Will voters learn?
Voting for Branstad is an exercise of futile nostalgia, much like the Russians who still support communism. They remember less unrest and less economic turmoil, but forget the poor quality of what little food and goods they had, or that order was enforced largely by gunpoint and secretly spying on your neighbor. Some Iowans apparently long for the seemingly good ol’ days under Branstad, who balanced the budget by raising taxes and increased state revenue by instituting the Iowa Lottery, opening the door to other methods of legal gambling in Iowa. The Iowa Lottery has paid out approximately $2.4 billion in prizes, while raising $1.2 billion for the state. That means the house cut is 33 percent, making it, and the man who instituted it, a sucker bet for Iowa’s future.
His snap at the debates that an opponent was mistaken or a liar reflects an inability to restrain his temper. We have too many reactionaries and not enough conciliators in the political arena already, fomenting incivility in society in general.
We do not need another such person in the governor’s office.
Jeni Nosbisch
Des Moines
Correction: In last week’s issue (“Summer Arts & Entertainment Guide, May 27) we mistakenly did not credit the photo of the Des Moines Arts Festival.
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