Zach Lahn’s past should give Iowans big concerns
In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy speaks lovingly of Kansas, saying “There’s no place like home.” Because Republican candidate governor Zach Lahn appears to spend a lot of time in Kansas, people are questioning where his home really is.
My concern is with Lahn’s connection and loyalty to Kansas-based Koch Industries, the second-largest privately held US company. In 2005 Koch Industries created and funded a libertarian political arm called Americans for Prosperity, which has opposed environmental regulations, Obamacare, raising the minimum wage, Medicaid expansion, and government intervention generally. Lahn has worked for Americans for Prosperity in several positions and now runs a Koch-funded private school in Wichita.
In 2024 Koch Ag bought the Wever, Iowa, fertilizer company built in 2017 with massive tax breaks and development incentives on the premise new suppliers would increase competition and lower prices. Because Koch Ag already owned one Iowa fertilizer plant, their $3.6 billion purchase was opposed vigorously. The National Farmers’ Union argued the purchase increased Koch’s market power and ability to raise prices. I could see no record that Zach Lahn raised any objections. You might ask why would he?
The purchase was recent and now Candidate Lahn argues vigorously against Big Ag. His website says he’s for “out-of-state ownership restrictions” and for directing tax credits to “Iowa-based companies with deep community roots.”
So I wonder about Lahn’s heart. Is he an Iowan opposed to Big Ag dominated by out-of-state corporations or is he still loyal to the Kansas Koch conglomerate that keeps accruing power and opposes regulation of its growth?
Sue Ravenscroft, Ames
New cancer screening law is a big win
As breast cancer survivors and advocates for breast cancer awareness, we are thrilled that the federal Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act, championed by Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, has been signed into law. This landmark legislation provides a path to Medicare coverage for blood-based tests that can detect more than 50 different types of cancer, helping more people benefit from earlier detection and timely treatment.
For far too long, routine screening has been available for only a small number of cancers. Many of the deadliest cancers often go undetected until symptoms appear and the disease has advanced, leaving patients with fewer treatment options and more challenging journeys ahead. Expanding access to this testing is an important step toward changing that reality.
June is Cancer Survivor Month, and as survivors ourselves, we understand firsthand the value of early detection. Finding cancer sooner can mean more treatment choices, better outcomes, and more time with the people who matter most.
The enactment of this legislation is a victory for patients, survivors, caregivers, and advocates.
Brigid Greening and Jean Paul, Iowa Army of Pink co-presidents
Preserve home and community-based services
As a guardian of a person living in home and community-based services facility, I strongly reject the U.S. Department of Justice interpretation of Olmstead.
The Supreme Court has already decided that living in the community is a legal right.
More than 25 years ago, the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision affirmed that people with disabilities have the right to live in their communities and not be forced into institutions.
That ruling changed millions of lives. But a right on paper only works when people can get the support they need. That’s what Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) make possible.
Congress made the biggest cuts to Medicaid in history last year. Now, many states are considering options that could reduce access to HCBS.
Help keep the promise of Olmstead alive. Congress needs to protect Medicaid HCBS and the right of people with disabilities to live in their communities
Any action by the executive branch in this regard will result in the government being sued, costing taxpayers more money. Oh by the way, the cost to the government for institutional care is three times what HCBS care costs.
Resist this attempt to marginalize the most vulnerable Americans.
Michael Avery, Ames
Don’t let tariffs go up again
As the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative reviews public comments on proposed tariff increases, I hope policymakers consider what another 10% to 15% tariff would mean for small businesses already facing inflation and rising costs.
I own Bing’s, a neighborhood gift store in Valley Junction. For eight years, we’ve sold the kinds of products that bring joy to people’s lives while supporting our local community.
Today, tariffs are making that harder. We are ordering the same products we’ve always carried, but paying more for them. At the same time, families are watching their budgets more closely, making it difficult to pass those costs along to customers.
Unlike large retailers, small businesses don’t have the capital to stockpile inventory or the purchasing power to negotiate lower prices. We operate on thin margins and have fewer options when costs rise.
If policymakers want to support small businesses, they should make it easier, not harder, to succeed. Additional tariffs would raise costs, squeeze margins, and put more pressure on the local businesses that sponsor school fundraisers, host community events, and help keep neighborhoods vibrant.
Val Veiock, West Des Moines
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Zach Lahn’s history should be big concerns for Iowans | Letters
Reporting by The Register’s readers, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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By The Register's readers, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
