My small state in Iowa has played a pivotal role in shaping national politics for decades. It began in 1976 in the Iowa Caucus. There, many viewed Ronald Reagan as the washed-down politician. But the former California governor challenged the state's first sitting Caucus president, sparking a political reaction that reshaped Republican and American politics.
That same year, little-known Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter caused a major upset in Iowa and set up his path to president. Decades later, Barack Obama's path to the White House would probably be over if he hadn't beaten Hillary Clinton in Hawkeye State. Iowa also made history by eliminating three Supreme Court judges in the entrenchment election, rejecting their rulings on same-sex marriage, and becoming the first state to hit a blow against the canard of judicial hegemony.
The gloves are off, and lawmakers are reminding us that what may have been a safe election in the past may not remain that way in the future.
Currently, Iowa has fewer than 4 million residents and has the opportunity to change the country's political direction once again. This week, the Iowa Legislature is poised to become the first state to strip the civil rights code of gender identity protection. And if this happens in Iowa, its impact will extend well beyond our borders and shape the national political debate for years to come.
“It's very easy,” said Chuck Hurley, vice president and chief lawyer at the Family Leader's Center for Family Policy. “Men are men. Women are women. Gender identity, which was placed in the Iowa Civil Rights Act 18 years ago in 2007, was a pathetic mistake. It allows men to enter women's spaces. Taxpayers are forced to spend millions of dollars on cutting people's healthy body parts.”
So why are we worried in a state where Democrats are so numerous, where President Donald Trump offers more cover-up than ever on this issue by killing Maine's governor due to the daytime madness last week? Well, for the same reason as usual: Fekless Republican.
“We had two Republicans who were on the record against the bill,” said Josiah Oleson, election director for family leaders. “What's interesting is that those Republicans will come from weak suburban seats where they're going to be tough reelections, but the two who actually bailed out are coming from pretty Republican seats that voted Trump at a big margin this fall.”
“So you leave the option that they might actually believe in this ideology. “One of the legislators in the statement issued against the bill said they fear that if people don't allow their priority gender to be placed on their birth certificates, it could be a violation of the Equality Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.”
If someone had this discussion about gender decades ago, imagine a response, let alone the 19th century. Anyone who pushes such a position should resign from Congress out of shame.
Fortunately, for supporters of the bill, Harley and Oleson believe there are not enough enemies to stop it from passing. But they also know how quickly the fear can spread, so they don't have a chance. The gloves are off, and lawmakers are reminding us that what may have been a safe election in the past may not remain that way in the future.
“If you look at the lawmakers we are concerned about, everyone except one or two of them didn't even have a major opponent this last time we ran,” Oleson said. “But here we are talking about the fundamental question of what we are doing here if we don't agree that men are males and women are conservative movement women?”
Harley added that one of the biggest issues Republicans have always had in the 35 years they've been fighting for law at the Iowa State Capitol is that they get in office just because they want to like them and get there, and that 'Um, we don't have a biased culture anymore.'
Do they really understand that calling themselves a Republican doesn't get votes from transgender mobs? Now, let's see what we'll make them understand. I want to believe that only strong arguments can achieve that, but my experience on the broadcast shows that when he is about to do something, Nikko is the best medicine for a sacred Republican. It's really stupid.
All Iowa must be aware that lawmakers refuse to act in the wake of the recent federal election landslide. Voters in states such as Arizona, Alabama and South Carolina are watching to see how Iowa leads with illicit clarity and belief.
As I said before, Iowa has long set national trends, for better or worse. But now, we cannot afford to wobble when discussing the fundamental issues of reality and decency. Iowa has to take the lead.
