... I think it's bizarro world as far as State-oriented politics go in Iowa. Republicans basically allowed the sales tax in Iowa to go up 80%, expanded gambling, green-lighted Touchplay, went along with massive taxpayer-financed corporate welfare, and brought in legalized loansharking. ... I don't really understand what Republicans in Iowa are for anymore. They're not about fiscal conservatism, that's for sure. Were they ever? ... Democrats haven't been much better. Their disregard for the little guy has been staggering. ... Maybe I should take current party values at face value: Republicans simply want to make deals with Democrats in order to be liked, and Democrats simply hate everything about Republicans except when Republicans cave