal to me personally but that they are committed to frugal, less intrusive government." He showed common sense in how Florida handled COVID and school attendance. I've written several guest essays in the Des Moines Register on the pandemic and we largely agree. We also agree on the dangers of critical race theory and gender transitioning in children. His support of a 15-week federal ban on abortion with exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother strikes me as reasonable. I agree with his urgent concern that we arm Taiwan and that we must secure the border from terrorists and drug smuggling.

He is a fit, mentally sharp, energetic candidate and would be eligible for a second term, unlike President Donald Trump. The country is weary of the chaos that would mark another Trump term. It also fears that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris aren't up to the task. In my opinion, DeSantis is the best Republican candidate to win the presidency. I hope my friends will support him in the Iowa caucuses as I will.

— Dr. Greg Ganske, Des Moines

Vivek Ramaswamy is committed to the truth

I believe Donald Trump did great things for America. Our economy was good. People were working. Our country was safe. Joe Biden has changed all of that; and we need a change.

However, Donald Trump is not who we need to get us back on course. I have spent time learning about many of the Republican candidates and have come to support Vivek Ramaswamy. Iowans, please give him a look. He is grounded in conservative beliefs. He is smart, kind and is committed to the truth. We need someone who is willing to lead differently in Washington while restoring humanity in how we treat each other, restoring love for our country and restoring purpose in the younger generation.

— Jen Brauch, Clive

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Letters: ‘Free society’ feeds us lies about Hunter Biden, Donald Trump