Drake Political Review Spring 2023 | Vol. 9 Issue 2

SPRING 2023 | VOLUME 9 | ISSUE 2

DRAKE POLITICAL REVIEW LOSS OF LOCAL NEWS (21) CRACKS IN THE DEBT CEILING (35) TIKTOK NOT FOR YOU?(37)

DRAKE POLITICAL REVIEW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF GRACE LONG MANAGING EDITOR JULIA CASH ART DIRECTOR PRINCESS HART ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR EMILY ZELLER

STAFF EDITORS LINCOLN ROCH KATHRYN PAGEL MADELINE CRAWFORD COPY EDITOR TYLER STRACHAN WEB EDITOR

MADELINE CRAWFORD

Special thanks to Jeff Inman for his support and advice that helped make this semester’s magazine possible.

A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

I

n many ways, my college experience has been defined by political polarization. While watching daily life unfold on campus, I’ve felt the effects of the way my generation has gained political consciousness in the midst of ongoing ideological conflict.

I think that’s evident in this semester’s issue of Drake Political Review.

From the school choice act (pg 25) to a myriad of anti-LGBTQ+ bills (pg 27), our writers captured the perspectives of impassioned advocates on both sides of contentious debates in the Iowa legislature. Our state’s political identity was forever changed by the loss of our first-in-the-nation Democratic caucus (pg 19) and the disappearance of local news (pg 21) is driving political divisions deeper than ever before.

In the midst of all that doom and gloom, I see DPR as a beacon for genuine and honest conversation.

However small, it’s a space to talk politics where every voice is heard and valued.

The chance to guide DPR this semester is one I’m extremely grateful for, but I couldn’t have done it without our contributors and my talented staff. Their dedication to asking hard questions and covering difficult topics is what makes this issue one of my proudest achievements during my four years at Drake. DPR wouldn’t be possible without each and every one of them.

Their work matters more than I can express because in a world where balanced perspectives are scarce, publications like ours are essential to unity and democracy.

I hope everyone who picks up a copy walks away more informed and engaged. So with that, open your mind, turn the page and LET’S TALK POLITICS.

Grace Long

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

© SPRING 2023 DRAKE POLITICAL REVIEW IDEAS EXPRESSED IN THE MAGAZINE DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF DRAKE UNIVERSITY

QUICK TAKES

CONTENTS

01

Soundtrack of DPR

02

05

07

Bob Woodward: A Q&A

Two Truths and a Lie: George Santos Edition

13

15

The Loss of the Iowa Caucus as We Know It

17

Lead Pipe Replacement Remains a Pipe Dream

A Day in the Life of a Student Clerk

21

25 What Does It Mean To Put Iowa’s Students First?

27

Iowa Lawmakers Take Aim at LGBTQ+ Community

31

35

37

41

NATIO NAL

FEATURE S

IOWA

Political Personalities

How is the Adderall Shortage Affecting Iowans?

The Loss of Local News

Cracks in the Debt Ceiling

#GRWM First Ladies Edition

Federal and State Lawmakers to TikTok: Not For You?

11

A Perspective on the Proposed Carbon Pipeline

19

Closing the Disability Representation Gap

45

B is for Banned: Recently Challenged and Censored Books

Soundtrack of DPR What songs are our staff listening to while they work?

GRACE LONG Editor-in-Chief

Song: “American Tune”

by Paul Simon “I tend to listen to folk when I’m working or stressed and this one is particularly classic and timeless.”

TYLER STRACHAN Copy Editor

Song: “Eat Your Young”

by Hozier “I love Hozier, he’s amazing!

I like the meaning behind the lyrics too.”

LINCOLN ROCH

MADELINE CRAWFORD

Staff Editor

Web/Staff Editor

Song: “Ceilings” by Lizzie McAlpine

Song: “Brooklyn Baby”

by Lana Del Rey

“Always stuck in my head on repeat. I put it on when I want to be dramatic.”

“Gotta romanticize your work, am I right?”

PRINCESS HART Art Director

Song: “No Blueberries”

by DPR IAN “It’s so catchy and the vibes are there!”

EMILY ZELLER

KATHRYN PAGEL Staff Editor

Song: “Palette” by IU “This song is really relaxing to listen to and is all about self-exploration.

I even have a tattoo of it.”

JULIA CASH

Assistant Art Director

Managing Editor

Song: “Bruises” by Renee Rapp

Song: “The Key to Life on Earth” by Declan McKenna

“I love Gen Z singersongwriteres and listening to new artists!”

“I love the artist and all of his other songs too” PHOTOS GRACE LONG DESIGN EMILY ZELLER

Q U I C K TA K ES

#GRWM WORDS MADELINE CRAWFORD DESIGN PRINCESS HART

First Ladies Edition Get ready with the first ladies for different occasions and find out what they would wear if they were 2023 “it girls.”

F

rom Jackie Kennedy’s pillbox hats to Hillary Clinton’s power pantsuits, the first ladies have the power to revolutionize women’s fashion. Always being watched under the public eye, the clothing they choose to wear can make a statement. But what would some of these historical ladies wear if they were alive today?

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QUI CK TAKES

For a girls’ night out with

DOLLEY MADISON First lady Dolley Madison was known for unapologetically showing cleavage, much to the dismay of the public and her husband, James. Dolley had the bad b—h energy we all need!

She would definitely be down for a girls’ night bar hopping downtown.

Dolley would wear a dress that would be sure to draw attention like this one from Revolve.

For the Met Gala with

MARY

TODD LINCOLN The 16th first lady was often adorned in expensive and extravagant gowns. These dresses were controversial, as they were seen as a waste of government spending during the Civil War. Today, there is no event more extravagant than the Met Gala, and Mary Todd would totally secure an invite. Mary Todd would be dressed in custom Oscar De La Renta that costs more than most college students’ net worth. The extravagance would carry over into her accessory choices as well to create a cohesive look.

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Q U I C K TA K ES

For a day working 9-5 with

BETTY FORD First lady Betty Ford was rocking pantsuits long before Hillary Clinton popularized them.

As a trained dancer, Betty would appreciate the interesting shapes and fits of her clothing.

She would not want to look boring, even if she was dressing for meetings and her desk job. Betty would rock an oversized suit like this one from Aritzia. The modernization of the traditional pantsuit would be achieved through the juxtaposition between the oversized masculine tailoring and the traditionally feminine fabric color.

For a beach day with

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT The presidential reign of the Roosevelts was revolutionary in more ways than one. Sure, FDR served the longest of any sitting president, but Eleanor was the first first lady to be photographed wearing a swimsuit. So, who changed more lives?

Mrs. Roosevelt was traditionally a more conservative dresser, so a one-piece would be her go-to. This Summersalt one-piece is a classic LBS (little black suit) and is the perfect blend of vintage and modernity.

Madeline Crawford is a junior majoring in strategic political communication with minors in advertising and rhetoric, media and social change.

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POLITICAL PERSONALITIES W

ho doesn’t love a personality quiz? Whether it’s determining your Myers-Briggs type or the kind of cereal you are, personality quizzes are a fun way to learn more about yourself.

While it may seem surprising, politicians also take these quizzes. They are people too, and just like us, they have characteristics and behavior patterns that are associated with personality types.

One personality type system that’s gained popularity in recent years is the Enneagram.

It focuses on how people interpret and manage their emotions and uses a nine-point

diagram to illustrate how the types relate to one another.

If you haven’t already, take an Enneagram test to learn which personality matches your identity. Here is a link to one from Enneagram Universe: (https://tinyurl.com/3uyb8yce).

There are over 100 questions, so feel free to take the quiz when you have extra time.

Then come back to findout which politician shares your personality.

Paige Lambert is a junior majoring in rhetoric, media and social change and history with a minor in sociology and a women and gender studies concentration.

Which politician are you based on your Enneagram personality type?

TYPE ONE:

TYPE TWO:

TYPE THREE:

The Reformer

The Helper

The Achiever

Traits: Rational, purposeful self-controlled, principled, idealistic and perfectionistic

Traits: Caring, interpersonal, demonstrative, people-pleasing, generous and possessive

Traits: Success-oriented, driven, pragmatic, adaptive, excelling and image-conscious

Reformers love absolute perfection.

They want to create positive change for themselves and those around them, just like Rep. Alexandria OcasioCortez. Reformers strive to make the world better; they see that goal as their purpose. They work hard knowing that there will be a great payoff. Their brains are engulfed with big ideas.

Helpers care deeply about their relationships with friends and family.

They volunteer their time and resources to put others first. Like former Sen. John McCain, they understand the importance of community-building and working together. Helpers lead by example and value kindness and good virtues in themselves and others.

Although it may seem redundant, achievers like to win. They work to create a strong image of themselves to obtain success. Reputation is very important to them, and they aim to inspire others, both qualities we see in former President Bill Clinton. They’re driven by their dreams of big success, like Clinton’s pursuit of economic gains during his presidency.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

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John McCain

Bill Clinton

Q U I C K TA K ES

WORDS PAIGE LAMBERT DESIGN EMILY ZELLER

TYPE FOUR:

TYPE FIVE:

The Individualist The Investigator

TYPE SIX:

The Loyalist

Marianne Williamson

Pete Buttigieg

Traits: Sensitive, withdrawn, expressive, self-absorbed, dramatic and temperamental

Traits: Intense, cerebral, perceptive, innovative, secretive and isolated

Traits: Committed, engaging, security-oriented, responsible, anxious and suspicious

As their name suggests, individualists see themselves as different and distinct from other people, much like 2024 presidential candidate and selfproclaimed spiritual thought leader Marianne Williamson. They are deeply motivated to express their individuality through creativity and to be unique.

This type builds an identity around creating personal significance and often feels very misunderstood.

Investigators are extremely knowledgeable. They think very carefully about the ways they interact with others, just like Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. They prioritize boundaries for their best interests. They may seem introverted or withdrawn and are independent thinkers.

Loyalists are extremely personable and people typically find them very likable. They are also strong communicators, which helps with their ability to belong in social settings. They are committed to their social groups as team players and value trust in their relationships like former President George H.W. Bush.

TYPE SEVEN:

TYPE EIGHT:

George H.W. Bush

TYPE NINE:

The Enthusiast The Challenger The Peacemaker Joe Biden

Donald Trump

Barack Obama

Traits: Busy, fun-loving, spontaneous, versatile, distractible and scattered

Traits: Powerful, dominating, self-confident, decisive, willful and confrontational

Traits: Easygoing, reassuring, self-effacing, receptive, agreeable and complacent

Enthusiasts are extremely positive.

Like President Joe Biden, they exude energy and like to be on the go. They tend to be recognized for their fun sides, but can lack seriousness and focus at times. They are optimistic and always see the good in others.

They look to approach problems with creative solutions and like to think outside the box.

Challengers tend to be stubborn like former President Donald Trump. They are beyond confident in themselves and don’t need approval from anyone else. They are very power-driven and are motivated by having control over a situation. Extremely independent, challengers will do whatever it takes to achieve their goals.

Peacemakers have well-collected manners. This makes them extremely likable in social settings, like former President Barack Obama. They have a very mellow demeanor and are excellent speakers. As their name suggests, peacemakers are very good at resolving conflict and mediating between two groups.

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BOB

WOO

Renowned journalist, Bob Woodward, addresses students and community members in his lecture at Drake University’s Knapp Center.

OD WA

Q U I C K TA K ES

A Q&A

:

WORDS + PHOTO GRACE LONG DESIGN PRINCESS HART

T

here’s no doubt that Bob Woodward is a titan of the journalism world. His groundbreaking investigative reporting on the Watergate scandal captivated the nation and changed the course of American politics. Woodward hasn’t slowed down since that first big story in 1972. Today, his career spans over 50 years and includes receiving two Pulitzer Prizes and writing 21 books.

This renowned journalist visited Drake’s campus on April 4, 2023 to deliver the Martin Bucksbaum Distinguished Lecture. Hours before taking the stage, he spoke with a small group of Drake students to answer their questions about a career in journalism.

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DEMOCRACY DIES IN DARKNESS Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give journalists today?

A: Go to the scene. I’ve written on ten presidents, and I always get somebody to take me to the situation room of the White House, so I know what it’s like. Where does the president sit? How high is the chair in the back? Where are the video screens? Where do the backbenchers sit? Go to the scene. I write about Afghanistan. I go to Afghanistan. Not a full tour of duty as a reporter, but I go for four or five days so I can see it, so I can smell it. Go to the scene.

Q: How did you become a journalist?

A: So, this is 1970. I walked to the Washington Post, walked in up to the newsroom, and said, “Who do I talk to? I’d like to work here.” And… the metropolitan editor named Harry Rosenfeld asked how much experience I had. And I said, “Well, zero.” And then he asked a really great question which is, ‘Why you?’ Then he showed me a stack of applications and said, “All these people have 18 years, 20 years of experience, have won prizes and so forth, and you want me to hire you?”

When I said yes, he said, “This is crazy, but it’s just crazy enough. We’ll give you a two week trail.” So he gave me a two week trial, and I wrote about a dozen stories, none of which they published. They weren’t very good. So Harry called me after 12 days and said, “Good luck in your life. It’s not gonna be journalism.” And I thanked him, to which he asked, “Why are you thanking me? Don’t thank me, you failed.” But I now know that this is what I want to do. Exposure. It’s kind of a version of going to the scene, trying the job. And I loved it.

Q: Why do you love being a journalist?

A: Because there’s an immediacy in journalism. There’s an energy in the newsroom. As a reporter, I always say that if somebody came from Mars to the United States for a year and the Martian went back and was asked who has the best jobs in America, they’d say the journalists. Why? Because journalists get to make momentary entries into people’s lives

09

SPRING 2023

when they’re interesting, and then get the h–l out. You, as a journalist, get to pick your clients, your stories with the editors. They are not boring; they are relevant. I saw that in 12 days and realized why do anything else if you can do this?

Q: How has the internet changed journalism?

A: I was talking with some scientist, an expert on AI, and I was making the case, I think successfully, that the one thing artificial intelligence can’t do is what I tried to do as a journalist. To get behind the scenes to discover what’s hidden, right? So how does [a] chatbot or AI call somebody in the FBI and say, “I’m artificial intelligence. I’d like to talk to you.” How far would that get? What’s getting information as a journalist, important information you hope, what’s it about? It’s a relationship of trust. Recorder and source. How is artificial intelligence going to establish rust? Wouldn’t work. Can’t do it.

Q: In your earlier years as a journalist, what aspect of the job did you have the most trouble with?

A: Always with the writing. Carl Bernstein used to joke that English was a second language for me. But also, and I would emphasize this, journalism is much more of a cerebral exercise. Deciding what to cover, what to focus on and to know why you’re picking that is really important. Ben Bradlee, who was the editor of The Post during Watergate, said the editor’s job, the only really important job the top editor has, is to realize what is a really good and important story and make sure resources are directed at that. Not something that is kind of ephemeral or seems very urgent in the moment and, in fact, is not. So, it’s [thinking about] how am I covering something? Why am I covering that?

Responses have been edited for clarity and length.

Grace Long is a senior majoring in law, politics and society and strategic political communication with a minor in educational studies.

Q U I C K TA K ES

Woodward answers questions from audience members to conclude his lecture.

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QUI CK TAKES

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE:

George

Question 1: Education a)

He graduated from Baruch College in 2010 with a degree in economics and finance while also being a star on the men’s volleyball team.

b)

He graduated from New York University with a master’s degree in business administration and no student debt.

c)

He attended Middlebury College in Vermont where he was on the ski team before dropping out to pursue his acting career.

Question 2: Work Experience a)

He owns 13 properties where renters stopped paying rent after the COVID-19 pandemic.

b)

He worked at Silicon Valley Bank, and claims that if he would have stayed, the bank would have never failed.

c)

He ran a charity called Friends of Pets United which saved 2,500 dogs and cats between 2013 and 2018.

Question 3: In the Media a)

He starred on the TV shows “Hannah Montana” and “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.”

b)

He was Zac Efron’s stunt double in the movie “The Greatest Showman.”

c)

He starred in the 2009 movie “Invasion” with actress Uma Therman.

Question 4: Personal Life

11

a)

Santos is Jewish, and his grandmother escaped the Holocaust.

b)

The 9/11 attacks claimed his mother’s life.

c)

He lost four employees in the Pulse nightclub shooting.

SPRING 2023

Santos edition

Test your knowledge of the many (fictional) lives of Rep. George Santos.

S

hortly after winning his seat in Congress in the 2022 midterm elections, Republican Rep. George Santos was caught in a web of lies when journalists at The New York Times reported that most of Santo’s biography was fabricated.

Since those initial reports, news outlets have continued to uncover more scandals and find more inaccuracies in the life Santos has claimed to live. There have been bipartisan calls for Santos to resign, and he is currently being investigated by both the House Ethics Committee and the Republican District Attorney for Nassau County, New York.

Before being sworn in, Santos admitted to fabricating entire sections of his resume, but he has not resigned and even filed the paperwork to run for a second term in 2024.

How closely have you been following the Santos saga? Test your knowledge using the quiz on the left. Each question has two answers that are real lies Santos has been caught telling. The other has been completely made up by our staff.

Lincoln Roch is a sophomore majoring in multimedia journalism, magazine and brand media, and history with a minor in environmental sustainability and resilience.

Q U I C K TA K ES

Answers & Explanations Question 1: Education

If you got C, you found the made-up lie.

a) Santos claimed that he attended Baruch College on a volleyball scholarship where he “sacrificed both knees” for the team to help them win a league championship.

However, the college has no record of him attending. b) While complaining about today’s youth “sitting on their behinds” in a podcast interview, Santos bragged about graduating from NYU with a master’s and no student debt. His claim about having no student debt is technically true since NYU has no record of him ever attending.

Santos has since told The New York Post that he did not attend any institution of higher ducation.

Question 2: Work Experience

If you guessed B, you picked the made-up lie.

a) The New York Times searched for any proof of Santos’ real estate portfolio but could not findany record of one. This story is a bit ironic: while Santos talked about his imaginary tenants taking advantage of him, he’s had a history of evictions. c) Santos did claim to run the charity Friends of Pets United, but there are no records of a nonprofit by that name being registered in any state he lived in. That isn’t Santos’ only pet-related lie.

He has also been accused of keeping the money from an online fundraiser he organized to pay for the surgery of a homeless veteran’s dying service dog. The dog then died.

Question 3: In the Media

Photo Source: David Becker via Getty Images

a & c)

A Wikipedia page for Santos’ alias, Anthony Devolder, that was last edited in 2011 states that Devolder began his acting career by starring in several Disney Channel TV shows before working with Uma Therman in the movie “Invasion.” The only problem is that he did not star in any of those, and Uma Therman didn’t even star in “Invasion.”

Question 4: Personal Life a, b, c)

If you guessed B, you found the made-up lie.

This is a trick question - there’s no odd one out.

All of these are real things he claimed, none of which are true.

WORDS LINCOLN ROCH DESIGN EMILY ZELLER

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HOW IS THE

ADDERALL SHORTAGE AFFECTING IOWANS?

As the national Adderall shortage continues, Iowans grapple with the impacts.

WORDS MEGHAN HOLLORAN DESIGN PRINCESS HART

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M

akayla Milam sat shivering in her car, close to tears.

It was 11 a.m., and she’d spent the past hour sliding around a snow-covered Des Moines, looking for a pharmacy to fill her Adderall prescription. Her usual pharmacy, Walgreens off Hickman Rd. was out, and when she asked where she could fill it, the technician shrugged “We’re out everywhere.” Defeated, Makayla headed home and tried to regain her composure. As a double major in Neuroscience and Biochemistry at Drake University, she needed her prescription to focus in class and prepare for exams.

“It was a total nightmare,” Milam said.

It would take over a month of back-and-forth calls with her doctor and multiple calls to other pharmacies in the area before she was switched to Vyvanse, another drug used to treat ADHD. During that time, she struggled to get out of bed and attend class, sleeping all day.

Adderall, also known in generic form as amphetamine salts, is prescribed for people diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. It has been in short supply since October, with no end in sight. Teva Pharmaceuticals produces the majority of Adderall in the U.S. and cited “intermittent manufacturing delays” as the reason behind the shortage. As a result, Iowans in and around Des Moines are struggling to fill their prescription.

Joshua Whitman, a wine sommelier in the Des Moines

metropolitan area and a Ph.D. student at the University of Iowa was out of his prescription for two weeks in January.

“I was completely unfocused.

I would sleep in way too long. I wouldn’t be able to wake up in the morning,” Whitman said. “I gained weight because Adderall acts as an appetite suppressant, and I had gained, I think, four or five pounds in just a week or two weeks or whatever. I couldn’t study because I’m going for [the] next level of certification.”

Whitman is on the legal highest dose of Adderall and has tried other stimulant alternatives. But without his prescription, he can’t give people “experiences” to the best of his ability.

“A sommelier isn’t just about wine.

It’s about wine, food, experiences, emotions, memories, all of that combined one,” Whitman said.

“I basically take a bunch of different concepts and put them all together…. And without Adderall, it’s kind of hard to do that.”

Whitman echoed the same issues Makayla faced when getting her script refilled. According to Trilliant Health, adults ages 22-44 have been prescribed Adderall at an increased rate of “15.1% increase from Q2 2020 to Q2 2022.”

“There was a time where I had to go in [to the pharmacy] every three days just to get more temporary medication,” Whitman said. “It was silly because then it looks as if I’m like some drug-addicted miscreant.”

College students are being hit hard by the shortage too. According to a

I OWA

2017 UCLA Study, 6% of college students in America have been diagnosed with ADHD. Taylor Kremer is one of them. A student at Drake University, she needs extended-release Adderall, which lasts all day, to get her through classes. Her regular Des Moines pharmacy ran out, forcing her doctor to switch her prescription to ExpressScripts, a mailed prescription service, to get her pills.

That change has been anything but smooth.

“My doctor sent it to ExpressScripts through my insurance for the name brand, but it will take a week to process,” Kremer said. “So right now, I’m just waiting for that, but in the meantime, I’ve been taking instant release [Adderall], which I haven’t had any issues finding.”

But for those with ADHD, instant release comes with its own issues.

While more readily available, it stays in the body for a shorter amount of time, while extended release lasts for several hours.

Hyvee pharmacy technician Alex Frank said the different types of releases contain a “slightly different mixture of active ingredients.”

Some pharmaceutical companies list shortages of ‘active ingredients’ as the reason behind the shortage.

Others, like Teva, cite ‘increased demand’ in the FDA’s Drug Shortages Database.

“The problem is that Adderall is on a national backorder, so it is literally impossible to buy,” Frank said. And because everyone wants it, it flies off the shelves when it comes in. At least for generics,

insurance companies mostly don’t pay for brand name Adderall. So it’s either pay an absurd amount for brand names or not have it.”

The Food and Drug Administration’s Drug Policy Press Officer, Jeremy Kahn, stated in an email that the FDA is working closely with manufacturers and the supply chain to mitigate and reduce the impact of reduced availability of certain products.

Teva Pharmaceuticals has not yet returned a request for comment.

The Adderall shortage was initially forecast to last until March 2023, and Teva Pharmaceuticals now has some brand-name Adderall available. However, due to the demand and scarcity of generic amphetamine salts, Alvogen, a manufacturer of generic amphetamine salts, estimates the shortage could now last until April 2023.

Makayla found relief–at least for now. She received a 90-day supply of Vyvanse which is alleviating her symptoms.

Meghan Holloran is a sophomore majoring in multimedia journalism and magazine media with a minor in environmental sustainability and resilience.

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THE

loss

of the

I OWA C AU C U S as we know it: Dead Dems Walking?

S

haken. Rocked. Grinded to a halt. And so the children of the corn did scream. The era of Iowa holding the first-in-the-nation presidential nominating contest, known nationally as the Iowa caucus, has come to a close. At least, for the Democratic Party.

15

minds. Elections were usually a toss up, teetering between the smallest fraction of votes. Iowa went for George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential election by only 12,000 votes, but Barack Obama held an almost 10% advantage and flipped the state blue in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections.

What Happened to the Caucus and Why Does it Matter to Iowans?

The Republican Response

After President Joe Biden’s announcement in February to grant South Carolina the official first-in-the-nation Democratic nomination slot on the presidential election calender primary status, Iowans may have been stumped, but this transition seems to have been penciled in for a couple years. With the Democratic Party’s presence in the Iowa caucus coming to a close, the separation of the parties in the once first-in-the-nation caucus state proves that the cessation and growing partisanship between the Republican and Democratic Parties is anything but weakening its firm grip.

It should be noted that the Republican Party will continue holding their caucus in Iowa. Ron Desantis and former President Donald Trump both held conferences in Iowa in March in an attempt to tease support for their upcoming (or in Desantis’s case, probable) presidential runs. Now that Republicans are the lone party in the Iowa caucus, their stage in the coming years will be wider with even more eyes focused on them to see how they’ll handle the pressure of being in a new, uncultivated field.

Caucus season has been a contributing factor to Iowa’s identity for years, crafting a meaningful personality for a state so often overlooked in national political affairs.

Without that distinction, what separates Iowa’s corn from Nebraska’s? The answer it seems, for the time being, is a growing amount of conservative policies and legislation.

For much of its existence, Iowa has held the reputation of a swing state, a place for turning heads and changing

Since then, however, Iowa has become a state synonymous with granting their electoral points to the Republican Party, with Donald Trump successfully holding nearly 10 percentage points over both Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden in their respective election years.

Slowly growing into alignment with red states in the South, Iowa no longer has any Democratic representatives at the national level, and Gov. Kim Reynolds, a member of the Republican Party, supports bills brought forth by the Republican majority at the state level.

Wes Enos, the deputy chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, said that the decision by Democrats to pull out of Iowa won’t necessarily change people’s voting patterns, but it will affect how voters will interpret their platforms. “[Democrats are] going to undermine their ability to get a real grassroots candidate with a good message that is outside of a national norm, to get any sort of traction or attention whatsoever,” Enos said. “I think it will hurt their overall message. I don’t know if voters necessarily are plugged in enough to be able to really impact that, but I think it will impact your overall ability to build a message that actually resonates with voters.”

Enos also went on to specify that there is a real benefit for the Republican Party to continue utilizing Iowa as their first caucus setting: the financial advantage.

“You can’t run an effective caucus campaign in a state like Michigan with expensive media markets like Detroit.

In Iowa, a candidate who is largely unknown, but has a

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Is the decision by the Democratic Party to pull out of the Iowa caucus the final nail in the coffin of a dead swing state? message to get out there, can get into Iowa,” Enos said. “They can build an apparatus, they can build an audience for their message, and they could become a national figure who can compete with billion dollar candidates across the country by being able to get their message out in a market where that message can penetrate.”

And in terms of the ground gained by the Republican Party in recent years, Enos says that Iowa Republicans are running with it. “[Republicans are] building organizations and strong apparatuses within the various counties. They’re getting out there, being aggressive in messaging, and I think you’re going to continue seeing more of that,” Enos said. “I see a lot of successes that we’ve had over the course of the last few years continuing forward. I don’t see a lot of changes to what we’re going to do.

Just because what we’ve done has been so successful up to this point, we can refine it, we get better at it, but it’s going to be very similar to what we’ve already been doing.”

“

Democrats Dig In

As Iowa Republicans have gained ground in the past few decades, the Democratic Party has pulled back. The decision to leave Iowa by President Biden affirms this.

Given these indicators, Iowa State Rep. Sean Bagniewski, a Democrat representing District 35, wasn’t surprised by the party’s departure from the caucus.

“I was expecting it for some time. Even before the caucus mishaps, Iowa had been under the microscope for at least the last 20 years, and the case was getting harder to make to keep the caucuses,” he said.

Despite understanding the decision, Bagniewski said the DNC’s follow up action for future election schedules didn’t make as much sense.

“If you’re going to make a big change to your primary and caucus calendar, you should make sure that all the legal pieces are there before you make that announcement,” he said. “We’re in an awkward situation where the DNC has chosen these states, the DNC decision conflicts with state law, and now you’re kind of in limbo again. I don’t think it’s a good luck for the DNC.” Regardless of the rise in the conservative agenda in Iowa, Bagniewski says that the already definite partisanship between the parties has not been affected by this shift in the caucus wind.

“I don’t know that anybody in Iowa chooses to be a Democrat or Republican based on the caucuses or presidential visitors,” Bagniewski said. “I think DEMOCRATIC STATE REP. SEAN BAGNIEWSKI most people think it’s a great thing to have in Iowa, it helps

I WAS EXPECTING IT FOR SOME TIME. EVEN BEFORE THE CAUCUS MISHAPS, IOWA HAD BEEN UNDER THE MICROSCOPE FOR AT LEAST THE LAST 20 YEARS, AND THE CASE WAS GETTING HARDER TO MAKE TO KEEP THE CAUCUSES.

DESIGN EMILY ZELLER WORDS CAROLINE SIEBELS-LINDQUIST

our economy and helps get some attention, but I’m a little pessimistic that the idea of the caucuses being here or not, renew that pledge for people’s party registrations.”

With Rita Hart as the new lead chair for the Iowa Democratic Party, Bagniewski has high hopes that she will be able to steer Democrats towards a new organized and grassroots future, now without the attention that the Iowa caucus usually brings. “[Rita Heart] brings a lot of strengths in that she was a candidate for state office, she’s a farmer, she’s a teacher, she’s a county chair, and then she ran for lieutenant governor in Congress as well. She just checks a lot of boxes, and I think is a really good postcaucus Chair for us to have,” he said.

Organizations like the Democratorganized New Iowa Project are working to expand the liberal agenda by using the method of voter registration and grassroot organizing popularized by Stacey Abrams, the founder of the voter activist channel Fair Fight and former gubernatorial candidate from Georgia. The New Iowa Project’s motto is, ‘Iowans working to build a bluer Iowa over the next decade.’

Bagniewski, as one of the founding members said, “I think the big question is, now that the [Iowa caucus] is gone, will Iowans organize more, or at least Iowa Democrats? Will we organize more? And I hope the answer is yes. I’m committed to being part of the answer of yes. So, we’ll see what happens five or 10 years from now.”

As it does every year, Iowa’s corn will continue to grow, and especially during caucus season, its greenery will take on new heights. Though Iowa Democrats are gearing up for a long, drawn out battle, the fields seem all but poised to be painted red.

Caroline Siebels-Lindquist is a first-year majoring in multimedia journalism and politics with a minor in German.

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I OWA

LEAD PIPE REPLACEMENT

R E MAIN S A PIPE DREAM Lack of communication with water distributors leaves owners of older homes in the dust.

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merica has a lead pipe problem.

Congress didn’t ban the use of lead, a known neurotoxin, until 1986, before which the installation and manufacturing of lead pipes and fixtures was common practice. The result is that nine to 12 million American households—including approximately 20,000 in Des Moines—are serviced by lead pipes.

But a lead-service-line problem, as director of water distribution at Des Moines Water Works, Jenny Puffer describes it, is not necessarily a lead-inwater problem. As long as the pH of the water flowing through the pipes is basic rather than acidic, the water deposits a thin layer of material on the inside of the pipe rather than corroding it. “[Lead service lines in Des Moines] are not necessarily causing harm today because the water going through them is not corrosive, but if things were changed down the road, they could be a problem,” Puffer said.

Flint, Michigan showed the country

what could happen when a region switches to a more acidic water source and doesn’t take the necessary precautions. Puffer said the kind of oversight that occurred in Flint would not happen in Des Moines, and the city has no reason to switch water sources.

Nearly all Des Moines homes with lead service lines were built before 1940 when Des Moines plumbers began switching to copper to preserve lead for the war effort. However, plumbers in other parts of the country continued using lead until it was banned in 1986.

As it stands, Des Moines homeowners who learn their service lines are made of lead must shoulder the $10,000 replacement cost while they wait for the State Revolving Fund, which distributes funding for Iowa water and wastewater projects, to evaluate the Des Moines Water Works application.

“There is no funding,” Puffer said.

“We’ve not received it yet from the state, which would be federal money coming through the state. A lot of that WORDS MACK SWENSEN DESIGN EMILY ZELLER

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I OWA

state money is actually a loan that would be taken out, and a portion of it could be forgivable if it was used in a disadvantaged neighborhood or community.”

If approved, Des Moines Water Works will receive a portion of the $15 billion in funding dedicated to lead pipe replacement under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. While this level of dedication to lead pipe replacement is unprecedented, it represents only a third of the Biden administration’s estimated cost to replace lead pipes across the nation.

“You would think that what the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] would have done a long, long time ago is not only had Congress banned the further use of these pipes, as they said in the 1980s, but to actually require water utilities to fully remove these pipes,” said John Rumpler, clean water program director at Environment America.

“Unfortunately, there is no law requiring water utilities to remove all of these lead pipes, at least not yet.”

On both a national and local level, the rate of replacement is unknown, partially due to the patchy relationship between governments and water service providers. For example, Des Moines Water Works, though a public, nonprofit entity that services Des Moines and most of its suburbs, is separate from the Des Moines government. As of this writing, Des Moines Water Works and the city have yet to flesh out an agreement to share information about lead pipes and homeowners who choose to replace them.

Under the Environmental Protection Agency’s rule regarding lead and copper, water providers are currently required to test their water every six months. If 10% of those samples exceed the EPA’s lead threshold, the water utility is mandated to replace the pipes.

Rumpler believes that threshold should be lowered, citing the EPA’s and Center for Disease Control’s assertions that there is no safe level of lead in drinking water.

Rumpler also said that lead tests are unreliable due to the inherent variability of lead concentrations in water, which can fluctuate based on pH, temperature, length of exposure and vibration.

“That action level is not a health-based standard,” Rumpler said. “It’s just a regulatory measure.”

At the federal level, lead pipe replacement remains a goal. However, a few states have enacted mandates with replacement timelines varying from 10 years in New Jersey to 50 years in Illinois. Rumpler hopes Iowa will join them soon.

“I’m optimistic that if everyone rolls up their sleeves and stops making excuses and pointing the finger at someone else and just says ‘this is a public health, urgent need, we need to get these lead pipes out,’ we’ll get the job done in a timely way,” he said.

Mack Swensen is a sophomore majoring in multimedia journalism and environmental sustainability and resilience with a minor in politics.

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Tess Dorman (right) a House clerk for Democratic Rep. Lindsay James and Paige Jansen (left) a House clerk for Democratic Rep. Eric Gjerde review legislative documents together.

E A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A

STUDENT CLERK Working in the Iowa Legislature gives student clerks an all-access pass to how our state government functions.

WORDS LINDSEY HERAZY PHOTO GRACE LONG DESIGN PRINCESS HART

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ach legislative session, many Drake students apply to be student clerks. Whether it be navigating political controversy, learning what legislators are truly like at night or listening to a representative sing, some student clerks have seen and heard it all. That opportunity is a dream come true for some Drake students.

“I got really involved with the Iowa Democratic Party last spring when I was a communications intern in the Iowa Senate, and I thought that it [clerking] looked cool,” said Paige Jansen, a clerk in the Iowa House of Representatives. “So, I had hoped that I’d be able to do it the following year, which I am now, and I’m really enjoying it.”

For Tess Dorman, who also clerks in the Iowa House, the chance to clerk has been something she’s thought about since committing to Drake her senior year of high school. Certain Drake influences also inspired her to pursue her current role. “Professor and Rep. Konfrst is also a big reason why I wanted to clerk,” Dorman said. “She’s the one who pushed me to apply and set me up with Rep. Lindsay James.” Every day spent at the Iowa Capitol is busy for Jansen and Dorman. A large part of their job consists of maintaining their respective representatives’ schedules as well as making sure they’re aware of important emails or upcoming meetings.

While working, Dorman usually listens to Taylor Swift. Jansen doesn’t listen to music while clerking, but does appreciate that Rep. Bob Kressig likes to sing on the House floor. “He sometimes randomly starts singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ which is one of his favorite songs, so that’s really entertaining,” she explained. Much of what the public knows about their representative or senator can be boiled down to political opinions on certain issues. Student clerks have the rare opportunity to experience the more light-hearted facets of what their representative is really like beyond their public persona.

During one of Dorman’s first few days as a clerk, James told her

I OWA the story of the time she hit Konfrst’s mailbox while backing out of their driveway.

“Apparently, she’s not a great driver, but she is a great legislator and boss,” Dorman said. Jansen’s legislator, Democratic Rep. Eric Gjerde of Linn County, expresses himself in ways that most don’t.

“One fun thing about him is that he’s only worn a regular tie once since he was elected in 2020. Otherwise, he’s worn a bow tie every time he’s been at the Capitol,” Jansen said. “I think he was dared or someone made a bet with him, so he wore a regular tie for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and I think that was pretty funny.”

To some clerks, the Iowa Legislature is more than just a collection of politicians. “When we come to the Legislature, the tour guide always says it’s a citizen legislature,” said Dylan Engelbrecht, clerk for Republican Sen. Chris Cournoyer.

“You walk in the Senate, and there’s farmers, there’s former teachers, there’s retirees, there’s people just starting out in their careers, so it really is a citizen legislature.”

With this diverse group of people and the number of headline-making bills being passed at the Capitol this session, bipartisanship is a rare sight to behold. In a unique environment like this one, Engelbrecht makes it a point to shake hands and smile with everyone he meets, irrespective of party affiliation.

“I know it’s easy for us to not talk to each other, but going over and asking someone, ‘How’s your day going?’ is a cool way to make a small impression on someone and maintain relationships across the aisle,” he said. Even with the political tension, being more involved in Iowa’s government has been a rewarding experience for Jansen, Dorman and Engelbrecht. Clerking has given them exposure to experiences that often can’t be taught on campus.

“While I’ve loved my strategic political communication and politics classes at Drake, there are certain things that can only be learned through actual political experience beyond the classroom,” Dorman said. “I’ve learned a ton about the policy process through clerking that I just don’t think could be replicated in a classroom.” Working under the golden dome of Iowa’s Capitol really does bring people from all walks of life together and creates an atmosphere of opportunity for student clerks.

“Whether it’s a lobbyist or another senator walking over and seeing another clerk, there’s so many people here who offer so many great opportunities or just someone to know by name is a really great way to stay connected and meet people from all over Iowa,” Engelbrecht said.

Lindsey Herazy is a senior majoring in public relations and strategic political communication with a minor in Spanish.

Dylan Engelbrecht, clerk for Republican Sen. Chris Cournoyer poses for a headshot in the Senate chamber.

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FEAT UR E

THE

News LOSS of Local

WORDS SARAH JAMIL DESIGN PRINCESS HART

Access to local news is on the decline across the United States, threatening everything from high school sports coverage to democracy itself. How does Iowa fit into this larger trend?

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llen Longman ran the Sidney Argus Herald newspaper company in Sidney, Iowa, for 42 years after inheriting it from her father. The paper closed in 2021, right as the world was barely recovering from the global pandemic.

The closure of small town newspapers is one result of the news industry’s entrance into the digital era, with readership shrinking when words are displayed on lighted screens rather than paper. Now, rural communities like Sidney stand isolated from the world that spins around them due to the lack of access to a newspaper they can trust to report on local issues and stories.

Despite that, when you zoom out and consider Iowa as a whole, the state appears to be in good shape when it comes to local newspapers.

According to Susan Patterson Plank, executive director of the Iowa Newspaper Association, Iowa has 241 newspapers and 99 counties. That means, each county has at least one newspaper running.

But when you push the lens even further out to look at the rest of the nation, the perspective isn’t quite the same. According to a 2022

report by Penny Abernathy, a visiting professor at Northwestern University, an average of more than two newspapers per week vanish throughout the U.S. Between late 2019 and the end of May 2022, more than 360 newspapers closed. Most of the disappearing papers served as weekly publications in small communities.

According to that same report, most of those communities do not gain a digital or print news platform to replace the lost paper. Which means by now, over a fifth of Americans live in news deserts.

“It is the heart and soul of the town, and I don’t say that humbly, not because I think it’s my job. The town has not been the same since the paper died,” Longman said. “People don’t know what’s going on…The larger papers have tried to come in, and they do now have somebody that reports on city government, but almost nobody takes the papers because it isn’t our paper, and it doesn’t just have our sports in it.”

On the bright side, according to Patterson Plank, in the last 12 to 18 months, 13 Iowa newspapers have moved from corporate ownership held outside of Iowa to local ownership by Iowans.

When ownership comes closer to home, there is typically an investment in local coverage because people have the perspective and firsthand knowledge of working and living in the community.

“

THE TOWN HAS NOT BEEN THE SAME SINCE THE PAPER DIED.

ELLEN LONGMAN, SIDNEY ARGUS HERALD PUBLISHER

She also stated that 84% of Iowans read print or digital newspapers, and that number has only continued to rise.

“The first thing I do is I start reading in the morning, and I do that on my phone,” Patterson Plank said. “But then I go to the print paper, because that’s more of what I’ll call serendipity.

I’ll see things that I normally wouldn’t see online because the algorithms don’t work, or it’s not something I’d be normally interested in.”

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FEATURE When you zoom the lens back into the small towns of Iowa, though, there are certainly some that lack access to daily and weekly news. Sidney is one of them.

Longman’s father ran the Sidney Argus Herald for 40-odd years. When he retired in 1978 and her mother took over, Longman came home.

From then on, she never left. Longman and her editor were the last two people to keep the company afloat.

She worked alongside the editor who stayed at the company for almost 40 years. The pair understood that running a small town newspaper often meant doing everything, but that responsibility took its toll.

“You make ads, you sell ads, you write stories, you clean the floors,” Longman said.

Although the pandemic likely sped up the closure of many local papers, for Longman, the closure of the Sidney Argus Herald had been coming for the last 10 years. Long before COVID-19, the journalism industry had already started to shift into the digital age.

Even though she’d seen it coming, the closure of the company still came as a shock. Longman wasn’t able to find anyone to take on the company that cared about the newspaper as much as she did or that she had wanted to give the company to.

“Truthfully, it’s just the advertising. There were still enough people that I could have gone on,” Longman said. “I might have been able to give it to somebody if I could sell enough advertising to pay the printer. And of course, printing costs have gone up.”

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According to Patterson Plank, advertising used to be the No. 1 source of revenue for newspapers; it accounted for around 50% of their income.

Now, newspapers look to a few different sources for funds including advertising, subscriptions and events. However, it’s hard to shake the tried and true advertising model.

The more businesses there are in a town that sell directly from storefronts to consumers, the higher the demand for advertising. But with competition from companies like Walmart and Amazon making it difficult for small businesses to keep their doors open, once bustling main streets now sit empty in many rural towns. With those local businesses gone, the primary source of revenue for many local newspapers disappears.

And with that, goes the source of information and knowledge for those communities, too.

“The farther you get away from the center of your universe, the less trust you have inherently,” Patterson Plank said. “If you want to have local media, we have to, as a community, wrap our arms around them.”

The loss of local news has negative consequences for our democracy. Not only are people unaware of what’s going on in the town they live in, they also aren’t aware of government decisions in Washington, D.C. They don’t see tax rolls printed by the local paper, or the major floods on the other side of the county. They’re not able to find sources for vaccination or see how many COVID-19 cases have impacted their town.

Aside from big issues like these, there’s also gaps in coverage that only rural Iowans would notice.

“The main thing they miss is sports. Especially

older people who can’t get to every game,” Longman said. “And of course, always, there’s somebody who will pay anything to have their daughter’s wedding in the paper.”

For now, the future of local newspapers in Iowa is headed toward consolidation. Some counties with three newspapers will go down to two. According to Patterson Plank, about 100 newspapers have fewer than 1000 subscribers because they cover towns with such small communities. Separate small towns that are not able to support their own newspaper will merge to support one that covers them all.

But therein lies the question, according to Patterson Plank. Will the companies that merge be able to maintain unique coverage of all the towns they represent? That potential loss of distinct coverage can have long term consequences. “[People might say] because I don’t feel civic engagement with my community, I’m less likely to vote for things like bond issues,” Patterson Plank said. “Sometimes when you don’t have a newspaper, you don’t have a common voice.

When a community has less community pride… then because there’s less civic engagement, that puts them at risk long term.”

Sarah Jamil is a junior majoring in magazine media with minors in sociology and English.

KEEP

LOCAL

NEWS ALIVE

FEATURE

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PUT IOWA’S STUDENTS FIRST?

A look at recently passed school choice legislation that makes state education funding available for K-12 students who choose to attend private schools.

? ?

?

?

WORDS EMMA STRONER DESIGN PRINCESS HART

O

n Jan. 24, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed arguably one of the most controversial bills of this legislative session into law. The bill, which is slated to take effect during the 2024-25 academic year, ensures both current and prospective students who attend private K-12 institutions will receive $7,598 in an education savings account to cover tuition, fees and other costs for each academic year of their education.

The Students First Act, formally known as House File 68, would phase in over the course of three years and would be funded by Iowa taxpayer dollars.

Although the passage of this bill required heavy deliberation, it made its way through the legislature fairly quickly, being signed into law in just the third week of the session.

Quite predictably, this has caused both worry and excitement among Iowan parents, teachers and other education staff. While the bill’s passage is considered a significant win for some families, it is seen as a defeat for others.

According to The Des Moines Register, Iowa’s Republican representatives have expressed that the bill is about freedom for families to make decisions while many Democrats feel the bill is spending money with no accountability and characterize it as a private school entitlement program with unknown costs and unlimited funding.

There are a plethora of senators and representatives that have voiced their

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thoughts on the bill’s passage, but what about the voices of those directly impacted? Students, teachers, parents and taxpayers of all types of school systems can expect their lives to change as a result of the Students First Act, so what do they think?

A Public School Perspective Webster City, Iowa, is a small town just 70 miles north of the state’s capital city. The town’s public high school has maintained about 600 students each academic year as has the town’s public elementary and middle schools, according to the United States Census Bureau’s National Center for Education Statistics. Like many of Iowa’s fairly small public schools, adequate funding can be difficult to acquire. When a bill is passed to grant money to private school students’ families, public schools worry they might face a multitude of challenges.

Webster City Community Schools Superintendent Mandy Ross has been one of many faculty members who have closely watched the trajectory of this bill. Ross has been actively supporting public school systems for 40 years in a variety of positions. Despite the bill seeming to have no direct impact on public schools, Ross has learned throughout her career that it may create future risks.

FEAT UR E

“While I don’t have immediate concern for Webster City, I do worry about what’s going to happen a year or two or three from now,” she said.

Specifically, Ross is concerned that the Students First Act will affect enrollment.

“There’s just a lot of fluidity of when we get kids and when kids leave. For example, we lost 35 students this year. That doesn’t impact us this year, it’s next year when you take 35 kids times about $7,600,” she explained. “The long-term implications are that programming in the public schools is going to get watered down because we don’t have enough kids and the funding that goes along with them to offer a robust program. If we’re giving the minimal basics, that to me is unfair to kids.”

As Ross illustrates, extra funding for private school families may contribute to a downward trend in enrollment numbers, which in turn decreases funding for the community’s education programs.

Webster City is home to a private school, St. Thomas Aquinas, which offers private education from preschool to sixth grade. It has long been established that Webster City Community Schools will provide transportation for St. Thomas Aquinas students. This has created not only possible transportation concerns for the students of St. Thomas Aquinas, but social strains as well.

“I firmly believe that I’m passionate about making the best decisions for kids every day, and I just worry about resources being removed that allow us to make some of those best decisions, because it’s already tight as it is,” Ross said. “Expectations are high, funding is low… I think we are systematically creating a situation here of haves and have-nots.”

Ross understands the ramifications private school funding could have on the public school system, and she believes that education is key to bringing the community together.

“

expectations are high, funding is low... i think we are systematically creating a situation here of haves and have-nots MANDY ROSS, WEBSTER CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT

“[We must] continue to educate about what we’re doing with our students in our program, not only in Webster City, but in all public schools. I also think we have to help our committee recognize the systematic unraveling of public education. What’s happening right now is something that… hasn’t really been substantially overhauled in probably close to 30 years, and all of a sudden, in a matter of months, it is being watered down,” she said.

By continuously educating parents, teachers and students, Ross hopes to lead Webster City’s public school system through a confusing time.

A Private School Perspective The implementation of the Students First Act is seen as much less worrisome through the lens of a parent of three private school students, Suzy Sernett.

Although the act seems to have generated polarization between public and private school systems, Sernett believes that’s somewhat of a misconception.

“This should not be a them-versus-us issue,” she said. “The choice of schooling should be left to the parents or guardians who know the child better than anyone else. Private schooling should be an option if indeed the parents determine that is the best environment for their child. It is important to recognize that before this bill many parents could not afford to make the

ultimate educational choice for their child due to the financial hardship that it would create.”

In the eyes of the Sernett family, the passing of this bill should remove a large portion of that burden to allow all children the option to pursue private education.

“We, as parents of private school children, have had to sacrifice in multiple ways for many years in order to send our children to private schooling that fit their needs better than public school,” Sernett said. “It is a false narrative that people link public tax dollars being used for private schooling as not fair.”

Her family has paid private school tuition out-of-pocket in addition to providing personal transportation for her children and paying property taxes for the local public school which her children did not attend.

“The dollars that support all public schools come from many parents that receive no benefit from those schools,” Sernett said. “For the last 20 years, we have been paying taxes to the public school with zero benefit going towards our children.”

All in all, she finds the claim falls short in its failure to acknowledge these other factors. Beyond the simple benefit of financial aid, Sernett points out other ways both public and private school systems could begin to see widespread positive change.

“We believe that this bill will certainly begin to hold public schools more accountable for what and how they are educating children,” she said. “This will make public schools more responsible for the outcomes that their students are learning and they will have to become more academically competitive with private schools.”

Additionally, Sernett sees potential for the funding to help develop extracurricular programs.

“The bill may allow for private schools to have the opportunity to offer extracurricular activities such as athletics, music, drama and speech,” she said.

According to Sernett, teachers could see a salary raise as well.

“Private schools are not able to pay their teachers the same compensation as public schools and many teachers have to get their health insurance and retirement from another source,” she said. “This bill may allow private schools to compensate their teaching staff at a more competitive level. This in turn could encourage more people that want to be teachers to get into teaching in a private school setting.”

From an increase of extracurricular programs to better compensated teachers, private schools could expect to reap a plethora of benefits that Sernett believes should have happened 20 years ago.

Many Iowa communities will be affected by the phase-in of the Students First Act. Hundreds of Iowans, including taxpayers, parents, students and teachers, will undergo a significant systemic change within the next few years, whether they favor or oppose the bill. It is difficult to predict exactly what effects we will see in these communities, but with passionate individuals like Mandy Ross and Suzy Sernett involved on both sides of the debate, the future of all education for all students will hopefully be bright.

Emma Stroner is a first-year majoring in multimedia journalism and digital media production with a minor in psychology.

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FEATURE

IOWA Lawmakers take aim at LGBTQ+ Community In the 2000s, Iowa was seen as a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community in the midwest. Recent legislation looks to change that.

O

ver 30 bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community were introduced this year between both the Iowa Senate and House. All the bills were sponsored by members of the Republican Party, who control both chambers of the legislature as well as the governor’s office.

“All these bigoted politicians should not be dictating what we can and cannot read, what we can and cannot learn in school, the medical care we can and cannot receive, the people we can and cannot love and who can and cannot be,” said Rebecca, a high school student in Des Moines.

A demonstrator carries a sign during the Rally to Resist event held to protest legislation targeting the rights of LGBTQ+ citizens.

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WORDS & PHOTOS PARKER WRIGHT DESIGN EMILY ZELLER

FEAT UR E

She said she is passionate about these issues because it is wrong to have to wake up everyday and wonder how the government is hurting either yourself or the ones you care about.

The American Civil Liberties Union has tracked over 400 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in the 2023 legislative session across the United States. Only six states have not introduced legislation targeting LGBTQ+ Americans.

On Feb. 28, the Iowa House introduced Joint Resolution 8.

Sponsored by eight Republicans, the bill sparked controversy as it would ban same-sex marriage statewide, a direct contradiction to federal law.

“Marriage, in accordance with the laws of nature and nature’s God, the state of Iowa recognizes the definition of marriage to be the solemnized union between one human biological male and one human biological female,” stated the bill.

Iowa Democrats were quick to criticize the measure as a step backward, especially since Iowa was the third state ever to legalize same-sex marriage in 2009 (following Massachusetts in 2003 and Conneticut in 2008).

“No, @IowaGOP, we will not be going back to the days when committed, loving same-sex couples didn’t have the same right to marriage equality as everyone else,” tweeted Democratic state Rep. Sami Scheetz. “This kind

of disgusting hatred and backwards any mention of gender identity or thinking has no place in Iowa.” sexual orientation for grades K-6 The marriage ban proposal did not 7. Senate File 335 - restricts students make it out of committee. Of the 30 from using the bathroom associated plus bills introduced, only 12 advanced with their gender identity in school through committees, and at the time of HF 348, originally designated as HF this article’s publication, only seven still 8, was one of two proposed Iowa bills remain in circulation. that restricted the teaching of gender “Gov. Reynolds and the rest of the identity in schools.

GOP claim they fight for freedom, but Republican state Sen. Jeff Taylor freedom really is the right to love who was the lead sponsor of SF 83, the you wanna love, the right to identify senate’s equivalent of HF 348. The bill how you identify,” said Democratic state specifically aimed to increase the grades Rep. Jennifer Konfrst. “We will bring where gender identity education was love back to this.” banned from K-6 to K-8.

The seven bills that are currently “The bill is a common sense in circulation or have already been proposal,” Taylor said. “Is the teaching passed by at least one of the chambers of gender identity necessary for basic include: curriculum? No.” 1. Senate File 538 - prohibits The event took place on the west steps gender transition procedures of the Iowa State Capitol on March 5. for minors 2. House File 616 - prohibits state colleges and universities from funding diversity, equity and inclusion programs 3. Senate File 297 - allows health care providers to refuse care based on personal beliefs 4. House File 367 - allows teachers to misgender students with no consequences 5. House File 597 - bans materials in schools that mention sex 6. House File 348 - prohibits

PHOTO TYLER STRATCHAN

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FEATURE

He believes gender identity is not beneficial to teach to children and that the issue has been too politicized recently.

“I believe that this topic would not be taught with fact-based neutrality but rather serve as a type of indoctrination,” Taylor said.

Democratic state Sen. Herman Quirmbach served on the committee that oversaw SF 83. Qurimbach was the lone vote opposed to the bill.

“Every non-binary or transgender person I’ve talked

to have all said the same thing: They knew they were different from an early age,” Quirmbach said.

This statement was further supported by Keenan Crow, the policy director at an LGBTQ+ activist group called One Iowa, who said the typical age for transgender youth to come out is around nine years old.

“Contrary to the belief of the folks proposing this, kids have a very well-developed sense of their gender identity

A protester waves a progress pride flag, that in addition to the traditional pride flag’s rainbow colors, has elements that represent the transgender community, people of color and those lost during the HIV/AIDS crisis.

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by the time they’re going to school,” Crow said.

Quirmbach also believes this bill violates Article 1, Section 6 of the Iowa Constitution which states that all laws must be applied uniformly. He points to Iowa Code 279.5, which requires all Iowa school districts to teach about human growth and development starting in kindergarten.

“What this bill is trying to do is tell the public schools that they can’t meet the human growth and development needs of those minority populations,” Quirmbach said. “This bill denies a certain fraction of the population equal education about their own human growth and development.”

A big concern from the general public surrounding a lot of these bills is a potential increase in bullying targeted toward LGBTQ+ youth, though Republicans don’t believe that will be an issue.

“No child in Iowa deserves to be treated with anything other than respect,” Taylor said. “However, this does not mean that adults must affirm everything that a child believes.”

In response to all this legislation, two protests were held at the state Capitol.

The first was held on the front lawn on March 5, and the other was a sit-in in the rotunda on March 8.

Speakers included Jennifer Harvey, associate provost of equity and inclusion at Drake

University, Konfrst, Crow and other members of the community.

Crow said they weren’t expecting the amount of people that turned out for the March 5 protest, but it was a pleasant surprise to see hundreds of people from all over Iowa come together.

“I was exhausted, but after seeing all these people, I am rejuvenated,” Crow said.

People of all ages attended the protest, including Rebecca.

During Crow’s speech, they thanked everyone involved and those who showed up for being the reason why they have hope in Iowa.

“Because of you all, the ban on marriage equality is done.

There is still hope we can all live in a more welcoming Iowa,” Crow said in their address. “However, I am still disgusted, and I am still pissed.

There is still way more work to be done.”

LGBTQ+ activist groups, including One Iowa, will continue to hold rallies, work with constituents and fight back against the bills.

“These bills send a message that trans and queer folks are not allowed in Iowa, which we all know is not true. So, I ask all these people who are trying to get rid of us, why are you afraid of our queerness?”

Rebbeca said. “We are here, we are queer, and we will not disappear. This is our state.”

Parker Wright is a sophomore majoring in multimedia journalism and writing.

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GOV. REYNOLDS AND THE REST OF THE GOP CLAIM THEY FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, BUT FREEDOM REALLY IS THE RIGHT TO LOVE WHO YOU WANNA LOVE, THE RIGHT TO IDENTIFY HOW YOU IDENTIFY. DEMOCRATIC STATE REP. JENNIFER KONFRST

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FEATURE

Disability Representation gap Closing the

WORDS + PHOTO GRACE LONG DESGIN EMILY ZELLER

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Candidates and elected officials with disabilities are underrepresented in all levels of government due to the accessibility barriers and systemic biases they face.

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he 118th United States Congress has been heralded as the most diverse national legislature in the history of our country. Its membership includes the first ever Generation Z representative, and the number of women in its ranks is at an all-time high.

Recent data from Pew Research Center shows that this is the most racially and ethnically diverse Congress in history. That same study shows that, at 13, the number of openly LGBTQ+ members has never been higher. Yet even with all these headline-making, record-setting gains in diversity, Congress continues to lag far behind the actual demographics of the U.S. population. Unsurprisingly, minorities are consistently underrepresented.

Perhaps no minority group feels that underrepresentation more acutely than the disability community. Rutgers University researchers estimate 10.3% of elected officials in the U.S. have disabilities. In contrast, as much as 25% of the country’s adult population is disabled. That is a clear gap in representation that leaves almost a quarter of Americans without the means to engage with issues and policies that directly affect them.

“Our system of government impacts every part of our lives. Our disabilities, as lived experience, also impact every part of how we experience society and the world,” said Sarah Blahovec, a disability civic engagement expert.

“When disabled politicians are underrepresented in elected office, our lived experience is missing from the conversation and policies and laws may be passed that negatively impact us.”

Blahovec has devoted her career to closing the disability representation gap. Her work has touched almost every aspect of civic engagement from advocating for voting rights and accessibility within the disability community to supporting disabled candidates as they run for office. She has seen firsthand how this representation gap has been created by and sustained by a multitude of obstacles.

“Disabled people face both access barriers and prejudicial barriers when running for elected office,” she explained. “Systemic ableism means that our society still is widely inaccessible. We’ve seen this play out in the political arena in so many ways. For example, Chris Hinds in Colorado had to crawl up on stage and have his wheelchair lifted up because the stage was inaccessible, and his access needs weren’t considered ahead of time during a political forum.”

That example isn’t an isolated event.

Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek poses for a portrait on the House floor.

Accessibility Barriers on the Campaign Trail In both the literal and figurative sense, the world of politics is often inaccessible for those with physical disabilities.

Rep. Josh Turek, a paralympic gold medalist and disability advocate who was recently elected to the Iowa Legislature has personally experienced that accessibility barrier. In fact, it’s what pushed him to run for office.

“They brought me up to the Capitol to recognize me for winning my two gold medals, and as I’m there, I realize the Capitol’s not even accessible,” he said. “We are 30 years post-ADA in the state of Tom Harkin, the state that inspired the American Disabilities Act, and the Iowa Capitol isn’t even accessible. There’s not even a ramp. There’s not even a way for me to get down to the well. That was the moment that I said, ‘All right, I’m doing it. I’m gonna run.’”

For Turek, that experience was the beginning of a long journey to a seat in the statehouse. His campaign was riddled with obstacles, but he’s the first to say that he didn’t let those slow him down. Turek dedicated himself to meeting the people in his district by knocking doors. At the end of his campaign, he had knocked on upwards of 14,000 doors in his hometown of Council Bluffs, Iowa, a city known for its steep hills and streets. Almost every house he approached while campaigning had a physical accessibility barrier.

“Many of these houses have 30 or 40 stairs,” he explained.

“The very first question I would get would not be, ‘What’s your political affiliation?’ The first question I would always get is, ‘How in the world did you get up here?’ And I would say, ‘I crawled up here, and I crawled my wheelchair up here.’ What I found was, regardless of where they sat politically, they were willing to give me five or six minutes of their time knowing that I had made that enormous effort to crawl up there, just to spend time with them.”

One of many handicap parking signs featuring the official symbol of access that are posted outside the Iowa State Capitol.

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That societal prejudice also translates into a lack of data and research on disabled candidates, campaigns and elected officials which, in turn, makes it more difficult to support them.

“When I started working on this issue in 2017, there was almost no information about running for office or serving in office with a disability,” said Blahovec. “There still is a lack of data. I think that this is due to systemic ableism and how we as a society view disability.”

Taking Action to Close the Gap

The view of the Iowa House of Representatives from Turek’s desk where he votes on legislation and works to represent his constituents.

Turek’s tenacity won him a seat in the Iowa Legislature by a margin of just six votes. He is currently serving as the first permanently disabled member of the Iowa House. The fact that it took 185 years for a disabled candidate to be elected to Iowa’s Legislature may seem shocking, but given the systemic barriers the disability community faces, it’s clear the path to political participation isn’t easy in a way that goes beyond physical barriers.

Social Prejudice and Bias Outside of accessibility barriers, many candidates face prejudice and questions of competency stemming from their disabilities, especially those with less visible, mental disabilities.

“Ableist prejudice means that voters view many disabled candidates as less electable. We do have some research on that, showing that voters viewed disabled candidates across the board as less electable,” said Blahovec. “We’ve seen this play out in the political arena as well. The discourse around John Fetterman needing automatic captioning for a debate brought this ableism to mainstream attention. That was a really significant example, but some disabled candidates have reported to me that they have experienced ableism and skepticism from voters who view them as less capable due to their disability.”

Voters aren’t the only ones who are prejudiced in this way.

Ableism is a bias that’s even built into political systems and campaign resources.

“Several years back, there was a campaign training program that, when asked how a disabled person could participate, said that disabled people could volunteer on a campaign,” explained Blahovec. “They didn’t even consider that disabled people could work as campaign staff or be candidates themselves until the disability community reached out to them. Society as a whole still views disabled people as less capable.”

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While dismantling the structural components of an ableist society may seem daunting, one easy-to-identify area for improvement is eliminating barriers to campaign training. Much of Blahovec’s work is closely related to this topic. She co-created a program called Elevate: Campaign Training for People with Disabilities during her time at the National Council on Independent Living. The program not only made campaign training more accessible, but was created by and led by disabled people, something that doesn’t happen often in politics. Although this campaign was a step in the right direction, there is still much work that needs to be done.

“Beyond training, there are so many other needs. We need more research to understand the representation gap, especially research that takes into account different demographic information such as race, gender and sexuality,” said Blahovec. “We need parties to recruit and support disabled candidates, not to see them as less electable.”

In addition to these areas that are more obviously focused on campaigns and candidates, Blahovec pointed out there are many economic obstacles that could be removed to help those with disabilities run for office.

“We need to dismantle economic barriers to elected office.

Currently, people who are on Medicaid, SSI or SSDI cannot run for office without risking the loss of their benefits,” she said. “We need to increase the asset limits for people who receive public benefits so that they can serve in elected office without losing those benefits, as many elected offices have small salaries (sometimes hundreds to thousands of dollars) that would go above the asset limit but are not livable wages.”

In spite of the enormous amount of work that needs to be done to close this representation gap, Turek feels hopeful that his work can make a difference and propel others to take action.

“It gives me enormous pride every single time I see a kid up here or when veterans come,” said Turek. “Seeing them come into the chamber, and they see that ramp, they see me, and they say, there is no glass ceiling for me. I can do whatever I want in my life. You can be the president of the United States, you can be the governor of Iowa. That’s meaningful, and I think that the more individuals like myself that we get engaged, that we get involved in the process, the more we’re going to see this community come out and be supportive. I hope that I inspire a whole lot more individuals to get involved.”

Grace Long is a senior majoring in law, politics and society and strategic political communication with a minor in educational studies

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Turek answers questions during a fireside chat event at the Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement.

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CRACKS IN THE DEBT CEILING CRACKS IN THE DEBT CEILING

CRACKS IN THE DEBT CEILING : What It Is and What It Means for Americans

WORDS LINDSEY HERAZY

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DESIGN EMILY ZELLER

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The debt ceiling is a term that’s been thrown around a lot recently, but few Americans know what it is and how a potential default could impact them.

What is the Debt Ceiling?

On Jan. 18, 2023, the United States officially hit the debt ceiling. The debt ceiling is, “a cap on the total amount of money that Congress authorizes the federal government to borrow to honor its financial obligation,” said Joydeep Bhattacharya, professor of economics at Iowa State University.

Debt, or deficit, occurs when the U.S. government spends more money than it makes. Bhattacharya compares the national deficit to when someone uses a personal credit card.

“Suppose I earn $2,000 this month and incur expenses worth $2,200; the extra $200 I charge on a credit card. I now have what economists call a ‘budget deficit’ or shortfall of $200,” she said. “If I do nothing and let this pattern continue, at some point, I will be deep in debt.”

Therefore, the debt ceiling is, “conceptually akin to the borrowing limit our credit card companies impose on us,” Bhattacharya said. “The United States must borrow because the federal government runs budget deficits much like you and me: it spends more than it earns.”

The U.S. has experienced a deficit every year since 2001. The current debt ceiling and total national debt is $31.4 trillion.

“All the debt limit does is impose a cap on borrowing,” Bhattacharya said. “A debt limit does not instruct the government to cut spending or raise revenue. It simply says we will not authorize any borrowing beyond this number.”

In this way, the debt limit allows the government to pay accumulated costs, essentially, what Congress has already spent or approved. Bills, savings bonds and other U.S. Treasury securities are sold to cover the cost of this borrowing.

“The problem is that the federal government, under the current limit, has run out of money to fulfill its financial obligations,” Bhattacharya said. “It needs to borrow more to honor those obligations, but Congress is in no mood to authorize more federal borrowing.”

Future Impacts and Consequences Right now, the debt ceiling allows the government to borrow money for numerous programs that millions of Americans depend on, such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and veteran benefits.

The U.S. Treasury is currently, “taking extraordinary measures to continue paying the national debt,” said Anne Villamil, professor of economics at the University of Iowa.

This means that investments in some federal retirement and disability funds have been suspended to conserve cash in order to make interest payments on debt, the military and Social Security. Should Congress fail to raise the debt ceiling in the next few months, the U.S. could default on the national debt. Villamil described this scenario as an economic catastrophe.

If a default occurs, payments on the growing national debt and checks sent to anyone signed up for government-funded programs would cease immediately. And, if those short-term consequences of a default sound bad, the long-term effects would be even more dire.

According to Villamil, U.S. Treasuries and the U.S. dollar are the backbone of the global financial system, so much so that U.S. Treasuries are assumed to be default free.

She worries that a default could quickly

spiral into a worldwide financial crisis.

“If [a default] were to happen, investors around the world would be thrown into uncharted waters facing tremendous uncertainty regarding whether their investments in U.S. debt are safe,” Bhattacharya added. “Fearing a risk of non-payment, they would start to charge the government higher interest rates in the future. Those higher rates would, over time, infiltrate housing and business loan markets and may plunge the U.S. into a recession.”

Potential Solutions to Prevent an Irreversible Crack So, what, if anything, can be done to prevent a potential default? Villamil has multiple ideas, one of which is for Congress to suspend the debt ceiling entirely. That’s not unprecedented. Democrats were able to convince Republicans to suspend the debt ceiling for two years back in 2019 as part of a budget agreement.

More long-term solutions could include, “appointing a bipartisan commission to make [budget] proposals and give politicians facts to reduce the growth rate of spending and raise taxes,” Villamil suggested.

Whether this year marks a default for the first time in U.S. history remains to be seen, but in the meantime, the clock keeps ticking towards a looming financial deadline.

Lindsey Herazy is a senior majoring in public relations and strategic political communication with a minor in Spanish.

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FEDERAL AND STATE LAWMAKERS TO TIKTOK:

NOTFOR

YOU? WORDS OLIN MEINDERS DESIGN PRINCESS HART

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TikTok bans and regulations have been a hot topic for state and federal lawmakers recently, sparking a larger discussion about online data and privacy protections.

O

ver the past two months, headlines across the country have fixated on the revitalized effort to ban the social media app TikTok. In December 2022, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that state-owned devices would be restricted from downloading the app and public institutions would be barred from starting accounts. Reynolds cited the platform as a threat to national security as well as children’s mental well-being, but further regulation was yet to come. While the data collection itself isn’t especially outstanding when compared to other players in the tech industry, TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is troublesome to lawmakers due to its ties to China.

WHAT DATA DOES TIKTOK COLLECT? Age, email, and account username/password Activity on other websites Device file names and types Keystroke patterns Biometric identifiers

These data points are collected for account creation and content suggestions, not unlike other social media platforms. When TikTok first launched in 2016, its short, music-oriented and scrollable video platform set it apart from other apps. It’s now one of the most widelyused apps in the world and is especially popular among young adults and children. The industry caught wind, and consumers were met with the likes of Facebook and Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.

Lawmakers’ concerns about Chinese tech are not a new phenomenon; in June 2019, cell phone manufacturer Huawei was sanctioned during a trade war, and last year was completely banned from the U.S. market by the Federal Communications Commission. They cited

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national security reasons. Former President Donald Trump also spoke out against TikTok in 2019 and proposed a ban. Following her office’s directive to restrict the app from state-owned devices, Reynolds voiced the same concerns.

“It is clear that TikTok represents a national security risk to our country, and I refuse to subject the citizens of Iowa to that risk,” she said in an official press release following the order.

Last December, Iowa joined a growing number of state governments that ordered public employees to delete TikTok. That same month, the U.S. House and Senate passed bans on staff devices, and by March of this year, the White House gave all federal agencies a directive to stop using it.

With a growing number of global disputes involving China, federal governments around the world have taken precautionary measures.

India was one of the first nations to outright ban TikTok (initially a temporary precaution) along with hundreds of other Chinese apps in 2020 after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a military conflict at the Himalayan border.

ByteDance officials spoke before the nation’s parliament, but a permanent ban was enacted in January 2021.

Back in the U.S., a Senate hearing on March 21 with CEO Shou Zi Chew lasted seven hours and kicked off with Republican Chairman Cathy McMorris of Washington advocating for a ban. There are many problematic aspects of TikTok, but opportunists have jumped at the chance to push regulation on algorithms for social media as a whole. Democratic Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, author of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, spoke the night before the hearing and focused on digital dangers to children’s mental health.

“Big tech is knowingly and willfully fueling a

youth mental health crisis,” Markey said. “You don’t have to take my word for it. Listen to the president of the United States. Listen to the surgeon general of the United States. Listen to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Experts all over the country are drawing a straight line from big tech’s business model to the devastating impacts on young Americans’ well-being.”

While lawmakers point to involvement with China and its ability to alter algorithms to polarize electorates, diminish mental health and access personal data, users and content creators alike have rallied behind the opportunities highly tuned algorithms present to everyday people.

Brad Podray is an orthodontist who lives in Des Moines, as well as a lifelong artist. He has recorded dozens of albums and even appeared on national television with a pirate rap group but gained a large following creating content under the alias Scumbag Dad. Since he initially went viral with a video on watches, his comical TikTok account has accumulated 5 million followers and nearly 300 million likes. Thanks to the magic of algorithms, his art has finally hit the masses. He also just released “Song of the Summer” which can be streamed on Spotify.

He believes that the hearings were nothing but smoke.

“I don’t think they’re gonna ban TikTok straight-up,” he said. “It’s mostly political posturing, and the language they were using at the hearing was wildly speculative.”

During the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing, Chew fielded a swath of irrelevant questions which dated many elected officials and made the banning controversy reminiscent of the Cold War Red Scare.

Republican Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina asked if TikTok needed a connection to home Wi-Fi networks, and at times the Chew was not allowed to respond to questions or remarks at all.

N AT I ON A L Other members of Congress went in a different direction. Democratic Rep. Alexandria OcasioCortez of New York created an account in March and took to TikTok to talk about TikTok. She defended the platform and highlighted the need for regulation of data privacy. Podray also found value in the platform. For him, short videos were a game-changer when it came to showcasing his talents.

“These platforms give anyone a shot at gaining a worldwide audience with no base resources.

They don’t need a newspaper behind them, a blog or friends in the industry,” he said. “Those things can help, but I’ve been told my whole life I’m never gonna succeed as an artist because I don’t have the connections and those are more important than anything else. To an extent, I’ve seen it work where people don’t have an edge like in the music industry, for example. But now, even somebody who starts with nothing can legitimately have a shot.”

As relations between the U.S. and China sour, so does trust in Chinese tech from U.S. leaders. A cybersecurity attack of momentous proportions has yet to happen and may never, but laws in China do allow their government to seize all data collected by ByteDance.

The notion of an authoritarian government gaining access to millions of Americans’ personal information is not ideal in the eyes of legislators, but many members of Congress missed the mark with Chew’s testimony, leaving the app’s future up in the air and in the hands of elected officials. One thing is for certain: this now widespread online platform has raised important and lasting questions about data and online privacy.

Considering this larger conversation that TikTok has found itself embroiled in, the U.S. is on a small list of developed countries that haven’t passed any regulatory legislation on digital privacy. At the state level, the controversy surrounding the platform is leading to action.

On March 28, the Iowa legislature became the sixth in the nation to pass a comprehensive bill on online privacy. Senate File 262 will be enacted in 2025. It doesn’t carry many radical changes to current privacy law but does set a framework for online consumers’ rights.

Olin Meinders is a senior majoring in strategic political communication with a business and law concentration.

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A PERSPECTIVE ON THE PROPOSED CARBON PIPELINE Indigenous rights activist Mahmud Fitil argues that minority communities should be on the front lines of the carbon pipeline debate.

WORDS MACK SWENSEN DESIGN PRINCESS HART

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t first, the carbon pipeline sounded like it could be the greatest environmental remediation measure of its time. Remove climate-change-causing carbon dioxide from biofuel plants already touted as more sustainable than fossil fuels? That sounds like a path to clean, renewable energy without a bothersome investment in huge wind and solar farms, carbon taxes and high gas prices.

But not so fast.

The proposed Midwest Carbon Express pipeline has raised questions about the most efficient means to address climate change, landowner rights and environmental justice.

What seemed like a major green investment has slowly lost the support of traditional environmentalists, not to mention the Indigenous groups, property rights advocates and conservationists who opposed the pipeline from the start.

Mahmud Fitil is the land defense director at Great Plains Action Society, an Indigenousled activist group. Fitil, who is indigenous to Crimea, has worked with tribal nations throughout Nebraska and Iowa to form a unified front against the carbon pipeline.

“The spectrum of people in opposition to CCS [carbon capture and storage] is profound,” Fitil said. “You’ve got extreme right-wing people. You’ve got extreme left-wing people.

You’ve got environmentalists. You’ve got Trump supporters. You’ve got conservatives, Democrats, liberals, neoliberals.”

The Pipeline’s Purpose The company driving the pipeline initiative is Summit Carbon Solutions, an affiliate of Summit Agricultural Group which is an agribusiness operator and investment manager with operations in the U.S. and Brazil. Summit wants to sequester carbon dioxide — in other words, remove CO2 from the air — emitted by 31 ethanol plants located across Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota. The 2,000-mile long structure would then transport the CO2 across farms, through protected forests and along the edge of tribal lands to a depository about five miles northwest of North Dakota’s capital city, Bismarck. If constructed, the pipeline, dubbed the Midwest Carbon Express, would be the world’s largest carbon capture system.

Right now, 14 carbon pipelines crisscross the country. A total of 11 of those are private, like the proposed Midwest Express, and 13 are contributing to enhanced oil recovery, which involves using pressurized CO2 to force the remaining petroleum out of an oil well.

“It was always an insider industry type of thing with the petroleum industry in order to squeeze the last drops of polycarbons from wells that have run their course with conventional means, and now they’re touting it as a climate solution,” Fitil said.

According to Summit, the pipeline would remove 12 million tons of carbon annually; that’s the equivalent of removing 2.6 million cars from American roads each year. For

reference, 282 million vehicles are registered with the Department of Transportation.

Fitil said carbon pipelines have been underperforming. He recommended planting native prairie, which sequesters about five tons of carbon per acre. Based on these estimates, about 2,400,000 acres of prairie – equivalent to 8.5% of Iowa’s prairie coverage before development – would need to be planted to match the CO2 sequestered by the pipeline.

Divided Stakeholders Indigenous communities, like those that lead the Great Plains Action Society, have fought pipelines before, but Fitil says the carbon pipeline fight is different.

“We learned a lot of lessons during the Dakota Access Pipeline,” Fitil said. “There was a lot of divide and conquer going on. People were struggling independently in North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and so on. Now we’re doing a lot more unified approach.”

From Fitil’s perspective, the fight in Iowa consists of a largely white landownerdominated discussion surrounding eminent domain law. He said that other stakeholders, including tribal nations and BIPOC communities, are disproportionately affected by pipelines.

“It’s going to be disproportionately impacting people that have the fewest resources to engage,” Fitil said.

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better communicate with the land’s residents.

Summit hosted information sessions in Iowan communities in the pipeline’s path, but Fitil claims that Summit didn’t engage with Indigenous tribes and even neglected to contact one tribe.

“We said, ‘Could you please show us where is the Winnebago nation?’” and they couldn’t point it out on their own map. The pipeline goes right along their border,” Fitil said.

“So, that’s pretty telling of how they’ve been engaging the indigenous people so far.”

Summit must secure easements from landowners along the entirety of the route prior to construction, but the easements don’t have to be voluntary. If landowners don’t sign the contract, Summit can exercise eminent domain, a legal concept in which a government or government agent can use private land for public use.

Eminent Domain Enters the Scene Eminent domain is typically used for public utility projects. To qualify for the use of eminent domain, the pipeline must be designated as a common carrier, like a highway, in which anyone can contribute their CO2.

Landowners are compensated regardless of whether they sign the agreement or are forced to surrender their land via eminent domain.

Besides being concerned about how their land will be used, some landowners have cited the dangers of a CO2 pipeline rupture.

Typically, a petroleum pipeline rupture isn’t noticed right away because the pressure drop is minimal. A high-pressure carbon pipeline, in contrast, would rupture explosively, ejecting shrapnel and flooding the low grounds of the area with dense CO2 which can suffocate livestock and, in theory, people at the concentrations that would result from a pipeline leak.

Carbon pipelines have leaked in the past.

In 2020, the Denbury CO2 Pipeline ruptured near the small town of Satartia, Mississippi,

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causing nearly 50 people to seek medical attention.

The Midwest Carbon Express would be Summit’s first pipeline project.

“When everybody starts out something, they always make mistakes, and we’re not willing to be the guinea pigs,” Fitil said. “First Nations aren’t willing to be the guinea pigs, our Black and Brown communities, Latinx migrant workers throughout the region that are contributing a lot to the agricultural economy here, are not willing to risk their health and safety for these types of projects to increase the revenues for corporate profiteers.”

Voices Raised in Opposition The carbon pipeline does not divide neatly along partisan lines. This spring, Republican Jeff Taylor introduced a bill in Iowa’s Senate to ban the use of eminent domain for “hazardous liquid pipeline construction projects.”

“A lot of lawmakers are on the side of opposition as well, or at least they claim to be,” Fitil said. “It’s a hallmark of conservative values, private property rights, so it’s a hotbutton issue for them.”

These lawmakers are also beholden to the concerns of constituents, whose tax money will help fund the project. Summit will receive a $50 tax credit for every ton of carbon sequestered. Fitil said that the burgeoning carbon sequestration industry hopes big players in the future of all industries with the money earned from tax credits.

“We feel as though everybody in the United States should chime in on this because this is a federal program with federal tax credits,” Fitil said.

Navigating between constituents of many political orientations, races and life circumstances might be Summit’s greatest challenge. Until a final decision on the pipeline is made, Fitil and the Great Plains Action Society will continue to push for the representation of Indigenous and BIPOC voices.

Don’t be using carbon capture as a greenwash method to extend the lifeline to the fossil fuel industry,” Fitil said. “Make sure that vulnerable stakeholders like Indigenous and BIPOC communities are on the front lines and involved in discussion.”

“

make sure that vulnerable stakeholders like indigenous and bipoc communities are on the front lines and involved in discussion MAHMUD FITIL, LAND DEFENSE DIRECTOR, GREAT PLAINS ACTION SOCIETY

Mack Swensen is a sophomore majoring in multimedia journalism and environmental sustainability and resilience with a minor in politics.

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B is for BANNED:

Recently Challenged and Censored Books

The censorship of controversial books is on the rise.

Here are summaries of recently challenged books in celebration of the complex topics they present.

Every year, the American Library Association puts together a list of the top ten most challenged books in the United States based on data collected by the Office for Intellectual Freedom. In 2021, 44% of book challenges occurred in school libraries, 37% in public libraries, 18% in schools and the remaining 1% took place in higher education academic institutions, according to that data from the Office for Intellectual Freedom.

The OIF also found that the the overwhelming majority of challenges were brought forth by parents (39%), with 24% initiated by patrons, 18% by individuals on boards or in administrative roles, 10% by political/religious groups, 6% by librarians and teachers, 2% by elected officials and 1% by students. The most common reasons for book challenges include but are not limited to: containing profanity, mentioning critical race theory, featuring LGBTQ+ content or being deemed too sexually explicit in nature.

The 2022 list has yet to be published, but here is a selection of the most challenged books from 2021:

WORDS LINDSEY HERAZY DESGIN EMILY ZELLER

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Gender Queer: A Memoir

published in 2019

WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY MAIA KOBABE

Photo Source: Simon & Schuster Publishing company

This graphic memoir centers around Kobabe’s reflections from their younger years to adulthood as they explore their gender identity and sexuality, ultimately coming out as nonbinary. The memoir takes readers through key moments of their life, from getting their period to masturbating for the first time to trying sex toys with their partner as they come to terms with who they truly are.

Reasons it was banned or challenged according to the American Library Association: Considered to have sexually explicit images LGBTQ+ content

Lawn Boy

Photo Source: Workman Publishing Company

BY JONATHAN EVISON

published in 2018

“Lawn Boy” tells the story of Mike Munoz, a Chicano in early adulthood whose latest firing from his lawn-mowing gig launches him into a stage of self-discovery. Mike begins to reflect on how his upbringing as a poor, biracial man and his own decisions have led his life to where he is right now.

These self-reflections lead him to question how things like race and class have affected the opportunities afforded to him, all while navigating a burgeoning sexuality, supporting his family and creating a better future for himself.

Reasons it was banned or challenged according to the American Library Association: Considered sexually explicit LGBTQ+ content

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NATI ONAL

All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto

BY GEORGE M. JOHNSON

published in 2020

Photo Source: Macmillan Publishers Company

Through a series of personal essays, Johnson dives into core memories that surrounded his identity as a Black queer boy growing up in New Jersey and Virginia. This book is a reflection of Johnson’s experiences grappling with his identity while also serving as inspiration for other Black queer boys to be themselves.

Reasons it was banned or challenged according to the American Library Association: Considered sexually explicit LGBTQ+ content Profanity

Out of Darkness published in 2015

“Out of Darkness’’ is a historical young adult novel that tells the story of a fictional romance between seventeen-year-old Naomi Vargas, a Mexican American girl, and Wash Fuller, an African American teen. Living in 1930s New London, Texas, these two teens come from different parts of town, and that pits their relationship against the townspeoples’ racism.

But when the New London School explosion occurs, Wash is blamed as the perpetrator, and their relationship is challenged like never before.

Reasons banned or challenged, according to the American Library Association: Considered sexually explicit Depictions of abuse

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SPRING 2023

Photo Source: Lerner Publishers Group

BY ASHLEY HOPE PEREZ

N AT I ON A L

The Hate U Give

BY ANGIE THOMAS

published in 2017

Photo Source: HarperCollins Publishing Company

Inspired by the 2009 shooting of Oscar Grant, “The Hate U Give” is narrated by sixteen-year-old Starr Carter, an African American teen who must navigate between the two polar opposites of her life: the fancy school she attends and the run-down neighborhood she lives in. One night, a white officer shoots and kills her unarmed best friend, Khalil, who is Black. In honor of Khalil, Starr begins to speak out about police brutality.

Her activism attracts increasing amounts of attention, some of which threatens the lives of her and her family.

Reasons it was banned or challenged according to the American Library Association: Profanity and Violence Thought to promote an anti-police message and the indoctrination of a social agenda

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Photo Source: LIttle, Brown and Company

BY SHERMAN ALEXIE

published in 2017

Arnold Spirit Jr., also known as Junior, is a Native American teenager living on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington state. Frustrated with the poor conditions of the only high school on the reservation, Junior and his family decide it’s best for him to attend the majority-white public high school located a few miles away. This decision costs Junior some friendships with people from the reservation while he has a cultural awakening as he tries to fit in with his white classmates. Written diary-style from the start of the school year to the end, Junior faces multiple challenges as he struggles to make a better future for himself.

Reasons banned or challenged, according to the American Library Association: Sexual references Use of a derogatory term Profanity

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LET’S TALK POLITICS. DRAKE POLITICAL REVIEW