TRM Weekly: Iowa

Aug. 16, 2022

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LGBTQ Affirming, BIPOC And Women’s News, Culture, Commentary And Events

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Rough political week calls for awareness, solutions

Greetings, Christine:

With news this past week of a Mar-A-Lago search warrant, claims of Trump victimhood, and revved up partisan "us versus them" battles, politics has been feeling a little ugly lately, like it's 2017, 2018 or 2019 again.

No one revs up tension and partisanship like Trump, whom most pundits say is already prepping for a 2024 candidacy. To help us keep a healthier non-Trump perspective, this week's Data Bits remind us where we are at the state level, where more than 300 state House and Senate seats will be decided Nov. 8 in Iowa and Illinois.

For a further boost in countering the binary, confrontational tone of Trump, check out two "In Case You Missed It" pieces as timely now as when published. Read below about ranked choice voting as the best possible alternative to the "winner take all" Electoral College, and about the importance of purging our unacknowledged Trumpism.

Thank you for reading!

Christine Hawes, Editor

319-777-9839

chris@therealmainstream.com

DATA BIT: What's at Stake with General Assemblies?

In Iowa, all 100 state House seats, and 25 of 50 state Senate seats, are up for grabs Nov. 8. All of Illinois' 177 state-level seats will be decided. In addition, both states have new district boundaries this year. For an understanding of what's at stake, here's the current partisan breakdown in both states' legislative bodies.

STATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE

% Democrat

% Republican

Iowa House of Representatives

41%

(41 seats of 100)

59%

(59 seats of 100)

Iowa Senate

36%

(18 seats of 50)

64%

(32 seats of 50)

Illinois House of Representatives

62%

(73 seats of 118)

38%

(45 seats of 118)

Illinois Senate

69%

(41 seats of 59)

31%

(18 seats of 59)

Source: Ottumwa Courier, Ballotpedia

NEWS ROUND-UP

IOWA

REYNOLDS ASKS COURT TO REINSTATE 2018 ABORTION BAN

Abortion in Iowa would be banned after six weeks instead of 20 weeks, if Gov. Kim Reynolds' recent request to a district court is fulfilled. The six-week ban had been declared unconstitutional by the Iowa Supreme Court in 2018 (Iowa Public Radio).

IOWA SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFERS WORKERS $50,000 BONUS TO STAY

Almost 60 teachers, nurses and administrators in Des Moines have taken the bonus, which is for those at least 60 years old with more than 15 years of experience. It's part of Des Moines' plan to address teaching shortages also happening nationwide (Axios).

IOWA LEADS NATION IN PUPPY MILLS, AGAIN

Iowa has at least 23 known puppy mills, writes Bailing Out Benji, and they increased 21 percent from January to June 2022 (Iowa Capital Dispatch). Iowa has for two years topped the nonprofit's list of puppy mills, places where "dogs are forced to breed their whole lives until ... incapable" (Michigan State University). In Illinois, puppy mills have been banned since 2021 (MyStateline.com).

MOTORIST WHO HIT ABORTION RIGHTS PROTESTOR IS CHARGED

Six weeks after he drove through a green light and over the foot of an abortion rights protestor, David Huston was charged last week with assault (HuffPost). Prosecutors say there's no evidence Huston acted out of political motive.

ILLINOIS

ABORTION/HOLOCAUST COMMENT HAUNTS GOP GOVERNOR CANDIDATE

Illinois' Republican candidate for governor, Darren Bailey, faces ongoing criticism for his 2017 comment that minimizes the Holocaust in comparison to abortion. Bailey is also accused of lying about the reaction of the Jewish group Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois (NBC-Chicago).

30+ DEFENDANTS RELEASED BECAUSE OF COP'S BAD RECORD

Seven more defendants who altogether have served decades in jail were released last week because of a retired Chicago police officer's long record of police misconduct (CNN). Altogether, more than 30 defendants' convictions are now reversed because of former detective Reynaldo Guevara's documented record of coercion, hiding evidence, and more.

ILLINOIS JOINS DOZENS OF STATES AGAINST ANTI-LGBTQ LAWS

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has joined 22 other attorneys general in a brief opposing an anti-transgender ruling in Indiana, and 16 others to oppose Florida's new "Don't Say Gay" law (MyJournalCourier.com).

NEW CANNABIS DISPENSARY LICENSES ISSUED

Gov. JB Pritzker has issued 149 new cannabis dispensary licenses, adding to the original 75 approved in 2020. The new licenses follow settlement earlier this summer of a lawsuit over the state's social equity lottery program, intended to steer more of Illinois' dispensary licenses to minority owners (Chicago Sun-Times).

NATIONAL

RIFT EMERGES IN PEDIATRICS GROUP OVER GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE

A group of pediatricians whose earlier request to review guidelines for youth gender-affirming care was sidelined has renewed its press for more complete scrutiny of American guidelines, considered among the world's least restrictive, reports CBS2 Iowa.

EQUAL PAY DEAL FOR WOMEN'S SOCCER: FUNDS FOR POST-CAREER, GIRLS

An additional $2 million on an earlier "equal pay"deal between U.S. Soccer and female players will go toward supporting players' post-career efforts, and recruiting young girls to play (ABC News).

BIDEN SIGNS INFLATION REDUCTION ACT

President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act that encourages climate reform, reduces health care costs and more (CNBC).

AUTHOR RUSHDIE OFF VENTILATOR AFTER ATTACK

Author Salman Rushdie is off a ventilator and able to speak (NPR Illinois) after his stabbing on stage in New York state. Rushdie has lived under tight security since 1989, when his book "The Satanic Verses" was declared blasphemous to the Muslim faith by Iran's Ayatollah, who encouraged Rushdie's assassination.

DEMS UNDER FIRE FOR SUPPORTING TRUMP EXTREMIST CANDIDATES

The Democratic Party is under fire for spending millions in ad buys nationwide supporting extremist Republican candidates in primaries, hoping those candidates will lose more readily to Democrats in November's general election, reports The Daily Beast .

IN CASE YOU MISSED THESE

"Ranked choice voting," not "one human, one vote," should replace Electoral College

"This outdated '50 percent plus one' is no way to choose a leader. The Maine/Nebraska 'percentage awards system' is the way to go, for so many reasons." Read Bob Mueller's piece explaining why ranked choice voting is better than "one human one vote."

Time again to purge unacknowledged Trumpism

Lack of context. Constant self-interest. Constant victimization. And avoiding apologies. Read here about the four key tenets of Trumpism that sneak up on even those who are not Trumpers, and should be purged.