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.
Planning on running for president? Reporter Michael O’Brien of The Hill says there are 10 coveted endorsements you’ll want to pursue, and the only Iowan on the list is religious conservative Bob Vander Plaats.
Vander Plaats has unsuccessfully pursued the Republican Party’s nomination for governor three times, but third time appears to have been the charm. Following a primary loss to Terry Branstad, Vander Plaats founded and led Iowans for Freedom. The primary (and ultimately successful) goal of the organization was to oust three Iowa Supreme Court justices who had taken part in a unanimous decision to strike down a Legislative ban on same-sex marriage as a violation of the state’s equal protection clause.
Vander Plaats, now leading The Family Leader (formerly known as Iowa Family Policy Center Action), continues to advocate against same-sex marriage while inserting is own brand of social conservative politics into every level of government, judiciary to executive.
O’Brien briefly notes Vander Plaats’ history while pointing to The Family Leader’s Presidential Lecture series and increasing influence of social conservatives on the caucus process as reasons why BVP made the cut.
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