Essential Estrogen

Congressman Dave Loebsack kicked off his second round of meetings with residents in Iowa's 2nd District by shunning what he termed the "hyper partisanship" of Washington, D.C.

"I might just say, generally, [my first year in Congress] was even more than I expected it would be in many ways," Loebsack, a first-year Democrat, told the 40-some citizens gathered at Kirkwood Community College for the Monday morning meeting. "I knew it wouldn't be easy and there have been times when it hasn't been easy."

Frustration, he said, in trying pass legislation at the federal level is something he and local residents both feel.

"I will be the first to admit that even I, perhaps, underestimated the hyper partisanship that we see in Congress, and sometimes between Congress and President [George W.] Bush," Loebsack said. "We all deserve choices. That's what makes America great. That's what makes us a democracy. We have different people with different ideas who present them to the public, and then the public gets to choose. But, at the same time, I want us to get something done. People want us to get something done whatever it may be, whatever issue you may be talking about."

Although Loebsack began the meeting by stating he expected to hear from those who held concerns about the perceived lack of progress by the Democratic-controlled Congress, he was quizzed heavily on domestic issues. Many in attendance gave voice to agricultural concerns as well as the farm bills that were recently passed by both the House and Senate. The two bills are now in conference, where the two pieces of legislation will be melded as one before being sent to the president.

"Some of the things that President Bush proposed I think make a lot of sense," Loebsack said. "Again, it's this whole partisanship thing. If President Bush has a good idea, I'm going to embrace it. I don't have a problem with that. Some of my friends aren't going to like my saying that, but that's the way it is because we've got to move in the direction that makes sense."

Loebsack also took criticism of continued congressional earmarks, despite the fact that Congress has made deep cuts in that area, and the lack of progress on education reforms.

"I came here specifically to express my extreme frustration and disappointment that the majority party could not reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act this year," said an audience member who identified himself as a school board member. "And now I'm hearing stories that it will take until 2010 before any action takes place. I just think that is totally unacceptable, and I just wanted you to know that."

The questioner added that he was told progress on the education reform bill stopped because so many freshmen Democrats were elected to Congress in 2006.

"I suppose, if you want to sort of evaluate what happened, that was part of what happened," Loebsack responded. "But, it wasn't because we said, 'Stop it.' I have said all along that No Child Left Behind needs significant reforms... not that we need to just stop it entirely."

The process did come to a halt last year, Loebsack admitted. He added that he had meetings just before coming home for the holidays and expects the bill to be reintroduced in the coming session.

"It may be the case that there will not be enough political will to do what you want to do, that is reform it and reauthorize it before January 2009," he said. "I don't know. The presidential election is getting in the way... There's a lot of frustration on both sides of the aisle, but I do believe we need to make significant reforms as far as accountability, as far as measuring progress and, certainly, funding as well."

Another audience member expressed his elation that there would not be a rain forest built in Iowa, but said that Congress was continuing to place too many earmarks within legislation.

"I know as a freshman congressman, you may not carry much weight, but I would urge you to pass on to your colleagues as best you can, that people are really sick and tired of pork barrel priorities," he said. "There are enough priorities to spend our money on, not the least of which is trying to control our expenditures on covering some of this ridiculous debt."

Loebsack said that although Congress had cut earmarks in half this year, he knew there was much more to be done.

"I made it very clear that if an earmark, or whatever you want to call it, comes to the 2nd District, we publicize it," he said. "We make it known. We make it transparent. The funding that has come to this district, I think it has been for good purposes. Of course, every member of Congress is going to say that...although, thankfully, there is no bridge-to-nowhere in the 2nd District."

Funding recently approved for the Entrepreneurial Development Center was an earmark, Loebsack said, that he believes serves a greater good and should continue. Members of the audience, however, remained split as to whether there should be any earmarks.

"I guess if we use that argument, there would be very few things that we could spend our money on -- national defense, education and only a few other things that affect everyone," he said. "By that argument we might have to restrict -- and you might want that -- what government does to only those things that literally affect everybody."

The stop in Cedar Rapids was the first on Loebsack's weeklong tour in which he will hold meetings in each of the 15 counties that comprise the 2nd District.