During my time as a volunteer lobbyist at the Iowa Capitol, I have had some interactions with Senator Bousselot, all of them were positive. I lean right in my political beliefs. I don’t agree with everyone out there, and that’s true with Senator Bousselot. I disagree with him on a few very key issues.
Senator Bousselot is a thoughtful and charismatic person who will take the time to have a special moment with some around the capitol. When interacting with him, I don’t find him to be incapable. He is incredibly smart and he has a lot of passion for the people of Iowa. The issues that I disagree with him are a few, and two big ones are as follows:
One: The CO2 Pipeline. In my view, the Iowa House got it right by backing the property rights of landowners. There’s a dangerous game that is played in politics because you have to fundraise to run an effective campaign, but you also have to get votes by your electors to get into office, and that means not compromising their rights or positions for your campaign’s financial success. There’s no secret that campaign funds are paid. If you paid a lot of money to someone, wouldn’t you expect some sort of a return on your investment? I know that I would. Thank Heaven I’m a poor man financially.
The CO2 pipeline by all estimations is bad for business long-term, however, politically, it is a disaster waiting to happen. Let’s be frank, the Republican Legislature has been spending a great deal of time separating themselves from dependence on the Federal Government. The only way that this works financially, is the subsidization of the CO2 by the Federal Government. Do you as taxpayers desire your tax dollars to go towards something that robs Iowa Farmers of their land and rights, but endangers hundreds of thousands of people in the event of a disaster to the pipeline? I think not. This is all so a few can make some big money on the backs of hard working Americans, to steal from the backbone of Iowa, the Farmer.
Two: The Governor’s Energy Bill. The fact that we want to put money into researching energy consumption and infrastructure to sustain our growing energy needs is admirable. The primary issue that I take with the Governor’s Energy Bill comes from my role as an energy consumer and as a Mayor of a small town, Roland, Iowa. When examining the components of Senate File 585, the right of first refusal (“ROFR”) provision kills it for me. It prioritizes one energy infrastructure company to benefit from having first dibs on purchasing power lines and transformers between towns. I also see the intent of Senate File 585 much like the CO2 pipeline. In order for Iowa to store enough energy for a year, it would require a battery complex that is a bit over 1,000 acres in size if we’re modeling it after Tesla’s energy storage project in Australia. Senator Bousselot has floor managed the bill in the Commerce Committee where he is the Chairman, and in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
When one considers that the bill discusses growing the energy infrastructure on a grand scale with power lines, solar panels, energy storage facilities, natural gas production and power plants, along with carbon capture, this all takes space and land. I can appreciate wanting to do the research, but the long term money making potential that farmers or property owners will lose as a result of eminent domain is a sore subject for many Iowans. It has a great potential to be catastrophic for Iowa agriculture. This is where we run into the issue of burning bridges with the voters.
If Senator Bousselot were not intentionally trying to prioritize campaign donors’ priorities, then that’s not how it looks to Iowans in general. Politics is about perception, not necessarily what is really transpiring. Iowans in general see these two big things, and Senator Bousselot has an opportunity here if he wants to be seen as a serious contender for governor.
- Amend the CO2 pipeline language back to what it was before his amendment;
- Remove the ROFR provision from the Governor’s energy bill;
- Balance his campaign donor interests better with his constituents.
Senator Bousselot is a smart and charismatic man. You’re not less of a man for saying that you were wrong about something. Iowans don’t want the CO2 pipeline. Iowans don’t want a monopoly on energy utilities.
Author: Kurtis Bower
Kurtis Bower is a volunteer lobbyist who advocates for court and legislative reform centered around child welfare. He is also the Mayor of Roland, Iowa, a military retiree and a Veteran of the war in Iraq, a father of four boys and two stepsons.
Senator Bousselot campaigned FOR an abortion supporter: Jane Bloomingdale. That disqualifies him.