Comment on Known for political temperance, Iowa moves sharply right

Known for political temperance, Iowa moves sharply right

In an all-night session last week, Iowa lawmakers approved a bill similar to one enacted in Wisconsin six years ago that strips most public sector unions of long-held collective bargaining rights, including health insurance. Jeff Orvis, a veteran northern Iowa high school teacher, said he sees the measure leaving permanent damage to Iowa's century-old reputation for quality schools, enshrined on the state's 2004 commemorative quarter: "Foundation in education." Among other items, Republicans also are pressing to eliminate state money for all Planned Parenthood services, outlaw the use of fetal tissue for medical research, subject doctors who perform abortions to lawsuits by women at any time in the future, scrap minimum wage increases in Iowa's largest counties and block municipalities from enacting sexual orientation discrimination protections. Statehouse GOP leaders including Dix say they are merely capitalizing on the election, which also saw Republican Donald Trump carry the state's electoral votes after Democrat Barack Obama did so twice. Democrats' frustration spilled over after one member noticed a Republican House member wearing headphones plugged into his phone during the debate. Despite the election results, Iowa voters remain more cautious than Republicans are suggesting, former longtime Democratic Senate Leader Mike Gronstal said. After Republican Gov.

 

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