Pennsylvania legislator lets loose with a very deserved rant concerning the fact that Republicans in the legislators were positive for corona virus while meeting with Democrats who were never told about the Republicans being positive (12 minutes)
This situation is a microcosm of the difference between the Democratic Party who care about us as humans and Republicans who, as one Republican said last week, see people as “human capital stock.”
Almost a side note this year because of the devastation caused by the mishandling of the corona virus pandemic, the Iowa legislature will be back to finish up their session Wednesday. Most people probably have no idea what the legislature was doing when they left. I have no idea.
One good thing I heard is that Representatives Ruth Ann Gaines and Chris Hull will be requesting an investigation by the Government Oversight Committee into Test Iowa:
“Rep. Ruth Ann Gaines and Rep. Chris Hull requested a Government Oversight investigation into Test Iowa when the session resumes on June 3rd. The call follows several questions and issues with the rollout of the program Governor Reynolds has repeatedly touted as a tool to expand COVID-19 testing in Iowa.
It’s clear that Test Iowa failed to meet the goals outlined by Governor Reynolds. Iowa taxpayers are on the hook for $26 million and they deserve to know whether their money is being spent wisely,” the lawmakers said in the letter sent Thursday.
Governor Reynolds awarded two Utah companies a $26 million contract to operate Test Iowa. No-bid contracts are legal in Iowa under declarations of emergency, like the one in place for COVID-19.
The letter cites several documented issues with Test Iowa, including questions about the number of tests performed, the accuracy of those tests, the secrecy surrounding the tests and results, long wait times for results and faulty equipment.”
There is lots to be investigated in Reynold’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Iowa. We really, really need to learn from her many mistakes so they are not repeated in future similar situations.
There are possibly a couple of things on the downside. The first is the budget. Due to the pandemic revenues have really dried up. I am sure with the daily double of an Iowa legislature and the governorship in the hands of Republicans, we can expect the greatest brunt off funding cuts to be in programs that affect poor and older Iowans.
There is another concern. With the spotlight Trump has focused on vote by mail, I fear the legislature may try to mess with Iowa’s election laws, especially the vote by mail system we have in Iowa. I am not a lawyer. I believe that passing laws that would affect the upcoming election so close to the election may not pass court scrutiny. However, if there is a crack to squeeze such a bill through, I fear we may see it.
Let us hope the legislature comes together to work for the good of Iowans and not for for the good of their party as we have often seen the Republicans do in recent years.