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Better than a hearing

10/8/2014

Much attention had been on Bruce Braley missing hearings when he has a voting rate of 95 percent in Congress. What about Joni Ernst missing 36 percent of votes in the Iowa Senate and at the same time being paid to do her work in the Iowa Senate? Braley has crafted legislation and acted on issues, which has helped Veterans in a number of important ways. Bruce, doing this and meeting with veterans are much more beneficial to people than sitting in a hearing.

Kathleen O’Leary
–Des Moines

Get your shots before the Boar

Electrified horse fencing, barbed wire, feces, mud, young participants, close proximity, body fluids and possible inclement weather, all mentioned and implied in last week’s Locker Room article on the Wild Boar Challenge. As I am never one to pass an opportunity to expound on under-utilized public health services, I would ask potential participants to consider the following vaccinations: Hepatitis B, Hepatitis A, Tetanus and meningitis. I could get into graphic detail on how each could be transmitted, but I would hate to steal a possible story idea for a future Locker Room article or a possible lucrative tournament in the Metro area.

Mike Rowley
–Clive

Appel’s stance on ISIS is wrong

If anyone takes issue with Republican ads against Staci Appel, I take issue with them. For those who didn’t bother to see the debate, here are her words in response to the terrorist ISIS threat: “I would not be urging taking away their passports.” I don’t know how it can get any more plain or simple. If Appel’s allies are upset Republicans are using her own words against her, I suggest they explain to their own candidate why saying you wouldn’t revoke terrorist passports is wrong. If she can’t understand that, she’s dangerously wrong for Congress.

CNA - Stop HIV Iowa
Keith Wilhite
–Waukee

How can Ernst deny climate change yet promote her military experience

Political Mercury (Oct. 2) summarizes the Senate debate, but one of Ernst’s answers demands more scrutiny — her non-answer on climate change. Ernst’s response exposed her serious lack of knowledge or interest in informing herself on the scientific facts proving climate change. This is especially alarming because she promotes her military experience as evidence of her leadership and knowledge. Her lack of knowledge is so shocking because the Defense Community has repeatedly issued warnings about the major threats to our national security resulting from climate change. Gen. Charles Wald, who contributed directly to Pentagon’s Quadrennial Defense Review, says, “Now we’re saying it’s going to be a direct cause of instability.” That Pentagon details how rising sea levels, extreme storms and massive population dislocations will present a major threat to America’s national security. How can Ernst boast about her military experience and suggest it shapes her leadership yet be so uninformed about these extensive military warnings? Does Ernst oppose the overwhelming military evidence on climate change because her financial backers (Koch Brothers) deny climate change, or is she just disinterested in learning the facts? Either answer disqualifies Ernst for the Senate. Bruce Braley fully understands the dangers presented by climate change.

Rick Smith
–Urbandale

New person on staff?

Is Rick Smith a reporter for Cityview? He must be; you print a letter from him almost every week. In his last “rant” (Sept. 25) about climate change, he shouldn’t worry about that happening. We will all be dead from a “terrorist” attack or Ebola long before climate change becomes a problem.

Shirley MacDonald
–Des Moines

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