Letters: Joni Ernst Roast & Ride event celebrated carbon emissions

Ernst event celebrated emissions

Two stories in the June 6 Register should alarm anyone who cares about the climate. One headline read, “Carbon dioxide in air hits new peak.” The story reports that CO2 is now more concentrated in our air than it was 4 million years ago when the average temperature was at a warm peak (and homo sapiens didn’t yet exist).

The story on Sen. Joni Ernst’s Roast and Ride says, “Engines revved, gasoline fumes filled the air.” Just great. The story should have been headlined, “Joni’s motorcycle extravanganza commits environmental crime.” There was no indication in any of the reporting on the rally that the candidates cared a whit about climate change. Sic transit an inhabitable Earth….

— David W. Leslie, West Des Moines

Put hives on courthouse roof

Some federal courthouses around the country are participating in the General Services Administration’s Pollinator Initiative, a program promoting the creation of new honeybee hives.

It’s a marvelous idea to help sustain the honeybees who pollinate our food supply. So far, 11 federal courthouses have honeybee hives buzzing on their roofs. Des Moines’ new federal courthouse should follow suit and even place new hives on top of the World Food Prize building.

Without honeybees pollinating fruits and plants, our world’s food supply would face grave jeopardy.

Even Perry Mason would agree with that.

— Tony A. Powers, West Des Moines

A black cloud of candidates approacheth

Iowans must be warned about an impending catastrophe overcoming this state. Exploding with volcanic forces, black clouds worse than ash and fumes will make vision, breath, and thought impossible. A dark, sludge-like flow will spread out over inspiring green vistas, hardening into an impregnable barrier blocking compromise, cooperation, and progress.

This regular Iowa phenomena is a result of political caucuses that have mutated into spectacle.

A multitude of strange individuals from strange lands will appear, invoking fears, controversies, prejudices, and oversimplified solutions from the state’s stumps, fairs, motorcycle parades, and all media. All sorts of junk with their names attached will be sold to the guileless because no one buys Brooklyn Bridge shares anymore.

Some will feel pride at Iowa getting national attention. Others will be overwhelmed, deleting unsolicited email inquiries for donations to save our democracy. After a year or so of this brouhaha, everyone’s prosperity, except the average voter’s, will burgeon from all the money flowing in from beyond Iowa’s border to create false realities.

Thankfully, like Iowa government, it will be a one-pony show with everyone preaching to the same choir. Credit the Democrats for moving onto greener Southeastern pastures purported to be more representative of the whole United States. Despite being recent proponents of segregation and succession, anywhere with red dirt and pride in mustard-based barbecue deserves some of Iowa’s caucus misery.

Iowa still has the Republicans, though, so get your Brooklyn Bridge shares here!

— Paul Venaglia, Bettendorf

Another crisis averted?

How stupid are we? Our representatives fail to do the job we elect them to do, creating yet another end-of-the-world scenario. Disguise their lack of desire or ability to do the hard work of forming compromised legislation on our behalf throughout the session. Blame it on the other party so they bear no responsibility. Then claim victory with last-minute legislation.

Why would our reps think we send them to DC on our behalf and not notice that the party agenda takes priority over ours? While our beliefs are directed either liberal or conservative, we all want less visible bickering and better communication across the aisle to address the multitude of issues that are flashpoints and left unresolved. Border security, paths to citizenship for those we have allowed to stay in country for over a generation, balanced budgets, eco agendas and many more. When issues are left unresolved, let's remember who's to blame: Yes, it is us. We re-elect these people who feign taking responsibility without accomplishing what they have promised.

It's our feet that need to be held to the fire. The voting booth is our fire extinguisher.

— Mike Rush, West Des Moines

Tax cuts won’t balance the budget

In response to whether she would vote to increase the debt limit, Joni Ernst is bemoaning that the Senate has a Democratic majority, and that Joe Biden is the president. She says, “For heaven’s sakes, people, if you want a different outcome, let’s make sure we flip the Senate and that we do get the White House. Then we can move ahead with very ambitious goals.”

In 2017, even though the federal budget was not balanced, the Republicans voted for a $1.9 trillion tax cut. This significantly reduced revenue, and three years later the pandemic hit. This seemed to be a replay of the George W. Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, at the same time the United States was starting two wars. I don’t know what Ernst’s “ambitious goals,” are but cutting taxes when you are already deficit spending is not going to “get the fiscal house in order.”

As the Iowa congressional delegation blames President Joe Biden for excess spending, our two senators need to take some responsibility for deficits, since they supported the Trump tax cut. I remind the entire delegation that trying to balance the federal budget without raising the amount of revenue being received is impossible. If you are sincere about a balanced budget, then bring your best ideas for revenue increases and program cuts to budget negotiations. Also, present them to the people and have honest and open discussion about who will be harmed and who will be helped. Then find a way forward.

— Francis Todey, Ames

Long hours to stay afloat are an indictment of America

According to his campaign ad running on the air all over Iowa, Tim Scott spent his youth living in poverty while his mother worked 16 hours a day to keep her family fed, which makes her an incredibly strong, loving, and caring person.

Tim Scott, however, is using his mother's life story to attack the "Biden liberals" for claiming it is too hard to get ahead in this country. This reminds me of the time in 2005, when a divorced mother of three in Omaha complained to George W. Bush that she had to work three jobs just to feed her family and still could barely afford rent and Bush congratulated her, saying, "You work three jobs? Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that."

Just as Bush thought it was "fantastic" that a mother of three had to work three jobs to make ends meet, Scott and all the rest of the Republicans think it's just normal that Americans have to work themselves to death just to meet basic human needs, while their corporate bosses and CEOs are laughing all the way to the bank.

Tim Scott needs to understand that anyone who has to work three jobs, 16 hours a day, and is still living in poverty, is not living the "American Dream." They are living the "American Nightmare."

— John Moore, Newton

Handouts for private school have fewer strings than SNAP

How come people needing food assistance necessary to survive must have an income below 160% of the federal poverty level plus now be expected to meet employment requirements? In Iowa, anyone at up to 300% of the poverty level can apply for private school assistance, and they don't need the help to stay alive, plus there are already public schools available.

People who get food aid are made to feel inferior because they seek aid. However, as far as I know, there is no embarrassment about taking money from the public by people who feel their children are too special to attend public school. This treatment of different groups is curious. It's as if poor people are bad and the other group deserve some kind of reward. Why is this?

I do not believe the governor or her private school welfare proponents have made a bona fide case for their special treatment of people who want me to fund their private education. No one asked me or any other taxpayers if I agree with the religious or other ideas that will be taught in these schools. In fact, there is not yet a provision for any kind of regulation of publicly financed private schools.

On the other hand, receiving food assistance in this state is from time to time the focus of legislators who not only want to keep as few people as possible from getting meager benefits, but also want to dictate what kind of foods they can and cannot have.

There is something wrong with the values and priorities governing these policy choices.

— Mary Acton, West Des Moines

Remember Trump’s horrible record

In addition to the two impeachments, inciting insurrection at the US Capitol during a joint session of Congress resulting in horrific injuries and deaths, plus being indicted on 34 criminal charges, it appears lost on his flock just how bad Don Trump was at being president, why he’s ranked the worst since 1869.

During 2017 discussions, those tax cuts for the wealthiest were described as inflationary. He said GDP growth could go to 6% and deficits would not increase, but it never topped 3% and record deficits were set. Every time he browbeat the chair of the Fed into keeping interest rates low, economists from coast to coast warned of inflation. He’s the only president since Herbert Hoover to have a net jobs loss during his term in office.

The repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act he championed was so bad not even all the Republicans voted for it. He shut down the government for three weeks because Congress wouldn’t fund his wall Mexico was supposed to pay for. He unilaterally started a trade war with China, resulting in American consumers being stuck with the extra costs. He unilaterally pulled out of the landmark Iran nuclear deal and a stunned world watched Iran immediately start building advanced centrifuges, enriching more uranium than ever. Why he wanted Iran closer to a nuclear weapon has yet to be explained.

Republicans sat silent when Trump disgustingly desecrated Old Glory by intermixing American flags with North Korean flags in photo-ops for the murderous regime. His $4 billion Cabinet was so incompetent they negotiated the release of 5,000 Taliban soldiers from prison.

There are Americans, including Iowans, in prison, families ruined for believing him, and even after Trump called for termination of the US Constitution, Republican state Rep. Shannon Lundgren writes a guest essay (to the Register) unapologetically saying she wants Trump and his cadre back in positions of authority? Bizarre!

— Tim Facto, Des Moines

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Letters: Joni Ernst event celebrated carbon emissions