The Onion v. Iowa

For Gay Couple, Fulfilling Lifelong Dream Of Marriage Not Worth Moving To Iowa

Today’s Column – Thanks for Nothing

State lawmakers who stumbled, bleary-eyed, out of the Statehouse early Sunday morning once again left open government legislation on the scrap heap.Surprise, surprise.

It’s been two years since a panel of experts appointed by lawmakers made a series of thoughtful recommendations on how best to tighten and toughen Iowa’s open records and open meetings laws. But during the last two legislative sessions, our leaders decided it would be better to let those ideas gather dust.

Transparency isn’t a priority in a place where major legislation is crafted in closed-door working groups, massive bills are voted on before most members have a chance to read them and legislators put the finishing touches on their 2009 work product in the middle of the night. Go figure.

It was another triumph for the Iowa League of Cities and allied groups representing local government officials, who want the wink, wink, nudge, nudge, slap-onthe-wrist status quo to continue unchanged. Tougher laws would be inconvenient.

And actually, it’s a good thing lawmakers jettisoned this year’s final version of sunshine “reform.” A bill that passed the House was little more than watereddown window dressing.

Real enforcement would be too expensive, say the folks who just crafted a $6.3 billion state budget.

Passage of that House bill probably would have set back openness efforts. So, thanks for nothing, Legislature.

The excuse for all this watering and shelving is that no real Iowans, other than pesky journalists, care about this stuff.

No one in the Marion Community or Benton Community school districts really wants a direct, public explanation from their school board members on why superintendents are out the door or under fire. And I bet nobody in Iowa City would appreciate a full public explanation of why the city manager got the ax.

Nope, we’re all content to be told it’s a private “personnel” issue and leave it at that. Same goes for when they set out to hire a replacement. After all, these are only the well-paid, top executives running important taxpayer-funded institutions in our communities.

But you see, the struggle for more openness has no effect on real Iowans whatsoever.

Whether it’s a hometown superintendent search or CIA memos on torture techniques, we’re told there are plenty of good reasons why we should be uninformed and uninvolved. The right to know is so much less important than comfort and safety.

And yet, I hear politicians lament that everything has become so politicized, that the extremes are dominating the debate on so many important issues.

But when government institutions become less responsive and less open, when they’re perceived as shady clubs for career politicos and their cronies, what do you expect?

Average folks shrug and walk away. Ideologues take their place in the public square.

I’m certainly not saying a legislative bill can solve everything, but it could send an important signal to Iowans that public servants still serve the public. Call it a civic stimulus package.

Gross Calls a Meeting

Over at The Iowa Republican, news for Republicans by Republicans, blogicon Krusty Konservative discusses a meeting of GOP“establishment” types in Des Moines today called by Doug Gross. Gross, a former candidate for governor and longtime Republican player, is  sharing some polling data on the party’s future direction.

Krusty is skeptical of what these squishy “moderates” are up to. I don’t agree with everything he says, but it’s a good read on what’s happening inside the Republican ranks these days.

Thursday Reads — H1N1 v. Iowa

So, how about that outbreak/epidemic/imminent pandemic?

Well, it’s become an Iowa story now, and about people, not just pigs. Gov. Chet Culver and our state’s top health experts gathered before cameras yesterday to trouble us while urging us not to be too troubled just yet.

And unless you’ve already sealed yourself up in a hilltop hideaway, you’ve probably heard some of what they had to say.

The Register: Iowa has 2 probable swine flu cases.

Probable is also the key word over at The Gazette. Radio Iowa has potential and the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier focuses on the fact that a local is among 159 cases being tested for H1N1 or Swine Flu or New Pandemic or whatever.

Now that it’s here, health offiicials say it will spread. But officials say plans are in place, supplies are rolling in and neither of the “probable” cases required hospitalization.

Still, once the cases are confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control, state officials will declare what they call a “Public Health Disaster.” That sounds sort of alarmy. The Register explains:

Gov. Chet Culver said more exact tests should be completed on the two cases by today. If either case is confirmed, he said, he would declare a public health disaster. That would allow for aggressive action to slow the spread of the disease, he said.

Such measures could include mandatory quarantines for infected patients, although state leaders said they hoped people would isolate themselves voluntarily. The measures also could include cancellation of group events, and the closing of schools where the disease appears.

Lots of coulds hanging around, making people jumpy.

So far, this looks a lot like the start of a normal flu season, and by “normal” I mean the annual outbreak that usually kills about 30,000 Americans and 250,000 to 500,000 worldwide. That’s a baseline to keep in perspective while lots of hype swirls around us.

Still, some people aren’t taking any chances. Radio Iowa reports on a Davenport firm, Kelly’s Medical Supply Company, that’s seen a run on surgical masks. I’ve been told I look very handsome in a surgical mask, so good news.

To the west, the Omaha World-Herald says local businesses have plans on place to deal with a possible health emergency.

So this could be something, or it could be less than something, or it could be nothing to worry about. Could be that we’ll be hearing a lot about this for quite a while.