Letters: Kim Reynolds understates the significance of food insecurity

The frightening ideology is on the right

DC Larson's Sept. 17 guest essay on dangerous leftists vs. traditional liberals would be frightening if anyone would care to wade through its pedantry.

I found it a complete example of projection of truths about the Republican Party, especially the lecture on morality and the selfish approach to truth. Profits and church are the only truths that party recognizes. Additionally, have we ever witnessed such clamped-down ideology as in the Republicans in Congress or presidential candidates who are afraid to call a crook a crook?

It is insulting that either, according to Larson, I must either believe in a higher power or be self-centered.

I will continue to pull the Democratic lever, for the alternatives are unthinkable.

— Ellen Grimes, Des Moines

Reynolds understates significance of food insecurity

Gov. Kim Reynolds announced giving $5 million of federal pandemic relief money to four nonprofit organizations in Iowa intended to increase the availability of food distributed through food pantries. It was targeted at updating and modernizing facilities. Not food; facilities.

She said that only 7% of Iowans are food insecure, based on rankings by the USDA in 2021. However, nearly 29% of households living below 185% of the FPL (federal poverty level), which for a family of four is $55,500, are food insecure. The Iowa minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, which is unchanged since 2009. By inflation alone that should now be $10.29 per hour. The self-sufficiency wage, as calculated by Common Good Iowa, is $16.60 per hour for this same family in Polk County (it is not below $14.00 per hour in any county of Iowa). And that’s for both parents working. One in seven working households can’t meet a basic needs budget. These calculations do not include any of the expense increases from the drastic inflation recently.

Republicans have shown me that they want the economy to be built on the backs of the poor. They should be all for paying people a living wage, but instead they put small Band-Aids on symptoms (and with money not even of their own doing, as in this case) instead of focusing on cures. This is much the same way as they have addressed health care and women’s rights, too. Give me your tired, your poor, your pregnant, but not your immigrants, and we’ll keep them poor and subservient.

— Phillip Thien, Des Moines

Mandelbaum for mayor

It’s time to elect a new generation of leaders to the Des Moines City Council. With all but one member of the Des Moines City Council over the age of 55, and four of them over the age of 70, it is time to make a change as voters head to the polls on Nov. 7. Elect the youngest member of the Des Moines City Council, Josh Mandelbaum, to be our next mayor, elect neighbor leader Chelsea Lepley in Ward 2, and elect Iraqi combat veteran Jason Benell in Ward 4. We need to invest in tomorrow by voting for this new generation of leaders Nov. 7.

— Mitch Henry, Des Moines, Iowa Unity Coalition chair

Remember the tea tasters

It's so Nixonian of Gov. Kim Reynolds to drive her political steamroller over Iowa's weak independent agencies and tiny boards, such as the Elevator Safety Board. It was in 1970 --- the year of Monty Python's "Ministry of Silly Walks" --- that Richard Nixon mocked the work of the Board of Tea Experts ("tea tasters" in his words) as an absurd relic.

But useless it was not, since tea was our country's only commodity imported and sold based solely on taste; three government tea tasters set the standards that allowed free enterprise to operate. It ran on a tiny $25,000 a year budget, with one-third paid for by the tea companies. Congress could have easily revoked the 1897 law, but that would have ended their fun at fomenting taxpayer rage. In the 1970s, tea tasters became a popular winner of Sen. William Proxmeire's monthly "Golden Fleece Award".

The author of Nixon's charade was staffer Martin Anderson, who would reveal himself in a 1993 nationally syndicated column (gypsy tea readers must have foreseen their end was nigh). Later, in a 1996 debate against Bob Dole, Bill Clinton needed a funny and deflecting response on how he planned to shrink the government and he cheerfully answered that he'd abolish the tea tasters, along with the Naval Academy Dairy Farm. As president, he ended the agency, just short of its centennial year.

I'll be thinking of tea tasters the last time I step on an elevator --- going dooownn!

— John Zeller, Des Moines

Waste in farm subsidies must be ended

I spent 36 years working for The Maytag Co. in Newton, starting in 1969. It was a great company to work for, but over the years it changed from being a "family environment" company to one focused on corporate profits by outsiders known as "venture capitalists."

It wasn't the union or the average worker who brought Maytag to its knees; it was the extreme focus on corporate profits driven by these outsiders. It was these outsiders who destroyed the traditional Maytag Dependable Quality that consumers relied on and were willing to pay for. When Maytag finally sold out to Whirlpool in 2007, these outsiders walked away with millions.

I see the same thing happening to farms in Iowa. The average small farmer who took care of the soil by rotating crops and had smaller manageable livestock herds that supported our smaller towns is a thing of the past. The farmer of today is more likely to be a part of a farm corporation or at the very least a giant farm operation more focused on taking out than in putting in to Iowa's soil and raising livestock in giant CAFOs that have environmental issues.

When my dad farmed in the 1950s, he rotated his crops between corn, oats and hay to keep the soil productive, introducing soybeans in this rotation method in his later years. He used natural fertilizer from the farm animals he raised and cultivated to keep the weeds under control. He worked hard and many hours each day, but we had a good life. Today, farmers plant every square inch they possibly can with rows so narrow you can't even walk between the rows and plant year after year in corn or soybeans dumping on more and more chemicals each year.

And, 50% of today's corn goes to produce ethanol and not to feed the world.

On top of all this, taxpayers have given Iowa farmers almost $40 billion in farm subsidy payments between 1995 and 2021, with many of these farm corporations and giant farmers getting several million dollars each. And now politicians are starting to talk about how the taxpayers will have to help out these corporations and giant farmers restore the land they have destroyed.

I think it is time to hold these corporations and giant farmers to account. They have been taking all the profits and taxpayer handouts long enough. Let's invest only in small farmers with these subsidy payments who are farming for the future. Let's invest in Iowa's small towns supported by these smaller farms like the ones that use to thrive. Let’s not continue to poor our tax dollars into these giant "vulture capitalist farmers."

— Duane Mortensen, Ankeny

Mental health providers scarce for adults, too

Regarding the Sept. 10 story about Iowa mental health: Youth, in one way, may have more providers available than we adults. When I lost two mental health counselors recently at Capstone, who were the only providers there who accepted my Medicare and my Medicare supplement for insurance, Capstone staff handed me a list of other counselors from the Grinnell Area Mental Health Consortium.

Only ONE of the list (a two-sided list typed on a piece of 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of typing paper) accepts Medicare for payment. This lady was very kind, but she wants me to have my therapy sessions with her on Zoom. If I do so, that will require me to hire computer technicians to hook up my computer to Zoom, so I'd have that extra expense. She suggested using "my smartphone." That would require me to go to a sales office of smartphones and sign up for yet another monthly expense.

So, one week, all I had to do was get to the office of my therapist; now, it sounds like I'll have at least one, if not two, major expenses just to get therapy sessions. Capstone is looking to hire two more therapists who will accept Medicare. Lots of providers for youth mental health, by contrast, will accept Medicaid, so the kids can more easily find a provider than I can.

EVERYBODY in Iowa is having a crisis finding providers.

— Lisa Boyes, Grinnell

Democrats funded important Iowa priorities

Gov. Kim Reynolds loves to criticize the tax and spend Democrats, but has had no problem spending the American Rescue Plan Act money.

Particularly on such high priority items as $350,000 for new road signs that say, "Iowa, Freedom to Flourish."

And I know that as our roads and bridges start getting repaired and replaced after decades of neglect, she will be at the microphone taking full credit for the infrastructure money that came from the tax and spend Democrats.

Thank you, tax and spend Democrats, for caring for America and Americans!

— Ronald Davidson, Clive

This investigation of Biden is corrupt

"Corruption" is defined variously, but generally it’s the misuse of public power for personal gain. In some definitions, "partisan gain" is added as another improper and, thus, corrupt, use of such power.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy recently announced that the House of Representatives was launching an inquiry into a "culture of corruption."

Meanwhile, Congressman Ken Buck has noted that the former president has said on his social media that the House should be impeaching President Joe Biden. That former president, currently seeking re-election, has conversed with the chair of the House Republican Conference, Elise Stefanik, to encourage the launch of a Biden impeachment inquiry. This presidential candidate dined with Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene recently to discuss an impeachment inquiry of Biden. All the while, no one has identified any actual basis for impeachment.

So, "public power" being used for partisan purposes .... Speaker McCarthy, you are presiding over the "culture of corruption."

— Teresa Baustian, Des Moines

Westergaard deserves re-election

We have an important city election in Des Moines this year. We deserve experienced and reliable leadership on the Des Moines City Council. That’s why I support Linda Westergaard for City Council Ward 2. Linda has done the work and has a proven track record of being there for my neighborhood. Linda shows up. She is accessible and listens to our goals and concerns. More importantly, Linda Westergaard has consistently delivered solutions.

I’m voting for Linda because I know and trust her. I know her commitment to the city of Des Moines and I know her work ethic. She’s a committed public servant who has fought for and delivered much needed dollars to modernize our city’s infrastructure. Linda stands up for residents and makes sure our tax dollars are used responsibly.

Des Moines is at a critical point in its growth. It is imperative that we elect leaders who will not only show up for us, but will also fight for fiscal responsibility and making Des Moines a better place for our children and grandchildren. With the right type of vision and leadership, we can continue to develop and improve our city. I encourage all residents to become familiar with the city council candidates. After you do, I feel confident that you will join me in voting for Linda Westergaard for Des Moines City Council Ward 2.

— Jack Daugherty, Des Moines

Support for Alzheimer’s awareness and research matters

This and every year, I participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in honor of my father, Merle Pederson. He was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s in 2016 at the age of just 60. Through the Alzheimer’s Association, I have continued to learn more about how to combat this disease, how to care for my father throughout every stage - with love and understanding, and how to recognize and lean into the amazing community of people who have been touched by Alzheimer’s in some way.

I hope that you will join us for one of the amazing walks happening all across Iowa, including the Walk in Des Moines at the Iowa State Capitol on Saturday, Sept. 30. I will be walking in Ames on Saturday, Oct. 14. I encourage all Iowans to come learn about the advancements being made by this organization as we walk to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

— Libby Pederson, West Des Moines

Blame Republicans for soil carbon loss

The recent reports about the loss of soil and pollution of our streams and lakes reveals the cynical policies promoted by Republican politicians. Their philosophy, to promote business profits over long-term public benefit, has been the foundation of "conservative" politics for over 150 years. As climate change catastrophes and income inequality increase, perhaps voters will finally realize that our public interest comes first and that government intervention is required.

— Tim Urban, Des Moines

Letter ignored realities of immigration

In his Sept. 10 letter to the editor regarding immigrants, Gary Goldstein states, "If someone wants to make the U.S. home, they need to apply for residency."

What his letter fails to explain is that it is nearly impossible for most immigrants to apply for permanent residency in the U.S. Our immigration laws in the U.S. are designed to benefit very few immigrants and most individuals who desire to immigrate to the U.S. simply have no way of doing so under our current laws. For years, the idea that a person can “get in line” to apply for permanent residency in the U.S. has been perpetuated, yet nothing could be further from the truth.

Let me be clear: There is no line. Unless an immigrant has a family member who can petition them, works in a specialized field, or qualifies for one of a handful of special humanitarian immigration benefits, they will not be able to immigrate. Wanting to work hard and do so lawfully simply is not an option for most. And for the small number of people who do have a path to residency, and eventually citizenship, these processes can take years, sometimes decades.

Having worked in immigration law for more than 15 years, I am quite familiar with our dysfunctional system of immigration. I have spent hundreds, if not thousands, of hours explaining to immigrant community members that even though they have been here for years in some cases, pay taxes, and do their best to be good neighbors, that’s not enough to obtain a lawful immigration status.

I encourage people to think twice the next time they ask someone why they have not yet become a resident or a U.S. citizen and remember that the person likely has no way of doing so under our draconian, punitive immigration laws.

Disregard the stereotypes and falsehoods regarding immigrants and immigration that have been spread for years and try to truly understand the reality of our broken immigration laws.

— Jody Mashek, West Des Moines

Why should the disaffected be excluded?

If you are wondering what has happened to the Republican Party we all once knew, think about this.

In a story Wednesday about timing of voter registration for the Republican caucus, state party chair Jeff Kaufmann said that they are looking for ways to prevent "disaffected" Republicans from attending the caucuses. So, if you are a Republican who disagrees with the direction your party is going, you are apparently not welcome at the caucuses.

— Frank McCammond, Redfield

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Letters: Kim Reynolds understates the significance of food insecurity