Is Seaton a ‘tricker’ or a ‘treater’?

As many of you already know, late last week Rep. Paul Seaton joined a coalition of 17 Democrats, two Independents and three Republicans to form a majority in the House of Representatives. In order to offer an important perspective on the question in the title, I’m going to open the discussion with part of a letter from Sandy Greiner that I cut from the Kalona (Iowa) News in 2008. In the past Sandy has been elected to both the Iowa House and Senate from the 45th District, near where I was born and raised.

Sandy writes:

“Dear Friends,

“Several of my supporters, who are registered No Party, have been asking me about the local race for State Representative. After responding to their questions, they urged me to prepare a letter to distribute to the general public. The question was: How do we determine the best candidate for this race? What follows is my response.

“This contest is really all about WHICH PARTY will run the Iowa House of Representatives, by way of holding the majority. It’s the committee chairs (named by the Majority Party) who determine which bills move out of committee, and which bills lay in the bottom of a drawer. And once the bills have moved from Committee, it is the Majority Leader’s Office where they make the final decision as to what bills move to the floor for debate and which bills fall by the wayside.

“It’s important that everyone understand that this race isn’t about WHO you ‘like’ best, WHO you think has the ‘best connections’ or WHO you think has the ‘most experience.’ Plain and simple, it’s actually about WHICH party you believe will advance the issues you care most about, or conversely, WHICH party will stop the issues you really don’t care to have move forward.”

Sandy then went on to describe two issues in the forefront of Iowa politics at that time and how those reading her letter should respond depending on the direction they preferred. I’m going to finish in the same manner.

If you believe that Mr. Seaton has “treated” you through his choice to join league with minority Democrats in the House then you can thank him or do nothing as far as this letter is concerned.

If you believe that Mr. Seaton has “tricked” you, by running as a Republican in the primary elections (not as an Independent or non-affiliated) then has chosen a path of disloyalty, by joining with Democrats to control the House of Representatives, then you should contact him and let him know that you don’t support this betrayal.

I hope you chose well because this is no small deal.

Leonard Miller