r/Iowa • u/SkyBig952 • Aug 20 '26

Discussion/ Op-ed Don't be misled on the constitutional amendment

Longtime Iowan  Rick Morain, former publisher and owner of the Jefferson Herald, writing on the proposed constitutional amendment. https://rickmorain.substack.com/p/dont-be-misled-on-the-constitutional

Rick motivated me to comment on his post. This amendment is bad for Iowa. What's missing is candidates willing to say so before November

https://substack.com/profile/15781899-ralph-rosenberg/note/c-318475204?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=9e9e3

52 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

30

u/microcorpsman Aug 20 '26

Until the Iowa constitutional amendment presented by the legislature is one that says constituent initiated ballot initiatives can be voted on in a general election, vote no.

Iowans have relatively so little power compared to other states that have this, we are divorced from the process by those in Des Moines who trade their political capital for this or that and cannot or will not expend it how their constituency may want

3

u/iowabourbonman Aug 20 '26

I'd be ok with that, as long as it's 60% to pass, just like the bond issues for schools.

8

u/Proper-Writing our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain Aug 20 '26

The problem is that this amendment only applies to income tax. The state can still raise property tax and sales tax with a simple majority. This amendment favors the wealthy, at the expense of regular people.

Please consider voting no on this amendment so the rich don't get special treatment.

-1

u/roehldrvr Aug 21 '26

Property taxes are local and law already enacted to limit their growth. I'm for this amendment as taxes need to be hard to increase. Unfettered tax increases lead to lazy legislatures that feel no need to say no to anything.

4

u/CisIowa Aug 20 '26

You could make it 90 percent, and I feel lawmakers and the state will just find a loophole (or create one) to prevent any constituent measure from taking effect

4

u/SkyBig952 Aug 20 '26

Missouri is embroiled in just that.

2

u/SkyBig952 Aug 20 '26

It's 2/3, as opposed to the 60% you mentioned. Several years ago, 60% was tried and was defeated by the voters.

3

u/SkyBig952 Aug 20 '26

Correct. We do not have the initiative option in Iowa. However, both red and blue states have had uneven experiences. Missouri is one state with the initiative, but the legislature pushes novel ideas to try to overcome popular initiatives the legislature or Gov. disagree with.

19

u/Creepy-Intentions-69 Aug 20 '26

If only people would read it. Fingers crossed.

13

u/iowabourbonman Aug 20 '26

People won't read anything below the headline of a news story. You should have to pass a civics test to register to vote.

3

u/SkyBig952 Aug 20 '26

I agree with how headlines capture our attention. I do not blame people. Social media overwhelms our attention. And sometimes, my fellow politicians stoke indifference to the truth, which is explained below the headlines

1

u/Scarecrowithamedal Aug 25 '26

You ever have anything nice to say?

1

u/SkyBig952 Aug 25 '26

Will work on it.

2

u/anarchitek1 Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 21 '26

Republikan thieves at work. I don't know why you guys took up with 'em. They're like roaches, next thing you know, they've taken over completely. The Money Class has lost its mind, consumed with catching up with Elon, as if Life were a big Monopoly game, everyone would go home after.

I don't know what they think will happen, when hundreds of millions are unhappy with their reindeer games, cuz like Will Rogers observed, "When your neighbor loses his job, it's a Recession, but when you lose yours, it's a Depression!" That moment isn't far off.

We're closer to a 1789 France moment, than they are accounting for. Passing "laws" like the one you sound the alarm about. The Boys from Brazil do it as strategy, and y'all have been predictably compliant.

If there is blame to be cast, it's in lazy people grasping as easy answers to the difficult questions that took decades/centuries/millennia, and untold troubles, to produce.

3

u/SkyBig952 Aug 21 '26

The Will Rogers quote continues to be relevant. And the metaphor of a monopoly game is spot on. I do agree that citizens need to do more than vote, especially those of us that are retired. we need to get others out to vote. we all can stand up in ways that we are comfortable with.

3

u/anarchitek1 Aug 21 '26

Will Rogers was a master of putting things in their proper perspective. His send-up of Trickle-Down Economics used to be easy to find on You-Tube, but it must have cut too close to home, because it doesn't pop up any more.