Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
Leaders of Iowa’s Republican Party are taking heat from social conservatives for a perceived lack of action on the Supreme Court’s ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.
Conservatives contend that leadership in the state senate did not push as hard as Republicans in the state house to overturn the court’s decision.
Christian radio host Steve Deace criticized Senate Minority Leader Paul McKinley, R-Chariton, during his drive-time program on Iowa’s largest radio station for “feeding constituents a line of bull” about doing everything possible to stop same-sex marriage.
He continued the assault on his blog.
“McKinley’s stubborn refusal to push the Senate rules for a vote on marriage like what was done in the House is either a classic case of Bob Michel disease, or a classic case of the smartest guy in the room not wanting to do the right thing because it wasn’t his idea,” Deace said.
Robert Michel is a former member of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois who was criticized by conservatives for being too easy-going and not fighting hard enough for Republican goals in the House during its long period of Democratic control.
Deace said that when the Republican caucus in both chambers decided on new leadership this year, many social conservatives considered McKinley one of their own and House Minority Leader Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, a “puppet of the establishment.”
“Turns out the exact opposite, at least during the 200[9] session, was true,” he said.
The liberal blog Bleeding Heartland reports anti-McKinley fliers were being distributed in Pella paid for a Virginia-based conservative group called Public Advocate of the United States.
“Like a chicken, Sen. McKinley refuses to do what it takes to get a vote on the Iowa Marriage Amendment. He says he supports it, but he won’t force those who support the destruction of Iowa families to make their position public,” the flier says.
Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn also received criticism from Deace, who wondered why Strawn sent out an “Action Alert” e-mail to supporters on Friday that did not mention same-sex marriage.
“There is a disconnect,” Deace said. “Why in the world would you put a plank in your platform, and when that plank is under assault from your political opponents, and it is the number one story in the state, why wouldn’t you want to alert people that this is what we stand for and this is what we believe?”
Deace also questioned why McKinley and Strawn would not speak out in support of state Sen. Merlin Bartz, R-Grafton, during his push to encourage county recorders to deny same-sex couples marriage licenses as an “act of conscious.”
When contacted last week by the Iowa Independent about Bartz’s efforts, a spokesman for McKinley declined to comment and said all inquiries should be directed to Bartz.
Republican leadership seemed to respond to Deace’s admonishment Monday, with Strawn, McKinley and Paulsen issuing a joint statement on same-sex marriage blaming Democrats for the lack of action.
“Republicans in the Iowa Legislature made repeated attempts to begin the process of bringing to Iowans a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman only to be stopped cold by Democrat obstructionism and a lack of executive leadership from Governor Culver,” they said. “Whether it be the pursuit of a constitutional amendment to give Iowans the right to vote on this issue; the establishment of residency requirements to obtain marriage licenses; or the appointment of future judges–none of these options are possible as long as Chet Culver remains Governor and Democrats control the Iowa Legislature.”
In the House, Republcian lawmakers tried several times to force a vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, with each attempt ruled out of order. Rep. Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, even attempted to insert language in a Democratic tax plan defining marriage as between one man and one woman. In the Senate, McKinley made one attempt at forcing a vote on a constitutional amendment, requesting that Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, joining him in crafting the legislation. Gronstal refused and the matter was dead.
Follow Jason Hancock on Twitter
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter