Letters: On political endorsements, rallies, slogans and accountability

Brad Sherman is best choice for House District 91

As a supporter of Brad Sherman for Iowa House District 91, I would like to say how encouraging it is to have a man of exceptional character and integrity running for this position. His view of government is simple, which is the way it was intended to be. Less government involvement in our lives is what I want and what most people want.

Our rights come from God, not from government! It was never the intent of our founding fathers to restrict, control and overburden the people of this country with excessive taxes and government over-reach into our businesses. Nor is it the responsibility of the government to tell us how to live our lives, what we can and cannot say and inflict ridiculous and immoral laws on us.

Sherman supports the idea that every life is precious because we are all created in the image of God. He regularly states that our Constitution is an exceptional document the way that it is and does not need to be re-written, just re-read. He wants fair and honest elections that we can trust. He has a deep love for our country and the republic it was created to be. He will stand up for what is right and good and can’t be bought nor will he cave into the pressure to vote against his conscience.

Iowa would be well-served to have Sherman in our state government to fight for what is in the best interest of the people of Iowa. Please vote for Brad Sherman on Nov. 8.

-Kris Kesterson, Williamsburg

Do you agree with Democrats or Republicans?

Democrats want to increase taxes on the rich; Republicans cut taxes on the rich.

Democrats want to expand health insurance; Republicans want to take health insurance away from 20 million people.

Democrats want to increase renewable energy; Republicans want to increase oil and coal production.

Democrats want to stop global warming; Republicans don’t see the need.

Democrats want to reform campaign finance; Republicans don’t want any change.

Democrats want to protect voting rights; Republicans want to suppress voting rights.

Democrats promote vaccines; Republicans are skeptical.

Democrats want immigration reform; Republicans want to complain and blame Democrats.

Democrats want gun control; Republican want more assault rifles.

Democrats support civil rights and civil liberties; Republicans do not.

Democrats support environmental protections; Donald Trump canceled 99 environmental protections.

Democrats support women’s rights; Republicans do not.

Democrats support labor rights; Republicans support corporate rights.

Democrats support criminal justice reform; Republicans want “law and order.”

Democrats want to raise the minimum wage; Republicans do not.

Democrats vote to rebuild the infrastructure; most Republicans voted against it.

Democrats support cleaning up ocean pollution; Republicans do not.

Trump admired Vladimir Putin and other dictators; Joe Biden promotes democracy in other countries.

Democrats intend to bring Trump to justice for his crimes; Republicans support Trump no matter what.

-Doug Korty, Iowa City

Mike Franken supports older Iowans

While AARP does not endorse candidates, it does identify the top issues of importance to older citizens. Its list, published in the AARP’s May Bulletin, included prescription drugs, Social Security, Medicare, and caregiving/long-term care.

Mike Franken’s website, FrankenforIowa.com, was put together prior to AARP’s May Bulletin. He had listed his major issues for older Iowans as: Keep Social Security solvent for this and future generations (proposal: Make all earnings subject to the Social Security tax.); expand Medicare (proposal: Make Medicare available to everyone and add coverage for vision, hearing and dental care.); lower the cost of prescription drugs (proposal: Medicare needs to do what the Veterans Administration does — use its national purchasing power to negotiate prices with drug companies.); improve long-term care services, while expanding ways to pay for them (Franken identifies five proposals to address these challenges).

Franken addresses all four of AARP’s issues in-depth and goes further. He suggests we pay for these programs by eliminating the Donald Trump tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans and adopt a tax system where all Americans and big corporations pay their fair share.

Chuck Grassley’s reelection website lists none of these issues as a priority. None.

Who cares more about and will better serve older Iowans? It’s obvious — Franken will.

Franken surely has my vote and I hope he will have yours.

-Bob Welsh, Coralville

Trump's name missing from Republican rally

Johnson County Republicans (well, “about a hundred of them,” also counting other “Republican politicians”) rallied for Mariannette Miller-Meeks last weekend (“U.S. Sen. Rick Scott helps fire up Republicans in Iowa City,” Sept. 12 Press-Citizen). Strangely, George Shillcock's lengthy report on that rally contains not one mention of Donald J. Trump, the former president and leading candidate for the Republican ticket in 2024.

Strange, because Sen. Chuck Grassley and Gov. Kim Reynolds have both said how “honored” they are to have Trump’s endorsement in this election cycle — and some have even speculated Reynolds is angling to be a Trump running mate. Strange, because Miller-Meeks campaigned that she was the candidate best able to advance the “Trump agenda” in the 2020 election. (How’s that going?).

Stranger still, Shillcock mentions Scott as joining a raft of other potential Republican presidential candidates “who have made their way to Iowa recently.” So the question is: are Iowa Republicans getting ready to “dump the Donald” or are they going to stand by their man? When will Trump be invited to Iowa to campaign for these loyalists?

-Jim Walters, Iowa City

Miller-Meeks shows she can't be trusted

On Sept. 10, U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks conducted an Iowa City fundraiser with Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who as CEO of Columbia/HCA over saw a Medicare fraud scheme a decade ago.

Scott lied to recipients about losing their doctors, hospitals and health care. The corporation was fined $1.7 billion for over-billing Medicare and Medicaid.

Miller-Meeks apparently isn’t bothered that Scott nearly brought down the entire medical chain despite ample warnings in stockholder reports that he signed.

As senator, Scott wants to “sunset” Social Security and Medicare in five years. Obviously, Miller-Meeks agrees.

Miller-Meeks has proved she isn’t a worthy member of Congress. She voted against moms and babies when she opposed an emergency funding bill to remedy the baby formula shortage.

She opposed the toxic burn pit bill (PACT Act), causing her fellow vets increased suffering.

Miller-Meeks voted against the recent CHIPS Act, which restores American semiconductor jobs that Sen. Chuck Grassley voted to ship overseas.

She voted against infrastructure improvements she campaigned for in 2020.

Miller-Meeks said she aims to “triple” her six-vote margin of victory in the November 2022 election, to 18 votes?

Christina Bohannan has bigger aims. She’ll take care of the middle class.

-Ellen Ballas, Iowa City

Stop stealing

Although most important political issues are complex, we often try to condense them into a simple three- or four-word slogan that can be chanted at a political rally or fit on a bumper sticker. Recent examples include “Yes we can,” “Lock her up,” and “Stop the steal,” among others.

This last slogan about “the steal” first appeared as early as 2016. Four years later, “the steal” referred to the idea that the former president didn’t really lose his reelection. But those concerned about the future might apply this catchy slogan to other important issues.

For example, stop stealing our hard-earned money and make corporations and the super rich pay their share of taxes. Stop stealing our voting rights through state-level restrictions and gerrymandering. Stop stealing the freedom to make our own health care choices. Stop stealing our lives by not controlling assault weapons. Stop stealing the freedom of teachers to help our children learn our country’s history and appreciate the world’s rich cultural diversity. Stop stealing the quality of life for seniors who can’t afford their essential medicines. Stop stealing our children’s and grandchildren’s futures by ignoring climate change. The list of steals goes on.

Instead of violence and insurrection, let’s each thoughtfully study the candidates and then peacefully march to the voting booth on Nov. 8 and elect those who we think can best stop the many real steals we are facing.

-Tom Cook, Iowa City

Accountability to Johnson County taxpayers

The Johnson County Fair is a publicly subsidized event held annually by the Johnson County Agricultural Association. Many may assume it is a worthy investment. But maybe it is time to raise questions. Over the past decade, Johnson County taxpayers contributed over a million dollars in funding to the JCAA, not including providing county deputies to provide security for the fair ($4,142 in 2021).

The JCAA also receives ongoing funding from the Association of Iowa Fairs ($10,103 in 2021). In 2020, even though the fair was canceled due to the pandemic, Johnson County taxpayers contributed $103,000 for the fair while the federal government provided $75,000.

When the Johnson County Board of Supervisors approves funding, the JCAA is then required to provide an accounting for its expenditure of these funds. But in recent years, it has failed to do so, despite continuing to request and receive further funding. Wouldn’t a full audit of where our tax dollars go and how much funding JCAA accrues from other funding sources be essential for the Board of Supervisors to make responsible funding decisions?

Linn County contributes $25,000 toward its county fair. Why do Johnson County taxpayers subsidize so much more? When the Board of Supervisors recently approved a $52,000 service agreement requested by the JCAA for 2023 funding, only one Supervisor, Jon Green, had the courage to vote no. Green responsibly insisted on JCAA accountability before receiving further subsidies. We should all appreciate that.

-Deborah Gallagher, Iowa City

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Letters: On political endorsements, rallies, slogans, accountability