DES MOINES – Iowa Democrats in the legislature are claiming they are making progress in this year’s session on the priorities of Iowa’s working families:
As the 2016 session continues, Democrats noted “progress on several initiatives for working families”, including:
- Supporting local schools – Great local schools are key to expanding job opportunities and boosting Iowa’s economy. The Senate approved a 4 percent increase in basic aid to local schools for the 2016-17 academic year (SF 174 and SF 175) and by 4 percent for the 2017-18 academic year (SF 2092 and SF 2093).
- Protecting health care – As Governor Branstad’s chaotic push to privatize Medicaid nears implementation, we must ensure Iowa’s health care safety net. SF 2213 will provide tough oversight to safeguard Medicaid members, health care providers and Iowa taxpayers.
- Ensuring affordable higher education – We’re working on a state budget that increases support for our colleges and universities so that Iowans can afford the education and training that leads to great jobs. This is important to keeping more young Iowans in our state after graduation.
- Providing better access to quality preschool – The Senate unanimously approved SF 2009 to expand Iowa’s successful preschool program.
- Paying workers what they’re owed – SF 398 would require all employers to tell workers what their wages are and when they will be paid at the time they are hired.
- Encouraging apprenticeships – More Iowans will be able to learn while they earn if SF 2179 becomes law. The legislation provides incentives to businesses to create well-paying jobs and use apprenticeship training programs.
In addition, Democrats say corporate spending must be limited in campaigns, and noted the following initiative:
This week, we took the first step to call for a Convention to amend the U.S. Constitution to limit or prohibit corporate spending for political speech, when the Senate Rules & Administration Committee approved SJR 1.
The 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission gave corporations, limited liability companies and other corporate entities greater rights of political activity, effectively eroding the distinction between the political free speech of individuals and political activity by corporate entities.
Despite claims that the ruling favored free speech, a majority of Americans don’t believe that corporations should be treated as people. Instead, voters are eager to reduce the influence of corporations in politics. According to a July 2014 poll by Lake Research Partners, more than three in five voters oppose the ruling, with a high intensity of opposition. You can read more at www.citizen.org/documents/Memo.CitizensUnited.frev.pdf.
The concerns that citizens have about the Supreme Court ruling include:
- A corporation should not be treated as an individual.
- The voice of individuals will be drowned out, and only the corporations will be heard.
- Small business owners are unable to compete.
- Corporations could pressure elected officials on how to vote.
- The skyrocketing cost of elections.
The impact of Citizens United is trickling down to local races. For example, in the April 2012 Oklahoma City Council election, a Super PAC spent $400,000 on four candidates for a job that only pays $12,000 annually. Three of the four supported by the Super PAC won office.
The Constitutional Convention called for in SJR 1 is a long-term solution to reverse the court’s ruling. Article V of the U.S. Constitution lays out the process for proposing an amendment for submission to the states for ratification. If the Constitutional Convention is for a purpose other than for what is expressly called for in this resolution, the request for the Constitutional Convention is null and void.
SJR 1 is now eligible for consideration by the full Senate.
