糖心vlog's General Election Guide: Theresa Greenfield
Democratic Senate candidate Theresa Greenfield is looking to take (R) Sen. Joni Ernst's seat in the November election, as well as Libertarian Rick Stewart and Independent Suzanne Herzog.
Each Iowa candidate on November's ballot was given the same list of questions to answer. To view all of the candidates, click here. Here are Greenfield's responses:
What is your top priority if elected into office?
We need to tackle political corruption in Washington in order to get the best results for Iowans on expanding health care, lowering drug prices, and creating more economic opportunities for all Iowans.
Washington isn鈥檛 working for working people. Politicians like Sen. Ernst are corrupted by massive donations from their corporate PAC donors, leading our government to work only for the biggest corporations. We can change that by getting big money out of politics. I鈥檓 not taking a dime of corporate PAC money and my plan for ending political corruption includes banning corporate PAC money, banning dark money, overturning Citizens United and banning members of Congress from becoming lobbyists.
What previous experience has prepared you for this position?
I grew up during the farm crisis and I know what it鈥檚 like for our farm communities to struggle like they are today. I put myself through school, attended community college and worked part-time jobs. I was a community planner for 14 years, learning how problems are solved at the local level, and I ran a small business, where I signed paychecks and worked to keep the lights on. I was a single mom who relied on Social Security and hard-earned union benefits. I鈥檝e been through tough times, never given up and personally understand the struggles our working families are facing today. I鈥檒l use that experience to fight for our workers, farmers, and small businesses.
What has been your favorite quarantine activity?
I love to spend time outside. To stay active, my family and I have enjoyed taking daily walks with our dog, Ringo. I鈥檝e also been spending time working on my kitchen garden. Potatoes, tomatoes, kale, peppers and spinach are some of what we鈥檝e been growing this year.
What part of your response to the COVID-19 pandemic are you most proud of?
I鈥檝e put out two plans to put our working families and small businesses first during this pandemic. I鈥檝e called for more paid sick leave for workers, more expanded unemployment benefits and direct payments, relief for small businesses, and help for state and local governments. I also called for a statewide mask mandate to prevent further spread of this deadly help to save lives, and get our economy back on track.
I鈥檝e also trusted our doctors, nurses and public health experts. That鈥檚 a major contrast with Sen. Ernst, who endangered Iowans by pushing a false conspiracy theory that our health care workers were lying about COVID-19 to make more money.
What response to the COVID-19 pandemic would you change?
Frankly, I鈥檝e been frustrated with leaders at the state and federal level that we haven鈥檛 gotten transparency or clear guidance about how to combat this pandemic. We all want to go back to normal, but the only way we can get there is by listening to and following the advice of public health experts. We need to keep wearing masks, practicing social distancing and making sure that our essential workers are guaranteed essential protections like paid sick leave.
I鈥檓 glad Washington has gotten some things done, but it hasn鈥檛 been enough every step of the way. Iowans need expanded unemployment benefits, paid sick leave, and relief for Iowa families, small businesses, and local governments.
What is your favorite Iowa tradition?
The Iowa Caucuses!
How do you define social inequity and how do you plan to address it in Iowa communities?
Social inequities in policing, housing, health care, education, employment, infrastructure and economic development have impacted too many hard-working families in Iowa. Black, Brown and Indigenous Iowans face additional social and economic challenges, along with unjust treatment. We also need to take concrete actions to address these racial disparities because they have only been exacerbated by this pandemic.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing Iowa farmers and how do you plan to support them if elected?
I grew up on my family鈥檚 farm. When the farm crisis hit, farm families like mine were in ruin. Now, Iowa鈥檚 farm economy and biofuels industry are hurting again. Farm bankruptcies are at an eight-year high and farm income is down 75% since 2013.
My plan focuses on ensuring that Iowa farmers have a fair shot to compete around the globe, protecting markets for farmers, and creating good-paying jobs by investing in and growing Iowa鈥檚 biofuels industry. I鈥檝e also called for reforms that level the playing field for farmers and ensure that Iowa鈥檚 agriculture industry is first in line for new economic opportunities in conservation.
For more about Greenfield, .