It's A Free Country and Iowa Public Radio want to know where your vote comes from. Explore the map and story archive below, and be sure to add your own story to the project by clicking here. Want to only see results around one issue? Select it from the drop-down menu below and hit "submit."
John
Denison, IA
Independent
Taxes, Spending, and Debt
Spending money to build a bus barn for school buses that are less than half full. The district spends $5.00 per mile for transportation. Insane. Make parents provide their own transport to/from school. The buses even pick up town kids that live less than 1/4 mile from school.
Should schools abandon transporting students?
How can we be laser sharp on spending?
Dave
Ames, IA
Independent
Social and Religious Issues
In the state of Iowa voters have not been allowed to voice their opinion on the issue of state marriage policy.
Do you support the right of voters to vote on marriage?
Tom H
Cedar Rapids, IA
Democrat
Health Care Reform
Too many people are left uninsured.
Will you support Single-Payer Universal Health Care for all?
steffen
Nevada, IA
Independent
Social Security and Medicare
I am on the edge of needing these services/programs and they seem to be at risk after my 67 years of depending on and expecting them. Iowa has the 3 oldest population and hundreds of thousands of Iowan's have lived all their lives and planned their finances around these bedrock programs. To mess with and change them now invalidates a lifetime of planning!
Will you preserve and protest SS and Medicare?
Give me some ideas on how to fix SS and medicare!
Jeff Finn
Iowa City, IA
Democrat
Education
My parents were unable to go to college, so they made sure that all five of their children did. Four of us became teachers (one a police officer- which is more akin to teaching than it should be). For me, education has been an escape from poverty, but even more so it has helped me to become a logical, better informed, and more caring person. I have been teaching for almost a decade now and I see daily how crucial it is to expose young minds to new ideas, to make them question, and prove, and dream. Two of my former students have given speeches to the Iowa legislature: one railed against taxes, the other pushed for tolerance for gay marriage. I was equally proud of both of them. While I am anything but apolitical, what I try to teach in the classroom is active, logical citizenship. And believe me, if you want good citizens, if you want a strong work force, if you want a world that is better tomorrow than it is today- you must value education.
What scientifically-tested methods of educational reform work the best and what are the specific steps we should take to move towards those goals?
How would you reform the educational system?
Michele
Oskaloosa,Iowa
Democrat
Education
The govenor is talking about cutting funding fo pre-schools and further cut backs are ahead for other school age children. I believe everyone has the right to have an education and just because you don't have the money to pay all the expenses that school states are due is not fair to all the kids that want to learn.
Would you do this to your children or grandchildren, denie them a better education because you can't afford the tuition?
Theodosia
Des Moines
Independent
Taxes, Spending, and Debt
Taxes, spending, and and our national debt impacts everything else! If we were making everything we need in our own country we would not need to be beholden to China and certainly not in
mind-boggling debt to it!The fact that we are giving billions of dollars to Egypt that is making us yet more indebted to China is beyond belief; the silly war in Afghanistan being run on Chinese money again! Stop USA, already!
Just do one thing as a country: Make a list of items we can not lilve without. For example, clean air, clean water, warm/cool homes, food, etc. Put these items in the national budget and prioritize EVERYTHING ELSE!
What are your suggestions?
Ken Crow
Winterset, Iowa
Republican
Taxes, Spending, and Debt
Our national debt is causing the devaluation of our dollar. This in turn is causing inflation which, is driving the cost of " everything " to go up. My other major concern is our lack of interest in drilling our own oil and becoming energy independant.
What are your plans to cut spending, cut government and our debt ?
What do we need to do to cut spending and the debt ?
ryan
des moines
Republican
The Constitution
If a politician is right on the Constitution every other aspect will fall in place.
With adherence to the Constitution in 2 minutes or less tell me the proper role of the federal government.
Will you help me roll back legislation contradictory to the Constitution?
