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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, Harkin say Reid should not resign

By Jason Hancock | 01.11.10 | 12:45 pm

Both of Iowa’s U.S. senators — Republican Chuck Grassley and Democrat Tom Harkin — agree that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s statement’s about President Barack Obama are not grounds for him to resign.

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Reid, a Democrat from Nevada, is facing criticism for comments he made about then-candidate Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign. According to a book chronicling the campaign, Reid said he country “was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama — a ‘light-skinned’ African American ‘with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.’”

Aides to Harkin told The Des Moines Register that “President Obama’s comments over the weekend put this issue to rest and that it is time to get back to addressing the issues facing our country’s economy and health system.”

At an appearance in Cedar Rapids, Grassley said that he is glad Reid apologized for his statements and that he “wouldn’t go any further than that at this point.”

Earlier Monday, U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, said he believes everything Reid said about Obama was true. King also compared Reid’s statements to those that ended the reign of Trent Lott as Senate Republican leader back in 2002.

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Comments

  • angelalamar

    I am alarmed by the error of generalized, simple judgment made through public response to your “dialect” statement. I am an unrepresented minority.

    Poor white people in the deep south have no legal representation in the civil rights arena and are the subject of public ridicule and discrimination constantly. Having grown up in the south (rural Oklahoma)in deep poverty in the 1060's-1970's, I am highly critical when observing their causes of economic underdevelopment, by the disappointing examples around me as a child. Dialect is highly important in any enclave REGARDLESS OF RACE. If you cannot speak a language properly, you cannot hope to succeed or to competently lead others through such fundamental inadequacy. Public leadership in the absence of the highest standard of competence is a leadership destined to fail, and in a a modern world, destined to be dominated by external interests.

    After 12 years of attending various universities and living all over the western hemisphere, I find my southern heritage to be a source of humiliation and disappointment above all. Southern dialect and black dialect are no different in that they reflect their isolation from educated thought. Pure and simple. There is no racism there.

    President Obama has a large mind as well. I am glad he was gracious enough to acknowledge his understanding of the meaning of Senator Reid's statement, however; he and the press have stopped short of explaining the importance of demanding the highest standard among our leaders, WHETHER THEY ARE BLACKS OR POOR SOUTHERN WHITE TRASH!

    Enough is enough.

  • angelalamar

    I am alarmed by the error of generalized, simple judgment made through public response to your “dialect” statement. I am an unrepresented minority.

    Poor white people in the deep south have no legal representation in the civil rights arena and are the subject of public ridicule and discrimination constantly. Having grown up in the south (rural Oklahoma)in deep poverty in the 1060's-1970's, I am highly critical when observing their causes of economic underdevelopment, by the disappointing examples around me as a child. Dialect is highly important in any enclave REGARDLESS OF RACE. If you cannot speak a language properly, you cannot hope to succeed or to competently lead others through such fundamental inadequacy. Public leadership in the absence of the highest standard of competence is a leadership destined to fail, and in a a modern world, destined to be dominated by external interests.

    After 12 years of attending various universities and living all over the western hemisphere, I find my southern heritage to be a source of humiliation and disappointment above all. Southern dialect and black dialect are no different in that they reflect their isolation from educated thought. Pure and simple. There is no racism there.

    President Obama has a large mind as well. I am glad he was gracious enough to acknowledge his understanding of the meaning of Senator Reid's statement, however; he and the press have stopped short of explaining the importance of demanding the highest standard among our leaders, WHETHER THEY ARE BLACKS OR POOR SOUTHERN WHITE TRASH!

    Enough is enough.

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