Gimme Back My Freedom of Rest

  Iowa lost its mind in 2017 when Terry Branstad signed into law and allowied category 2 fireworks to be sold legally in the state (category 1 are things like sparklers and the like). This past year, the  governing Republican triumverate went a step further and said that cities have little say where they can be sold (even though cities and counties may continue to bar them from being set off in incorporated areas). Needless to say, the jury is back and has had enough, as places like my neighborhood sound like eastern Ukraine with explosions that can wake a sane person out of a night's sleep and cause pets to run for cover before, during, and after the 11 pm curfew for unincorporated areas. Also, there is no telling what effect it may have on the PTSD-suffering among us. 

And I am not against fireworks, I know that all the cities of any size have wonderful displays of them annually and it is a, pardon the pun, blast to see them. But, seriously, unless you are a pyromaniac or have a death wish, you are as likely to end up in the hospital, lose some degree of hearing, and/or make some poor decisions if you are blowing off firecrackers for the fun of it.  There were an estimated 11,500 emergency room-treated injuries involving fireworks in 2021. (down from 15,600 in 2020, when many public shows were canceled due to the pandemic). But the types of accidents seen ranged from burns, demolished eardrums, and, loss of limbs (e.g., hands, fingers).

From a story from today

At least three people — including a child — died and more were injured in fireworks accidents across America over the July 4 holiday.

In Montebello, California, police reportedly found a severely injured man unconscious and not breathing around 6:30 p.m. Monday. He died at a hospital and reportedly used illegal fireworks.

In Mount Vernon, Indiana, 11-year-old Camrynn Ray McMichael died in a firework accident Sunday night. Police were investigating his death.

Look, if you are in the highest-risk category, typically men between the ages of 20-24, and you want to do something fun with explosives, study, and become a professional demolitionist or pyrotechnician, heck even take up amateur or professional rocketry. But for the sake of those who value our freedom (of sleep), do us a solid and curb your enthusiasm. And to state lawmakers who thought it was a good idea to make it possible for others to profit from others' misery, you really can't call yourself a public servant can you?

In Iowa, if you want to let key legislators know what you think of the Senate File 2285 signed into law, here are a couple of folks to communicate with besides your own district's Representative and Senator:

Floor manager Mike Kelmish who also is on the Appropriations Subcommittee for Health and Human Services and the Legislative Council for Health Policy Oversight Committee

Legislative Email: mike.klimesh@legis.iowa.gov

Home Email: mike@graphicsinc.biz

In the House, it was floor managed by Brent Siegrist who sits on the local government committee:

Legislative Email: Brent.Siegrist@legis.iowa.gov

Home Email: siegrists1@cox.net

Also, since she signed the bill, you might also want to send a shoutout to Governor Kim Reynolds.

I'm tired of being tired and from June 1 to July 8th and late December, I have no right to sleep. Until I do, these leaders should be awakened to what they've created.

Ugly Politics with Unintended Consequences

 When is bipartisanship not bipartisanship? When it is Iowa House File 902 which was passed in a record time. This bill allows exemptions for medical and religious reasons for employees to not be vaccinated for COVID-19. And yes, Democrats did vote for it, but not for the reasons Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds would like you to think. Reynolds said of the bill, “I am proud to sign this bipartisan piece of legislation today. This is a major step forward in protecting Iowans’ freedoms and their abilities to make healthcare decisions based on what’s best for themselves and their families. This legislation also gives employees the assurance that they will still receive unemployment benefits despite being fired for standing up for their beliefs. As I’ve stated publicly numerous times, I believe the vaccine is the best defense against COVID-19 and we’ve provided Iowans with the information they need to determine what’s best for themselves and their families, but no Iowan should be forced to lose their job or livelihood over the COVID-19 vaccine."

So let's dissect this. Will Iowans not lose their jobs if their employer chooses to terminate employment (in compliance with the Federal mandate) for them not getting it? The answer so far is yes, they will lose their jobs, but thanks to this bill, they will still be able to claim unemployment benefits which typically are about $200 a week. Not the same thing.  The truth is people can be fired and likely will be.

Secondly, Reynolds says that she believes the vaccine to be the best defense against the virus but won't support the employers who want to protect their employees. How pro-business is that? Frankly, how pro-people is that?

Thirdly, is this a bipartisan bill? No, it was drafted entirely by the Republican membership and thrust for a vote. True that Democrats voted for it, but it was for the part that made sure that people were able to still qualify for unemployment despite their beliefs. It will be interesting to explore when Democrats ask Republicans to support a bill that allows an employee to collect unemployment for quitting to protest a company policy that does not align with their personal, religious, or medical beliefs (e.g., when their company dumps swine waste into the water supply).

To be sure, this bill is wrong for Iowans for a lot of reasons, but at the end of the day, it is worse because it really did not take into account bipartisan positions. People having to share their religious beliefs or medical backgrounds is a slippery slope for the freedom-loving Republicans, but it was the Democrats that had to remind them of this. I recommend that you read the Bleeding Heartland's story on this and then ask yourself, is this the kind of politics Iowa needs?