Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
When news broke that U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Penn., had officially reversed his position on legislation he once co-sponsored making it easier for labor unions to organize, a prediction from Iowa’s senior senator seemed to be proven right.
Two weeks ago, Iowa Republican Sen. Charles Grassley said the bill, known as the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), would never become law because his fellow Republicans would filibuster it. That contradicted Iowa’s Democratic senator, Tom Harkin, who said the measure would have the 60 votes necessary to overcome the filibuster.
Many believe the Democrats’ hopes of passing EFCA rested with Specter, a moderate Republican who has long been seen as essential to reach the magic number of 60 votes needed to overcome Republican filibusters. Specter was one of three Republican who supported President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package and one of eight to support the federal omnibus appropriations bill.
Grassley said there are “41 Republicans sticking together against it,” and Specter’s change of heart seems to have made that statement a reality.
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