This MapLight Report does a good job revealing how money influences our political system. It highlights the money spent campaigning for oil and gas, for profit colleges, railroads, pharmaceutical, financial services, and ethanol. The only thing in the entire report that I don't agree with is the support for Iowa's ethanol industry. Ethanol from corn is not really good for Iowa because of all of the environmental problems. Growing more corn (closer to the rivers) causes more erosion, more runoff from fertilizer (more nitrogen in our rivers), more GMO corn with little reduction in carbon emissions. Instead of corn, we should be using non-food cellulosic biofuels. But the report is very good about showing how money in politics hurts Iowans - they project $5 Billion to be spent on the 2016 presidential election. Margaret Margaret Whiting 1974 Caras Road Waterloo, IA 50701 319-291-6994 Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2015 14:34:45 -0400 From: [log in to unmask] Subject: Fwd: Need your help To: [log in to unmask] Very interesting. Wally Taylor -----Original Message----- From: Eric Branstad <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wed, Sep 30, 2015 1:02 pm Subject: Need your help Friends, Iowa voters take pride in grassroots organizing, door-knocking and civic participation. Now we drown in negative TV ads, direct mail and robocalls. Outside spending is drowning out our voices, and many Iowans have stopped trying to push back, and even stopped voting. Even worse, outside money comes from groups who advocate for special interests not in Iowa - everything they are doing run counter to Iowa interest. We are hoping your organization might lend its name to bring attention to this last minute money coming into Iowa elections that have nothing to do with the candidates. Please give me a call or respond with your support that you are tired of this. The money coming in has nothing to do with the candidates themselves but everything to do with the special interests in DC. My cell is 515-720-1433 and my email is [log in to unmask] I’m helping Iowa Pays the Price - www.iowapaystheprice.org Appreciatively Eric Eric Branstad, Iowa State Director America’s Renewable Future [log in to unmask] (515) 720-1433 Eric Branstad Partner Matchpoint Strategies [log in to unmask] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp