DES MOINES – Congressman King’s response to the thousands of out of work Iowa families: you should also lose the right to vote. This week in a committee hearing, Congressman King waxed nostalgically for the period of American history when voting was barred for everyone except for male property owners. King argued that this benefited public policy because government was limited to those with “skin in the game” and that a modern interpretation would ban unemployed workers since they don’t pay taxes.

“Instead of creating jobs, Congressman King is focused on punishing out of work Iowans and limiting their constitutional right to vote,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky. “Congressman King is so tone-deaf to ordinary Iowans that he thinks solving this economic crisis means silencing those affected by it. This is exactly what’s wrong with the Republican Congress that would rather reward millionaires than create jobs. Iowans deserve better.”

Background

King Wondered If Only Those Paying Taxes Should Vote. At a House Judiciary Committee meeting this week, Rep. Steve King spoke about “when you had to be a male property owner in order to vote” so that those deciding public policy had “some skin in the game.” King noted that he didn’t “think [the unemployed were] paying taxes” but “many of them are voting.” [politicalcorrection.org, 10/04/11]

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