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.
Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley is cosponsoring a bill that would amend the U.S. Constitution to prohibit the physical desecration of the American flag.
“No other image depicts as clearly the freedoms and ideals of our country than the American flag. It’s the symbol our men and women in uniform have fought for over 200 years,” Grassley said in a prepared statement. “The American flag has been proudly flown in times of battle, of victory, and of national tragedy. It is the most recognized symbol of freedom and democracy in the world.”
Grassley has cosponsored similar legislation twice before. In 2006, the amendment passed the Senate Judiciary Committee but fell one vote short of the two-thirds of the Senate needed for the amendment to be sent to the states for ratification. In 2000, the Senate fell four votes short.
Grassley said that the American flag should be protected from those who would desecrate it and demonstrate a basic lack of respect for our national heritage.
Overturning a Texas law in 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that burning an American flag in protest is a form of political speech protected under the First Amendment. Congress later passed a federal anti-flag-desecration law, and the high court invalidated it on the same grounds in 1990.
Follow Jason Hancock on Twitter
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter