Who in Iowa leadership roles are looking out for underserved Iowans? After a couple recent newsworthy items coming from the state of Iowa, it appears underserved Iowans are being pushed to the wayside for big donors and out of state interests. Those with money are in the ear of the politicians who want the cash for their campaigns. Unfortunately, most of the leaders in charge come from a party claiming a limited government for underserved Iowans but not their donors.

The Iowa Capital Dispatch has done a wonderful job reporting on the nursing homes issue in Iowa. They recently reported that Governor Kim Reynolds received $80,000 from nursing home executives in her 2022 reelection effort. In fact, the Iowa Health PAC gave more money to Reynolds’ campaigns than even the Farm Bureau. For a state that loves agriculture, this is important. Former Governor Terry Branstad was also a lucky recipient who received over $155,288 between 2010 and 2016 according to the Dispatch. Jack Whitver, former Senate Majority Leader, campaign committees received $61,000.

The politicians are also getting chump change from the industry compared to the big wigs entrusted with protecting the status quo of the sad state of the nursing home industry. The Iowa Health Care Association paid Brent Willett, the head of the IHCA and the PAC, over $730,000 in 2022 according to the Dispatch. The head of the Iowa-based, nonprofit nursing home chain Care Initiatives, Michael Beal, also walked home with a crisp $608,638 in 2021. Think about what one, let alone five nursing homes could do with half of what these two are making.

Despite the deplorable conditions in some Iowa nursing homes, the Iowa Health Care Association uses taxpayer dollars to lobby state politicians. The Dispatch notes, “Dean Lerner, who headed the state inspections agency under a Democratic administration, said, “Nursing homes collect most of their money from Medicaid, then pay the Iowa Health Care Association $2.3 million in annual dues. The association, in turn, pays its CEO and lobbyists a combined total of $1.2 million annually.” I highly recommend you read the Dispatch article “Nursing homes invest in campaigns, reap millions in taxpayer money” printed on page one of the Telegraph and Sun Courier this week. It gives an in-depth look into the lobbying efforts of the nursing home industry and how the big wigs look out for themselves and not the residents.

Taxpayer dollars are not being spent wisely. Whether it is more inspections or better use of these taxpayer dollars, this industry needs more oversight. It needs less appreciation plaques being given out to politicians in 2022 as the Dispatch noted like the governor, Speaker of the House Pat Grassley, Senate President Jake Chapman, House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl, and others who run cover for this industry’s bad behavior. There needs to be a change.

The underserved communities of nursing home residents have gotten the short end of the stick while state legislators look the other way, and now Governor Reynolds is hoping to not use taxpayer money to provide additional food assistance for families who need it. Governor Reynolds recently announced she would not participate in the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children program in 2024 according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch.

This program would allow families who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school to use an EBT card to purchase $40 of food per child each month when school is not in session. The state would only pay administrative costs of $2.2 million while the federal government covers the rest. These costs appear to be small potatoes especially for a state with a $1.83 billion surplus of which Governor Reynolds announced in September. Nonetheless, it is too much for the Iowa government to bear.

Governor Reynolds also tied this program to a federal Pandemic EBT program, but Luke Elzinga, policy and advocacy manager with the Des Moines Area Religious Council and board member of the Iowa Hunger Coalition, said the state mischaracterized the program the Dispatch reported. This Summer EBT program is permanent and separate from the pandemic one. With the rise in food assistance across the state of Iowa, this decision is hurting these underserved families. During the season of giving, children deserve to eat, and it should be in our public officials’ best interests to keep them fed.

Those in charge of the Iowa government should look at themselves in the mirror and reevaluate where their priorities lie. Does it lie with those who give them the most money or does it lie without helping the most vulnerable? Unfortunately, many may assume they already know the answer. If people can rise and push back at them, they will change. Guess what, some of us may be lucky not to rely on food assistance but a good share of us will end up in nursing homes. There is no reason to not try because it is not getting better that way. It is a shame the state of the Iowa government works for special interests and not everyday Iowans.

Sean Dengler is a writer, comedian, farmer, and host of the Pandaring Talk podcast who grew up on a farm between Traer and Dysart. You can reach him at sean.h.dengler@gmail.com.