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.
Editor’s Note: This post refers to a Research 2000 poll. A report shows that Research 2000 fabricated a substantial amount of its polling on State of the Nation polls; however, The Iowa Independent no longer has confidence in any of the polling done by the firm.
A new Research 2000 poll has found that 62 percent of Iowans favor health care reform with a public insurance option over the current Senate bill without it, including 67 percent of independents.
The poll — commissioned by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), Democracy for Action and Credo Action — was taken Feb 18-20 and consists of 600 likely general election voters in 2010. Respondents include 33 percent Democrat, 28 percent Republican and 38 percent independent.
U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa (Lauren Victoria Burke/WDCPIX.COM)
Respondents also overwhelmingly favored Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin fighting harder for a public option — by 3 to 1 margin overall and 4 to 1 among independents. A majority of those polled, however, were unsure on this question.
“Americans want a good health care bill with a public option, even if it passes with only Democratic votes,” said Adam Green, co-founder of PCCC. ” We would rather have a good bill than a bipartisan one.”
Green’s organization is pushing for senators to sign on to a letter drafted by U.S. Sen. Mike Bennet, D-Colo., that calls for the use of a procedural move called reconciliation to pass health care reform legislation that includes a public insurance option. Reconciliation precludes filibusters and requires less votes to pass a bill.
There are currently 23 senators who have signed on to the plan, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., says he will support holding a reconciliation vote on the public option if enough senators want to do it.
U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, has not yet agreed to the plan, although he did apparently tell a group of state Democrats last month during a closed-door meeting that he strongly supports the use of recnociliation.
“Iowa voters respect Tom Harkin, but are looking to see if he’ll step up and fight when it matters most,” Green said. “His signature is needed on the Bennet letter now.”
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