Because it’s the first primary (caucus, but you know what I mean)?
That’s a lot of it. We’re historically a swing state as well, though one without a whole lot of votes.
Benghazi? Meh, fuck em, let them die so we can score some political points.
Also, Jim Kirk is from Iowa.
That was the first thing I thought. So, we are going to about face on the whole Benghazi scandal, and remove all security? Great.
That’s how Benghazi happened in the first place, so really they’re just staying the course in a way.
Iowa is weird because they are fairly progressive locally but have been drifting towards Kansas-levels of stupidity when it comes to national politics. Iowa has lead the way for alternative/green energy, being the first state to adopt the Alternative Energy Standard way back in the 80’s. It is the second highest producer of wind energy in the country. It also was very aggressive with expanding in to traditionally taboo areas (in this area) like allowing gambling and reforming the school system.
Then Branstad turns around and gives a thumbs-up to a Voter ID law being floated. Not to mention the Congress reps.
Fucking Branstad rose from his grave like the zombie he is and everyone voted for him. He’s done nothing but tank the state in every way he can while lining the pockets of his friends and then gets reelected.
Even my conservative family members are mostly sick of him, especially on how he’s destroyed mental health facilities, but they vote for him anyway.
This is mainly due to corn based ethanol though, right? Which is kind of the crappiest source of ethanol, and heavily subsidized to feed money to big agriculture.
A bit, but there is a shitload of wind power in the state.
As Shiva said, Iowa is a huge wind-power producer. They are second to California in overall wind-power production. ~30% of all energy produced in Iowa comes from wind.
Iowa does produce ~25% of the nation’s ethanol as well (3.9 billion gallons annually). Which, agreed, is a terrible “green” energy source (I would argue it isn’t green at all).
Not sure where to put this … I don’t have the heart to start a new 2020 Presidential election thread yet. So this will have to do.
A challenger appears?
Nah, Chaffetz has his eyes on the Governorship in 2020. Maybe long-term Presidential ambition, but he wouldn’t run against Trump.
Huh.
Leaving in mid-term sounds less like he has plans for higher office and more like one of two things: personal/family reasons, or somebody made him an offer he can’t refuse.
If it’s the latter, the question is, what was the offer? A great big pile of money? Or “Do this and you might not go to jail?”
(Of course it could just be the Sarah Palin laziness thing: being an elected official is hard, so he’d rather jump on the right wing gravy train of Fox News gigs and right-wing think tank appointments.)
No one just QUITS their job in congress to take a deal in the private sector. It’d have to be because he’s seeking some other office.
Please be some national post instead of running for governor. I want to make sure you poor fucks suffer along with me.
I mean, a scandal where he had to resign would be amazing, but I don’t have that kind of optimism anymore.
Existential angst that he is no longer investigating Clinton’s EMAILS.
Wasn’t that his sole raison d’etre? Poor dude is probably going through some kind of existential crisis.
He picked up the websites for Chaffetz 2028… so he’s planning some long term shit. Basically, running after the next TWO presidents. He’s clearly got some grand scheme to run for Utah governor and hold that office for a while.
He’s such a total dickhead though.
Website registration is hardly destiny. Why quit midterm (after a landslide victory a few months ago) if you have further ambitions? None of this makes a lick of goddamn sense.