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 presidential campaign for U.S. Rep. Ron Paul continues to roll out constituency support groups, their latest being an organized effort to pull Second Amendment advocates toward the candidate.
“Rep. Ron Paul has justly been dubbed a champion of our Constitution. He works tirelessly to stop — and reverse — federal encroachment on the Second Amendment. While other members of Congress traded their integrity to get votes for pet projects, Ron Paul earned the nickname ‘Dr. No’ for his unwillingness to abrogate the Constitution,” Ed Dolan of Central City said in a prepared release.
Dolan is a Gun Owners of America life member, a patron member of the National Rifle Association and a member of the Iowa Firearms Coalition.
Paul earned a 100 percent score on the National Association for Gun Rights Presidential Survey after being the first respondent. He maintains an “A+” rating from the uncompromising Gun Owners of America and an “A” rating from the NRA. He earned such ratings by introducing and supporting legislation friendly to gun owners. For instance, the Texas Congressman re-introduced legislation that aims to repeal the federal Gun Free School Zone Act, which he deems is misguided legislation that has the unintended consequence of leaving school children and adults vulnerable in or around schools. He also pushed the Citizens Protection Act of 2011, and has advocated for responsible gun owners to freely exercise their right to defend others against criminals that do not observe firearms prohibitions.
“Ron Paul has been a staunch defender of the Constitution for his entire career,” noted Tim Pugh of Cedar Rapids, who helped form and lead the local tea party movement and is an avid sportsman. “Along with that defense is his unwavering support for the Second Amendment.”
Although a state-based group, Iowa Gun Owners, praised a decision to link a Carroll Library bond vote to Second Amendment rights in an unidentified automated phone call to local residents, and numbers used to make such calls were linked back to Ron Paul’s Iowa operation, it is is important to note that Iowa Gun Owners and Gun Owners of America appear to be two unaffiliated groups.
Drew Ivers, Iowa spokesman for Paul, said that there was a time when when the campaign was associated with Iowa Gun Owners, but the campaign ultimately found the organization’s style to be “too abrasive.” Other Iowa Second Amendment organizations have also sought to distance themselves from IGO tactics.
The automated call noted that the Carroll City Council had voted to ban firearms on public property, and labeled the proposed new library as a “victim zone.” The Carroll bond issue was defeated, and no organization has claimed responsibility for the automated calls.
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