SundayMorningCoffee

Sunday Morning Coffee 25 February 2024

Good Sunday Morning to you and welcome to Sunday Morning Coffee my weekly bit of news you love or love to hate. Before I share some remarkable news about President Biden and his accomplishments during his first term I've got a question, "Why does Iowa hate folks with disabilities?".

Early this morning I read a shocking story in the Des Moines Register authored by Rep. Josh Turek (D-Council Bluffs) about the abysmal record the Governor and the Iowa Legislature have when it comes to caring for the 15% of Iowans who are disabled. (If you want to do that math that means roughly 465,000 Iowans are disabled.) Josh should know a thing or two about being disabled as he is wheelchair bound and has been for years. He is also the only permanently disabled person in the Iowa Legislature. Some highlights:

• The Home and Community Based Services Medicaid waitlist grows by 1,000 people each year and is one of the longest in the country;
• Folks with intellectual disabilities are on a six-year waitlist plus an additional 14 months to qualify. These are people who need services such as personal care, food preparation and home modification. Who, while they wait, must go without or pay out of pocket;
• Median earnings for Iowa's disabled workers rank 47th out of 50 states largely due to the state's harsh Medicaid restrictions;
• Medicaid is severely limited in earnings to poverty and limited to $12,000 in total assets or $13,000 if married;
• "Iowa keeps our disabled in poverty and unemployed.";
• Defunding the AEA will keep services from children with disabilities and special education needs;
• "Last year Republicans  passed a bill to make it more difficult to receive SNAP food benefits. 46.7% of those on SNAP in Iowa have a disabled member in the household";
• The denial rate for wheelchairs and medical services has increased by 850% since the privatization of health care in Iowa.

He ends with, "Clearly the condition of the state for the disabled in Iowa is terrible. And until the focus in Iowa becomes on helping people instead of politics or profits, it will not improve!"

Chew on that with your toast and eggs this morning....

President Joe Biden

Meanwhile, President Biden has been working in support of the American People with policies and programs that actually make the lives of our people...better.  Consider:

He stopped a 30-year streak of federal inaction on gun violence by signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that created enhanced background checks, closed the “boyfriend” loophole, and provided funds for youth mental health.

Joe made a $369 billion investment in climate change, the largest in American history, through the inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

And, yes, President Biden ended the longest war in American history by pulling the troops out of Afghanistan.

So, the next time somebody says, "Gosh, I'm not sure what this president has done for America.." Remind them that he truly is the best  president in our recent memory when it comes to getting stuff...done!

Enjoy your Sunday and keep the pressure on...

 

 

Back with Sunday Morning Coffee

About two years ago I stopped writing Sunday Morning Coffee. Not that I didn't love doing it but working the ad agency, the business newscast and a couple of other jobs made it tough to get up at the crack of dawn to get this out by 9:00AM.

Recently I've been moved to get this going again but in a slightly different format. Rather than comment on a host of news items I'll be writing about President Joe Biden and the things he's done for America in his first term. I hear folks whine about this election, about Joe's age and that he hasn't accomplished much. All of that is simply a bunch of malarkey and I figure you need some strong talking points as we work to re-elect the finest president in my, or your, lifetime.

The Arts & Culture Question

Before I get into that I'd like to share a confusing bit of reality. Recently I was at a gala that celebrates the arts and culture in Greater Des Moines. It wasn't a cheap event and there were lots of well heeled folks who paid a hefty price for a ticket. One of the winners at the event was the Des Moines Gay Men's Choir. The presentation and the acceptance speech were loaded with positive and profound examples of how the DMGMC impacts the LBGTQ Community as well as the community as a whole. It was truly moving and the hundreds who attended the event stood and clapped and celebrated. But, there is a but...

It is clear that this crowd appreciated the award and the inclusion however, it is in stark contrast to what the Iowa Legislature and the Governor of Iowa has been doing. For that body and this governor to continue their attacks on the LGBTQ Community is not in the interest of making Iowa a welcoming state. Of course the people at this gala appreciate the arts and culture. Perhaps not so much under the "Golden Dome"?

President Joe Biden - Two Things

The next time you hear a Democrat, Independent or Republican question what Joe Biden has accomplished in his first term consider these two points...just for starts:

President Joe Biden worked on and signed the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package to increase investment in the national network of bridges and roads, airports, public transport and national broadband internet, as well as waterways and energy systems. This means JOBS for hard working American families. It helps our communities rural and urban travel and transport.  This is good for America and good for you.

President Biden helped get more than 500 million life-saving COVID-19 vaccinations in the arms of Americans through the American Rescue Plan. Do you remember the pandemic?  Who could forget as we hunkered down hoping we or our loved ones would not become the next victim of this disease. President Joe Biden took it seriously and helped save millions of Americans.

Yes, there are more but let's make sure we talk about the strength of this president and what a good and decent person, husband and father he truly is.

Thanks for reading and Happy President's Day!