By John Macatee, Iowa City
It is appalling and shameful that the Iowa legislature and Governor Reynolds just passed the largest tax cut in state history, over $2.1 billion over the next six fiscal years. This huge tax cut will disallow adequate funding for education, health care, environmental protection and many other essential programs. It is a giveaway to wealthy individuals and large corporations and will provide minimal benefits and raise property taxes for working families, seniors and small businesses.
It is also terrible that the state passed a highly restrictive voter ID law that will prevent at least 85,000 Iowans, especially minorities, the elderly, young people and people with disabilities from voting. These people more frequently have difficulty obtaining ID, because they cannot afford or cannot obtain the underlying documents that are a prerequisite to obtaining a government-issued photo ID card.
I hope that we can mobilize to help candidates in flippable districts take back the Iowa House and governorship to Democratic candidates. We can find out about progressive candidates, events and organizations on the ActivateIowa website, www.activateiowa.org.
We can also support Democratic candidates in flippable districts all over Iowa by attending or donating to Flip It Iowa events. Flip It Iowa sponsors teams to “adopt” and support these candidates. They have already worked with over 15 teams here in Johnson County and are starting to work with other teams across the state. You can find out more about Flip It Iowa and about upcoming events at www.facebook.com/FlipItIA.
This article was originally published in Little Village issue 244.
FYI. All those people can still vote. all they have to do is sign a pledge saying they are who they say they are… besides i don’t want my future in the hands of those people who can’t make an educated decision, don’t know anything about the candidate’s and most of which are abusing the system already wanting more hand outs. and this is coming from someone who is part of the working poor class.. I have no problem helping people who truly need it, but there are too many people these days that have no shame taking advantage of the system and people willing to help. side note. i do agree with the first part of this article.