This week in Iowa organizing…
March Madness is about games. Our communities and the future of our state aren't.
An 'us vs. them' language and mentality is a misguided and dangerous approach to governing and being in community with one another. Sadly I don't think some legislators at the statehouse got that memo.
We won't always agree with one another. But instead of proving a point, those moments are an opportunity to approach conversations with curiosity and empathy. Let's take a step back and search for understanding, not simply winning.
That said, let's go Iowa, Iowa State and Drake women, and Drake and Iowa State men!
Alright, please read on for more,
Matthew Covington
Strategic Operations Director
At the Statehouse
Still a ways apart
The second funnel came and went last week, signaling that we're inching closer to adjournment. The legislative session is scheduled to end on April 16, but House and Senate Republicans remain a good distance apart on key issues making that date less than certain.
Several bills that didn't make the cut are likely dead for the year, but a good amount of bills in both the House and Senate were placed on the unfinished business calendar meaning they're still alive (most notably competing proposals to study/reform/gut our state AEAs). For a good recap on the 2nd legislative funnel, check out this summary from Iowa Capital Dispatch.
A few items of note:
As Summit Carbon Solutions adds more miles to its proposed CO2 pipeline in Iowa, Iowa lawmakers once again failed to take action on legislation restricting eminent domain abuse by Bruce Rastetter's money-grab
Lawmakers will finally begin turning more attention to budget and spending bills, including proposals to cut taxes even more. To learn more about these proposals, none of which are really any good, tune into Common Good Iowa's online briefing on tax cut plans Tuesday, March 19 at noon.
You may have seen the news - the House Ethics Committee voted to dismiss our complaint against Rep. Dean Fisher for using school vouchers (that he campaigned on, helped spearhead, and voted for) to fund his private school. If the ethics rules are mere lip service, then we need better and more ethical representation in state government. You can send the committee members an email here expressing your feelings on the matter.
Take action
Tomorrow: March 19 - what is 'deep canvassing'?
Hoping to understand how to have compassionate, non-judgmental conversations across lines of difference? Looking to engage with your community around polarizing issues?
If we're going to build the power we need to win big on people and planet first issues, we need to have conversations with people who may not agree with us or share our worldview - but that's in part because we haven't talked with them yet!
Join our allies with People's Action and the Deep Canvass Institute on March 19 at 5pm to learn more about deep canvassing - what it is, how it’s used and why it works. Click here to check out a 4 minute video if you're not convinced yet.
Deep canvassing was developed by organizers and volunteers in the LGBTQ rights movement as a way to turn the tide of a decade of losses around marriage equality. It has since become one of the only tactics scientifically proven to be able to reduce prejudice, inoculate people against fear-based messaging, and change hearts and minds on divisive issues.
Kicking off next week on March 26 - book talks w/ Austin Frerick!
Join CCI member Austin Frerick for a talk and Q & A based on his new book "Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry"
Austin's book is a deep dive into seven barons in the food industry, their rise to power, and the consequences for farmers, workers, eaters, and democracy itself. It prominently features Iowa and the stories of CCI members fighting in the trenches against Big Ag.
Check out our website here for details on the book talk closest to you!
Barons paints a stark portrait of corporate consolidation, but Austin also shows that a fair, healthy, and prosperous food industry is possible - if we take back power from the barons who have robbed us of it.
April 4 - Our water belongs to the people!
Join us to learn more about Iowa’s water with environmental lawyer Carolyn Raffensperger and research engineer Chris Jones on Thursday, April 4 from 6:30 - 8pm.
They’ll share what we need to know about the real toll that Summit Carbon Solution’s CO2 pipeline would have on our drought-impacted state. It's our water, our most precious natural resource, and we need to know what's at stake. RSVP to join us on zoom here.
Not a fan of Zoom or want and opportunity to connect with your community? You can join one of our several Watch Party locations:
Water Talk
Let's talk about water! Below we have a selection of some stories that caught our eye relating to water quality, key happenings at the statehouse, and other ways to take action for our water.
Articles of interest:
The Iowa trout stream at the center of a feedlot fight [Civil Eats]
More than half of Iowa's tested streams and lakes are 'impaired' [Iowa Capital Dispatch]
Iowa DNR finds no living fish in fertilizer-contaminated river [Cedar Rapids Gazette]
At the statehouse:
Budget conversations will be ramping up at the statehouse soon. The Ag & Natural Resource Appropriations Subcommittee has the ability to restore funding for water quality monitoring they "reallocated" (ie - cut) last year.
It’s our job to keep the pressure on and tell our elected officials how important water quality is. Join us on Zoom this Friday, March 22 at 12 PM where we'll dig in on this issue and write emails to these key decision makers.
Spring is coming... and so are the nitrates - join us and Nitrate Watch this Thursday:
The partnership between Iowa CCI and Izaak Walton League's Nitrate Watch continues to make water testing kits available. The spring season is a GREAT time for testing. Join us on Zoom with Nitrate Watch this Thursday, March 21 at 5:00pm to learn more about runoff and why testing is so important.
Information about the program and how to order a test kit can be found by clicking this link.
Nitrate Watch has a great worksheet you can use to create a water monitoring plan. Heather Wilson of Nitrate Watch will review this on the March 21 call.
Let's keep getting loud about the water quality issue in Iowa!
What We're Reading
These are a few links that are informing our work - we've shared them so that you can read, too!
Iowa should leave police boards intact and respect local control [Des Moines Register]
Immigration advocates kill a terrible Republican anti-immigrant bill [Deep Midwest]
Building stability through resident-owned mobile home parks [The Daily Yonder]
The problem isn't Biden's 'illegal' gaffe [CNN]
What's the matter with me? [Storm Lake Times Pilot]
Irresponsible is irresponsible, regardless of party affiliation [Bleeding Heartland]