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Good morning! It’s Friday and the weekend is just a workday away! In fact, by this time next week, Week 1 of the 2025 Iowa Legislative session will be in the books.
This week, in this newsletter, we have discussed the way money is used to influence (or corrupt, if you don’t want to be as kind as I am being) our politics and how legislators use private, closed-door “caucus” meetings to share how they really feel about issues while counting on the fact that their voters never learn about their actual views.
I have had conversations with about a half dozen legislators this week about how “spot on” my newsletters have been. A few of them said something along the lines of “but you were a little softer than I would have been.”
There’s a reason for that. But that is a conversation for another day. As I prepare for my seventh legislative session in Des Moines, I wanted to write about what I hope is the “theme” for The Iowa Standard.
I would argue that in this day and age, almost all—if not all—political reporting is advocacy journalism. Every media outlet that uses AP Style engages in advocacy journalism. After all, AP Style requires journalists to use the phrase “anti-choice” instead of “pro-life.” AP Style doesn’t allow for a term like “illegal immigrant;” it has to be “undocumented.” And AP Style consistently utilizes the language of the Left.
And yes, The Iowa Standard certainly engages in advocacy journalism. The difference is, of course, we’re pretty honest and upfront about it.
The important question is, what drives the advocacy? Fortunately, or unfortunately if I’m someone who really cares about money, I don’t have big-time sponsors, so advertisers don’t drive the advocacy. Fortunately, there isn’t a corporate CEO in some chair behind some desk telling me what I can or can’t write. Fortunately, I’m not an elected official, so I don’t have to “play the game” or “go along to get along,” I can pretty much just tell you what is happening as I see it.
What I believe does and hope always will drive the advocacy for The Iowa Standard is what is best for Iowans. As someone who holds a conservative worldview, I believe conservative principles and policies are best for Iowans.
Brace yourself, because you may be getting sick of hearing me talk about it, but perhaps you have heard, I believe one of the key issues legislators must address this year is reforming the governor’s emergency powers. And I have had people tell me “Let it go! Gov. Reynolds wasn’t that bad! She was much better than most governors!”
There are two problems with that statement. The first, “most governors” aren’t the standard for upholding the rights and liberties of Iowans. The second, this is not about Kim Reynolds. The odds that Kim Reynolds will be the governor of Iowa the next time there is a pandemic are extremely low (I hope).
There were legislators back during the COVID days who made bold, public declarations that they would do all they could to reform the governor’s emergency powers. They were respectfully speaking out against actions by Iowa’s Governor and sticking up for their constituents’ rights.
But as with most issues in politics, the problem has been the follow-through. And by follow-through, I mean the lack of it. And by lack of it, I mean the complete absence of it.
The Iowa House of Representatives had a bill last year that would prohibit the governor from being able to order churches closed and it wasn’t able to pass. That was with 64 Republicans in the 100-seat chamber.
Churches were closed. Schools were shut down. When athletics resumed, only two people could attend per student participating. Masks had to be worn by fans. Social distancing had to be utilized. Businesses were ordered closed. Gatherings could not include more than 10 people — even in your own home.
All of this happened here in Iowa. No, it didn’t happen as long as it did in California or Michigan or Minnesota or Illinois — but here is the thing — it could have. And it could still.
I will not just “let it go” because I lived through it. And I’m not willing to just forget the stories I heard from Iowan after Iowan about how their rights were trampled during COVID.
Unfortunately, it seems Republican legislators have.
It wasn’t long ago that one member of the Iowa House of Representatives wrote:
“We cannot allow the consequences of combatting the virus to become worse than the virus itself…These mandates (closing businesses) will harm many small businesses only just now recovering from the last round of mandates, and behind each of these small businesses is a fellow citizen struggling to save their American dream and provide for themselves and their families. I cannot support continued emergency authority being used to shut down businesses…Isn’t every business essential to the ones who depend on it to feed their families…I cannot support the use of government authority to tell my fellow citizens how many people can come into their homes. The implications of the precedent this sets, and how such authority could be used for nefarious purposes in the future, cannot be ignored…Government’s response to the Coronavirus has shown us for the first time the implications and use of executive authority that were likely not contemplated by legislators at the time emergency powers were granted to the Executive Branch.”
The social media post included this:
“I will be working with other like-minded legislators in the weeks to come to review emergency powers and what changes might be needed, including requiring legislative approval for declared emergencies lasting over a certain period of time. I will also work to ensure that emergency powers are restricted as they pertain to the fundamental right of freedom of religion and the fundamental right to provide for ourselves and our families.”
None of that has happened.
Another member of the Iowa House wrote:
“Across the country we have seen complete and total violations of our liberties and freedoms. We’ve seen business owners, churchgoers and law-abiding citizens made into criminals for refusing to comply with ridiculous and unconstitutional lockdowns and rules. We’ve seen governors become tyrants across the nation…This is unacceptable and has been committed by governors in both parties…Chapter 29C of the Iowa Code grants emergency powers…the wording is quite broad, however, I don’t believe for a second the previous legislatures that shaped this code section meant for it to be used to shut down private business, lock down people, close churches and completely and totally change your way of life and normalcy. It is incumbent on the legislature to narrow the scope of 29C and to ensure that no governor, especially a Democrat who would surely abuse the current way the chapter is written, can violate the Constitution and shut down private enterprise. It is our duty and you the people should demand that from your legislators as we prepare to convene in January.”
And here is my favorite part:
“A government that limits who and how many people you meet with, cancels sporting and other events for children, and who works to force you to cover your mouth and nose with cloth is a government that is too large and too powerful. Even with the emergency, no one elected official, or legislature, or government entity should have the authority to do such things. As Americans, are we really going to continue to stand for this? As your state rep, and one of the most vocal legislators on this whole issue throughout the pandemic, I promise you I will do all I can to narrow the scope of 29C and put your mind at ease that the government will never again shut down your business, your church, your job, your kid’s activities or your way of life.”
A number of other legislators made similar vows or statements. But there has been zero successful follow-through.
As I’ve said many times before, the first year the excuse was the legislature didn’t want to appear it thought Gov. Reynolds did a bad job. The second year the excuse was it was an election year for Gov. Reynolds. The third year the excuse was the Governor would really like to take the lead on this. The fourth-year talk had fizzled so much about it that no excuse was even given.
Now, a few of you who say “Come on, it wasn’t that bad” have to read those above statements from Republican legislators and ask yourself if you may be misremembering what it was like during COVID. And yes, there were unknowns and public health experts were giving guidance, but the simple response is — OK, well, are those excuses to infringe on rights and liberties and don’t we think there will be “unknowns” next pandemic? Won’t those excuses always be available?
I have talked with legislators about this issue for years. Want to know some of their concerns about it?
They believe Gov. Reynolds would veto the legislation. There is no way she would do this in my opinion. But some legislators believe it.
They believe Gov. Reynolds will punish whatever legislators lead on the issue by not supporting bills, and perhaps even vetoing some, that they sponsor or are personal legislative priorities.
I’ve even heard some believe such a move could lead to a primary campaign against such legislators spearheaded by the Governor.
Now, unlike some of the issues I write about, I do have a solution for this. Get all of the Republicans in the legislature together and have every single one cosponsor the bill to reform the Governor’s Emergency Powers. And if Gov. Reynolds really wants to retaliate, let’s see how she retaliates against more than 100 lawmakers.
But here is the best solution — Gov. Reynolds should take the lead and propose reforms. Nobody knows better than she does the absurd amount of power she had to restrict the constitutional rights of Iowans during COVID.
But here we are, I think around four or five years later, and the governor has just as much power to infringe on your rights in an “emergency” as they did four or five years ago despite what we lived through not just in Iowa but also saw across the country in other states with other governors who were much more abusive of the constitution than Gov. Reynolds was.
I cannot help but scratch my head and wonder how we are still here. I mean, I get legislators are fearful of upsetting the governor, but are they more concerned about staying in her good graces than they are maintaining the rights of their citizens? Are they more concerned about their seat in the House or Senate than they are the right to worship of Iowans?
I guess the question really is who are they advocating for as legislators — themselves, Gov. Reynolds or the people?
I know what the right answer is — or at least should be. And unfortunately I’m not convinced 51 Republicans in the Iowa House and 26 Republicans in the Iowa Senate are advocating for the people on this particular issue.
I’m sorry, but I’m not letting it go. Was Kim Reynolds better than Gavin Newsom and Tim Walz and Larry Hogan (he’s a Republican, by the way)? Yes. She was.
But her handling of COVID is not what should be legislated. What should be legislated is what powers are on the table for the governor of Iowa the next time there is a pandemic.
I’m not doing this to “let things go.” I’m not interested in this to just latch onto the hot issue of the day and then forget about it a few months down the road. I’m not spending five months of the year away from my kids because I want to feel important or gain favor with politicians.
Inappropriate books in libraries? Not just letting it go. Indoctrination in Iowa schools? Didn’t just let it go. Gender identity insanity? Not just letting it go. Illegal immigrants being flown into Iowa and nobody else reporting about it? Didn’t just let that go either.
That list could go on and on. Conservatives have “just let things go” for far too long and that’s why things have gotten this bizarre — because we’ve let them.
I’m sorry. I’m not forgetting about all the stories I heard from people who were hurt emotionally and/or physically during the COVID “pandemic.”
The really sad question I’m forced to ask is this…have legislators simply forgotten about all the abuses of power AND potential abuses of power that the Iowa Governor can exercise in an emergency? Or do they actually remember the pain, the suffering, the abuses and are choosing to do nothing for political reasons?
If they forgot, well, hopefully this newsletter can serve as a reminder.
If they remember and are choosing to do nothing, hopefully this newsletter makes them question if they’re in the right line of work. Because if the 2025 session ends and the governor’s emergency powers aren’t reformed, well, they failed once against to advocate for the people. They failed to do their job.
Remember, these were their words, not mine…
“As Americans, are we really going to continue to stand for this?”
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