Our Motto is Resistance…
You know, when I was on the campaign trail talking to different people throughout the district I had a
lot of people ask me what my position on the 2nd Amendment was. And my response was always the same. I
don’t believe that honest, law-abiding citizens should be restricted in their ability to lawfully defend
themselves or have less ability to defend themselves than criminals do. And the 2nd Amendment backs that
up.
You see, I don’t buy into the whole cockamamie idea that more so-called “gun control” results in less
crime. Just look at Europe. New York. California. New Jersey. These are states that have some of the
most “progressive” gun control laws, yet shootouts, gang violence and murder is daily content for their
evening news.
And then take a look at Vermont, Alaska, Montana, South Dakota and others. These states have some of
the most lax gun laws in the country, and per capita, they have lower amount of crime than any others
in the country.
Why? It’s because a violent criminal knows that if he is going to commit a crime, chances are much
greater that a potential “victim” won’t act very much like a victim. Simply put, a violent criminal
(read rapist or murderer) doesn’t wanna run the risk that his “victim” pull out a .38 special and put
five bullets in his chest and kills him!
My view of “gun control” is making sure you hit what you’re aiming at.
“Gun Control” advocates/liberals know good and well that they advocate against common sense and for
criminals. They say that they want to reduce the number of guns on the street in order to bring down
the crime levels, but what they fail to acknowledge (but DO fully understand) is that the only people you
restrict by laying on layer after layer of “gun control” are honest, law abiding citizens.
Make no mistake about it. These folks know that what they do increases crime, takes away your freedoms,
and prevents you from protecting your family. Their end-game is the complete disarmament of America.
Take for example these liberal whacko created so-called “gun free zones.” They’re better named “helpless
victim zones” because criminals know that fewer people (read law abiding citizens) in these areas go armed
and thus make a much better target/victim for their criminal intent. Gun-control liberals know darn well
that when a criminal wants to commit a violent crime that he doesn’t give a rip whether or not there’s a
stupid sign on the door saying “no guns allowed.” If he’s willing to commit murder, chances that he’d
rethink his whole “I’m gonna kill so and so” because “I might get convicted of the misdemeanor of carrying
a firearm into a gun free zone” are pretty stinkin slim.
So who is punished in these “gun free zones?” The honest, law abiding citizen. Like you. Like me. Like
your wife and kids. The criminal gets a free pass at these victims, because he doesn’t have to operate
under the same conditions we do. Honest, law-abiding citizens pay the penalty of the “gun control” crowd’s
evil intent and stupidity.
Enter the case of Jay R. Lewis. Lewis is an IRS call center employee that recently made headlines for
his case in Polk county. Lewis was going home one evening and passed a slow moving vehicle. The drivers
of the slow moving vehicle didn’t like this and sped up and smashed into his vehicle when Lewis was
trying to turn into his apartment complex.
Immediately the assailant (a convicted felon with more than 35 total convictions on his rap sheet!) and
his henchman jumped out of his vehicle, ran up to Lewis’ car and started beating on the windows. Lewis, a
former law enforcement officer, border patrol agent and security guard pulled a pistol from his pocket and
told them to back off. The assailants continued beating on his vehicle and shouting racial slurs at Lewis,
and Lewis pulled forward 200 yards to wait for the police to arrive.
Lewis got out of his car to survey the damage done to his vehicle, but didn’t want to leave the scene of
an accident knowing that police were on their way. The assailants, knowing that he was armed with a firearm,
closed the distance to him and circled around him, continuing their racial slurs and cursing.
Lewis shouted at them over a dozen times to either get on the ground or get back and that he had a firearm
and felt threatened for his safety and that he would shoot, and when his attackers continued to close in on
him to within only a few feet, Lewis took the steps necessary to defend himself and shot one of the attackers
in the chest.
Now, if you ask me, the burden of proof should be on the assailants and attackers, right? Lewis was on his
own apartment property at the point where he had to shoot the attacker, he had a permit to carry and yet when
it was all over, the police hauled HIM to jail!
At one point, Lewis’ cash surety requirement was 225,000 dollars, and being unable to afford bail, Lewis
spent over 100 days in jail. To add insult to injury, his landlord, knowing that he was in jail, put an
eviction notice on his door and ended up selling off his TV, his clothes, his books, his gun collection and
everything he owned.
In short, by defending his God given right to life, Lewis had his rights, his Constitutionally protected
rights, taken away from him. He was detained against his will. I don’t know about you, but I imagine that
something like that would be an unforgettable and major assault on someone’s liberty. I don’t know how to
convey what I’m trying to say in writing, but to take away someone’s constitutional right to life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness is a gravely serious thing to do.
I think it’s sad that it had to cost someone so much just to be able to put a public face on such
a basic issue, but it certainly did raise public awareness of this issue.
So, I’m takin this fight to tin-horn dictator Mike Gronstal. From the floor of the Senate just yesterday, I
introduced Lewis to the body of the Senate and at the same time introduced a “discharge petition.” A dis-
charge petition, when signed by a majority of the senators, allows a bill to bypass the need to pass
through a committee and puts it right on the debate calendar.
Problem is, rabidly anti-freedom dictator senate majority leader Mike Gronstal (Liberal-Council Bluffs)
is notorious for his stance against freedom, the second amendment and your right to defend you and your
kids from violent criminals. He believes in gun control in it’s purest form, which is disarming the entire
population and making law abiding citizens into victims.
Gronstal already said yesterday that he “wouldn’t answer hypothetical questions on things that haven’t
happened yet.” Being the grand maestro of the puppet strings that he is, what Gronstaller is really saying
is that his little puppet in the Judiciary Committee, Chairman Gene Fraise (Liberal-Fort Madison), is going
to do as he’s told and kill the bill using the committee process. Then, even if we get enough pro-gun senators
to sign the discharge petition, Gronstal will point to the Judiciary committee and say “I’m not going to
call up that bill because it failed to pass through the committee process, and I’m choosing to honor the
time honored process and not call up that bill.”
What he’s really going to be saying is that he knows that the purpose of the discharge petition it to
circumvent the committee process for a need that must be addressed because of its importance. His public
allegiance to the “committee process” will give him the protection he needs in his district, and it’ll
protect the little puppets on his strings from being forced to be held accountable for standing up for
the lives and freedoms of honest, law abiding potential victims.
It’s a shame, really. A shame to the constituents he serves, the constituents his puppets serve, and a
shame to law abiding citizens like Jay Lewis.
But I’m not one to back down from a fight. Iowa gun owners across the state need to demand that their
Senator comes on over to my desk and signs the discharge petition. To date, all 24 Republican Senators have
signed the petition, and now we only need 2 Democrat pro-gun senators to sign it to be able to demand that
our Dictator Gronstal bring up the Stand Your Ground bill for an up or down vote.
To be able to stay here and continue fighting for you, I need to be able to fund my campaign. My campaign
needs resources to be able to contact and identify as many voters in my district as possible, because guys
like me are always targeted by big labor, tax and spend, pro-abort and anti-second Amendment thugs.
Please rush me your most generous donation of $35, $50, $100, $250 or even $500. With your support, I’ll
be able to start now in making sure that we don’t lose conservative seats in the Iowa Senate. With Gronstal
and his radical liberals going all out in this election to make sure that their Obama-topped election ticket
doesn’t come to a grinding halt in the upcoming elections, you can be sure that they’ll be looking forward
to the next set of elections for revenge, and staunch, vocal conservatives like me who say it like it is
will be at the top of their list.
Like the ole’ verse goes, “Our Motto Is Resistance to the Tyrants Never Yield.” You can rest assured that
I’ll never yield to tyranny. I hope I can count on you for your most generous contribution today.
Sincerely,
State Senator Kent Sorenson
Serving Warren, Madison and SE Dallas Counties
P.S. Honest, law-abiding people like Ray Lewis shouldn’t have to bear the burden of proof when it comes to
their God given right to life and the defense of it. It’s truly a shame that events like this are needed to
shed light on a legitimate problem with our laws.
I support the Stand Your Ground legislation that was passed in the Iowa House, and I know that Democrats
like Gronstal will do everything in their power to kill this legislation to make sure that honest, peaceful
folks like you and me are put in harm’s way. Please contact your State Senator TODAY and tell them to sign
my discharge petition.
It takes guys like me on the inside to continue holding the liberals’ feet to the fire, and in order to do
that I need to have your support. Please donate $35, $50, $100, $250, $500 or whatever you can afford to my
campaign today!
Death, Taxes and Valentines!
Happy Valentines Day! It’s always good to make a little extra time to celebrate your love for that special
someone, and having a specific day for it really helps some folks (like me) to remember to do just that. If it
weren’t for my wife and kids, I’m sure I’d be a wholly different person, and I’m thankful for my loved ones.
Valentines Day is named after St. Valentinus. There were several of them, as a matter of fact, and they were
from different areas in Europe and Africa, but the common theme amongst them was that they were martyred for
their faith in God. I hope and pray that we never lose our religious freedom on this side of the pond because
we let our guards down and let tyranny raise his ugly head.
And speaking of martyrdom, like ole’ Benjamin Franklin said, there’s two things for sure in this world, and
that’s death and taxes. But here in the Iowa Senate, they tend to want to use the one till you get the other,
if you know what I mean. And simply being dead doesn’t get you a free pass anymore, either!
The issue sitting on the hot button seems to be this whole proposed gas tax increase. Some folks seem to think
that our roads and highways are in utter disrepair, and that the way to deal with these “critical needs” is to
raise taxes on the gas that you put in your car by the paltry sum of ten cents per gallon.
Now, as a state senator who campaigned and won his election by promising no new taxes, the thought of trying
to justify to you why I have to break my promise is about as appealing to me as getting a root canal. And my
next thought is how someone can justify INCREASING taxes when our economy is in the condition it is? My thought
is that something like this would be detrimental to a recovering economy, wouldn’t you? Should we raise our taxes
on fuel by ten cents a gallon? How about eight? Should conservatives be raising taxes period? Should we pursue
other solutions, such as trimming the fat in the existing budget and use our existing revenue? Has anything changed
since the 2010 elections? Is the economy recovered so much that we can certainly afford such an increase in taxes
right now? Send me an email and tell me what you think!
On the surface, I’d say not. And when you stop to think about it, who would bear the brunt of this increased
tax? The way I figure, it’ll hurt the lower income families the most. If a guy makes $500 a week and has to pay
an additional two or three bucks a week to fill up his pickup, that adds up to a couple hundred bucks in new
taxes every year. NEW, INCREASED TAXES.
I don’t know about you, but with times the way they are, a couple hundred bucks can mean a heck of a lot to a
housewife trying to make ends meet with less than she needs. Or a couple hundred bucks could mean a nice getaway
with your honey over Valentines Day.
Personally, I think the idea should be hauled out with the rest of the trash from the cafeteria at the capitol, and
certainly NOT put in the recycling bin.
There’s a couple of other issues that the Senate is facing right now as well. Let’s say you owned a company
which manufactured agricultural equipment that you sold through a sales team. And let’s say your business is
growing and that you’ve decided that your sales team needs to be able to market and sell your equipment to pork
producers, and to do that you need to hire a salesperson for that position.
In order to sell more pieces of equipment to pork producers, you decided that you would like a prospective
salesperson to have a good work ethic, previous pork producing experience and of course, salesmanship. It’s ideal,
right?
Now, we all know that there are some lines that can’t be crossed when hiring employees such as race, religion,
national origin, age, etc. But you will have standards, and probably wouldn’t get all excited about someone who
got fired a year ago from their job selling baby clothes at a store in the mall, right? You’re looking for just
the right person!
Never fear, Senate Democrats are here to help! In what would likely result in an explosion of lawsuits in Iowa,
Senate Democrats are trying to equate the failure to hire an unemployed person with racial discrimination. Eleven
Democratic senators have introduced a bill, Senate File 2028, which prohibits employment discrimination based on
an individual’s status as unemployed, meaning someone without a job, available for work, and searching.
This bill would specifically prevent an employer from advertising for positions but stating that the unemployed
are disqualified from applying, failing or refusing to consider someone for a job because the person is unemployed,
or directing an employment agency to do any of the above. The bill allows for actual damages, court costs,
attorney fees, and fines for violations of the advertising prohibitions. In addition, the bill calls for the Iowa
Civil Rights Commission to administer the law, which could turn into nightmare in caseload work for the Commission.
This is what it boils down to. Democrat leadership practiced unsustainable spending policies for years. Through
the bully pulpit of their senate and former house and governor’s office majorities, they increased spending,
restricted small business’ ability to make their own decisions, increased regulation and jacked up taxes.
Now they think it’s a good idea to further restrict a job creator’s ability to hire whom he thinks is the best
person to get the job done and successfully grow his or her business!
Worse, the so called “plaintiff” only needs to do to get a few general “facts” established, like the fact that
they are unemployed and are looking for work and were rejected by so and so, and all of a sudden the burden of
proof is on the “employer.” We’re talking retaining legal counsel, additional costs and headache and possible
damages and fines!
You know, I couldn’t dream this stuff up if I was paid to do it. But more important that the surface ridicule,
it begs the question of whether or not status of employment is an immutable characteristic like race, religion or
nationality!
Hardly! With all the rules and regulations these folks want to cram down our throats, you’d almost have to be
insane to TRY to grow your business and create jobs. And from what I’ve heard in talking with business owners and
job creators, it can truly be a nightmare.
It’s regulatory and litigation burdens just like these that make Iowa’s economy suffer. Just last week I heard
about a company called Bel Brands USA. Bel Brands USA had narrowed its search for the placement of a new $100
million dollar cheese factory down to Iowa and South Dakota. They were expected to employ 400 people and have an
annual $500 million economic impact on their state of choosing, and they chose South Dakota!
So why did Iowa lose out on such a great opportunity? You don’t have to guess, folks. In announcing their
decision to locate the new facility in South Dakota, Bel Brands USA stated the state’s “pro-business” environment
as one of the major reasons. With no corporate income tax, it’s hard to argue against their decision.
You and I know that two of the key components in a company’s decision-making process are what a state’s
long-term tax and regulatory implications will be on the business. Problem is, the only idea liberal bully puppet
masters like Mike Gronstal can come up with to turn our economy around is just more of the same ole’ “tax and
spend” and “lets grow the size of government even more” ideas that got us where we are today!
Sincerely,
State Senator Kent Sorenson
Serving Warren, Madison and SE Dallas Counties
Forbid it, Almighty God!
Forbid it, Almighty God!
You’ve all heard what comes next. The words of our freedom
loving Founding Father Patrick Henry’s famous speech are
etched into the hearts and minds of every school child.
“I know not what course others may take; but as for me,
give me liberty or give me death!”
Sounds good, doesn’t it? It sure makes a guy feel
patriotic. Heck, when I think about it, I like to fancy I’d
be right there with him, fearlessly laying my life on the
line to throw off the tyranny of the king.
Because that’s exactly what they were doing. When Patrick
Henry said those words, he wasn’t just giving a feel-good
speech at a rally on the statehouse steps. The very words
he uttered had extremely real consequences, ones that would
endanger the lives of his friends, family and loved ones.
Guys like him and the rest of the signers of the Declaration
all knew this. They knew the line they crossed couldn’t be
reversed and that it might cost them their lives.
But they did it anyway.
They did it because they looked into the future and knew if
they didn’t stake their ground that they, their kids, their
grandkids, even you and I, would lose it all.
So would we do the same? I’d like to think so. But it’s lucky
for folks like you and me that we aren’t there yet. Our
“kings” aren’t openly marching troops in the streets
enforcing their tyrannical laws.
Yet.
But that doesn’t mean that we don’t have tyranny. To borrow
a line from one of my favorite movies, we’ve simply traded
one tyrant 3 thousand miles away for thousands of tyrants
one mile away.
Here in Iowa, the leader of our own little tyrant brigade
is found in the liberal democrat senate majority leader Mike
Gronstal.
Nationally, we’ve got government gone wild with their “big
brother” mentality. Cyber monitoring. Attempts to regulate
the Internet. Automated traffic enforcement. Electronic
eavesdropping. Groping stations at airports. The list of
things we need to be “safe” in this country gets bigger and
bigger every day.
And you don’t have to go visit a big city out east or west
anymore to get treated like a criminal, either. It’s happening
right now to Iowans, folks just like you and me.
A friend of mine told me just the other day that she and her
teenage daughter had gone through a nightmare when she
refused to be treated like a criminal and let the TSA thugs
run her and her daughter through their x-ray scanners.
You probably have heard about the scanners I’m talking about.
You know, the ones that provide naked pictures of the victims
to the TSA agents working the counter? The ones that clearly
violate the fourth amendment to the Constitution, which
states “The right of the people to be secure in their persons,
houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches
and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall
issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or
affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be
searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
Not only that, but a constituent of mine from Earlham, IA,
had the same experience where she was treated like a criminal
for refusing to be treated like one! Deciding to do a little
digging, I tragically found out that being groped and molested
isn’t a very uncommon thing anymore when it comes to traveling.
I decided that I will no longer stand idly by. I’m going to do
everything I can to see that these attacks on our rights are
ended.
I’m drafting legislation immediately that will outright ban
these actions that infringe upon our constitutional rights and
decency.
The bill is still in drafting, and it’s got a ways to go
before I would consider it able to be effective, but I’m here
to tell you that I’m going to be introducing the bill THIS
SESSION, and I’ll be fighting tooth and nail to get these
knuckleheads up here to pass this legislation.
Sure, some of you might think that these “safety measures”
are necessary for this day and age, but I disagree. If we have
to be treated like criminals to ensure our own safety, we’ve
lost the right to call this a free country, and I for one am
not willing to do that.
Right now, you and I have the chance to avoid what our
Founding Fathers had to sacrifice. We can still hold our
elected officials responsible because they ARE elected, and
we can still kick them out through peaceful means.
The Founding Fathers had come to a point where efforts at
diplomacy and politeness had failed. We aren’t at that
point. There are a few things we can do to take this country
back.
First, I’d like every single one of you to call or email your
elected legislators and demand that they support this good
legislation. Tell them that when this bill gets introduced that
they should co-sponsor it and do everything they can to bring it
to the floor for a clean vote. Tell them that you’ll be more
than happy to vote against them in the next election.
Next, please click here to chip in $50, $35, $20 or whatever
you can afford to my campaign. When it comes to fighting
for our rights, there’s a shortage of folks here in Des Moines
who are willing to walk the walk instead of just talking the talk.
With your generous support, I’ll be able to support fighters like
me who want to run for the state legislature. There’s a few of
them out there, believe it or not, and with the help of folks like
you we’ll be ready, willing and able to stand against the
onslaught of those who wield “chains and slavery.”
Sincerely,
State Senator Kent Sorenson
Serving Warren, Madison and SE Dallas Counties
P.S. The Founding Fathers knew that life, liberty and peace are
jeopardized when we trade them for “safety.”
Our “big brother government” has gotten out of hand. Their
assault on our liberties in the name of keeping us “safe” has
gone too far, and the TSA’s naked scanners and invasive personal
pat downs are a prime example of that.
I’m drafting a bill that I’ll introduce this year that forces
the TSA to keep their hands and eyes to themselves. Click here to
find out who your legislators are, and call or email them TODAY
and demand that they support my bill that stops this assault on
our rights.
And please chip in $50, 35, $20 or whatever you can afford to my
Senate campaign so that I can help elect fellow liberty minded
candidates to the Iowa Legislature. With your generous support,
we’ll have a united front that’s ready, willing and able to fight
back when they come after us with guns blazing.
Sorenson’s Straight Talk
STRAIGHT TALK by Representative Kent Sorenson
August 30, 2010
Final Veterans Mental Health Task Force Report
The Iowa Veterans Mental Health Task Force issued its final report last week.
The final report included 9 recommendations, three of which will likely require legislative action.
Recommendation: Enhance the existing veteran’s database by capturing veteran’s information through existing state data collection systems. Identifying veterans across the state has proven to be a barrier to providing full support to Iowa’s veterans. Coming up with a way to maintain an accurate database of veterans in the state will help officials provide outreach by getting out current information as it relates to veterans benefits.
Recommendation: Initiate process to create a jail diversion program for veterans in Iowa. With rates of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) being high in soldiers returning to civilian life after tours of duty, some are finding themselves in the jail system due to their mental health conditions. Jail diversion programs are becoming increasingly implemented across the United States, with studies showing lower rates of recidivism. Federal money is available for such programs through Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and a pilot program could be established without legislative action.
Recommendation: Establish a state fee basis program for behavioral health services to serve veterans in their local communities. Veterans in Iowa often face the challenge of distance and location when they need access to mental health services, especially in rural areas. Adding to this problem, rural areas in Iowa are facing a shortage of mental health professionals. A state fee basis program would allow veterans to use their VA benefits to access a local behavioral health provider of their choice. This would give veterans much greater access to help in their local communities without requiring those who are elderly or disabled to travel great distances.
Other Recommendations: Other recommendations in the report include providing mental health first aid training to first responders and veteran stakeholder groups so they will be aware of what to watch for in situations dealing with veterans; developing an outreach strategy and social marketing campaign to promote awareness of mental health issues veterans may be facing; encouraging law enforcement training to include crisis intervention training especially focusing on veteran issues; creating a community based peer support pilot program for veterans and their families; securing a mobile outreach vehicle to help bring information and support to Iowa’s veterans in both rural and urban areas; and developing a veterans screening process that will enable non-VA service providers a framework to reference in identifying and appropriately referring veterans with mental health issues. The full report can be read at: http://www.iowahouserepublicans.com/wp-content/uploads/Veterans-Final-Report-2010-7-22.pdf
Please feel free to contact me if you have any issues or concerns you would like to discuss.
Representative Kent Sorenson
515-962-2192
Kent@kentsorenson.com
Sorenson Endorsed By Iowa Association of Business and Industry
Job Creators Endorse Kent Sorenson
Representative Kent Sorenson of Indianola, has been named a “Friend of Iowa Business” by the Iowa Industry PAC, the political action committee of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry. Representative Kent Sorenson is seeking election to the Iowa Senate in District 37 that includes all of Warren and Madison counties and four townships in southern Dallas County.
The Iowa Industry PAC evaluates candidates based on their ability to help create jobs in Iowa by supporting a competitive business climate. Criteria used to make the designations include the candidates’ positions on issues of importance to job creators in Iowa.
“Representative Sorenson has demonstrated a commitment to improve Iowa’s business climate so that employers can create more jobs and grow the economy,” said Michael Ralston, President of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry.
The Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) is comprised of approximately 1,400 companies employing more than 300,000 Iowans. As “The Voice of Iowa Business Since 1903“, ABI works to enhance the Iowa business climate to foster growth and prosperity for Iowans. The Iowa Industry PAC is non-partisan and endorses both Republican and Democratic candidates for legislative offices. The committee encourages voters to consider the endorsements when evaluating which candidates will help bring jobs to Iowa when voting in the November 2nd general election.
Sorenson Receives Governor Huckabee And Huck PAC Endorsement!
GOVERNOR MIKE HUCKABEE AND HUCK PAC ENDORSE KENT SORENSON FOR IOWA STATE SENATE DISTRICT 37
Huckabee Releases Statement About Sorenson’s Bid In Iowa
August 17, 2010
Little Rock, AR – Governor Mike Huckabee issued the following statement about Kent Sorenson:
“Huck PAC and I are proud to endorse Kent Sorenson for Iowa State Senate District 37. Kent was first elected to the Iowa House in 2008, winning a race that many thought was unwinnable. Kent isn’t afraid of fight, especially when you have something worth fighting for.
Kent shares our values, is unequivocally pro-life and supports the traditional definition of marriage – as being between one man and one woman. Kent is an avid outdoorsman and will continue working hard to keep and preserve your 2nd Amendment rights.
Please join me in supporting Kent Sorenson for Iowa State Senate District 37.”
Sorenson’s Straight Talk
Government Oversight Continues on IASB
I continue to serve on the Government Oversight Committee during the interim. We met recently to review the release of a long overdue financial audit of the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB). The audit provided some details on already known financial dealings. We first questioned auditors before moving on to question IASB interim director Veronica Stalker and legal representative Nolden Gentry. Our questions were focused on the inexcusable lack of internal controls within the association and what work is being done to correct these mistakes. The audit confirmed already known details about improper transfers of money between IASB entities and salary increases for three top executives. It also reported that former executive director Maxine Kilcrease spent over $18,000 to refurnish her and another office, and it detailed how much money was still to be paid back for overcompensation or improper personal spending by current and former employees. Questions were asked whether or not the IASB’s services could be provided by a private company or through the AEAs. An audit for the 2010 fiscal year is currently being conducted and is expected sometime in September. The oversight committee plans to have IASB back at the November meeting to discuss the findings of that audit and to formulate plans for any legislative action needed for the next General Assembly.
Should Iowa Put “Right to Work” in the Constitution?
In 1947, the Taft-Hartley amendments to the 1935 National Labor Relations Act affirmed the states’ right to pass Right-to-Work laws. Right-to-Work laws guarantee that no person can be compelled, as a condition of employment, to join or not to join, nor to pay dues to a labor union. The Right to Work principle affirms the right of every American to work for a living without being forced to belong to a union. Compulsory unionism in any form–”union,” “closed,” or “agency” shop–is a contradiction of the Right to Work principle and the fundamental human right the principle represents. As of January 1, 2006, 22 states have adopted Right-to-Work laws. Of those 22 states, ten have taken the extra step of putting Right-to-Work into its constitution (Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and South Dakota). Should Iowa join those ten states and do the same? Prior to 2007, the answer was probably that it was not necessary. However, since 2007 the Democrat majorities have sponsored several bills to completely overturn Iowa’s 60-year-old Right-to-Work status by requiring non-union members of public employers and private employers to pay a mandatory fee to the union. I would like to hear from you on this issue.
Sales Tax Holiday August 6 & 7
This year marks the 11th annual Iowa Sales Tax Holiday, and it begins when stores open on Friday August 6 and ends when stores close on Saturday August 7. During this time period, consumers will pay no sales tax, including local option sales tax, on select clothing and footwear marked at $100 or less. Consumers can access a complete list of items that are taxable and items that are exempt at: http://www.iowa.gov/tax/educate/STHList.pdf <http://www.iowa.gov/tax/educate/STHList.pdf> .
The annual sales tax holiday provides consumers with a little break on the price of essential clothing items. Many families look forward to these two days in August because the savings can add up. Eighteen states have designated sales tax holidays. In fact, many states have multiple days when no sales tax is collected. For example, the State of Illinois sales tax holiday is 10 days long, beginning August 6th and ending August 15th. Many states have higher price thresholds on qualifying items and have expanded their sales tax exemptions beyond just select clothing items and footwear. Several states include school supplies, books, computers, sports equipment, and energy star products in their list of tax free items. I would support expanding the items on Iowa’s list that would be tax-free on this weekend so families could save even more when back-to-school shopping.
We can’t build a solid future by borrowing
Not only have Iowans witnessed hefty increases in state spending, the unemployment rate and property taxes during the last few years, but we have seen an alarming spike in public debt.
As it stands today, Iowa now has the most debt in the state’s 164 year history. A recent tally shows that Iowa has nearly $1.1 billion in public debt associated with our prisons, Vision Iowa spending, school infrastructure, and Governor Culver’s failed I-JOBS program. Prior to Governor Culver being elected and Democrats taking control of the Legislature in 2006, Iowa had close to $200 million of debt in those areas. In just a few short years, the debt amount has quintupled.
Unfortunately, that is only just a fraction of Iowa’s debt. Iowa’s true total debt for all of state government and its agencies, cities, schools, AEAs, regent universities and community colleges is over $11.6 billion as of June 30, 2009 according to a report issued late last year by the State Treasurer. Compared to the year before, that level of debt is an increase of 6.33 percent. With the level of spending happening in Iowa this year, that number is likely to only get bigger.
Debt at all levels of government is growing out of control. The debt crisis in Greece and Europe as a whole has threatened their entire currency and the consequences are beginning to ripple through our stock market and the worldwide economy. Our federal deficit is now well beyond $12 trillion and getting worse by the day.
The simple truth is that government is spending too much of your money.
The long-term solution is two-fold. First, we need to stop spending at such an alarming rate. We need to better prioritize our spending. Secondly, we must grow our economy so we can create more jobs. With the highest unemployment in over two decades, it’s safe to say Governor Culver and legislative Democrats have proven that you cannot tax, borrow or spend your way to prosperity.
Governor Culver’s $1.7 billion I-JOBS program is a prime example. When he announced the idea, he promised it would create 30,000 jobs. In the time since, over 30,000 Iowans have actually lost their jobs. We must move away from the mindset of allowing government to pick winners and losers.
Instead, we must unleash the entrepreneurial spirit and ingenuity of the private sector. We know small business, the engine of economic growth in this state, is responsible for two out of every three new jobs created. We should not be adding additional barriers, such as Culver’s massive property tax increases, that make it more difficult for jobs to be created. We must grow this economy and send a clear message that Iowa is a destination for all those who wish to find success and fulfill their economic dreams.
We must never lose focus on the future and remember that while we aim to help the Iowans of today, we are also building a state so that all of our children, grandchildren and the future generations of Iowans can find a job, build a business and raise their families here.
Future generations of Iowans deserve more than spiraling debt and unsustainable spending year after year. It is simply unfair to them. They deserve a state where opportunity is provided and success is rewarded. Each generation is trusted with the goal of renewing the promise of a more hopeful and optimistic future. Our children and grandchildren are counting on us to make good on our word.
Let’s Put Kids Ahead Of Special Interest
The end of the school year is upon us. Schools are busy finalizing their budgets and preparing for next year. Since Governor Culver and legislative Democrats underfunded K-12 education by $162 million dollars while still spending the second most amount of money in Iowa history, schools are making deep cuts and property taxes are going up. Culver’s property tax increases are collectively estimated to be near $182 million but could be as high as a half billion dollars.
Through all of this, many teachers and staff members have been let go to ensure districts are operating with a balanced budget. When these layoffs are made, districts are forced to make decisions based on seniority – not necessarily on whether they are retaining the best teachers for the students in their districts.
This must change.
A recent Register Editorial in the Des Moines Sunday Register <http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100509/OPINION03/5090317/1110/Keep-best-teachers-not-necessarily-veterans> does a good job highlighting the need to change the way we evaluate and promote teachers. “Seniority tends to be a big factor in who stays – it’s written into school district contracts – which can have devastating consequences for students,” wrote the Des Moines Sunday Register. “Putting the best teacher possible in every classroom should be everyone’s top priority. It’s mind-boggling that it isn’t,” they concluded.
I could not agree more.
Year after year, Republicans have authored broad and sweeping education reforms in the Iowa Legislature to reform education. If enacted, our “pay for performance” law would be one of the boldest reform plans anywhere in the nation. “Pay for performance” legislation was passed by the Legislature in 2006 but Governor Vilsack caved in to the demands of the deep pocketed union bosses who prefer the stagnant status quo. This, like many similar proposals to enhance student achievement and renew the legacy of Iowa’s proud heritage in education, has been defeated year after year by the party currently in power.
Case in point, when Iowa applied for President Obama’s Race to the Top grant program, our state’s application was denied. Governor Culver and legislative Democrats, like Vilsack, caved to the demands of powerful special interests and well-funded union bosses by voting down Republican efforts to revitalize our education system and make Iowa more competitive.
Today, 20 to 25 percent of our students are one year or more below grade level. This drastic change in direction is one of the leading reasons why our eighth graders in 1993 were first in mathematics but have now fallen to 28th. Though we have spent billions of dollars, student achievement has stagnated and in many instances declined. The 2008 Iowa Condition of Education Report shows student proficiency has decreased over the past year in fourth grade reading, fourth grade math, eleventh grade reading and eleventh grade math.
We need more accountability. Everyone must be accountable for the success of our students. Though these children may be students today, we will be relying on them to be the leaders of tomorrow. Students, parents, schools, colleges of education and policymakers all need to be held accountable.
We need to pay our good teachers well and weed out those who are not meeting the necessary standards. There are excellent teachers with all levels of experience and they must be rewarded and those who do not excel need to move on. We must be clear, basing personnel decisions solely on seniority must end.
As it stands now, the rest of the world is leaving America behind and the rest of America is starting to leave Iowa behind. Simply throwing more money at the problem without real reform has not and will continue not to work.
We need dramatic reform and we need it now. If we fail to act, we are leaving our children, grandchildren and future generations of Iowans without the necessary skills they need to be productive members of society.
It’s time to put our students first by preparing them to be productive citizens who possess the necessary skills and knowledge to compete with any one else in the world. Our kids deserve the very best.
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, April 29, 2010
Contact: Rep. Kent Sorenson (515) 250-7555
Sorenson Highlights Immigration Legislation
(INDIANOLA) – Today Rep. Kent Sorenson (R-Indianola) highlighted the work he did during the 2010 Legislative session on the issue of illegal immigration.
Among other bills, Sorenson crafted HF 2345 which is the Iowa version of the Oklahoma immigration law. Under this legislation, the Attorney General would be required to establish a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government to insure that unauthorized aliens discovered by Iowa law enforcement officials are quickly and safely transferred into federal custody. It also requires public employers to use e-verify to verify the lawful presence of new employees.
HF 2263 was another piece of Sorenson legislation which was proposed this year. Under this bill, the Department of Human Services would be required to verify the social security numbers of those who applied for their services.
“Recent legislation passed by the state of Arizona highlights the need for reform in the state of Iowa,” said Sorenson. “It’s time to get tough on illegal immigration and these two pieces of legislation would have been a step in the right direction.”
Democrats killed both pieces of legislation during the subcommittee process.
“I will continue to work to create positive solutions the illegal immigration problem facing the state of Iowa,” said Sorenson.
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