Under the Golden Dome, Too

By: 
Linda Upmeyer

National convention
    With the beginning of August, a new school year is getting closer. That means back-to-school shopping which can be an expensive endeavor when you have multiple children that all need new supplies, clothes, and shoes.
    In an effort to reduce the burden on Iowa taxpayers and leave more money in your pockets, the state has an annual sales tax holiday where no sales tax is collected on select clothing and shoes with a value of under $100 per item. This year, the tax-free weekend is Friday, Aug. 5 and Saturday, Aug. 6. The tax-free weekend is a great way to save your hard-earned money, so I encourage everyone to take advantage of this weekend’s tax holiday.
    I recently had the honor of traveling as a member of the Iowa delegation for the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. While I have always been engaged in Republican politics, this was the first time that I’ve ever had the opportunity to attend the National Convention as a delegate. It was a great privilege to represent Iowa Republicans as a member of the state’s delegation.
    One of the greatest highlights of this trip was getting to see our own Iowa Sen., Joni Ernst, on the stage as she spoke about America’s national security and defense. She stressed the need to regain our country’s standing across the globe and defeat the dangerous threat of radical Islamic terrorism. As a former officer in the Iowa National Guard, who served on a deployment overseas, Sen. Ernst is incredibly knowledgeable in the area of national defense.
    As Iowans, we should be proud to see a fellow Iowan in the spotlight who was given the opportunity to showcase her expertise, on a critically important topic like national security, to a national audience.
    Something new that I learned is how many people have been touched personally by Donald Trump. Many speakers talked about the softer side of Trump that most people don’t read about in the papers or see on TV. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani spoke about the enormous outreach that Trump has done for individuals in times of crisis, often doing so anonymously and without fanfare. His children talked about the values that they were taught at young ages and the encouragement he gave to them as they were growing up. Countless individuals have been on the receiving end of Trump’s generosity and kindness, which I found incredibly interesting. It was wonderful to hear these personal stories about Donald Trump.
    I also attended the Right Women, Right Now (RWRN) Women in Politics reception put on by the Republican Legislative Campaign Committee (RLCC). Co-Chaired by Iowa’s own Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds, RWRN works to recruit, train, and elect Republican women to state-level offices across the country. It was great to be joined at this reception by numerous women statehouse candidates from across the country as well as Lt. Gov. Reynolds and Sen. Ernst, who are prime examples of what RWRN strives for. Iowa Republicans continue to lead the way when it comes to electing women to office and other leadership roles in government.
    After attending the convention and other various events during the week, it’s clear to me that Republicans are energized and excited about getting to the polls in November.
    I’m so thankful to the all of the delegates across the state that got involved during the caucuses and provided me with this incredible opportunity.
    As Election Day gets closer, I encourage you to engage in the political process and get informed on all races from the Presidential election to statehouse and county elections.
     Speaker of the Iowa House Linda Upmeyer represents Franklin, Butler and Cerro Gordo counties in District 54. She can be reached at linda.upmeyer@legis.iowa.gov or (515) 281-3521.

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