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.
Add U.S. Rep. Tom Petri, R-Wis., to the roster of Republicans hedging a bit on whether the party can repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Petri said Republicans don’t have to repeal the health care plan. They could effectively quash it by refusing to fund the initiatives as each one comes before Congress for authorization.
“The president can’t spend money unless it’s appropriated by the Congress,” he said.
As Open Congress’ Donny Shaw pointed out when U.S. Sen. John McCain. R-Ariz., argued for this strategy, “refusing to fund” is harder than it sounds — the president can veto appropriations bills just as easily as he can veto a “repeal” bill. And teeing up entitlement cuts for a Democratic president to veto — well, that’s a fight Democrats would enjoy.
The strategy also stands in stark contrast to the one advocated by U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, who last week said repeal — that is, 100 percent repeal – is the only option for “Patriots, Constitutionalists, Federalists, fiscally responsibles, & Liberty lovers.”
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