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Open letter to readers: Today and tomorrow

By Lynda Waddington | 11.17.11

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.

ACS lockout continues; plan emerges to repeal sugar protections

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By Virginia Chamlee | 11.15.11

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.

Cain campaign: Farmers know more about regulations than EPA

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By Andrew Duffelmeyer | 11.15.11

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.

Mathis wins, Democrats maintain Senate control

Liz Mathis
By Lynda Waddington | 11.08.11

The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.

Press Release

PR: Nation should work to address veterans’ challenges

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

BRUCE BRALEY RELEASE — As US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan ends, it’s more important than ever that our nation works to address the challenges faced by the men and women who fought there.

PR: Honoring veterans, help in hiring

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

CHUCK GRASSLEY RELEASE — A difficult job market is challenging the soldiers, sailors and airmen who have protected America’s interests by serving in the Armed Forces.

PR: In honor of America’s veterans

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

TOM LATHAM RELEASE — No one has done more to secure the freedom enjoyed by every single American than our veterans and those currently serving in the armed services.

PR: Honoring and supporting our nation’s veterans

By Press Release Reprints | 11.11.11

DAVE LOEBSACK RELEASE — Veterans Day is an opportunity to reflect on the service of generations of veterans and to honor the sacrifices they and their families have made so that we may live in peace and freedom here at home.

Grassley: Dems are pushing me away from negotiations

By Jason Hancock | 09.16.09 | 10:22 am

Democratic leaders in the U.S. Senate are pushing an artificial deadline for health care and, thus, pushing Republican lawmakers away from negotiations, Sen. Chuck Grassley said Tuesday in a statement.

Grassley also returned to two debunked rumors about the health care bill, that it will provide money for abortion and that it will provide health insurance for illegal immigrants, as reasons why he cannot support the legislation in its current form.

“I’m disappointed because it looks like we’re being pushed aside by the Democratic leadership so the Senate can move forward on a bill that, up to this point, does not meet the shared goals for affordable, accessible health coverage that we set forth when this process began,” Grassley said. “In addition to concerns about costs to taxpayers and affordability for individuals, there are still some serious outstanding issues that have yet to be resolved like preventing taxpayer funding of abortion services and the enforcement against subsidies for illegal aliens.”

Grassley said he would like to “keep working until we get it right,” and pressed for Democrats to allow negotiations to continue.

Montana Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee who has led the efforts to develop bipartisan health care legislation with Grassley, released a detailed outline of health care legislation on Wednesday and promised to convene the committee next week to vote on it. Many health care reform advocates have been pushing Democrats to move forward with or without Republicans for several weeks, fearing their efforts at bipartisanship were simply attempts to stall and eventually kill any reform legislation.

Despite months of negotiations and a bill that offers many concessions to conservative lawmakers, no Republicans have agreed to support the framework, which calls for health insurance co-ops and does not include a public option.

Follow Jason Hancock on Twitter


Comments

  • jrship

    After running around telling fear-mongering lies then declaring that in his view bipartisanship means that Dems, who WON the election, should give in to every Rep demand and completely scrap their plan it's perfectly clear that Grassley is not interested in good faith negotiation. I give the President credit for trying, but bipartisanship is impossible when the other side wants nothing but to see you fail.

    That's the GOP game plan; they don't care about reforming and improving health care while lowering costs, and it's about time Dems realized it. They don't care about people who can't start their dream small business because they couldn't afford to insure their families. They don't care about people who's incomes aren't keeping up with inflation because their employers are putting money into skyrocketing insurance costs instead of raises. They don't care about people going bankrupt because of illness or being denied coverage after paying premiums for years. They don't care about people going without insurance then showing up in the emergency room, where everyone will have to pay. They don't care about anything but making this the President's “Waterloo”, and Grassley has gone right along with his party on that.

  • RegularJoe

    Time to come home, Chuck.

    http://www.KrauseForIowa.com

  • babartz

    Debunked rumors? Explain to me how illegals will be kept from receiving plan benefits if no provision is made for verification. A sentence of the bill stating that this isn't intended for illegals is a joke. And which “concessions to conservative lawmakers” are you referring to? People would like to see competition open up across state lines. Is that included? People would like to see common-sense tort reform. Is that in there? How is it that this is touted, by Barry, as a spring-board to the “success” of Medicare when, in the same breath, he says that it will be paid for by fixing the corruption and inefficiencies of Medicare?

  • DOUGLASFIELD

    * THE FINE ART OF DENYING 45 MILLION AMERICANS HEALTH~CARE IN OUR JUDEO~CHRISTIAN NATION *

    AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS ALL ACROSS THE USA HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO COUNT ON THEIR RELIGIOUS FLOCK TO CONTRIBUTE(TITHE)THEIR HARD EARNED MONIES TO THEIR MINISTRIES EVERY WEEK.

    THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ATTENDING RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN THE U.S. ARE MIDDLE~CLASS AND WORKING POOR CITIZENS WHO NOW DESPERATELY NEED THE HELP AND SUPPORT FROM THESE SAME U.S.RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN LOBBYING THE U.S.CONGRESS TO PROVIDE PROPER HEALTH~CARE FOR ALL POORER AMERICANS.

    ***THERE ARE CURRENTLY AN ESTIMASTED 45 MILLION MEN WOMAN AND CHILDREN WITHOUT HEALTH~CARE IN THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD????

    SILENT AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS WHO ALL HAVE HEALTH~CARE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES IS MUCH MORE FRIGHTENING THEN THE POSSIBLE DENIAL OF A FUTURE HEALTH~CARE PLAN FOR ALL…

    LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS (424-247-2013)
    lawyersforpooreramericans@yahoo.com

  • DOUGLASFIELD

    * THE FINE ART OF DENYING 45 MILLION AMERICANS HEALTH~CARE IN OUR JUDEO~CHRISTIAN NATION *

    AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS ALL ACROSS THE USA HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO COUNT ON THEIR RELIGIOUS FLOCK TO CONTRIBUTE(TITHE)THEIR HARD EARNED MONIES TO THEIR MINISTRIES EVERY WEEK.

    THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ATTENDING RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN THE U.S. ARE MIDDLE~CLASS AND WORKING POOR CITIZENS WHO NOW DESPERATELY NEED THE HELP AND SUPPORT FROM THESE SAME U.S.RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN LOBBYING THE U.S.CONGRESS TO PROVIDE PROPER HEALTH~CARE FOR ALL POORER AMERICANS.

    ***THERE ARE CURRENTLY AN ESTIMASTED 45 MILLION MEN WOMAN AND CHILDREN WITHOUT HEALTH~CARE IN THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD????

    SILENT AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS WHO ALL HAVE HEALTH~CARE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES IS MUCH MORE FRIGHTENING THEN THE POSSIBLE DENIAL OF A FUTURE HEALTH~CARE PLAN FOR ALL…

    LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS (424-247-2013)
    lawyersforpooreramericans@yahoo.com

  • babartz

    Debunked rumors? Explain to me how illegals will be kept from receiving plan benefits if no provision is made for verification. A sentence of the bill stating that this isn't intended for illegals is a joke. And which “concessions to conservative lawmakers” are you referring to? People would like to see competition open up across state lines. Is that included? People would like to see common-sense tort reform. Is that in there? How is it that this is touted, by Barry, as a spring-board to the “success” of Medicare when, in the same breath, he says that it will be paid for by fixing the corruption and inefficiencies of Medicare?

  • DOUGLASFIELD

    * THE FINE ART OF DENYING 45 MILLION AMERICANS HEALTH~CARE IN OUR JUDEO~CHRISTIAN NATION *

    AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS ALL ACROSS THE USA HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO COUNT ON THEIR RELIGIOUS FLOCK TO CONTRIBUTE(TITHE)THEIR HARD EARNED MONIES TO THEIR MINISTRIES EVERY WEEK.

    THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ATTENDING RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN THE U.S. ARE MIDDLE~CLASS AND WORKING POOR CITIZENS WHO NOW DESPERATELY NEED THE HELP AND SUPPORT FROM THESE SAME U.S.RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN LOBBYING THE U.S.CONGRESS TO PROVIDE PROPER HEALTH~CARE FOR ALL POORER AMERICANS.

    ***THERE ARE CURRENTLY AN ESTIMASTED 45 MILLION MEN WOMAN AND CHILDREN WITHOUT HEALTH~CARE IN THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD????

    SILENT AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS WHO ALL HAVE HEALTH~CARE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES IS MUCH MORE FRIGHTENING THEN THE POSSIBLE DENIAL OF A FUTURE HEALTH~CARE PLAN FOR ALL…

    LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS (424-247-2013)
    lawyersforpooreramericans@yahoo.com

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