Iowa

rurallib

(63,207 posts) Tue Jan 15, 2019, 03:20 PM Jan 2019

MISSING: Iowa values in the Governor's condition of the state address

(from Progress Iowa)
For Immediate Release: January 15, 2019
Contact: Matt Sinovic, (515) 423-0133

MISSING: Iowa values in the Governor's condition of the state address

Des Moines, Iowa -- Governor Kim Reynolds delivered her condition of the state address this morning, but a number of Iowa values were nowhere to be seen, according to an analysis of her own remarks.

Below is a list of words and terms that did not appear in the Governor's remarks:

Middle Class - Iowans are falling behind, with more families living paycheck to paycheck, and nearly forty percent unable to afford the basic necessities. Reynolds offered no plan to move families into the middle class or adequately fund public schools, and refused to even mention those two words.

Minority, Black, Hispanic, African American, Latino - Minorities face higher rates of poverty and unemployment because of systemic racism, and Governor Reynolds continues to turn a blind eye to the problem. Black Iowans are eight times more likely to be arrested on drug charges, and in the past we have ranked near the bottom of all states for racial disparities in arrests.

Seniors, Elderly, Retirement - Retirement security was a significant issue during the 2018 campaign, specifically the protection of IPERS, the public employee retirement system. After years of proposing changes, Reynolds changed her tune and said it would be kept intact. Speaker Linda Upmeyer called claims that it might be changed "fake news." But the Governor had the chance to put seniors and public employees at ease about their retirement security, and chose not to do so.

LGBTQ, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Conversion Therapy - The legislature has repeatedly considered whether to ban the harmful and dangerous practice of conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth. The Governor refused to mention that policy proposal or any potential expansion of LGBTQ rights.

Equal Pay - Iowa has one of the nation's wider gender pay gaps, with women earning just 79 cents for every dollar a man makes. For black and hispanic women it's even worse. Reynolds didn't mention the topic at all, and even opposed equal pay when she was in the state senate.

Progress Iowa Executive Director Matt Sinovic issued the following statement in response to the Governor's missing Iowa priorities in today's condition of the state:

"The Governor's condition of the state address today was baffling. Did Governor Reynolds forget that Iowans need a pathway to the middle class, equal pay, secure retirement, and equal rights? Or does she plan to ignore those Iowa values? Iowans will be watching her like a hawk and should be ready to speak out on behalf of our values, because the Governor refuses to do so."