House Journal: Page 29: Tuesday, January 13, 1998

-  We need even stronger schools to educate our children for the
rigors of a world marketplace.
-  We need new and more housing to provide shelter for a growing
work force.
-  We need to give all parts of Iowa a share of our growth by
processing agricultural products here in Iowa instead of
shipping out our valuable commodities.
-  We need to protect Iowans from the few who break our laws and
threaten our communities.
-  We need to continue sanding off the edges of
uncompetitiveness that burden our people and the state's
long-term growth.
The sun has indeed been shining on our state - but there are
storm clouds on the horizon.
Dealing with diversity, international competition, the
information explosion, and new stresses on the family all stare
squarely at us.  
How do we deal with them?  
Our old ways of doing things won't always work in this modern
world.  We can be Iowa stubborn, lock our heels and build walls
around our state.  Or we can recognize change, manage it and
master our future.
That is our choice.  
I am of the firm belief that those storm clouds on our horizon
will bring replenishing rains that will cause our economy to
grow and our state to flourish - if we prepare the ground.
We are on the verge of historic change in our state.  Since the
invention of the plow centuries ago, our population has been
weighted down by the need for fewer hands on the farm.  Those
Malthusians, who predict the future only by looking at the past,
say the same is in store for us in the future.
They're wrong.  
Our economy is crying for more hands to man the tiller of our
economic growth.  We are in the same position as we were when
our state was first settled.  Back then we needed Dutch pioneers
to till the rich, black soil of Sioux County; and the Jewish
families to market goods in Burlington;  and the German
missionaries to open the doors of learning at Wartburg College
in Waverly.  
Today, we need the Latinos, Asians, Bosnians and Kurds - all
immigrants of the 21st century, eager to find new opportunities
for a new life here in the Heartland of America.  Each new
people - each new culture - has helped to enrich our Iowa
character and values.  And today is no exception.
Our sons and daughters will find good jobs here at home.  And
families from other states will migrate here for a good life and
good jobs.
They will be the engine of our growth for the next century as
Iowa enters this new era of growth and opportunity - if we
prepare the ground.
We should start, as always, with our kids.
At no time has it been more evident just how much our state
cares about 

Iowa General Assembly

Index: House Journal (77th General Assembly: Session 2)

© 1998 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa

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