Iowa and Iowans seem to have long been at the forefront of legislation to ensure equality. A quick Internet search provides numerous examples both past and present: 1839 – Territorial Supreme Court: Man could not be sent back into slavery; 1851 – Iowa General Assembly: removed ban on inter-racial marriage;
Read More →Duffy’sView (May 8) provides a vivid snapshot of the Bible-toting religious right-wing of the Iowa GOP about to be dropped overboard. It refers to the First District Republicans’ recent decision to dump their platform commitment to traditional marriage, which is an acknowledgment that they have accepted defeat in the debate
Read More →Civic Skinny calls the $525,591 paid to date in legal fees to the trial lawyers defending Gov. Branstad “nuts,” (Gartner Comment, May 1). These outrageous fees have been charged by private trial lawyers hired by Branstad to defend him against a $1 million lawsuit brought by Workers Compensation Director, Chris
Read More →I liked Civic Skinny’s illustration: “One way to look at it: Branstad is trying to get rid of a workers comp commissioner who was twice overwhelmingly approved by the Senate in bipartisan votes — while hiring a would-be commissioner who was rejected by the Senate.” (April 24.) I liked it right up
Read More →When does Terry Branstad go on television and talk about his dog “Checkers” and the Republican cloth coat? Bob Runge –Des Moines Gov’s hear no evil/see no evil response fails Branstad has stained the reputation of Iowa good government with the secret hush money payments scandal. He has failed
Read More →Thank you for writing the excellent story on Iowa’s puppy mills (“Puppy Wars,” April 10). I am a follower of Iowa Voters for Companion Animals and Iowa Friends for Companion Animals. We appreciate the support of the press in bringing this story to the forefront. Karen Fieg –Grimes Unfortunately,
Read More →Bruce Braley’s message to a roomful of Texas trial lawyers is still reverberating. But somehow the issue that should have turned heads didn’t. What should have had Iowans across all party lines feeling disgusted is that Braley told a group of non-Iowans that if they gave him campaign money, he
Read More →Awesome! As soon as I got too FEARA (Federal Environmental Anomalies Reserve Agency) I knew something was up (“Snake Bite,” March 27), and the names were very clever! Well done. This (issue) was sent to me by a freaked out friend who knows I ride that trail. Great job! Allen
Read More →Last week’s issue was completely and utterly, positively and without a doubt a pointless waste of ink and paper (“God and Gays,” March 20). On the cover, the subhead reads: “Why Bob Vander Plaats and his merry men may soon be irrelevant.” It begs the obvious question: When were they
Read More →Jackson Pollock Mural worth $150 million (Civic Skinny, March 13)? Sell it. Build the $75 million Iowa City art museum. Then — like those art projects all over Iowa such as the giant Herkys in Iowa City, the giant ice crème cones in LeMars and the giant rabbit heads (?) in Council Bluffs
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