Oh, Can’t You See, Nunn?
A Progress Iowa Protest Video and Song for our Time...
Progress Iowa is a great organization working to make sure that Iowa politicians are working for Iowans. They have a new video and song that they have released that highlights how they believe that Iowa Republican Congressman Zach Nunn is supporting large corporations over the needs of Iowans.
The video is below. Below that you will find a ZOOM interview I did about the making of the video and the reasons behind it with Jen Sinkler with Progress Iowa and Dartanyan Brown, Iowa music legend. You will also find credits, lyrics, and documentation of Nunn’s legislative actions.
Please read this column and watch the videos and consider joining and supporting their work. I’ll also share that Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement is another great organization working to make Iowa a better place.
You, dear reader, and I aren’t politicians, but we know what’s right and wrong. We also know that what is good for multi-national corporations and what’s good for everyday Iowans most often aren’t the same thing.
For example, when a firehose of money is sent to the oligarchs, Republicans call it “incentives.” When a garden hose of money is sent to everyday Americans who need a hand, they call it welfare, or socialism, or even communism. I didn’t make that last line up, but I like it.
This is my opinion, and not necessarily that of Progress Iowa, but to ensure our democracy, Trump and Representatives Nunn, Hinson, Miller-Meeks and Feenstra need to be defeated. They are complicit with Donald Trump dark vision. I honestly doubt they believe in it, but lack courage.
They aren’t representing Iowans as we should be represented, and they aren’t the “patriots” they play in their television ads and in interviews. They are Trump’s pawns.
I’ve said this before, and I’ll say again—if Donald Trump told any one of them to “kiss his ass,” they would reply, “which cheek?”
The audio and video versions are below, or click on this link to view:
Here is the ZOOM I did with Jen Sinkler and Dartanyan Brown about the making of the video:
Below is Song Credits and Lyrical Links/Background all from Jen Sinkler with Progress Iowa. All comments are Jen’s:
Producer, Engineer, and Composer: DJ Tanyan
Original Lyrics & Video Editing: Phil Montag
Vocalist: Rachel Kinney
Featuring: Jeannie McCrea, Jerry Uhlman, Kimberly Madison, Michael Gass, Lori VanLo, Phil Montag, Bill Brauch, DJ Tanyan, Michaelyn Mankel, Melissa Speed, Polly Antonelli, Paige Jansen
Thank you to:
-Sikowis Nobiss, executive director of Great Plains Action Society - hearing her talk about what art can do was formative in my thinking
-What Jalesha Johnson is doing through SAY Poetry with young people is amazing
& -Our Future Iowa, which is an organization I’ve seen facilitate community art as activism through the coalition that was called Buffalo Rebellion
Final Lyrics:
“Oh, Can’t You See, Nunn?”
Verse 1
Well, Congressman Nunn, he’s part of a band,
Nunn is a member of the ultraconservative Republican Study Committee, a group that recently released a budget proposal that would enact bills called the TCJA Permanency Act (TCJA is a palatable name for the 2017 Republican Tax Scam, which is HR 976, referenced later in the song), and the Main Street Tax Certainty Act. The Republican Study Committee’s FY2025 budget would extend parts of the 2017 Republican Tax Law that cut taxes for massive corporations. The ALIGN Act would make permanent the bonus depreciation tax deduction for businesses from the TCJA of 2017.] (More on HR 976, this move to make the Tax Scam permanent, by its corresponding lyrics.)
That cuts critical programs, impacts people and land,
Decreases SNAP benefits, leaves us in a lurch,
While corporate giveaways put the wealthy first.
Nunn has voted multiple times in ways that would cut Medicare, Social Security, SNAP nutrition benefits (I’ve read him quoted as saying that SNAP takes up too much of the Farm Bill, and setting aside the obvious, which is that people need to eat(!), farmers are also paid for food that goes into those programs). He’s voted multiple times to tighten eligibility requirements for SNAP.
The corporate tax breaks that Nunn has voted for only benefit the very wealthiest people and huge corporations.
On October 24, during “Tax Talk: Breaking Down the 2017 Republican Tax Law.” Anne Discher said, “The bottom 60% of families benefited “tiny crumbs. This was obviously something that was meant to disproportionately help the richest.” More stats from Discher at the bottom of this doc.]
The people! The workers!
Nunn’s actions in the Iowa House in 2017 gutted collective bargaining rights. A lot of union members know and remember vividly his role in that. Melissa Speed and Michael Gass, for example, of AFSCME Council 61, and who are both featured in this video.
2017 in the Iowa House: Nunn Voted To Prevent Local Governments From Passing Local Minimum Wage Increases And Voted To Block An Increase In The State Minimum Wage To $10.75/Hour.
2020: Nunn Received A 12% Lifetime Rating From The Iowa Federation Of Labor AFL-CIO. (VoteSmart, accessed 5/19/23)]
They cry out in pain,
As Nunn’s tried to vote to send help down the drain.
Struggling families, we try to cope,
But some of Nunn’s choices left us little hope.
Chorus
Corporations! Over Iowans, oh, can't you see?
HR 2811 wasn’t where to be,
Nunn chose the rich over vets’ and seniors' plea,
On Iowans’ benefits, Nunn's vote was “NOT ME!”
[HR 2811: This vote for the ‘Limit, Save, Grow Act’ Would Deliver A Catastrophic Hit To The Social Security Administration’s Ability To Serve Those Applying For Or Receiving Social Security. This was a continuing resolution, ostensibly to avoid government shutdown, but with all these stipulations that would cut necessary programs.
The Limit, Save, Grow Act Would Make It Harder For Seniors To Access Their Medicare Benefits.
This bill looked to eliminate clean energy tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act and enact their own partisan proposal to expand domestic energy production.
Moody’s Analytics: The Limit, Save, Grow Act’s Spending Cuts “Would Meaningfully Increase The Likelihood” Of A Recession and Result In 780,000 Fewer Jobs By The End Of 2024 Compared To Passing A Clean Debt Ceiling Increase.
The GOP Debt Ceiling Proposal Would Repeal “The Host Of Green Energy Tax Incentives” Passed In The Inflation Reduction Act, Including Tax Credits For Solar And Wind Energy Investment And Production.
During Nunn's short time in Congress, he has supported wealthy corporations over veterans, seniors and Iowa jobs while voting to raise grocery prices, which this bill would do. Because: This 22% Spending Cut Would Cut Up To 1,800 Fewer Food Safety Inspectors, Leading To Food Shortages And “Higher Prices For Meat, Poultry, And Egg Products At Grocery Stores And Restaurants.]
Verse 2
He helped very wealthy play their tax games,
HR 23, for tax cheats with poor aims,
Supported bad deals and big cuts that demean,
All the while common folks went unseen.
[^Nunn Voted For H.R. 23 to slash funding for the IRS that would enforce laws to make corporations and the wealthy pay the taxes they owe. The legislation was “a gift to America’s wealthiest tax evaders.” (Sources: Congress.gov & Brookings Institution)]
More fair alignments, they fell to dust,
In Nunn's hands, these votes were unjust,
As tax cheats thrive justice it slips,
Our pockets empty and our spirits they chip.
Chorus
Corporations! Over Iowans, oh, can't you see?
HR 2811 wasn’t where to be,
He chose the rich over vets’ and seniors' plea,
On Iowans’ benefits, Nunn's vote was “not me!”
Bridge
Medicare! Taking the bites,
His positions too often risking our rights,
Threaten Social Security offices to close,
2811’s not good: Everyone knows!
The elders cry out, their voices seek,
As Nunn’s actions could leave futures bleak,
Health care, social security, slipping away,
With every vote [beat] we feel the fray!
Verse 3
Corporate tax cheats he did protect,
HR 23, without regret!
Big Ag, Big Pharma, would get their breaks,
With these bad votes, more profits they’d make.
While we keep struggling, to make ends meet,
Nunn works to make sure the rich stay elite,
With so many votes, he shows his hand,
Favors the wealthy all across the land.
Chorus
Corporations! Over Iowans, oh, can't you see?
HR 2811 wasn’t where to be,
He chose the rich over vets’ and seniors' plea,
On Iowans’ benefits, Nunn's vote was “not me!”
Verse 4
Billionaire tax breaks, HR 9-7-6,
Nunn's voting record, he needs to fix,
HR 976: This is the bill that would make permanent the 2017 Republican Tax Scam! It includes billionaire tax breaks and is hugely skewed to the ultra-wealthy and large corporations.
Nunn co-sponsored the Republican Tax Law Permanency Act/TCJA Permanency Act [Source: Congress.gov]. This tax deduction has saved massive corporations billions of dollars in taxes, allowing 25 large corporations to avoid paying nearly $67 billion in total in taxes since 2018. These corporations include Amazon, Facebook, Google, and several major energy companies.
The bonus depreciation tax cut accounted for the majority of federal income tax cuts received by Amazon from 2018 to 2022, allowing Amazon to pay an 8.9% federal corporate income tax rate — a lower federal income tax rate than the average public school teacher would have paid in the same period.
That act would:
Disproportionately benefit the richest Americans, giving nearly $50 billion in tax breaks to the richest 1%. [Source: Center on Budget & Policy Priorities]
Give the richest 1% of Iowans $27,990 on average, compared to just $90 for the poorest 20% in our state. [Source: Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy]
Repeal the Inflation Reduction Act's corporate minimum tax that makes sure the biggest corporations pay at least 15% in federal taxes.
Take away the Inflation Reduction Act's funding for the IRS to ensure that rich and corporate tax cheats pay their fair share.
More corporate breaks, HR Number 1,
[HR 1: The Republican Legislation H.R.1 Included A Provision To Strike A “New Tax On American Oil & Gas Producers.” H.R. 1 included $6 billion in tax breaks for corporations.]
H.R.1 Repealed A Fee “That Would Charge Fossil Energy Companies For Their Methane Emissions.” “Another provision of the bill Republicans say could have an immediate impact on prices is repealing a fee from Democrats’ 2022 climate law that would charge fossil energy companies for their methane emissions: $900 per metric ton and $1,500 after two years. Scalise said electric utilities are passing on the cost of the methane fee — despite the fact that the EPA has not implemented the fee, nor has it begun enforcing a separate regulation about methane leakage from oil and gas sites. The fee is scheduled to take effect next year.” [Roll Call, 3/27/23]
Siding with Big Oil, HR 21’s no fun.
White House Office Of Management And Budget: “H.R. 21 Makes It Harder To Provide Relief To Americans During Energy Disruptions Globally And At Home.”
The oil rigs pumped, the profits soared,
While common folk, we felt ignored,
Health care is costly, the bills they come due,
Nunn's voting record so clearly in view.
Chorus
Corporations over Iowans, oh, can't you see?
HR 2811 wasn’t where to be,
He chose the rich over vets’ and seniors' plea,
On Iowans’ benefits, Nunn's vote was “not me!”
Verse 5
Nunn voted to raise our food prices high,
HR 2-8-1-1, left us wondering, Why?
Already grocery bills reach for the sky,
So families ask, "How will WE get by?"
From farms to tables, the strain would be felt,
Nunn's decisions would further tighten our belts,
So many of his votes would seal an ill fate,
Leaving all of the rest of us to bear the weight.
Outro
So here's a tale of a congressman’s deeds,
Of how he’s ignored all of the people's needs,
Nunn put the richest and the wealthiest first,
Leaving the common folk feeling cursed.
For Iowa's heart, he’s failed to fight,
Votes he has taken would lead to blight,
But our voices rise, we stand as one,
Justice and truth, fair economy won!
Additional Info
These are highlights from how Anne Discher, executive director of Common Good Iowa, covers the 2017 GOP Tax Scam.
Remarkably:
The top 1% of earners received an average of $61,000 as a tax cut.
The top .1% of earners each got $252,000 in tax cuts.
The bottom 60% of families benefited “tiny crumbs,” said Anne Discher. “This was obviously something that was meant to disproportionately help the richest.”
As part of this law, one of provisions was the slashing of the federal corporate tax rate from 35 to 21%. “What they told us was, ‘We're going to cut the corporate tax rate and then all of that money that corporations are going to get is going to go directly into workers’ pockets,’” said Discher. “But we know that that is not what happened. What they actually spent it on was huge stock buyback spending sprees. They absolutely invested all this money back into their CEO and C-suite executives with huge bonuses, huge stock buybacks, and mostly kept workers wages fairly flat. This did not trickle down.”
Here are some tax resources:
Americans for Tax Fairness
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Nunn says he will prevent foreign nationals from buying American farmland, yet accepts campaign donations from Smithfield Farms, a Chinese owned corporation.
"When a firehose of money is sent to the oligarchs, Republicans call it 'incentives.' When a garden hose of money is sent to everyday Americans who need a hand, they call it welfare, or socialism, or even communism. I didn’t make that last line up, but I like it."
Consistently thoughtful writing that raises the bar.