Letter to the Editor: The blame game versus problem solving

To the Editor:
56th District Representative Patti Ruff on 1 September wrote one of her “info-commercials” in the Waukon Standard in which she blamed the Republican Party for the state of funding for Iowa’s schools. Then she blamed Governor Branstad for vetoing a bill which would have provided one-time funding for area schools, but which had no provision for sustainability.
During the campaign last fall Representative Ruff stated that her forte was her ability to work across the isle with Republicans. She demonstrated that by proposing an amendment that would have increased school funding by six percent. That could not have been construed as anything other than a slap in the face at her Republican colleagues. That was a very lofty goal and would have been commendable had she included a plan on specifically where the funding would come from to pay for that increase. In my opinion it was nothing more than pandering to that sector of voters who believe that there is an inexhaustible supply of money available at the snap of your fingers. It was also pretty obvious that she was dancing to the tune of the Iowa Democrat Party which has an uncontrolled spending appetite.
I suggest to Mrs. Ruff that she stop the devastating blame game rhetoric and come up with a specific plan for funding education requirements to include exactly where the funding would come from and how long it would be sustainable. Ideas and leadership, not rhetoric, solve problems.

Lowell L. Engle
Harpers Ferry