- Iowa State Fair
« Iowa Democratic
Party
FROM: Sam Lau, Iowa
Democratic Party
TO: Interested Parties
DATE: August 12, 2015
Starting tomorrow, more then one million people will descend on Iowa for one of America’s most storied celebrations: The Iowa State Fair.
Beginning in 1854, the fair is home to the world-famous Butter Cow, numerous livestock and art shows, jumbo veggies, top-notch entertainment, and the best food on a stick one can find.
And while Democrats will be at the State Fair talking about their work on the progressive issues and values that all Iowans share, including economic fairness, equality, and the importance of high quality education, the 2016 GOP field will be peddling positions that seem stuck in a time warp from the earliest days of the fair.
To put it simply, while patrons are understandably eager to try this year’s 15 new State Fair foods, there is nothing new about the 15 Republican candidates who will be in Des Moines over the next 11 days.
From Jeb Bush to Donald Trump, and from Ben Carson to Scott Walker, nearly all of the Republican candidates remain committed to the policies of the past that undermine women and families, threaten retirement security, and favor the needs of big oil over a renewable energy future. And given that the Fair was where Mitt Romney famously told Iowans “corporations are people,” expectations are high for this year’s most out-of-touch comment from a Republican field that has shown a habit of making them.
So with a little help from the some of the Fair’s musical guests this year--The Fray, Dee Snider, and Carrie Underwood—this memo explains how the 2016 GOP Field will be the most out-of-tune attractions at the fairgrounds.
Where Did I Go Wrong?: The GOP’s Out-of-Touch Outreach to Iowa Women
Next Friday night, you can expect the fair crowd to sing along with The Fray as they ask, “Where Did I Go Wrong?” You can also expect the Republican presidential candidates to be asking that same question to themselves as they try to appeal to women voters in Iowa and across the nation. The answer for them is unfortunately quite simple: nearly at every turn.
How else can one explain their inability to immediately or meaningfully speak out against Donald Trump’s misogynistic comments comparing women to farm animals and slobs?
How else can one decipher Jeb Bush’s admission that he’s “not sure we need half a billion dollars for women’s health issues?” Or explain how his social policies on women take a page from an 1850s novel?
And how else can one interpret the GOP’s nonchalant attitude toward the Paycheck Fairness Act, with Marco Rubio even calling a vote on the bill “wasting time?”
The fact of the matter is, the GOP continues to be the party that undervalues and undermines the rights of women.
Just last week, Marco Rubio joined the likes of Scott Walker, Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, Rand Paul and Rick Perry in opposing a women’s right to choose, even in the case of rape or incest. He even used the same language—almost verbatim—from the GOP’s model for women’s outreach: Todd Akin. Remember, this is the Republicans party’s candidate for a New American Century.
But the GOP doesn’t just want to take away a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions—they also want to restrict access to reliable, affordable health care. All of the candidates would repeal the Affordable Care Act, and with it, access to free preventive services and birth control. And some—notably Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, Carly Fiorina, and Rand Paul—would even shut down the government to defund Planned Parenthood facilities that provide health care services such as cancer screenings and STD tests to nearly 60,000 women and men in Iowa and surrounding states.
Meanwhile, the Republican candidates also continue to refuse to support policies that would empower women and families economically—including the Paycheck Fairness Act, paid sick leave, and paid parental leave.
So while Donald Trump’s comments are inexcusable and demeaning, it’s the policies the Republican candidates hold that Iowa women will find most concerning.
Iowa Seniors on GOP's Plans to Privatize Social Security: We're not Gonna Take It
While Social Security celebrates its 80th birthday on Friday, the Republican candidates would prefer to blow out the program's candles. Even though more than 600,000 Iowans currently rely on the guaranteed benefits of Social Security, Ted Cruz and Rick Perry have both called it a “Ponzi” scheme. Marco Rubio believes it has “weakened us as a people.”
So it’s unfortunately no surprise that the GOP's plans risk the retirement savings of Iowans on Wall Street rather than protect the benefits for current and future retirees.
Jeb Bush supported his brother’s plan to private Social Security, and Bobby Jindal sponsored legislation in Congress that would privatize the program and put retirement benefits at risk. Bush also joins candidates from Chris Christie to Marco Rubio to Scott Walker who want to raise the eligibility age on the program. This is not surprising for a party that thinks we can fix our economic challenges if Americans “work longer hours” or by Americans “working harder and selling more things.”
Iowa's seniors and working families, however, believe they deserve the Social Security benefits they've worked for and earned. And Republicans who support plans to privatize and undermine Social Security will soon hear a message from Iowans as loud and clear as Dee Snider's concert on the 23rd of August: We're Not Gonna Take it.
The GOP on the RFS: “uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it”
The Iowa State Fair celebrates the incredible contributions, accomplishments and ingenuity of the state’s agriculture community. The crops Iowans grow not only help feed the country, they also power the nation though our innovative development of ethanol and renewable energy. This development has been supported by the Renewable Fuel Standard, which supports more than 70,000 jobs in the state. As Iowans are fond of saying, “Don’t’ mess with the RFS.”
But the GOP candidates have different plans for the RFS. In the words of Carrie Underwood, who will rock the Fair on Monday, they want to “uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it.”
· Jeb Bush said that both the Renewable Fuel Standard and the wind production tax credit should be eliminated
· Ted Cruz: “Repeal The Renewable Fuel Standard”
· Scott Walker wants to phase out the Renewable Fuel Standard
· Rick Perry has long been a critic of the Renewable Fuel Standard
· Marco Rubio believes the RFS should be phased out over time
· Rand Paul said he supported repealing the Renewable Fuel Standard: QUESTION: “Senator Paul, do you support repealing the renewable fuel standard?” RAND PAUL: “Yes.” [Meet and Greet at Beantown Coffee, Hampstead NH, 3/21/15]
· Carly Fiorina: “mark her down as a 'no' on continuing federal renewable energy incentives such as the wind energy tax credit and the renewable fuel standard”
· Bobby Jindal proposed phasing out the fuel standard as part of his energy plan released last year
So while the State Fair is sure to once again be a highlight of the year in Iowa, what’s also known is that the GOP candidates in attendance will continue to support out-of-date, out-of-touch, and out-of-tune policies that leave Iowa’s families behind. And no amount of delicious fried food can make up for the stale taste of their backwards policies.
TO: Interested Parties
DATE: August 12, 2015
Starting tomorrow, more then one million people will descend on Iowa for one of America’s most storied celebrations: The Iowa State Fair.
Beginning in 1854, the fair is home to the world-famous Butter Cow, numerous livestock and art shows, jumbo veggies, top-notch entertainment, and the best food on a stick one can find.
And while Democrats will be at the State Fair talking about their work on the progressive issues and values that all Iowans share, including economic fairness, equality, and the importance of high quality education, the 2016 GOP field will be peddling positions that seem stuck in a time warp from the earliest days of the fair.
To put it simply, while patrons are understandably eager to try this year’s 15 new State Fair foods, there is nothing new about the 15 Republican candidates who will be in Des Moines over the next 11 days.
From Jeb Bush to Donald Trump, and from Ben Carson to Scott Walker, nearly all of the Republican candidates remain committed to the policies of the past that undermine women and families, threaten retirement security, and favor the needs of big oil over a renewable energy future. And given that the Fair was where Mitt Romney famously told Iowans “corporations are people,” expectations are high for this year’s most out-of-touch comment from a Republican field that has shown a habit of making them.
So with a little help from the some of the Fair’s musical guests this year--The Fray, Dee Snider, and Carrie Underwood—this memo explains how the 2016 GOP Field will be the most out-of-tune attractions at the fairgrounds.
Where Did I Go Wrong?: The GOP’s Out-of-Touch Outreach to Iowa Women
Next Friday night, you can expect the fair crowd to sing along with The Fray as they ask, “Where Did I Go Wrong?” You can also expect the Republican presidential candidates to be asking that same question to themselves as they try to appeal to women voters in Iowa and across the nation. The answer for them is unfortunately quite simple: nearly at every turn.
How else can one explain their inability to immediately or meaningfully speak out against Donald Trump’s misogynistic comments comparing women to farm animals and slobs?
How else can one decipher Jeb Bush’s admission that he’s “not sure we need half a billion dollars for women’s health issues?” Or explain how his social policies on women take a page from an 1850s novel?
And how else can one interpret the GOP’s nonchalant attitude toward the Paycheck Fairness Act, with Marco Rubio even calling a vote on the bill “wasting time?”
The fact of the matter is, the GOP continues to be the party that undervalues and undermines the rights of women.
Just last week, Marco Rubio joined the likes of Scott Walker, Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, Rand Paul and Rick Perry in opposing a women’s right to choose, even in the case of rape or incest. He even used the same language—almost verbatim—from the GOP’s model for women’s outreach: Todd Akin. Remember, this is the Republicans party’s candidate for a New American Century.
But the GOP doesn’t just want to take away a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions—they also want to restrict access to reliable, affordable health care. All of the candidates would repeal the Affordable Care Act, and with it, access to free preventive services and birth control. And some—notably Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, Carly Fiorina, and Rand Paul—would even shut down the government to defund Planned Parenthood facilities that provide health care services such as cancer screenings and STD tests to nearly 60,000 women and men in Iowa and surrounding states.
Meanwhile, the Republican candidates also continue to refuse to support policies that would empower women and families economically—including the Paycheck Fairness Act, paid sick leave, and paid parental leave.
So while Donald Trump’s comments are inexcusable and demeaning, it’s the policies the Republican candidates hold that Iowa women will find most concerning.
Iowa Seniors on GOP's Plans to Privatize Social Security: We're not Gonna Take It
While Social Security celebrates its 80th birthday on Friday, the Republican candidates would prefer to blow out the program's candles. Even though more than 600,000 Iowans currently rely on the guaranteed benefits of Social Security, Ted Cruz and Rick Perry have both called it a “Ponzi” scheme. Marco Rubio believes it has “weakened us as a people.”
So it’s unfortunately no surprise that the GOP's plans risk the retirement savings of Iowans on Wall Street rather than protect the benefits for current and future retirees.
Jeb Bush supported his brother’s plan to private Social Security, and Bobby Jindal sponsored legislation in Congress that would privatize the program and put retirement benefits at risk. Bush also joins candidates from Chris Christie to Marco Rubio to Scott Walker who want to raise the eligibility age on the program. This is not surprising for a party that thinks we can fix our economic challenges if Americans “work longer hours” or by Americans “working harder and selling more things.”
Iowa's seniors and working families, however, believe they deserve the Social Security benefits they've worked for and earned. And Republicans who support plans to privatize and undermine Social Security will soon hear a message from Iowans as loud and clear as Dee Snider's concert on the 23rd of August: We're Not Gonna Take it.
The GOP on the RFS: “uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it”
The Iowa State Fair celebrates the incredible contributions, accomplishments and ingenuity of the state’s agriculture community. The crops Iowans grow not only help feed the country, they also power the nation though our innovative development of ethanol and renewable energy. This development has been supported by the Renewable Fuel Standard, which supports more than 70,000 jobs in the state. As Iowans are fond of saying, “Don’t’ mess with the RFS.”
But the GOP candidates have different plans for the RFS. In the words of Carrie Underwood, who will rock the Fair on Monday, they want to “uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-undo it.”
· Jeb Bush said that both the Renewable Fuel Standard and the wind production tax credit should be eliminated
· Ted Cruz: “Repeal The Renewable Fuel Standard”
· Scott Walker wants to phase out the Renewable Fuel Standard
· Rick Perry has long been a critic of the Renewable Fuel Standard
· Marco Rubio believes the RFS should be phased out over time
· Rand Paul said he supported repealing the Renewable Fuel Standard: QUESTION: “Senator Paul, do you support repealing the renewable fuel standard?” RAND PAUL: “Yes.” [Meet and Greet at Beantown Coffee, Hampstead NH, 3/21/15]
· Carly Fiorina: “mark her down as a 'no' on continuing federal renewable energy incentives such as the wind energy tax credit and the renewable fuel standard”
· Bobby Jindal proposed phasing out the fuel standard as part of his energy plan released last year
So while the State Fair is sure to once again be a highlight of the year in Iowa, what’s also known is that the GOP candidates in attendance will continue to support out-of-date, out-of-touch, and out-of-tune policies that leave Iowa’s families behind. And no amount of delicious fried food can make up for the stale taste of their backwards policies.
Copyright © 2015 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in
Action.
All rights reserved.