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.
All 99 of Iowa’s county auditors — a majority of which are Republican — have come out in unprecedented opposition to Secretary of State Matt Schult’z push to require Iowans to show an ID in order to vote, saying it will disenfranchise voters.
Currently only Indiana and Georgia require all voters to present photo IDs. Six states request photo IDs but have alternatives for voters lacking identification. The Indiana law was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2008, but only because that state provides free ID cards to all who need one.
Schultz has argued that the legislation is needed to prevent voter fraud. But blogger John Deeth points out that Iowans are already identified when they register to vote, and those registering on Election Day have to show an ID, as to those who are considered “inactive” voters.
So ID is a “solution” in search of a problem. Besides, if you’re looking to swing an election, stealing votes one at a time isn’t worth the effort. You need to do it in bulk.
Like, say, with an ID law aimed straight at your opponent’s base demographics.
Opponents argue that poor people, minorities and senior citizens are less likely to have photo identification. Because these demographics are more likely to support Democrats, many see this type of law as a Republican effort to lower the turnout of their opposition.
Ultimately, the state’s 99 county auditors told The Des Moines Register they oppose the measure because it would only make it harder for Iowans to vote.
From The Register:
[Holly] Fokkena, a Republican, said it’s very rare for the Iowa Association of County Auditors to publicly oppose an elections bill. This one is worrisome because it would disenfranchise voters, she said.
“Some specific populations would struggle with this more than others,” she said.
Schultz says he was elected based on his support of the voter ID law, and he will not let it go. Upon passage of the law in the Republican-controlled Iowa House, Schultz released a statement saying, “This bill increases public confidence in the voting process at the polls. These changes assure Iowans that their vote counts and that the final count is true and honest.”
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