One great thing about think tanks is they’re always thinking, so long as billionaires keep contributing.
The conservative variety are once again hard at work making Iowa better with all their good ideas. Their work has been called the “IKEA model” because they provide prefabricated bills with everything our Republican Legislature needs to make them law.
It’s kind of like a Happy Meal, but instead of a toy in the bag, you find relaxed child labor laws, voting restrictions or barriers to food assistance. Enjoy!
Take House File 401, a bill that changes general education requirements for students at state universities. It’s already passed the Iowa House and is awaiting action in the Senate.
It requires students to take courses in “western heritage,” such as western civilization, along with coursework on American history, government or literature.
That sounds OK. But there must be a catch.
The bill also requires that these courses don’t “distort significant historical events or include any curriculum or other material that teaches identity politics or is based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression or privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States of America or the state of Iowa.”
But, “The policy shall not limit the academic freedom of any course instructor or to direct instruction within the instructor’s course or limit the free discussion of ideas in a classroom setting.”
Well, that’s a relief. Instructors can still foster free discussions of these uncomfortable subjects with no fear of reprisals. Yes sirree.
“Any person may notify the attorney general of an institution’s potential violation of this chapter. The attorney general may bring action against an institution for a writ of mandamus to compel the institution to comply with this chapter,” the bill says.
Surely, Attorney General Brenna Bird will understand the importance of academic freedom. She’s nothing if not understanding.
OK, she really isn’t. So, pay close attention, professor, there’s probably an informant in your midst. Better play it safe and avoid all that race stuff. At least the universities will save money on air conditioning because the chilling effect will be subzero.
Among groups backing the bill are Cicero Action and the Foundation for Government Accountability Action. “Action” means they’re a political or lobbying arm of the larger “non-partisan” organization.
The Cicero Institute was founded by Joe Lonsdale, a tech billionaire and venture capitalist who lives in Texas. According to Forbes, the Cicero Institute “crafts and advances policies to promote effective and accountable governance.”
Cicero has been crafting and advancing tougher laws against homeless people in multiple states. Lonsdale is going after what he calls the “homeless industrial complex,” accusing people who work with the homeless of doing more to save their jobs than help people living on the streets.
Cicero opposes “housing first,” which tries to put people in housing as fast as possible. Lonsdale argues substance abuse treatment must come first.
According to NPR, after Georgia threw in with Cicero on a camping ban, an audit discovered the Marietta Police Department was spending 50% of its time addressing issues related to the homeless.
The Foundation for Government Accountability is the brainchild of Dick Uihlein, the billionaire storage box king of Wisconsin. He founded Uline, which has cornered the world market for packing peanuts. According to Forbes, Dick and his wife Liz Uihlein have donated $300 million to conservative candidates and groups, including folks who believe the 2020 election was stolen.
The Uihleins are worth more than $5 billion. That’s a lot of boxes.
The FGA and its lobbying offshoot, the Florida-based Opportunity Solutions Project, has lobbied in Iowa to weaken child labor laws, as well as making it tougher to qualify for food assistance and placing new restrictions on voting, among other terrific ideas. Now FGA is interested in our university curriculum.
In Kansas, people who manage to become eligible can’t buy pop or candy, in violation of federal rules. Sometimes, the Opportunity Solutions Project just cares too much.
Of course, House File 401 is a lousy bill that’s part of a broader movement to turn public universities into docile lapdogs spouting what conservatives consider history and shelving history they don’t like.
Like it or not, systemic racism, sexism, oppression and privilege all play a role in America’s story. Thankfully, I have no federal or state funding to yank away for saying that.
There’s not enough whitewash on God’s green earth to cover up those uncomfortable truths. Sticking our fingers in our ears while singing “God Bless America” will not make them go away. Ignoring them will make our problems worse.
Some students will figure this out and start questioning our mythical narrative. Did you know God gave the Constitution to the founders?
But if questioning and answering happen, call the attorney general immediately. There’s grandstanding to be done in the service of protecting innocent students from liberal indoctrination.
Instructors must be careful what they say. Is that so hard? It worked great during the 1950s red scare. Those were the days.
Billionaires foisting bad ideas on states. Voices of dissent shutting up. Protecting freedom for some, but not all. It’s now part of our American heritage.
(319) 398-8262; todd.dorman@thegazette.com
The conservative variety are once again hard at work making Iowa better with all their good ideas. Their work has been called the “IKEA model” because they provide prefabricated bills with everything our Republican Legislature needs to make them law.
It’s kind of like a Happy Meal, but instead of a toy in the bag, you find relaxed child labor laws, voting restrictions or barriers to food assistance. Enjoy!
Take House File 401, a bill that changes general education requirements for students at state universities. It’s already passed the Iowa House and is awaiting action in the Senate.
It requires students to take courses in “western heritage,” such as western civilization, along with coursework on American history, government or literature.
That sounds OK. But there must be a catch.
The bill also requires that these courses don’t “distort significant historical events or include any curriculum or other material that teaches identity politics or is based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression or privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States of America or the state of Iowa.”
But, “The policy shall not limit the academic freedom of any course instructor or to direct instruction within the instructor’s course or limit the free discussion of ideas in a classroom setting.”
Well, that’s a relief. Instructors can still foster free discussions of these uncomfortable subjects with no fear of reprisals. Yes sirree.
“Any person may notify the attorney general of an institution’s potential violation of this chapter. The attorney general may bring action against an institution for a writ of mandamus to compel the institution to comply with this chapter,” the bill says.
Surely, Attorney General Brenna Bird will understand the importance of academic freedom. She’s nothing if not understanding.
OK, she really isn’t. So, pay close attention, professor, there’s probably an informant in your midst. Better play it safe and avoid all that race stuff. At least the universities will save money on air conditioning because the chilling effect will be subzero.
Among groups backing the bill are Cicero Action and the Foundation for Government Accountability Action. “Action” means they’re a political or lobbying arm of the larger “non-partisan” organization.
The Cicero Institute was founded by Joe Lonsdale, a tech billionaire and venture capitalist who lives in Texas. According to Forbes, the Cicero Institute “crafts and advances policies to promote effective and accountable governance.”
Cicero has been crafting and advancing tougher laws against homeless people in multiple states. Lonsdale is going after what he calls the “homeless industrial complex,” accusing people who work with the homeless of doing more to save their jobs than help people living on the streets.
Cicero opposes “housing first,” which tries to put people in housing as fast as possible. Lonsdale argues substance abuse treatment must come first.
According to NPR, after Georgia threw in with Cicero on a camping ban, an audit discovered the Marietta Police Department was spending 50% of its time addressing issues related to the homeless.
The Foundation for Government Accountability is the brainchild of Dick Uihlein, the billionaire storage box king of Wisconsin. He founded Uline, which has cornered the world market for packing peanuts. According to Forbes, Dick and his wife Liz Uihlein have donated $300 million to conservative candidates and groups, including folks who believe the 2020 election was stolen.
The Uihleins are worth more than $5 billion. That’s a lot of boxes.
The FGA and its lobbying offshoot, the Florida-based Opportunity Solutions Project, has lobbied in Iowa to weaken child labor laws, as well as making it tougher to qualify for food assistance and placing new restrictions on voting, among other terrific ideas. Now FGA is interested in our university curriculum.
In Kansas, people who manage to become eligible can’t buy pop or candy, in violation of federal rules. Sometimes, the Opportunity Solutions Project just cares too much.
Of course, House File 401 is a lousy bill that’s part of a broader movement to turn public universities into docile lapdogs spouting what conservatives consider history and shelving history they don’t like.
Like it or not, systemic racism, sexism, oppression and privilege all play a role in America’s story. Thankfully, I have no federal or state funding to yank away for saying that.
There’s not enough whitewash on God’s green earth to cover up those uncomfortable truths. Sticking our fingers in our ears while singing “God Bless America” will not make them go away. Ignoring them will make our problems worse.
Some students will figure this out and start questioning our mythical narrative. Did you know God gave the Constitution to the founders?
But if questioning and answering happen, call the attorney general immediately. There’s grandstanding to be done in the service of protecting innocent students from liberal indoctrination.
Instructors must be careful what they say. Is that so hard? It worked great during the 1950s red scare. Those were the days.
Billionaires foisting bad ideas on states. Voices of dissent shutting up. Protecting freedom for some, but not all. It’s now part of our American heritage.
(319) 398-8262; todd.dorman@thegazette.com
Think tanks bring more good ideas to Iowa
Iowa state Rep. Taylor Collins is chairman of the House Higher Education Committee which is pushing a slate of bills …
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