Bob, in a post-film interview after the showing of Storm Lake, featuring the small town newspaper owned by the Cullen family, Art Cullen said he and Jerry Risius are working on a documentary about water and the cancer rate in Iowa. It's going to be a doozy.
We have a tremendous opportunity over the next year to ask every Democrat running for House, Senate, governor, and legislature what they plan to do about water quality. Maybe if we frame it the way you do - incentives for farmers rather than restrictions - we can make it less scary. As for talking to Republicans, I hate to be cynical, but I don't think it's worth asking them about this because they will respond with talk about voluntary monitoring and "freedom." Maybe we should offer them a nice glass of water straight from the Raccoon River, instead.
FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, I was living in WI when Iowans voted to tax THEMSELVES to clean up the water. I was so proud to be an Iowan!, But....Iowa's so-called 'representatives' have refused, ever since, to draft legislation to fill the fund and give Iowans what they VOTED FOR. Can we sue them for malpractice???????
I appreciate the data-driven analyses by Iowa writer Chris Jones. Voluntary programs need to carefully and thoughtfully analyzed to see if they are actually effective at improving water quality at the scale that is required. "Farmers", in many cases and perhaps due to no fault of their own (?), have become cogs in the machine of industrial agriculture. What is happening out here on the Midwest landscape is affecting us all, and we all need to care about that - and not just blindly trust the carefully scrubbed information from industrial ag sources.
I second your comment Paul. Chris Jones is a major writer on this issue. While I appreciate Matt's piece, he constantly says "farmers" and nowhere can we find the term "Big Ag" which is THE major actor here due to regulatory capture. Yes, the GOP is in their pockets, but the dems have always been hesitant to push the issue in fear of being tarred as "anti-farmer." People need to lean into this issue and tar GOP with being pro-nitrates, pro-CAFO, all of which despoil the state and beyond.
I’m finding it difficult deciding which comic book amusement from my youth most resembles the Iowa Republican Party. Ant farm, slinky, hula hoop, x-ray eye glasses, itch powder or simply MAD MAGAZINE.
Another brilliant post. I can't understqnd how long-time farmers can.look around and see how Rep policies have benefitted rural IA. Closed schools, dirtier water, thriving towns becoming ghost towns.
Another thot: if IA "feeds the world" then why do so many go hungry?
Matt Russell and Bob Leonard have offered a sound analysis of the situation. Bravo! The big challenge will be actually getting to people and getting them out to vote. I argue that an effort like that outlined by Chloe Maxmin and Canyon Woodward in their "Dirt Road Revival: How to Rebuild Rural Politics and Why Our Future Depends on It" book (Beacon Press, 2022). The gist is going door to door and actually listening to people. The really big question is whether the Democratic Party is up to such a task. I doubt it.
The kind of engagement you describe is what's needed. I'm hopeful we will leverage the resources and the IDP will follow. By "we", I mean the folks doing the organizing and the groups who are working to rally around democracy. No guarantee. But I am hopeful.
Bob, in a post-film interview after the showing of Storm Lake, featuring the small town newspaper owned by the Cullen family, Art Cullen said he and Jerry Risius are working on a documentary about water and the cancer rate in Iowa. It's going to be a doozy.
wonderful!
We have a tremendous opportunity over the next year to ask every Democrat running for House, Senate, governor, and legislature what they plan to do about water quality. Maybe if we frame it the way you do - incentives for farmers rather than restrictions - we can make it less scary. As for talking to Republicans, I hate to be cynical, but I don't think it's worth asking them about this because they will respond with talk about voluntary monitoring and "freedom." Maybe we should offer them a nice glass of water straight from the Raccoon River, instead.
let's punch the Republicans in the nose. no votes for them.
FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, I was living in WI when Iowans voted to tax THEMSELVES to clean up the water. I was so proud to be an Iowan!, But....Iowa's so-called 'representatives' have refused, ever since, to draft legislation to fill the fund and give Iowans what they VOTED FOR. Can we sue them for malpractice???????
I appreciate the data-driven analyses by Iowa writer Chris Jones. Voluntary programs need to carefully and thoughtfully analyzed to see if they are actually effective at improving water quality at the scale that is required. "Farmers", in many cases and perhaps due to no fault of their own (?), have become cogs in the machine of industrial agriculture. What is happening out here on the Midwest landscape is affecting us all, and we all need to care about that - and not just blindly trust the carefully scrubbed information from industrial ag sources.
I second your comment Paul. Chris Jones is a major writer on this issue. While I appreciate Matt's piece, he constantly says "farmers" and nowhere can we find the term "Big Ag" which is THE major actor here due to regulatory capture. Yes, the GOP is in their pockets, but the dems have always been hesitant to push the issue in fear of being tarred as "anti-farmer." People need to lean into this issue and tar GOP with being pro-nitrates, pro-CAFO, all of which despoil the state and beyond.
Absolutely!
I’m finding it difficult deciding which comic book amusement from my youth most resembles the Iowa Republican Party. Ant farm, slinky, hula hoop, x-ray eye glasses, itch powder or simply MAD MAGAZINE.
If not now, when? If not us, who?
Another brilliant post. I can't understqnd how long-time farmers can.look around and see how Rep policies have benefitted rural IA. Closed schools, dirtier water, thriving towns becoming ghost towns.
Another thot: if IA "feeds the world" then why do so many go hungry?
Great article gentlemen 👍👍👍👍
What’s that Adage, a picture is worth 1000 words!
Thanks for posting a couple of those pictures.
We have to do more than just throw Sand in the gears
Totally agree- that and high cancer rates - these issues affect everyone!
Randy F wants to be our next governor..... ask him how that Farm Bill is coming along.
Matt Russell and Bob Leonard have offered a sound analysis of the situation. Bravo! The big challenge will be actually getting to people and getting them out to vote. I argue that an effort like that outlined by Chloe Maxmin and Canyon Woodward in their "Dirt Road Revival: How to Rebuild Rural Politics and Why Our Future Depends on It" book (Beacon Press, 2022). The gist is going door to door and actually listening to people. The really big question is whether the Democratic Party is up to such a task. I doubt it.
The kind of engagement you describe is what's needed. I'm hopeful we will leverage the resources and the IDP will follow. By "we", I mean the folks doing the organizing and the groups who are working to rally around democracy. No guarantee. But I am hopeful.