Hold on

In his recap of the 1984 senate race between Roger Jepsen and Tom Harkin, non-columnist Michael Gartner reminds us that then Sen. Jepsen had “used a credit card at what was euphemistically called a massage parlor.” All this was true.

But did the author really say that polls back then suggested Jepsen was “holding his own” among women voters?

If so, I am sure the likes of televangelist Jimmy Swagert was praying for him.

I hope all these past references aren’t lost on all the “youngsters” left at the Register.

Is Ernst reliable?

As part of her campaign to be a senator, Joni Ernst touts her service as commander of a unit in Iraq. However, given statements purportedly made by men who served under her, I question her reliability. First, one of the men states, and I quote, “She said her first priority was to bring every one home safe.” While no officer wants to lose a man, their FIRST priority is to accomplish the mission they have been sent to do. In the second commercial, the man talks about her getting a telephone outlet so her troops did not have to stand in line for eight hours to call home. I wonder if he realizes just how much longer troops who had been on the ground longer than they had were required to wait for satellite time to talk to their loved ones. Given this behavior, I wonder how she would perform should she be elected senator.

A call to action

This is a call to action for anyone passionate about women’s issues in the upcoming election! Women make up the majority of our population. We do vote! We have the power to use our vote to elect candidates who respect and support women and want to help women gain educational and economic equity. Inform yourself to determine who supports women’s issues. Don’t rely on hearsay and misinformation or be crippled by fear tactics.

To be competitive as a state, we need both women and men working as partners to grow Iowa’s economy and help women achieve the American dream so they can live with dignity!

We live in a complex, rapidly changing world. We have made significant progress on women’s rights through hard work over the years. Let’s not let our progress be reversed by the Republican candidates. We can’t go back! There is too much at stake!

Now is the time to speak up, speak out and stand tall! Submit letters to area media outlets. Talk to friends, neighbors, relatives and work colleagues who have concerns about the women and girls in their lives. Remind them of what’s at stake! Urge them to vote for democratic candidates who will support economic and educational equity for women! Together, we can do this!

Why is Branstad afraid to come clean?

In “The Branstad regime: most scandalous ever?” (Oct. 9), Herb Strentz details just a few of the shocking Branstad scandals and compares them to earlier scandals in Iowa state history. However, numerous shameful misdeeds committed by Branstad appointees and the cover-up by paying hush money smacks more of modern Watergate style crimes. Branstad’s scandal-on-top-of-scandal certainly suggests there must be a smoking gun as there was as part of the Watergate cover-up that doomed Nixon.

Just as Nixon’s crony advisors were a part of the Watergate cover-up, Branstad’s advisors are getting sued along with their boss. Just as Nixon refused to release the secret tapes that eventually proved his guilt, Branstad has delayed his deposition in the Godfrey discrimination lawsuit against him. Branstad delayed providing answers until after the election, saying he didn’t have time to provide voters with the truth about his actions. Why does Branstad refuse to answer questions and give his deposition in the lawsuit before the election unless he’s hiding something?

Voters must make a choice: take a chance on a governor plagued with scandals that refuses to come clean, or vote for a fresh start with Jack Hatch.