This is not a diary, but it's all the info I could find on today's rally in Des Moines. Our legislature has a proposal similar to the one in Wisconsin, and they began 'debate' today.
If not for the huge mess in Wisconsin, this might have slid in under the radar in Iowa. For one thing, our legislature is divided between GOP and Dems. The House is taking up this anti-union stuff, while our Senate seems unlikely to pass on anything so egregious.
The rally is reported in the DM Register as being 120 teaprtiers vs. 800-1,000 union supporters.
About 120 tea party supporters began to gather at noon today on the west steps of the Iowa Capitol to voice their indignation over what they consider excessive government spending.
Up the steps a few hundred yards away, union members and their supporters outnumbered the tea party rally-goers. By 12:30 p.m., a rough estimate put their numbers at more than 500. By 1:30 p.m., it appeared there were between 800 and 1,000.
Despite what we hear from fools like Rep. Steve King (R-IA), Iowans are a "live and let live" bunch of folks. We generally keep out of each others' business unless it directly affects us. This kind of thing will affect every single Iowan in one way or another. If the House insists on flogging this issue, they may find they've bitten off a lot more than they care to chew.
This kind of sums up what we're up against (emphasis mine):
At the tea party rally, one woman hoisted a paper sign reading: “New math: Arrogant public unions + their bought politicians = bankrupt states, failed schools, screwed taxpayers.” She declined to share her name, saying her husband is a federal employee.