Letters: Republicans must not hold office; too many reject democracy

Republicans must not hold office; too many reject democracy

The coming mid-term elections are the most important ones in our lifetime. Although critical issues such as women’s reproductive rights and lower drug prices are in play, the existential issue confronting us is whether our country will continue as a democracy or become an electoral autocracy — a country in which votes are cast, but they no longer determine the winner of elections.

Nearly 300 Republicans running for congressional and state offices in 48 states have denied the outcome of the last presidential election. If a substantial number of these candidates win, our election processes and outcomes will intentionally be thrown into disorder and a fundamental principle of democracy — that votes count — will be destroyed. If voters cannot choose the winners, we lose our ability to decide all the other political issues.

We face a choice between a party that still believes in democracy and a party that supports electoral autocracy and authoritarianism. In order to maintain election integrity, we must elect legislators who will ensure access to the ballot and who will strengthen our voting and certification processes. Vote for Democrats for all offices to send a message and to preserve democracy.

— Thomas Hill, Cedar Falls

Ashley Hinson stands up for parents

As a mom of two boys, Ashley Hinson inherently understands the importance of parents being involved in decisions that affect own children. She has been a loud voice against the destructive and dangerous school policies that box parents out of decisions that should be made between a parent and their child, such as the parental exclusion policy in the Linn-Mar school district.

This radical policy targets the most vulnerable population: our children. It takes advantage of their innocence and opens the door to make irreversible decisions that can have an astronomical impact on our children’s mental health and overall well-being … all without the parent even knowing.

This policy puts the government between parents and our children, a position that the government has no place being. I am the father of six children, and the idea that my child could go to school and be referred to by a different name and gender, all without my knowledge, is horrifying.

Unlike her opponent, Liz Mathis, who supports this woke concept, Ashley Hinson proudly stands up for parents rights and is a fierce believer that our children belong to us, parents, not the government (a concept that shouldn’t be political)!

— Steven Schmitt, Waterloo

Who’s lost their minds now?

Gov. Kim Reynolds’ commercial is excellent but just needs a few edits. When she asks incredulously if the rest of the country has lost its mind, she should fill in the appropriate footage of the Jan. 6 insurrection with the former president “standing by."

Separating children from families at the border and claims of Mexico paying for a wall would be more clarifying on the immigration issue than the grainy footage she used. When she lauds keeping school and businesses open, she just needs to add “during a deadly pandemic and against the best medical expertise.” And when she says cutting taxes, she should include “and public services”

When she plays to common sense, she can cite Sen. Chuck Grassley’s common political sense when he admits he has discarded his values and just follows the polling. And for good measure, maybe Reynolds should add her own common political sense of stoking fears of “the other” with ongoing cultural war politics.

— Kevin Lair, Winterset

Iowans can be proud of Franken, not so much Grassley

Why am I an enthusiastic supporter of Mike Franken?

He has the energy, experiences, empathy, and vision needed by a U.S. Senator for today’s and especially tomorrow’s world.

While Donald Trump was in office, columnist Tom Friedman described the USA having “a president without shame, a party without spine, and a network without integrity.” Testifying at one of the January 6 hearings, retired federal Judge J. Michael Luttig, a revered conversative and Federalist Society member who has sent eighty-five clerks to clerk at SCOTUS, closed with this comment regarding the Big Lie: “Donald Trump, his allies and supporters, are a clear and present danger to American democracy.”

Despite his big sign, “Chuck Grassley works,” it ought to be Chuck Grassley shirks! Party above country. In the debate, he was doddering, bumbling with answers, cantankerous with questioners. He boasts of perfect attendance. His recent years? His goal is not performance (forget bipartisanship), but permanence.

Nautically speaking, Admiral Mike’s opponent, Chuck Grassley, sails on an ocean of obstruction with a battleship for blocking not building.

I support Mike Franken because he will help us save democracy. Mike doesn’t accept super PAC money. Abundantly qualified, he will be fiercely independent. Iowans will be proud of this U.S. senator.

— Charles R. Kniker, Ames

Mental health education for our future

Mental health issues for school-aged children are becoming more and more prevalent as the years go by and awareness needs to be prioritized. It is understandable that the adults in these children’s lives tend to miss the signs and write them off as “phases” the child may be going through. The children themselves are most times at a loss about what is actually going on with their minds and bodies and have no clue why they are feeling the way they are.

It comes down to them lacking the ability to articulate what they are feeling. Speaking as someone who has struggled with mental health for the majority of my life, quality of life can be increased greatly for children who are given access to education and help from the very beginning. It would mean less suicides, less hospital stays, less outbursts of violence against others. As of 2020, rates of suicide among children 5 to 11 have increased, on average, 15% a year from 2013 to 2020. That is inexcusable when providing education and services could remedy this issue.

Mental health education needs to start being part of the regular curriculum in elementary, middle, and high schools. It is so important to educate both our youth and those responsible for their mental and physical well-being on the signs and symptoms to look for and when and how to seek help for them. This is one minor statistic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but children from 6 to 17 had 5.4% diagnosed with anxiety or depression in 2003, and in 2011 it jumped to 8.4%. Keep in mind those are only children who have been diagnosed, not the ones who have fallen through the cracks.

If mental-health education classes can be added to the curriculum it could help countless children, with another side-effect of reducing the stigma attached to mental health amongst children without those issues. It could have the benefit of teaching all children how to support one another and how to seek help when needed.

— Brenda Lykins, Story City

Democrats did something about high prices, and they could do more

Prices are high, and, those who are older and living on fixed incomes are hit hardest by greedy corporations price-gouging us. Pharmaceutical companies charge exorbitant prices for medications because they can. To help Americans keep up with rising costs, Democrats passed legislation that allows Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and that brings manufacturing back to the U.S.

Because of the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare can negotiate drug prices and insulin through its coverage is capped at $35 a month. The best part is, the bill is fully paid for – it will reduce the deficit by $300 billion. Billion-dollar corporations will pay a fairer share of taxes, wealthy and corporate tax cheats will pay what they owe, and drug corporations will have to stop price gouging.

But Congress can still do more. If we elect Democrats, they can pass legislation to hold corporations accountable for price gouging. We need less finger-pointing and blame-shifting and more working for the American people. Vote for candidates who want to spend their time in Congress working for Iowans, and not lobbyists and greedy corporations.

— Sharon Poplawski, Cedar Rapids

Don’t interfere with women’s health care, period

I am sickened by the constant mention of abortion, 10 weeks, life of the mother, nationwide ban, fetal heartbeat, etc. etc., etc. Those talking points should not be what the conversation should be about. The conversation or debate should not simply be a campaign issue.  The only conversation that should take place should be between the expectant mother, her doctor, and anyone else she includes.

This is not about abortion but is solely an attack on a woman's right to choose what is best for her.  It doesn't need codification.  It is already spelled out in the Constitution as we are all created EQUAL!  (My interpretation.)

Trust me, if men could get pregnant, we would not allow politicians to determine our fate.  We would demand our rights just as we demand that we be allowed to buy and carry weapons of war,

— Ray Sears, Pleasant Hill

Microaggressions count in assessing prejudice

Sadly, Larry Elder seems not to understand how microaggressions are just as racist and damaging as blatant racist behavior – perhaps even more damaging because they are frequently ignored (“Reynolds accused of racism, but ad shows no hint of it,” Oct. 13).

A microaggressions is a “statement, action, or incident regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group such as a racial or ethnic minority.” When you are a white woman running for office against a Black woman and your campaign ad opens with a quick clip of a Black woman (not your opponent) shown to be supporting an issue that you oppose, that is a microaggression, and it is racist. Both political parties are guilty of these behaviors and they should be called out when they occur.

I hope that I have spared Ross Wilburn, chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, the time of explaining that to Mr. Elder.

— Cynthia Erickson, Des Moines

Sand’s ad misses the mark

The American Society for Public Administration is a nonpartisan organization whose mission is to promote public service. ASPA doesn’t endorse any candidate, but we take every opportunity to educate the public on the value of public service.

A re-election campaign ad by State Auditor Rob Sand presents such an opportunity. While it’s common for candidates to attack opponents in ads, it’s been unheard of for an incumbent to insult the public servants that allow him to do his job. Until now.

In his ad, Sand perpetuates false stereotypes about public servants. His “narrator” is a burlesque caricature of a “bureaucrat,” unkempt in appearance and worried about Sand catching him goofing off. The ad shows Sand spying on a worker playing solitaire, lowering thermostats, and turning off lights while someone is in the toilet, all while the narrator touts the threat to him from Sand.

Public servants deserve better than this. Police and firefighters aren’t the only public servants earning our respect. There are also the state, county, and city workers that ensure our restaurant food is healthy, long-term care facilities are safe, parks are maintained, and countless other duties required by our Constitution, statutes, and ordinances. Elected officials often take credit for Iowa’s balanced budget. But it’s the civil servants of this state that make this constitutional mandate a reality – every day of every fiscal year.

The state auditor isn’t the official controlling waste and promoting efficiency in Iowa government. It’s our civil servants doing that. There is a lean government administrator in the Department of Management. Every state and local agency has a budget and officials responsible for ensuring appropriations are expended in accordance with law. If anyone is turning down thermostats these days, it’s those public servants and not Sand.

When Sand makes fun of them, he’s ridiculing the people who make him successful – the same people Iowans need to keep us safe, our roads free of snow, our infrastructure in good repair, and everything else the people rely on from their government.

— Thomas G. Becker, Clive, president, Iowa chapter of American Society for Public Administration