2016 IA Senate race: on Government Reform


Patty Judge: Address unlimited amounts of undisclosed campaign money

We must take action to address the issue of unlimited amounts of undisclosed money flowing into elections. Patty supports a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United in order to ensure transparency and accountability in elections. Corporations are not people and should not be able to pour unlimited amounts of anonymous money into campaigns.
Source: 2016 Iowa Senate campaign website PattyJudgeForIowa.com Aug 8, 2016

Patty Judge: Special interests get too much help from Congress

Patty Judge is launching a new television ad today that takes aim at what she calls a broken system in Washington that supports the wealthy and big corporations instead of middle class families. The ad, "Enough," is a 30-second spot, part of the former one-term lieutenant governor's $100,000 primary television advertising campaign.

In the ad, Judge says special interests get too much help from a Congress that takes from Social Security and education to pay for those tax breaks. Although she doesn't mention Grassley by name in the ad, Judge argues "Chuck Grassley has played a big part in that over his 41 years in office."

"From here in Iowa, it seems to be the wealthy and big corporations get enough help," Judge says while leaning on a pasture fence. "It's time Washington starts working for middle-class families."

The special interests "need to pay their fair share, because Washington is giving those at the top too much and it's time someone stood up for the rest of us."

Source: Cedar Rapids Gazette AdWatch on 2016 Iowa Senate race Jun 23, 2016

Jay Williams Iowa: Campaigning without financing, to fight toxic system

I'm running for US Senate in Iowa in 2016 without accepting any money--yours, mine, or anyone else's. My campaign will receive no monetary donations and will be entirely self-organizing. There will be no paid staff to tell me what to think, say or do. There will be no paid advertising. Instead, using our own tools and technology, we, as volunteers, will do everything that needs to be done, or it won't be done. Then, when I'm elected without the burdens, temptations and pandering required to raise money, I'll be free to serve full time.

Money buys exclusive access and special favors while secrecy permits and perpetuates it. It's as simple and toxic as that.

I'm offering an alternate process to reassert our civic responsibilities and realize the Constitutional intent of self-government. We must stop wasting time and effort trying to fix what cannot be fixed. We must stop doing what isn't working. We must act.

Source: 2016 Iowa Senate campaign website PoliticsYourWay.org Mar 1, 2016

Jay Williams Iowa: Fight nominating process of secretly pre-selected candidates

We must begin with the nominating process. The very reason for our democracy was to recognize the right of every voter to be heard, but we are being silenced before elections are even held. Presently, political parties, powerful special interests and big donors choose the candidates in relative secrecy, effectively creating political indebtedness and preempting our choices at election time. Have you ever voted for the "lesser of two evils," or not bothered to vote at all, because the choice of candidates was so poor? When was the last time you honestly felt that your one vote really mattered or that you were really being heard? Whether you are a diligent voter or a frustrated abstainer, remember that our founders meant for everyone, not just the privileged few to be heard and to exercise the power allowed by our citizen-directed democracy. This campaign is your chance to realize that vision by choosing to run a candidate that is not already pre-selected by concentrated interests and money.
Source: 2016 Iowa Senate campaign website PoliticsYourWay.org Mar 1, 2016

Tom Fiegen: Whoever underwrites your campaign, owns you

Q: Why do you swear off PAC money?

A: Because whoever underwrites your campaign, owns you. And as the Bible says, you cannot serve two masters. You cannot take money from corporate PACs and then serve working people. If me or anyone else running for public office wants to stand with working people, they cannot owe anything to the corporate PACs. Our democracy is under fierce attack. Billionaire families are now able to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to buy the candidates of their choice.

Source: 2016 Iowa Senate campaign website, FiegenForUSSenate.com Oct 9, 2015

Rob Hogg: Focus on campaign-finance reform and voting rights

Hogg identified the pillars of his campaign as campaign-finance reform, combating climate change and getting Congress to work, calling a government shutdown "one of the most unpatriotic things Congress can do."

Hogg cited his experience with flood recovery & flood protection, mental health efforts & work on education bills. He plans to include in his campaign gun control, raising the minimum wage, and "protecting civil rights, voting rights & marriage rights, because we don't want to go backward."

Source: The Gazette on 2016 Iowa Senate race Sep 24, 2015

Rob Hogg: Repeal the Citizens United Supreme Court decision

Hogg said he will focus on campaign finance reform, including repealing the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, which opened the door for unlimited super PAC spending.

Hogg said the biggest challenge to his campaign will be raising enough money to allow him to travel to "communicate with Iowans across our state." He said social media will help with that goal.

Source: Des Moines Register on 2016 Iowa Senate race Sep 22, 2015

  • The above quotations are from 2016 Iowa Senate race: debates and news coverage.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Government Reform.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
Candidates and political leaders on Government Reform:

Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN) 		Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Nov 30, 2021