Michael P. Libbie

Told You So...

It comes as no surprise that the Revenue Estimating Committee for the State of Iowa forecast only "modest" growth in state revenues. The three member panel said revenue for fiscal year 2020 will increase by a meger 1.4%; well off former revenue numbers.

WHY?

There are multiple reasons and they all point to the Republican Party and their failed leadership.  Let's tick them off:

The Trump Trade War

This has decimated the Iowa economy. From exports to manufacturing this mess, which is apparently supported by the governor and my 2020 Iowa State Senate opponent, continues to impact the working families of our state. We've seen higher prices and a number of layoffs due to slower demand for manufactured goods.  Yet do we hear a peep out of our "brave" legislative leaders? Not likely because they are complicit. 

Corporate Tax Cuts

My opponent continues to bow down to the failed idea of "trickle down" and with his help the Iowa Legislature passed a massive tax cut for corporations. They and the folks from the Greater Des Moines Partnership, the Iowa Business Council and the Iowa Association of Business and Industry pushed through these tax breaks because (hold on...) "The Iowa tax rate doesn't look good on paper." No, really, that is exactly what they told me. Never mind that not one Iowa corporation paid that rate and that dozens of corporations here pay no tax at all and, instead, get a check for their research and development refund. 

Donate to My Campaign Here!

The Low Wage State

Iowa needs employees. The State Revenue Board blamed the lack of growth on the difficulty in attracting and retaining talent. Want to know why we lag in recruitment and retention? Because Iowa is a low wage state. While corporations here have huge profits those profits are not shared with workers but instead go to the top earners...the Oligarchs of Iowa. This is what you get when workers have little to no power over the powerful. Not only that but we see educators fleeing the state for better pay elsewhere.

Horrific Health Care

Once again the state fails it's citizens by refusing to properly fund health care and turning over the care and treatment of over 500,000 Iowans to private for-profit companies who have a stated mission of profit over people. There are "health care deserts" out there where sick Iowans must travel hours to receive care. If you can't take care of your people it's pretty damn hard to entice others to try their luck and come here.

Lack of Child Care

And, if you think our health care situation is bad...hold on...the lack of affordable child care in Iowa is a major disaster. Working families can't qualify for state assistance because this legislature and my opponent blocks efforts to raise the eligibility level saying it costs too much. 

Here's What Costs Too Much

When we turn our backs on the hard-working men and women of Iowa and fawn over the corporations with tax breaks, incentives and tax credits it does nothing for growth. The failed policies of "trickle down" have not worked and will never work.

And, beware the Iowa GOP and my opponent will use these numbers to further their mission to cut back on everything from education to mental health...watch. 

My Work is for Working Families - Donate Here and Let's Do This!

It's time to change things under the Golden Dome.

Dogs (And Cats) and Politics

On September 23rd we recognized National Dogs in Politics Day. It's all about the famous pooches that made headlines from "Checkers" to "Bo" who was the most recent dog to grace the White House.

But, today, I want to take you on a different path. The path that Iowa should be on when it comes to protecting dogs...and cats.

Meet "Yofi" who, when she was just a few months old, her former owners, we were told, poured boiling water on her. But, it doesn't stop there. They then failed to take her to a vet. Infection set in and she lost an ear. 

This, sadly, isn't an isolated issue. Every week we hear of yet more overt cruelty being inflicted on dogs...and cats. People killing puppies with a baseball bat. Leaving them to suffer in the heat or the cold tied to a chain without water or shelter. It happens all the time in Iowa...all the time.

Last year a bipartisan bill passed the Iowa House. It was meant to protect cats and dogs like "Yofi" against the inhumane treatment they experience on a daily basis. But my opponent in the November 2020 election failed to bring it to the floor of the senate. It's called failed leadership and cowing to powerful special interest groups that oppose measures to protect and defend against such cruelty. 

Those are not the Iowa Values you and I posses. Over the course of this campaign I'll be pointing out other failures of the incumbent and offering solutions that will turn our state into the caring community we all desire. 

About Yofi?

She is now a happy and active three-year old. She received the care every pet should receive. And, during this campaign you'll get the chance to meet her. She's with me every day and thinks she should be out on the campaign trail too.

My name is Michael Libbie and I'm running in Iowa State Senate District 22 (Clive, Waukee, West Des Moines & Windsor Heights) to restore our Iowa Values....not just on National Dogs in Politics Day but...every day. By the way, "Yofi" means "Beautiful" in Hebrew...and I think she is.

Thanks for reading...and I would appreciate your support! 

 

Working for Working Families - Child Care

Over the past several weeks I've been working on an answer to what has become a child-care crisis which impacts not only our Iowa families but also our economy. Early in August I aired a story about how 25% of the people in a recent survey quit their jobs because child care ate up over 70% of their weekly take home pay. Add to that the fact that in Iowa there are actual "child-care deserts" where working parents must travel up to two hours to find reliable child-care services.

In addition, if parents can not afford or find an accredited child-care center, they find alternatives and often, as we've seen so many times over the past year, the outcomes can be tragic.

You can contribute to my campaign here...and thank you!

It's time to create a system that fixes these issues for not only working families but also child-care providers and the overall health of our economy..

If Iowa were to alter our state funded child care assistance program and increase the eligibility from the current ceiling of $37,337 for a family of four to 200% of the federal poverty level or $51,500 it could do a number of things:

• Increase working families self sufficiency;
• Increase worker productivity by easing their stress;
• Increase care center income so child-care can become profitable.

Of course you will hear that Iowa can't afford such a program. That's simply not true. 

When we place more value on our working families than giving huge tax breaks to businesses, paying millions of dollars in fines due to workplace discrimination and giving for-profit managed care organizations unnecessary and obscene raises we can then afford to fix what is clearly broken.

It's time to fix our child care crisis for the working families of Iowa.

You can contribute to my campaign here...and thank you! 

Join me in this effort.

Working For Working Families

Iowa, under Republican leadership, has turned its back on working families by denying them the right to contest working conditions and wages. It's time to end "Right to Work" and create better opportunities for hard working Iowans by enacting legislation that points to "Just Employment". 

Just Employment means that your boss can't simply fire you without cause. It levels the field when it comes to employment. Let me give you an example:

I know a woman who worked for an employer for over a decade and was considered a "model employee" according to the many public comments from the company owner. While she loved her job and the people she worked with her pay was not keeping up with the cost of living.

She decided to look for another job.

Her employer learned of this and fired her. 

Not one bad review. No warning. Fired.

That's not an Iowa value to be proud of. But that is the Iowa you've been given under the leadership of people like Republican Chuck Schneider the current Iowa Senate President. When it comes to carrying the water for corporations Chuck is first in line to sprinkle tax cuts and benefits that fall to the already rich and powerful. 

When cities and counties in Iowa wished to invoke local control and raise wages it was Chuck who squashed "home rule" banning the practice of increasing the slave wage of $7.25 an hour. Really Chuck? You have that little regard for the working families in our state? (Photo Credit: The Daily Iowan)

Iowa families deserve better than this. Iowa families deserve a place at the table not relegated to sitting on the floor waiting for crumbs to drop.

You can make a difference. 

There is an election coming in November of 2020 and you can help change the direction of this state and stand with the hard working families who deserve...better.  

Let's do this!