Not about gender

“I need a woman” and “Modern day David?” (Your View, June 4) are two reasons why more people need to know there is a third choice for governor in 2014: Lee Hieb. Dr. Hieb was selected to be the candidate of the Libertarian Party because of her experience and ideas on how to make Iowa better, not her gender. As David to the Hatch-Branstad Goliath, Dr. Hieb does not even get a mention in an article about money in the gubernatorial contest.

Jeff Meyers
–Des Moines

Figuratively burning her bra

Obviously times have changed. In my day, one showed up for school or work. No matter the weather, real or political. I was first a French teacher, later and for longer, a clinical social worker. Unless it was a whiteout blizzard snow day, we went to work. No question.

My integrity speaks clearly for me. Unlike Joni Ernst no one questioned my passion or goals. If so, I was there personally on hand to answer. I am an older liberated liberal. Betty Friedan & Gloria Steinham, although not known personally, are my friends. We fought the fight for the empowerment of women together. I was in the trenches, figuratively burning my bra back in the day.

Granted I’ve never castrated, figuratively or literally, but you can take this to the bank, Joni. If we were “in session,” I was there. In person.

Lastly, I am 100 percent woman, and I love Duffy. He has made and continues to make me laugh, something very important to me. A group of close girlfriends in Los Angeles used two vital criteria in evaluating men: can he chop garlic and/or does he make you laugh?

I don’t know Duffy personally, but I’m betting he does both.

Linda Grady
–Des Moines

Ernst misfires on environmental facts

Gov. Branstad claims GOP Senate candidate Joni Ernst is a straight shooter (Political Mercury, June 12) but her recent uninformed environmental statements are major misfires. There was significant public shock as it was revealed she aligns herself with the tiny group of anti-science global warming deniers. However, her radical denial of the accepted science of climate change is merely a symptom of a much larger error exposed by her support of a thoroughly discredited UN Agenda 21 conspiracy theory.

The UN Agenda 21 refers to the world wide non-binding commitment to promote future sustainable growth signed by President George H.W. Bush in 1992. The goal of Agenda 21 was to identify future shortages of resources and plan for sustainable environmental growth.

However, among the radical tin foil hat conspiracy crowd Agenda 21 is a plot perpetrated by the UN to dissolve property rights. This wacky UN conspiracy theory has been thoroughly dismissed as pure fiction by every credible source.

Joni Ernst has been repeating these outrageous and unsubstantiated Agenda 21 conspiracy myths on the campaign trail suggesting a seriously flawed understanding of sustainable environmental policy.

Ernst fails the basic qualification for the Senate with her inability to differentiate between fact and fiction.

Rick Smith
–Urbandale

It worked for the V.A.

The 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) eliminated certain subsidies which the federal government first used to establish the 1997 Medicare Advantage program. Medicare Part C is a PPO or HMO through private insurance companies.  As of 2008, the federal government spent 12 percent more on Medicare Advantage than it did for comparable care under traditional Medicare.

The additional $14 billion added to the Medicare program in 2009 is what ACA aimed to correct.  The subsidies to Medicare Part C will gradually be reduced until payments to Medicare Advantage are in line with the cost of traditional Medicare.

Looking for other savings to Medicare could include wrapping Medicare Part D into Part B.  This would simplify and lower the cost of Medicare coverage for all.  Drug companies should also submit bids for sale of drugs to Medicare recipients. That program has been successful in the Veterans Administration.

Julie Stewart Ziesman
–Waukee

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