President's Message
There is a new balance to our state house and Congress. A blast of issues faces us each day. Whether voting rights and ID's or immigration, reproductive rights or the science of climate change, the League of Women Voters is working. League action alerts and legislative updates come to you and other members.
Thank you to all who contacted legislators on the latest League issues. There will be more and your voice is important. So, stay tuned and ready to call, message, or email your legislators.
Community Read, Feb. 28, MCC Student Center 7:00 pm.
I hope everyone will make a real effort to attend the community read on Feb. 28, 7:00 pm., at the Student Center at MCC. Adrien Wing, associate dean at U of I law school will give background and lead discussion of the book, The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander. League is cosponsoring with MCC and the Alexander Clark Cultural Series. Books are available at the Musser Public Library. Check it out!
Adrien Wing
March is Mental Health
Michael Johannsen, Muscatine County Community Services Director will speak at our regular monthly meeting. We will meet on March 28, 7:00 pm, at the Duncan Room. How has mental health changed with privatization? What parts were expected and unexpected? What is the future for those who have mental health concerns and their families? Come and learn.
Container Terminal Port for Muscatine
Dave Gobin spoke to our League in January. There were about 20 people who attended. He clarified that the city of Muscatine and private interests await the findings of a feasibility study. That study would provide options for the city and private partners to create a container terminal port south of the city.
The new port would allow truck, train, and barges to move containers to and from other businesses and countries. Concerns were expressed about air quality, railroad noise, and increased trucking.
Gobin said the port could be completed in a couple of years without impact to the taxpayer.
Invitation to a Webinar: The Case for Pricing Carbon (NEW)
As the evidence of accelerated climate change and its impact on society mounts, there is an increasing sense of urgency to find solutions. Join a webinar hosted by the LWVUS Price on Carbon Steering Committee to learn how putting a price on carbon works and why scientists, economists and world leaders view pricing carbon as an essential strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. RSVP to join us on February 21, 2:00-3:00 pm EST, for an insightful and informative presentation by internationally renowned science historian and author, Dr. Naomi Oreskes. For more information, please contact Eleanor Revelle, Chair, LWVUS Climate Change Task Force, at er@revelle.net.
League Joins Letter in Support of DACA (NEW)
The League joined a letter with the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and other groups in support of the Obama Administration's 2012 executive action on "Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)." The action puts in place common sense and compassionate measures for immigrants who were brought to this country as children, have grown up here, and cannot rationally be blamed for their lack of legal immigration status. If President Trump moves forward with his vow to overturn the action, he would disrupt the lives of 750,000 immigrants and their families across the country.
"The League of Women Voters (LWV) is opposed to deportation of non-criminal undocumented immigrants.
The League supports cities, towns, counties and states that make a decision not to cooperate with federal deportation and enforcement actions that include non-criminal undocumented immigrants.
Moreover, the Trump Administration’s orders are of dubious legality. It is simply wrong, and a perversion of the American system of justice, for the executive branch to refuse to obey federal court orders.
The LWV is opposed to discrimination, including discrimination in immigration, based on religion. The Trump Administration’s orders appear to be targeted at Muslims and immigrants from majority-Muslims nations."
Looking Ahead
National Convention 2018 will be in Chicago, June 28 -July 1, 2017. Would you go and represent out League? Going to National Convention is a thrilling experience, memorable and a great learning opportunity. Could you go? Call Sue if you are interested.
Award Winners!
Pictured above are League members who attended the November 12 ACLU of Iowa Bill of Rights brunch. Pictured front row, left to right, are Jean Basinger, former state senator Johnie Hammond, Karen Person, Rita Bettis, past LWVIA president Bonnie Pitz holding the award, and Kathy Herman. Pictured back row, are Linda Murken, Judie Hoffman, Devita Harden, EJ Gallagher, and Kathy Kahoun.
The League of Women Voters of Iowa was presented the Edward S. Allen Award at the ACLU Bill of Rights Brunch at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Center. The Edward S. Allen Award was created by the ACLU of Iowa to recognize Iowans who are long-time civil liberties heroes. It is named after the founder of the ACLU of Iowa, Edward S. Allen, an Iowa State University math professor and pioneer civil libertarian who dedicated his life to social justice. The Allen award is given only in years where there is one or more appropriate recipients, who have shown sustained contributions to advance civil liberties in our state. The ACLU stated, “The Iowa League of Women Voters has been a stalwart, active, highly effective partner and supporter of our voting rights efforts in the state for decades, most recently filing an amicus brief in the Griffin v. Pate ex-felon voting rights case in front of the Iowa Supreme Court which was authored on its behalf by the Brennan Center.”