Rick Stewart

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In all that I do, at all times and with all people, I will conduct my affairs, the affairs of my campaign, and the affairs of my office, with unwavering integrity.

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The last place I would look for an intelligent attitude on ethanol is government, state or federal. I read nothing in either the American or the Iowa Constitution suggesting government should have anything at all to do with energy, and our founders got it right.

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I have to disagree. As an advocate for those in low income bracket and as a middle income privileged parent who volunteered in the schools I believe tax money has to stay in public schools. More money should be given disproportionately to schools who have higher number of low income students. I can email and give you the reasons for this if you want. In short, teachers have more stress and need more support and resources when they are working with low income families, children wirh disabilities, and those who don’t have parents who can or do support education for a variety of reasons. Those areas the kids whom the public should want to grow the most bc they will affect the broader community…we are as strong as our “weakest link”. I do not say this with judgment. I support kids with disabilities and low income and students of color. They would acknowledge this usually. Smart, bright, well-supported students can do well almost anywhere and one of the best things they learn from attending public schools is humility, empathy and patience that they don’t get just from being smart and wealthy. Everyone benefits from everyone being in public schools. I would ban private schools if I really had power but they have always been there. The key is keeping public schools enticing enough to want well educated wealrhy parents to stay there as well. You do that by giving extra money to public schools with those struggling populations. All kids will benefit from extra resources and perks at such schools and it will keep the parents who might leave seeking those schools out. It creates balance. That is the kind of competition you can create. Make the schools people avoid now the ones they seek.

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In regards to Veterans, I work very closely with this population and I am seeing more and more every day the financial struggles of being able to just support themselves. I would LOVE to see the medical use of Marijuana legalized, daily I hear about PTSD war horror stories, and my father being a Vietnam Veteran, I know how much the legalization would impact many, many lives.

The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.

I have to disagree. As an advocate for those in low income bracket and as a middle income privileged parent who volunteered in the schools I believe tax money has to stay in public schools. More money should be given disproportionately to schools who have higher number of low income students. I can email and give you the reasons for this if you want. In short, teachers have more stress and need more support and resources when they are working with low income families, children wirh disabilities, and those who don’t have parents who can or do support education for a variety of reasons. Those areas the kids whom the public should want to grow the most bc they will affect the broader community…we are as strong as our “weakest link”. I do not say this with judgment. I support kids with disabilities and low income and students of color. They would acknowledge this usually.

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I believe every county in Iowa needs 24/7 access to acute mental health care services, and I do not believe money is the answer. Some people believe more money from taxpayers will solve every problem, I believe more money from taxpayers probably created these problems in the first place, because money from taxpayers always comes with strings, and regulations, and unintended consequences.

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I believe a recent Nebraska law, promoted by a Libertarian in their legislature, might make more sense. Every 10 years every occupational licensing law has to be re-examined and re-authorized. Without compelling evidence, based on hard data, that the licensing requirement significantly increases public safety, it is eliminated.

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I support ranked choice voting. If you don’t, could you do me a favor and write me a message explaining why not? Perhaps I’m missing something.

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As Governor I will not allow Iowa National Guard troops to be deployed overseas unless Congress passes an actual declaration of war. This would have directly saved 95 Iowa lives and allowed thousands of Guardswo/men to continue their Iowa lives without the massive interruption of being sent to an overseas war, when there was no war, only death and destruction.

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Most unfortunately, state and national politicians have caved in to special interest lobbies, lobbies that are not working for the common good, but for private gain. By simply eliminating all subsidies and regulations for energy producers (and consumers) of every stripe and style, the marketplace will quickly determine how much ethanol will be produced and what price consumers will have to pay for it. There is no way the government can make that allocation better.

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Although it is missing from the US Constitution (one of the reasons I am in favor of completely eliminating the US Department of Education), Iowa’s Constitution specifically makes education an obligation of the State.

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In a nutshell, in Iowa we only have two paths for people suffering acute mental health problems – inpatient hospital care, and prison. There are only about 700 inpatient psychiatric beds in the state, they cost between $3,000 and $5,000 per day, and no one I know believes prisons are designed to provide mental health care services.

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If they do have to fight a war, I have no doubt our Iowa National Guard will be filled with proud and capable soldiers, leading the charge to save our democracy from foreign invaders. Lives will be lost, but freedom will be won.