By Ellen Ballas, Iowa City
Representatives Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks like the term “socialism,” especially when they fundraise. Hinson’s fundraising letter, “Line in the Sand,” accused Democrats of “socialism” twice. Miller-Meeks said it nearly 20 times in her last letter. They’re purposely blurring the facts.
The facts don’t lie: The U.S. has practiced taxpayer-funded “Democratic socialism” for 86 years. Hinson and Miller-Meeks mislead by falsely connecting the dots to the likes of Soviet collectivization under Lenin. It’s apples and oranges.
Conversely, through taxpayer-funded safety net programs, Democratic socialism has rescued Americans from economic ruin since the Great Depression. FDR created Social Security because the poverty rate exceeded 50 percent for the elderly.
Hinson’s “Line in the Sand” letter contains additional falsehoods. The “chaos and dysfunction” in Washington is caused by Republicans, Ms. Hinson, who use politics to thwart efforts to vaccinate Americans from COVID-19 to stifle economic recovery.
Hinson cites “the values, expectations, and aspirations of Iowa families.” She and Miller-Meeks abandoned Iowa families by opposing the “American Rescue Plan Act.” The expectation is that Congress will help constituents by voting for legislation that fosters the American pursuit of individual aspirations. Policies at our “southern border” won’t help find good jobs or buy food. That’s what Iowa families voted for. That’s the line in the sand that should be drawn.
