Is Iowa Liberal? (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Sioux City: layoffs, college, tax)

[SharpHawkeye]

Originally Posted by DMRyan

Most on both sides of the fence would agree that Governor Culver is pretty much a tool box. Very dissapointing after the Vilsack years.

I'm sure Democrats in Iowa would be licking their chops at the prospect of having Steve King be the Republican's choice for their ticket at the next Governor's election. Talk about a landslide victory...

Ha ha ha...toolbox.

Unfortunately, I think the Republicans will find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by running a screwball like King or Vander Platts. If they ran a reasonable moderate like Dave Vaudt or maybe Tom Latham...then maybe I'd vote for them.

[mofford]

There needs to be someone with a spine in there like Steve King, everyone knows what to expect from him if he would happen to win. He has a real seal stamped on his forehead like a block of cheese, this man is not a fake and would be my first choice. The 2010 election is still a ways off, but the climate can change to his favor. If not, I would hope that a moderate like Tom Latham would have a chance to give us balance like we had with Terry Branstad.

[DMRyan]

I realize political climates change, but let's look at where we're at in Iowa. The number of registered Democrats now has a decently sizable majority over registered Republicans. Independents are going to have a hard time being swayed by a far right-wing candidate. If King is the nomination of the already disjointed and fractured Republican party, I'm guessing he wouldn't get more than 35% of the popular vote, even up against the Big Lug. A lot of that 35% would probably be people not supporting King, but voting against a Democrat.

Don't take this as slamming your personal views Mofford, but Steve King in in the Governor's Office is such a long shot, it sounds funny to even talk about. Imagine an extreme left-winger in office and how well received that would be by many Independents that are probably turned off by the extremes.

[RonnieJonez]

King probably couldn't get himself elected in Nazi Germany, he is that far off his political rocker.

[mofford]

Well, we have to look at the job that needs to be done over the next few years. The job of making cuts in the state budget with declining state revenue from all the layoffs and unemployment. The mood in 2010 might be similar to the national mood we had in 1980 when Ronald Reagan was able to win. Steve King should run on a watchdog platform stressing fiscal responsibility and holding the line on taxes. King has never been a Bush neocon type, and thats why he is still around and will be there for the long road ahead.

I don't like fake republicans like McCain, and believe at the national level that Obama and his ocean of democrats should get their chance to try and improve things. They may be able to deal with some problems better, such as energy, healthcare and foreign/military policy. But the national and state level of governments are two different animals, we can't print our way out of this mess at the state level. King is what we need for Iowa 2010, like it or not.

[Dport7476]

I usually vote Dem. but I dig the fact that Iowa is a "purple" state. I think being the first caucus/primary state makes average Joe Iowans follow politics much closer than your average average joe...if that makes sense

[zz4guy]

Iowa has never been Conservative. At least not outside of western Iowa. We haven't had a conservative governor for 30+ years. The farm subsidees, teachers unions, and manufacturing unions run things here. Look at our corporate tax rate for crying out loud. At 12% it's the highest in the world and nobody bothers to even talk about it. Talk about the elephant in the room. Hey Des Moines, how's that new Microsoft service center coming along??

And every year the state universites come cry to us about brain drain.

[capitalcityguy]

What does the corporate tax rate in Iowa have to do with Microsoft's recent annoucement to delay their data center? Corporate tax rates in Iowa haven't changed from the time they announced the data center and bought the land to build on. One thing has changed. The economy has since tanked.

[DSMGuy]

While I don't disagree we have a tax problem in Iowa, your envy and bitterness comes through on your Microsoft question, zz...

What's the matter, bitter that neither Microsoft nor IBM (congrats Dubuque btw) chose to locate in the area that proudly calls itself the "Technology Corridor"?? Cough.

(Also, from what I've seen, Iowa Citians don't want to be part of this so-called corridor because they are doing quite well on their own merits.)

[zz4guy]

Heh, no you can have your "technology" company. 50 IT geeks running a bunch of servers is something we have plenty of already. Enjoy!

I was just saying that, at 12%, there isn't much room for error. It wouldn't surprise me if 12 months down the road you saw them open up the same place in Illinois somewhere (3% tax rate I believe).

Dubuque had to throw in everything except the kitchen sink to get IBM to move there. It was one of the big contentions the city and residents faced. Why can't we have it all, big successful companies and lots and lots of tax revenue wahhh