Thank you, Rekha. Larry and I encouraged our sons to leave the state and explore the world when they graduated from an excellent public school system. We thought that would help them become better global citizens and then come home and help us to become better global citizens. We know now that they will not return to Iowa as it is now and I understand why. Iowa is not the place it was when we encouraged them to go out and see the world. The public school system that gave them the opportunity to think and question and learn is being destroyed. Sometimes we think we should leave, but we won’t. Iowa is home and we do not want the people who have made our government so ugly to win. We cannot let that happen. Our hope is that this election will be the beginning of the end of the “mean” that has become the definition of our state.
Agree completely. Further complicating decisions on whether to stay or go is that Des Moines is a great place to live. Most people here are accepting of others and want to help make it a better place to live. It’s the arch conservative legislators from outside DSM who come to town every January with their anti-urban bias who screw up life for those of us who actually live here. They prohibit urban decision makers from making laws that would help urban residents. Can’t raise the minimum wage. Can’t ban plastic bags. Can’t force landlords to accept housing vouchers. Make it easy for families to flee public schools.
And they’re not done. They will come back in January with even more draconian measures to drive even more young people out of Iowa.
Right on the mark as always, Rekha. We are lucky that our daughter chose to move back deciding that being close to family outweighs the many negatives of Iowa. She also said, “If all of the good and broad minded people leave the state it will never get better.” We’ll all keep working toward a brighter and more inclusive Iowa.
The state seems to have accelerated its downward spiral the last 3 years(or so). Suddenly, it’s an avalanche. Private school vouchers are a big issue in taking away money from public education. As seen this year, more and more families are taking this “free tuition” money, and public school funding increases are barely keeping up with inflation. Another major issue is pollution from chemical companies and farm sewage. Iowa was purple and voted for Obama not that long ago. The pendulum only swings so far, and I’m hopeful that some strong Democratic candidates will help start the swing back to the middle. The current atmosphere is suffocating to the young.
From Ms. Basu's link in her Substack, but you gotta download it to see it yourself:
"Editor’s note: This article has been updated and a chart of survey findings has been removed in light of additional information presented to the Des Moines Register by Iowa Workforce Development staff after the article’s initial publication. IWD’s survey prominently states that among students planning to leave Iowa, dissatisfaction with Iowa’s political representation and values was a factor. However, IWD staff later shared raw data that shows survey findings regarding political representation and values were based on voluntary responses from a very small portion of respondents. That data was presented in a misleading way in the survey itself and in the Register chart based on the survey, which is why the chart was removed."
As close to an apology as you can get without using the word. Speaks for itself.
Bob: First, thanks for reading and supporting my column. I'm grateful to you for that. Second, I don't believe the Register editor's note contradicts anything in this column. The quotes were real. The figures on the rise in departures is accurate. The changes in laws and policies under current leadership are also accurate and I hear plenty from people who are leaving or have left Iowa because of them. Some of the letters here testify to that. Best wishes, Rekha
And, getting away transiently is good. The Mormons send all their kids away for two years, and some old order Amish have a similar tradition. Whether it is undergrad school, professional school, military (at one time a big deal; now a piffle) or attractions elsewhere it is beneficial. Always a chance they won't return but ChatGPT says half those that leave do eventually return and are armed with knowledge, experience and a good reason. Add in the coastals and others that escape to here--best examples I know are Basu and Borselino and they did it twice--and we do pretty well. The "Iowa diaspora" exists, but it is not existential in any way for the state.
Two sons. One is planted here and buying into much of the new rhetoric . The other will never come back. Thanks, Iowa Republicans, for busting up my family.
Thank you, Rekha. Larry and I encouraged our sons to leave the state and explore the world when they graduated from an excellent public school system. We thought that would help them become better global citizens and then come home and help us to become better global citizens. We know now that they will not return to Iowa as it is now and I understand why. Iowa is not the place it was when we encouraged them to go out and see the world. The public school system that gave them the opportunity to think and question and learn is being destroyed. Sometimes we think we should leave, but we won’t. Iowa is home and we do not want the people who have made our government so ugly to win. We cannot let that happen. Our hope is that this election will be the beginning of the end of the “mean” that has become the definition of our state.
Thank you, Kathi. Well said. Thank you and Larry for staying and making things better here.
Looking forward to seeing you soon, Rekha
Agree completely. Further complicating decisions on whether to stay or go is that Des Moines is a great place to live. Most people here are accepting of others and want to help make it a better place to live. It’s the arch conservative legislators from outside DSM who come to town every January with their anti-urban bias who screw up life for those of us who actually live here. They prohibit urban decision makers from making laws that would help urban residents. Can’t raise the minimum wage. Can’t ban plastic bags. Can’t force landlords to accept housing vouchers. Make it easy for families to flee public schools.
And they’re not done. They will come back in January with even more draconian measures to drive even more young people out of Iowa.
Right on the mark as always, Rekha. We are lucky that our daughter chose to move back deciding that being close to family outweighs the many negatives of Iowa. She also said, “If all of the good and broad minded people leave the state it will never get better.” We’ll all keep working toward a brighter and more inclusive Iowa.
The state seems to have accelerated its downward spiral the last 3 years(or so). Suddenly, it’s an avalanche. Private school vouchers are a big issue in taking away money from public education. As seen this year, more and more families are taking this “free tuition” money, and public school funding increases are barely keeping up with inflation. Another major issue is pollution from chemical companies and farm sewage. Iowa was purple and voted for Obama not that long ago. The pendulum only swings so far, and I’m hopeful that some strong Democratic candidates will help start the swing back to the middle. The current atmosphere is suffocating to the young.
Spot on.
Exactly right.
From Ms. Basu's link in her Substack, but you gotta download it to see it yourself:
"Editor’s note: This article has been updated and a chart of survey findings has been removed in light of additional information presented to the Des Moines Register by Iowa Workforce Development staff after the article’s initial publication. IWD’s survey prominently states that among students planning to leave Iowa, dissatisfaction with Iowa’s political representation and values was a factor. However, IWD staff later shared raw data that shows survey findings regarding political representation and values were based on voluntary responses from a very small portion of respondents. That data was presented in a misleading way in the survey itself and in the Register chart based on the survey, which is why the chart was removed."
As close to an apology as you can get without using the word. Speaks for itself.
Bob: First, thanks for reading and supporting my column. I'm grateful to you for that. Second, I don't believe the Register editor's note contradicts anything in this column. The quotes were real. The figures on the rise in departures is accurate. The changes in laws and policies under current leadership are also accurate and I hear plenty from people who are leaving or have left Iowa because of them. Some of the letters here testify to that. Best wishes, Rekha
And, getting away transiently is good. The Mormons send all their kids away for two years, and some old order Amish have a similar tradition. Whether it is undergrad school, professional school, military (at one time a big deal; now a piffle) or attractions elsewhere it is beneficial. Always a chance they won't return but ChatGPT says half those that leave do eventually return and are armed with knowledge, experience and a good reason. Add in the coastals and others that escape to here--best examples I know are Basu and Borselino and they did it twice--and we do pretty well. The "Iowa diaspora" exists, but it is not existential in any way for the state.
Two sons. One is planted here and buying into much of the new rhetoric . The other will never come back. Thanks, Iowa Republicans, for busting up my family.
👍👍
Thank you
Thank you, Rekha. I loved Iowa, and wonder what has happened to it.