Iowans are exhausted and fed up with politicians deciding their every move, and the issue of reproductive freedom is no different.
Earlier this summer when the US Supreme Court overturned the long-standing protection a woman had to make her own health care decision, it essentially kicked the issue to the states.
While it's possible the federal government could take action next year to protect the rights of women, it's more likely the Iowa Legislature will take action when we return in January.
If the conservative make-up of the Iowa Legislature remains the same and there is no change in the Governor's office, Iowans should know what's coming: an all-out ban on abortion with no exceptions for rape, incest, or even life of the mother. It not only jeopardizes the lives of Iowans, it paves the way for more radical legislation aimed at controlling people's health care decisions.
A statewide ban on abortion is widely opposed by most Iowans – and that opposition crosses geographic, age, and even political party lines.
Iowans support reproductive freedom and believe that private health care decisions belong between an individual, their family, and their doctor. Everyone deserves the right to make their own health care decisions, especially when it comes to reproductive care and abortion. Lawmakers have no place interfering in someone else's decisions about when to start a family.
When folks think of Iowa, they think of hardworking families, tight-knit communities, and the freedom to live a life in pursuit of the American dream. In recent years, that freedom has been eroded by politicians more concerned about listening to their big national donors, instead of what their neighbors, families, and friends say is important in their own lives.
As the Iowa House Minority Leader – and more importantly, as an Iowan – I'm hearing from folks all over the state that now, more than ever, they want leaders to choose people over politics. It won't be easy and the problems we face today won't be fixed overnight. Iowans have every right to be skeptical and we may not agree every time, but we're committed to listening and fighting for the Iowa values we all share.
Here's where I'll start: I trust Iowans to know what's best for themselves and their families.
