With much left to be sorted out in terms of the Presidential Election, it seems like the right time to remind everyone of something…
The closer to home government is, the more impact it is supposed to have on your home.
We have given way, way, way too much power to the federal government. Why has the federal government grown well beyond its intended boundaries? Because we have allowed it to do so — and for various reasons.
But if 2020 has taught us anything — and who are we kidding, it’s taught us a lot — we need to pay more attention to politics close to home.
It was city council and county board of supervisors in the state putting in place mask mandates. It was schoolboards deciding to mandate masks or allow students to return to learn.
If (or when) worse comes to worst, it will be county sheriffs who have to enforce unconstitutional laws. Will they or won’t they?
The Iowa Standard started because we wanted to keep a close eye on what happens in Des Moines during the legislative session. Too many Iowans have no idea what happens at the Capitol. They either don’t care or they simply don’t know where to find the information. And, to be honest, most of the reporters at the Capitol share a similar worldview — and it isn’t ours.
It was crazy to consider that, with more than a month left before the election, Ashley Hinson and Abby Finkenauer had combined to raise more than $4 million for one congressional seat out of a total of 435 congressional seats.
That’s a crap ton of money.
And it isn’t to suggest that the work Congress does doesn’t matter. It matters. It matters a lot. Heck, it matters more than it should if we’re being honest.
But we should be far more in tune with what happens in Des Moines.
If something is not spelled out in the United States Constitution, it is supposed to left up to the states. That means our state government should provide plenty of muscle to policy. It doesn’t always work that way because, as mentioned earlier, the federal government has outgrown its intended purposes.
But it can — and should — make a huge difference.
For Republicans, if Joe Biden is truly the next President of the United States, having a Republican House, Republican Senate and Republican Governor should help soften the blow of a Biden Administration.
States must be prepared, though, to go further than they have in recent history. I’m talking about one word — nullification.
Again, if Joe Biden is indeed our next President, when the sting of that loss wears off, Iowans can take some solace in knowing that Republicans in the Hawkeye State had a strong 2020 election.
Republicans grew their advantage in the Iowa House, maintained their edge in the Iowa Senate and Kim Reynolds is still governor.
Remember that when you’re down in the dumps due to the Presidential election. While it may feel like a lot has been lost, we’ll have to figure out a way to forge ahead.
One way we can do that is by leaning on our Republican House, Republican Senate and Republican Governor.
