1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

Welcome back from your taxpayer-funded break. Hope it was restful. I know “time off” is a whole different experience when you have job security, gold-plated benefits, and healthcare that isn’t a hostage situation tied to employment. Most Iowans don’t get to disappear for weeks without consequences—because if we’re not working, we’re not getting paid, and if we’re not getting paid, we’re one bad diagnosis away from financial freefall. But I’m genuinely glad you got to recharge. Now—happy belated January 6th! What a wholesome day in American history. Just a totally normal “tourist visit” where peaceful sightseers politely smeared feces, beat police officers, chanted about hanging elected officials, and attempted to stop the certification of an election. You know—classic civics field trip. Senators Grassley and Ernst: since you were in Washington when it happened, I’m sure you felt extremely safe and calm while the Capitol was under attack. Nothing says “freedom” quite like a mob trying to overturn democracy because one man’s ego couldn’t handle losing. Senator Grassley—quick question. The day before, you publicly suggested you might end up presiding over the Electoral College count if the Vice President “wasn’t there.” That’s… an interesting thing to put into the universe right before the VP was being pressured and threatened. What exactly were you anticipating? And why were you so comfortable publicly entertaining a scenario where the Vice President might not carry out his constitutional duty? Which brings me to the Constitution—remember the oath? The one you swore to uphold? Because from the cheap seats here in Iowa (where we get to pay your salary and beg for affordable healthcare), it looks like you’ve replaced “defend the Constitution” with “defend the party and the donor class, no matter what.” At this point, I’m not asking for another vague statement about “healing” or “moving forward.” I’m asking for clarity: • Will you state plainly that the 2020 election was legitimate and that January 6th was an attack on the peaceful transfer of power? • Will you oppose any effort to weaken elections, intimidate election workers, or discard results you don’t like? • Will you stop treating corporate handouts like urgent emergencies while Iowans are crushed by healthcare costs, housing costs, and stagnant wages? • Will you do your actual job—oversight, accountability, checks and balances—instead of acting like a fan club for whoever yells loudest? I’d love to say I’m writing because I’m inspired by your leadership. I’m writing because I’m watching you normalize authoritarianism like it’s just another Tuesday. Please prove me wrong—preferably with votes, not press releases.