Snake oil always sells

Civic Skinny (July 17) asked if the $40 million settlement with buyers club was an indication that the 864,000 adult Iowans, “Are so gullible… and can be snookered in a deal like this?”

I think that if you look at past elections the question should not be can Iowans, but instead how often can Iowans be gullible and snookered?

Every election cycle it seems we are presented with Iowa candidates who promise to “change Washington and/or stop fraud and waste.”

Smith, Culver, Harkin, Grassley, Jepson, Clark, Hughes, Braley, Loebsack, Latham, Boswell, etc. — did any of them ever pass a budget that was lower than the previous year? Does anyone believe there is less waste and fraud in government than before any of them were elected?

Ironic or indicative that 864,000 Iowans signed up for the buyers club and 816,429 voted for the president in 2012?

Snake oil always sells as long as there is someone to listen.

Why does Ernst, a female candidate, support GOP war on women?

Cityview (Political Mercury, July 17) focused on GOP candidate Joni Ernst and the gender gap that leaves her upside-down with women. She is trailing her male opponent Bruce Braley with female voters because she sides with the Koch Brothers’ good old boy network flooding her campaign with money. However, it isn’t fair to suggest she is just parroting the war on women rhetoric just to suck up their money. Ernst’s statements suggest she drank the anti-women Kool-Aid and truly believes in the male-engineered Koch corporate agenda.

She opposes raising the Federal minimum wage even though women (often with children) suffer most in jobs that fail to pay a living wage.

She sides with corporate power by wanting to abolish the Clean Water Act that guarantees Iowa families safe drinking water.

Ernst cheered the Hobby Lobby decision that gives private companies the power to dictate health care decisions for women.

However, it appears women see through her “Iowa values” claim as just a distraction from her real agenda that supports the Republican “war on women.”

Bruce Braley has greater support from women because they understand he works for them and fights against the Koch Brothers’ anti-women corporate goals.

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