Concerned citizens dissolve a broken political brand

Rural Iowa Democrats go incognito

It’s never been easy as a Democrat in Northwest Iowa. They are few and far between. Back when Dad ran for legislature from Buena Vista County on the Kennedy ticket in 1960, they burned a cross in his honor. That did not stop him from being a New Dealer. He lost handily. But he still had Republican friends to whom he sold federal crop insurance.

Nowadays, people who do not believe in banning books or Black history call themselves “Concerned Citizens of Sac County” and not “Sac County Democrats.” They would just as soon not have their names in the paper or their group photo. About 20 of them showed up at legislative forums and felt disrespected such that they don’t need the public harassment.

When we were friendly neighbors in more civil times the Democrats, always in the minority, begged and bribed us with beer to take their picture while roasting weenies.

Now they are not organized as Democrats per se, but as citizens concerned about preserving Social Security (FDR’s New Deal) and Medicaid (LBJ’s Great Society). These programs take care of granny in the nursing home. They were created by Democrats. Republicans have been trying to undermine them long before Project 2025. Dewey almost beat Truman but Social Security saved the man from Independence.

Latinos in Storm Lake are deathly afraid. They hear about the father and husband who was deported without due process to a prison in El Salvador in fear of his life. Hide. Do not organize and have your picture in the paper. You are not really here. You have no voice.

Officials are afraid that the right wing will sic Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird after you. Ask the sheriff in Decorah who does not intend to arrest immigrants just for the hell of it. He would rather bust meth dealers than battle the state’s chief law enforcement officer over mythical marauding banditos in Winneshiek County.

Reporters are afraid that the government will shut them down. Officials are trying here and afar.

It is not theoretical. It is happening.

People live in fear because an authoritarian and delusional president stokes it with a chainsaw madman on stage, a homeland security director from South Dakota wearing a flak jacket and armed with a tactical assault weapon, and a US attorney general dedicated to ferreting out political enemies.

Normal people in Early feel outraged but they know if they speak up something could crash down on their heads.

Laura Foell of Schaller was a Democrat on the board of supervisors. Don Mason of Nemaha ran for legislature and was well-liked by all, but he was not a Republican. Sen. Daryl Beall, a Fort Dodge Democrat, would be greeted in Calhoun County with respect. He could always count on carrying Fonda. That is a fond memory for democracy. BV County Supervisor Paul Merten says he is a Democrat but acts like a Republican to keep his job.

St. Peter knows how complicated things are with a centurion in your face.

People around here are afraid to say who they are. I’m afraid they were outed when they showed up at the legislative town hall. They might as well take the free publicity. Not even free is easy when you fear for life or liberty. They would like to build a new jail in Sac City for people like you and maybe those people with a Spanish accent, too. The Trump Administration is seriously talking about deporting citizens. No kidding. And striking birthright citizenship. Truth. Not even Breda is safe.

We are a one-party state. That is not democracy.

Parties finance and organize candidates for election. That’s how Iowa is set up. This is not supposed to be North Korea where groupthink is the law. When one party dissolves, the way is clear to ban books and spin history. And lock up innocent people in dark holes where you cannot see them or fetch them or know their names.

Freedom is served by the contest of ideas in light of the facts. For the system to work, you need a liberal and conservative, a prosecutor and respondent, a legislative and executive and judicial and, yes, the press to put checks on fear through moderation. Sen. Chuck Grassley and Sen. Joni Ernst stood by while their Republican fearless leader destroyed 401k accounts. When there is only one effective party, things go terribly wrong.

The Democratic brand cannot be peddled in Lake View, and it is a tough sell in Storm Lake for a lot of reasons. One is intimidation. Being for independent ownership of livestock and a diverse production system is not healthy for our advertising business, believe me. Another is disaffection from elites who do not attempt to understand Odebolt like Steve King does. Or even speak to Odebolt. Folks in Holstein would show up if you asked them, at one point in our history.

You have to ask them. What are you asking for? More of the same? Are we going to continue to give it away? That is the question for Democrats and other concerned citizens.

Art Cullen is the editor of the Storm Lake Times Pilot in Northwest Iowa, where this column appeared. For more columns and editorials, please consider a subscription to the Times Pilot. Or, if you wish, you can make a tax-deductible gift to the Western Iowa Journalism Foundation to support independent community journalism in rural Iowa. Thanks.

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