Letters to the Editor for March 15, 2025

On Feb. 24, the third anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s brutal illegal invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley spoke on the Senate floor to renounce Putin’s dream of re-establishing the Soviet empire. He directly called out Putin’s institutionalized corruption, murder of political opponents, imprisonment of his own citizens who publicly criticize him and American hostages, and senseless deaths of hundreds of thousands of his own citizens in this war. He clearly warned his fellow conservatives of the folly of sitting down to negotiate with Putin. In doing so publicly Grassley both demonstrated his own political courage and placed a marker for his Republican Senate colleagues in carrying out their constitutional responsibility to check and balance the power of the president. Iowans owe him our thanks.

Al Charlson, Waverly

Welcome to oligarchy

Make no mistake about it. This is an all-out attack on democracy. The fascist oligarchs are performing surgery on America. Not surgery with a scalpel, but surgery with a chain saw. They are gutting your benefits, they are attacking your privacy, using your tax information, grabbing your medical records for their benefit. The tax plans are out. They will raise your taxes if you make less than $360,000 per year and give themselves handouts to reupholster their yachts. Inflation is surging, prices going up, consumer buying is down. We are at the cusp of economic collapse. The greatest asset America had is USAID. When bags of wheat with American flags show up to depressed regions, we gain support. Worldwide respect is America’s greatest asset. There was no money used to buy prophylactics for Hamas. It is a lie, they know it is a lie, but you believe it. You believe when Don tells you he has a high approval rating. You believe them when they tell you they found millions of dollars of waste. You believe them when they tell you our food supply will stay safe and you don’t need vaccines. Trump loves the uneducated because you believe him.

Shawn Frederiksen, Cedar Falls

Liberal letter bias

I am totally amazed that the letters to the editor and all of the editorial comments by The Courier are 100% dominated by liberal readers and columnists. President Trump won Iowa by 56% of the voters and 49.9% of the total popular vote in the US. The editorial content on March 11 was 0% favorable to Republicans and 100% anti-Trump, anti-Vance and anti-Iowa Legislature. It is hard to believe that there are not any letters from Republicans.

Rex Van Wert, Grundy Center

Where are conservatives?

I see you let Steve Corbin give a report card on Trump. Here is a report card on your Opinion page in Tuesday’s Courier:

Guest column from a Trump-hating liberal: 1. Guest Column from a conservative: 0.

Elon Musk and GOP bashing cartoon: 1. Conservative or Democrat bashing cartoon: 0.

You then proceeded to print 14 letters to the editor that are all nothing but hatred and scorn on Trump, Musk, MAGA, Reynolds, conservatives, etc. Fourteen! I was amazed to find that in a solid page and a half of non-stop nausea-inducing liberalism you couldn’t find one single sentence written from the other side of the aisle. Not one letter to the editor. Not one guest column. Not one cartoon. Nothing. Just purely one-sided vitriolic talking points from the left.

I remember when the Courier was revamped and dropped to three days a week. You said from now on you would be printing all points of view.

This is not all points of view. This is a joke. You can do better.

My household has subscribed to the print edition of the Courier for over 50 years. Maybe not for much longer.

Jerry Steimel, Waterloo

Tutoring the swamp

As a taxpayer for 55-plus years, it is refreshing but decades overdue to witness a a functional, duly-elected, management-oriented president leading our nation, and is his team ever tutoring the 535-plus political imbeciles in the abysmal “Club DC!”

Referencing of course multiple, dysfunctional congresses who’ve kicked cans for 30-plus years while bouncing checks for over 20 consecutive years, unconscionably burying multiple generations of Americans under $37 trillion in unsustainable debt ($100,000/person — $240,000/taxpayer. Simply unforgiveable.

In less than 50 days, our once-sovereign borders have been largely restored, billions in taxpayer treasure irresponsibly and disrespectfully squandered by politicians to coddle illegals and reckless, egregiously abused taxpayer treasure promoting atheism in Nepal, transgender operas in Colombia, transgender clinics in India, $2.5M for electric vehicle chargers in Vietnam all halted.

None of these remedial actions would have occurred without presidential leadership and resolve. Congress consistently demonstrates it cannot manage anything efficiently or effectively, so Trump has clarified for the EU and NATO — no more blank checks on American taxpayers, and they’re comprehending, finally taking responsibility.

American taxpayers should take heed, applaud and support these critical, nation-saving initiatives, and boycott enemy No. 1, the cancerous, slanderous anti-American media.

Paul Higgins, Waterloo

The hate leader

Iowa is now the first state in the nation to remove civil rights protections from our transgender citizens. Republicans fast-tracked this bill, and Gov. Reynolds signed it, but at a deeper level this wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for evangelical Christians. The Family Leader organization, their partner churches, and individual evangelical voters created the political environment in which this became possible.

When we collectively turn our backs on any group of citizens who are living peacefully among us, we embolden oppressors to come after other groups they don’t like. Every Iowan has the right to equal protection under the law. Until now, that is. Evangelicals, it’s not your responsibility to force everyone to fit your version of morality. Trans citizens are now living in fear of you. Was that in the Great Commission? Is that how you lead people to faith?

I know it’s possible to transition. In my case, I transitioned from a judgmental religious fundamentalist to an accepting and caring follower of Jesus. It didn’t happen overnight. It gradually dawned on me that I was not obeying the Bible’s teaching about loving one another unconditionally, so I changed. And if I can change, so can you.

Doug Smith, Cedar Falls

Humiliating display

News stations are telling us that there was fault on both sides in the meeting of Trump, Vance and Zelensky, but I watched it and Trump and Vance were like a tag team taking turns beating down a humble man. They treated him like he was a lesser person and he shouldn’t presume to talk back to them and defend himself and his country. That they are so important and so much better than him that he should bend over backwards to please them and tell them how wonderful they are. Trump and Vance sat there and lied to the American people. Trump told the same lies several times even though he had been told to his face and on camera that he was wrong. What a shameful show of U.S. representation!

Marcella Turner, La Porte City

Regulate nursing homes

Gov. Kim Reynolds has voiced strong opposition to proposed federally mandated rules that establish new minimum staffing levels at nursing homes. Iowa currently ranks near the bottom in the nation for resident to caregiver staffing ratios, and the alarming number of injuries and deaths of residents in Iowa’s nursing homes reflect this chronic understaffing. After contacting U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson about the issue and providing firsthand experience of the challenges of working as a caregiver in such short-staffed facilities, Hinson replied that she too opposes such regulations, fearing they will “put too much pressure on Iowa nursing homes, forcing them to end their services,” a myth debunked in states that have aggressively strove to grow their caregiving workforce. As these politicians come up for reelection, I encourage Iowans to ask themselves what their priorities are. Are they for keeping those politicians’ campaign donors happy, or for making sure our former teachers, neighbors, parents, or possibly ourselves don’t end up lying in a urine-soaked bed for hours on end, having open sores on our buttocks from sitting in one place for too long, and being given a lethal dose of medication from an overworked nurse. The choice is ours.

James Hidlebaugh, Waterloo

God complex

The governor of Iowa just signed a bill into law policing the sexual behavior of fellow Iowa humans. Well, howdy, the Republicans in Iowa are now taking the place of God. They are now policing the morals of every human in Iowa.

Here is a suggestion for the new guardians of our morals, get a bill signed banning Trump and his minions. After all he and his bunch are the most immoral creatures that ever set foot in the White House, right Gov. Reynolds?

Bob Black, Waterloo

Pray for Democrats

Greetings from your latte-drinking left wing liberal. I am trying to think something good about Trump. That’s what liberals do. Trump is unlikely to start a war. He is smart enough to know that autocrats usually do not fare well in war. Ukraine has won the right to call this a stalemate. Trump wants to be king and friends with the despots. He cares about being able to be buddies with Putin, and he cares less about Ukraine. Hitler is to Poland as Putin is to Ukraine. Do you remember those questions on tests? And Trump will probably not destroy our country. The really rich folks have too much to lose. The craziness will stop when the rich are rich enough. Well, I wish I had not said that. Keep the faith. Pray for the Democrats. They are the ones to bring things to a grinding halt.

Gregory Hoekstra, Waterloo

Homeless solution

State Sen. Dave Sires appears to be a bit out of step with his Republican Iowa Senate majority. His concerns about the homeless being fined more than $100 to occupy public land doesn’t appear to resolve the problem. I recollect that it cost Nazi Germany an expense of free train rides and showers to solve its “people problems.”

Lew Bishop, West Union

Conservation layoffs

I am Andrea Fager, a former employee of Conservation Districts of Iowa. On Feb. 11, Conservation Districts of Iowa made the difficult decision to lay off 38 employees.

Under three grant agreements through the United States Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Council, CDI is supposed to be reimbursed for the payroll costs of these employees.

CDI is currently waiting for tens of thousands of dollars in reimbursements from these grant agreements, and has received no clear guidance from NRCS about when these reimbursements will be paid.

Staff cannot be brought back until this issue is resolved so grant invoices can be paid.

The positions on layoff include:

• 24 administrative support specialists.
• Five land and water conservationists.
• Three conservation wetland specialists.
• Three wetland engineering technicians.
• Two conservation planning coordinators.
• One program manager.

These employees have been stationed all around the state of Iowa, working hand-in-hand with farmers, landowners and our partners at the local, state and federal level to make soil and water conservation projects happen for the good of our state.

Andrea Fager, Cedar Falls

Brave souls

It is so sad Rep. Al Green, D-Texas — who was thrown out of Trump’s lie-filled congressional address for speaking up when Republicans who did the same during Obama’s State of the Union had gone completely without reprimand — and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, who walked out of same, are the only two politicians left in our U.S. government worthy of their positions.

The Republicans sold their souls decades ago to big money, and now even the vast majority of Democrats have no backbone remaining. I especially abhor the Democratic Party for not having the guts to step up and save our country from the present horrific ongoing coup when they actually know better.

I’m proud to join and lend my support to those brave lone souls, Green and Sanders, or anyone else with backbone, to fight for a sorely needed full-blown revolution to save not only America, but, oh yes, the planet, too.

Mary McBee, Tama

Hatred works

For years people who benefit from division have done everything they can to make people fear and hate transgender folks. They are held up as monsters massacring the dreams and livelihoods of women. If the new Lavender Scare is to be believed no woman is safe, no sport is not infiltrated, no bathroom is secure. Reality doesn’t fit this hyperbole. Transgender people make up about 1% of the population according to a 2022 Pew Research Study. They’re one out of every hundred neighbors we have. They’re just trying to live their lives. They’re not monsters. They’re people and they deserve dignity and respect.

On Feb. 28 Gov. Reynolds signed legislation to strip rights away from transgender Iowans in the name of bathrooms and sports. Those issues had already been decided by previous legislation. So why pass this bill? Because hatred works. We’re so afraid of a tiny segment of the population that many are willing to applaud a bill that strips an entire group of their rights to be free from discrimination at work, in housing, in banking, and in their very personhood. We have taken a step backwards and it represents a grave danger to us all.

Jonathan Grieder, Waterloo

Putin’s puppet

I do not usually consider myself a conspiracy theorist, but I find myself attracted to the theory Trump is an agent of Russia. You can only look at everything Trump is doing as what Russia would do if they could. He first sets out to gut most federal agencies and put thousands of workers out of their jobs. He then puts Ukraine at the mercy of Vladimir Putin by cutting off almost all aid to Ukraine and telling the Europeans to go it alone against Russia. He stops U.S. intelligence and communication capabilities for the Ukrainians, leaving them to no way to track incoming missiles or the ability to track Russian troop movements. Every move Trump makes, from his completely unqualified cabinet picks to gutting government, has put us at risk. Republicans in Congress have all gone along with what our president wants. It might be time for a Jan. 6 episode in reverse and have anyone who has had enough descend on Washington and throw out all the facilitators and this wannabe king.

Rick Burger, Cedar Falls

Help for farmers, climate

Farmers today face many challenges from high overhead costs and low commodity prices to the threat of climate change that may limit yields in the coming decades. However, a new revenue source may be on the way. Vertical, two-sided solar panels are being tested in farm fields at several sites. Vertical solar panels have the advantage of taking up less room, so they are compatible with farming operations instead of replacing crops. Also, they are placed in north-south rows so they catch more sun energy on their east side in the morning and their west side in the afternoon. This offsets traditional, horizontal solar panels that are most efficient during midday.

While vertical solar panels are best suited for low crops like soybeans and hay, tall growing corn could shade the panels and reduce their efficiency. Possible remedies include placing panels on structures above the corn or by planting a dwarf corn variety. Dwarf corn is currently being tested because it has the promise of maintaining yields with less water and fertilizer.

While much more study is needed, vertical solar panels have the promise of increasing farm income while combating climate change by providing electricity without using fossil fuels.

David Voigts, Jesup

No public donations

Recently the mayor of Cedar Falls proposed cutting $1 million dollars from the city’s budget that was marked to go to the UNI-Dome renovations. City government should refrain from using taxpayer money to fund donations for fundraisers. The University of Northern Iowa was able to raise nearly $300 million! The practice of using taxpayer dollars to fund donations to fundraisers raises ethical issues and can erode public trust. What sounds like a worthwhile fundraiser to one person is of no interest to another. Private donations to fundraisers are important for this very reason. It is not up to local governments to raise taxes to give money to fundraisers, especially ones that have already raised nearly $300 million. Taxpayer money should fund essential services and infrastructure that support the community as a whole.

Making donations using public funds can lead to favoritism or perceived bias towards different groups. Every local elected official preaches transparency on the campaign trail, but how can can they ensure the funds donated are actually going toward their intent? Once the check is cut we hope it goes where it was intended. It is time local government rid budgets of niche project costs on the taxpayer dime.

TJ Frein Cedar Falls

Cruelty, not efficiency

Imagine if your newly elected mayor, under the banner “efficiency,” immediately fired many city staff in public works, parks, sewer plant, the fire station, and insisted that your town’s locally own utility be privatized. And why not also privatize police and fire services?

All of these without any consideration of how services to the community will be affected, sort of like weight loss by dismemberment. If my boss asked me to cut the budget of my organization by 60%, I would involve my key managers and arrive at a plan, take public input, and propose several options for my boss to choose from that would achieve a reduced budget while keeping some key services intact. Such a plan would have a timeline and would respect people who have devoted their life to public service.

What we are seeing instead is absolute incompetence, total ignorance of the crucial work of national government and cruelty toward public servants. I saw that firsthand in Iran when the religious extremists took over in 1979 and did similar things, and the country went into a tailspin which has continued for the last 46 years to this day! Dictatorship and cruelty disguised as efficiency.

Kamyar Enshayan, Cedar Falls

USAID insanity

My sister dedicated her career to USAID, working in disaster response and humanitarian aid, believing in America’s role as a force for good. Now, thanks to Marco Rubio and others who stood by as 83% of its programs were gutted, decades of expertise in global health, agriculture, and disaster relief have been wiped out overnight.

Iowa, a state built on agriculture and global trade, is feeling the impact. Farmers lost a key buyer when USAID-backed food programs shut down, cutting off billions in American agricultural purchases. Universities that partnered with USAID to train the next generation of global leaders lost funding, cutting off opportunities for students. Local businesses that relied on international partnerships? Left scrambling.

Let’s be clear: USAID was never controversial. It was efficient, effective, and an example of American leadership at its best. It helped open markets for U.S. businesses, supported stability abroad so we didn’t have to send troops later, and did it all on less than 1% of the federal budget. This isn’t waste — it’s smart policy.

Republicans claim to care about fiscal responsibility and strong American leadership. Do they have the backbone to stand up for what actually works, or are they too scared?

Valerie Stanford, Quasqueton