Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Aug. 12, 2012.
Just stick to real issues
The president is coming to town.
We can thank Iowa's political status as a "battleground state" for the visit. Both President Barack Obama and presidential challenger Mitt Romney have been or will be making appearances in the state in efforts take the six electoral votes that are up for grabs.
Obama's visit will be the first to Waterloo by a sitting president since President George W. Bush appeared at Riverfront Stadium in 2004. Prior to that, President Ronald Reagan appeared at McElroy Auditorium on the National Cattle Congress grounds in 1984.
It's not a regular occurrence, so we're grateful for the visit.
We will be eternally grateful if we are able to hear workable strategies to improve the economy and ratchet down the 8.3 percent unemployment rate ? both of which have been major unresolved issues for the entire Obama presidency.
We'd rather not be the state where another fictional character joins the campaign, like "Romney Hood" did in Connecticut.
Romney responded by coining the term "Obamaloney."
It's another outgrowth of campaigns that are heavy on attack ads and finger-pointing, while hiding the biggest issues facing the nation. The ads include quotes taken way out of context.
Meanwhile, reports from several fact-checkers continue to discredit major aspects of the attacks from both sides.
So now we get: "I know you are, but what am I?"
The sad truth is that negative advertising seems to work. And at this point, neither candidate really has much to lose by using it. A recent MSNBC/Wall Street Journal poll showed negative views of the two candidates are already at record-setting range for this point in an election cycle. Obama was viewed unfavorably by 43 percent in the poll, while 40 percent feel the same way about Romney.
At the end of July, Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson commented on the "politics of polarization." The piece ended with the line: "Meanwhile, America is well on its way to a disturbing destination: A nation with the responsibilities of a superpower and the politics of a banana republic."
We won't argue with that, because it's a reasonable assessment.
Fairy tale characters might work for the ultra-supportive Obama backers. Combining the president's name with lunch meat might do the same for Romney supporters.
They may not work so much for independents and moderates of both parties, who are still hungry for legitimate discussion before making an informed decision. They want to hear a solid breakdown of strategies, especially in relation to the economy and unemployment. The eventual winner will need them to take this battleground state and others.
We're quite sure that most clear-thinking Iowans can see through the smoke that has been cloaking the campaigns. Unfortunately, it's become a regular tactic in modern campaigns, with television and social media audiences eating it up.
Here in Iowa, we have enjoyed our leadoff spot in the caucus/primary process, because it brings candidates here. We can ask questions and listen to them on a more personal level. Similarly, we rather fancy being one of the "battleground states" this year.
Still, we'd rather pass on the pep rally antics and grenade lobbing and get down to real issues.
Here's hoping for some sound discussion laced with truth and prospective strategies.
We've already had it with smokescreens and fairy tales.
___
Sioux City Journal. Aug. 12, 2012.
It's time for fairness in collection of sales taxes
Largely because we wish to see the playing field leveled for so-called "brick-and-mortar" local retailers, we support the idea of out-of-state online businesses (also known as remote sellers) having to collect state sales taxes.
Because they are required to collect local and state sales taxes, local retailers in Iowa ? many of them small operations ? face a competitive disadvantage with (often-large) Internet sellers.
All businesses who sell a product in Iowa should be compelled to collect our state's 6 percent sales tax. This isn't an anti-business position; rather, it's a position of advocating for fairness. This isn't pushing for a new tax; rather, it's an effort to take down a barrier behind which some sellers can avoid collection of an existing tax. (By state estimates, Iowa is missing out on as much as $13.5 million annually by not collecting every penny of online sales tax.)
"Let me be clear: The Marketplace Fairness Act is not a new tax. It is not a tax on the Internet. It simply gives states the ability to close the online sales-tax loophole created when out-of-state sellers don't collect, and purchasers don't pay, state sales tax ? even though they still owe it," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said in a speech to the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference earlier this year.
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad recently joined other governors, both Republicans and Democrats, in support of federal legislation requiring online businesses to pay state sales taxes to those states choosing to collect them. In a letter, Branstad urged Senators Charles Grassley and Tom Harkin of Iowa to vote for a bipartisan Senate bill known as the Marketplace Fairness Act.
We join Branstad in pushing for passage of this bill.
The legislation grants states the authority, if they choose, to require online retailers - regardless of location - to collect sales tax at the time of a transaction, just like local retailers are required to do. States who seek collection authority first would be required to take one of two steps to simplify their sales tax laws in order to streamline multi-state sales tax collection. This is important in order to insure the process isn't unduly burdensome for remote sellers.
Online sellers with less than $500,000 in annual sales would be exempt.
Twenty years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled states can't force out-of-state businesses to collect sales taxes without congressional approval. At the time, the act of collecting sales taxes from multiple states was considered too complicated for out-of-state retailers. Since then, in our view, the business world has evolved to the point where collection of these taxes should no longer be viewed as an insurmountable hurdle.
"Retailers will receive the software to calculate state and local sales taxes. All a business will have to do is type in an address and click the mouse. In less than a second, the software will calculate the sales taxes owed -- the same way online sellers calculate shipping costs now," Durbin said in his speech.
The Marketplace Fairness Act evens the playing field for local retailers, insures the process won't be unduly burdensome for online sellers, shields small Internet businesses and provides states with additional revenue to which they are entitled. It deserves passage.
___
Iowa City Press-Citizen. Aug. 12, 2012.
All of us will feel effects from drought
We are quickly coming to the end of a summer that has produced the worst drought the U.S. has seen since 1956. In Iowa, July was the hottest on record since 1936. Even with this past week's rain and cooler temperatures, Johnson County is among the 70 percent of the state that is considered to be in "extreme drought."
Much has been written about, and rightly so, about the plight of farmers during this scorching summer. The USDA this week said Iowa's corn yield will drop this year to 141 bushels per acre, the lowest state average since the 138 bushel per acre yield in 1997.
However, we must remember that farmers are not the only ones who are being hurt by this historic drought.
The government last week said that high grain prices would cause a rise in food prices by as much as 5 percent. Already world food prices soared 6 percent in July, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
With the economy still limping along, this will just add to the pain many families are feeling.
As the Press-Citizen has reported, the state's wildlife is struggling to get by. Dozens of dead fish have turned up in recent weeks at Swan Lake just south of the Hawkeye Wildlife Area near North Liberty because of low water levels and high temperatures in the water that remains. The dwindling water supplies also have forced some creatures to search a little harder for food and water.
There's nothing we can do about the weather, but there are things we can do to minimize the damage.
Johnson County remains under a burn ban. The adage "Only you can prevent forest fires" holds true in these dry times. Use your common sense or contact your local fire department if you have questions.
Earlier this summer, Coralville asked residents to voluntarily ease up their water usage in an effort to reduce demand. The city has not had to implement mandatory water restrictions. While well levels have dropped, Iowa City staff this week said its water system is operating comfortably within its treatment capacity.
Even without voluntary or mandatory restrictions, residents should be mindful of their water usage, especially as thousands of returning University of Iowa students soon will cause an increase in demand.
For those looking for a silver lining in this summer's drought, you could enjoy the fact that mosquitoes are less of a nuisance this year because there is less standing water to serve as breeding grounds.
However, we'd welcome a few more mosquitoes if it meant the end of this drought.
___
Globe Gazette. Aug. 12, 2012.
We hope governor's right ? lawmakers may raise fuel taxes
Raising fuel taxes in Iowa needs to be high on the agenda for the Legislature in January, and the governor says that's a possibility.
We've supported such an increase in recent months to improve roads and bridges ? some of them dangerous ? and improve our transportation system overall, a key economic development tool. As another benefit, such projects would also increase jobs.
But whether it was because it's an election year or legislators had too many other things on their agenda, the gas tax fell by the roadside.
However, the issue still has some wheels. Gov. Terry Branstad, visiting western Iowa last week, said he sees support by legislators for raising the tax between 8 and 10 cents over the next three years.
It's about time. The tax hasn't changed since 1989, and although there's considerable road work done each year, some things are falling behind ? luckily, not apart.
Problems with bridges in the Quad Cities have been well-documented. In Monona County, where Branstad was speaking last week, County Engineer David Carney said they've had difficulty repairing 120 bridges because of lack of funding. Some road projects were shelved altogether.
We're certain those kinds of stories could be repeated across the state.
We're also certain an increase in fuel taxes would help ease those concerns. In fact, a citizen's panel had recommended an increase to legislators in the last session but that proposal failed.
It's not that we're anxious to increase taxes. But fuel taxes are a type of user fee and those who use our roads and cause the wear and tear should help pay to maintain them.
Plus, there's another part of Branstad's equation that would indirectly help ease the pain at the pumps for Iowans. The governor said he believes legislators would support fuel tax hikes if they were linked to decreases in property and income taxes.
We're not sure how the Legislature will cut those taxes. Time and again they've stalled on doing so.
But regardless, come January, lawmakers ? with the elections well in the rear-view mirror ? should get with the governor to craft a plan to pump more money into the highway fund.
Better, newer roads and bridges are essential to the state's well-being ? both fiscally and for the safety of those using them.
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