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.
The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved the Responsible Redeployment From Iraq Act, setting an April 1, 2008, deadline for withdrawing combat troops from Iraq. The measure allows for a continued “limited presence” in Iraq and now moves to the Senate where, if passed, it faces a certain veto. But the 223-201 vote is the highest tally yet for any peace measure in the house.
Iowans voted along party lines, including Rep. Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa. On the the last major war vote, a failed May 23 vote to de-authorize the war, Boswell had instead opposed most Democrats and joined most Republicans in voting no.
First-term Iowa Democrats Dave Loebsack and Bruce Braley were among 43 co-sponsors of Thursday’s measure.“It doesn’t go as far as I would like, but it’s an important first step,” Loebsack told Gannett News Service. “If I had my way, we would begin to remove our troops tomorrow.
“My goal was to have everyone out in a year,” he said. “I have concerns about this bill obviously because it says that an unspecified number of troops may be allowed to stay. I have a real concern about how President Bush would interpret that should this become law.”
Ten Democrats opposed the measure. Nine of them are war supporters. Only Dennis Kucinich voted from the Not Another Penny perspective. Four Republicans backed the bill.
Eight House members missed the vote, including Republican presidential candidates Tom Tancredo and Ron Paul.
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