Turning away refugees is wrong

Dear Gov. Branstad, I am writing to add my voice to those who are urging you to reconsider your position blocking refugees from Syria and the current European migration from being received in Iowa. Iowa, as you know, has a long tradition of hospitality to strangers, and refugees are people

A bonus for Bill Stowe?

What? Taxpayers have to pay Bill Stowe a $500,000 bonus? Why? He is doing a lousy job. The water rates are going to increase in April. I don’t think that is a coincidence. Shirley MacDonald -Des Moines Trump is endearing but offensive When in my early 20s, I was a

What the?

Donald Trump is upset to discover he’s now No. 2 on the GOP poll, but to me, his off-color comments, which may have contributed to his status slipping, are nothing compared to the slop the person, who I’m sad to say is an Iowan, secured in a printing in your

Beware of Republicans’ scary ideas

The pre-Halloween debate gave Republicans an opportunity to pull out all their scary political ghosts (the Federal government is the enemy) and goblins (the mainstream media is a shill for the Democrats). It was a night of bashing anything associated with government and the media (other than FOX and Limbaugh).

I think April Fools’ Day came a little late for Mr. Douglas Burns this year. All right, I get that the point of his article is that people get more upset with animal mistreatment than people mistreatment. To be fair, it is easier to act on what you can change

Mentally ill people are not the problem

To ask your readers on your Facebook page how to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill is ableist and disingenuous. The vast majority of violent acts (including acts of gun violence) are not committed by mentally ill people. In fact, mentally ill people are more likely

Nonprofits have unfair advantage

Not just taxpayers are hurt by the tax exemption for “nonprofits.” Look at the almost unfair advantages those nonprofits get compared to the small business person. How many more patients does the single-practice health care provider need to see just to pay the $20,000 in property taxes for a modest

Clapping with one hand

This year’s World Food Prize winner, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed’s organization, BRAC (Bangladesh Rehabilitation Assistance Committee), is the world’s largest NGO (non-governmental organization), according to The Des Moines Register, (July 1, 2015). And I say, “Amen!” and thank you. Still, charity without justice is like clapping with one hand; it

Pope Francis tells Republicans to cooperate for the common good

Republicans now find the shoe on the other foot with this pope. In the past, the GOP have used the church and religion to bash Democrats over narrow issues like abortion. Now there’s a new pope suggesting the Republicans are seriously out of step with the broader mission demanded by

Freebies all around

Cityview’s question of the week asks, “Should two years of community college tuition be free?” Why stop there? How about free food and housing for two years post high school, or just add two more years of optional high school? What about a free stipend for all for two years? Don’t forget free