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.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell is taking heat from a familiar source over his opposition to climate change legislation currently under consideration in the House.
Boswell’s 2008 opponent in the Democratic primary, Ed Fallon, along with his wife Lynn are calling on him to support the measure and “do as Al Gore would do.” Former Vice President Gore endorsed Boswell just before the contentious 2006 primary.
“Perhaps Gore hoped that his endorsement would encourage Boswell to turn over a new leaf,” Fallon said. “Well, last week Boswell let Al Gore down. More important, he let his constituents down. If Boswell truly wanted to be ‘on the front lines’ in the fight to address climate change, he would throw his weight behind HR 2454 instead of actively opposing it.”
The bill sets up a system of trading carbon credits, which would be purchased by industries that produce greenhouse gases. Agriculture is exempt from having to buy credits, but farmers can sell them if they manage to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. The cap and trade system would be managed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Boswell said recently that he and most members of the House Agriculture Committee could not vote for the legislation as it stands. Boswell wants the U.S. Department of Agriculture instead of the EPA to be in a charge of the credit program for farmers.
Boswell and several farm state Democrats have threatened to join with Republican and vote against the legislation. Fallon, in a press release reminiscent of his Congressional campaign, said Boswell’s position is nothing new.
“Regrettably, Boswell’s position on HR 2454 is consistent with his long history of opposition to pro-environment legislation,” he said. “In August of 2001, he voted against an amendment that would have raised fuel efficiency standards to 27.5 mpg. In July of 2005, he voted for $14.5 billion in tax breaks and incentives for energy companies, even though House Democrats opposed the bill 124-75. In June of 2006, he voted to end a 25-year moratorium on offshore oil drilling.”
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