If there was any question whether Trump is a cult figure, just read the Associated Press article “Iowa’s GOP Leaders stand by Trump as he repeats false claims” in the Times Republican from Monday, Oct. 11. It leaves no doubt.

After the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the former president’s Iowa supporters on Saturday, Oct. 9, chanted “Trump Won, Trump Won.” This should send a chill down the spine of every clear thinking American.

The cowardice shown by U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley and Gov. Kim Reynolds in not responding to questions about whether they agreed with Trump’s false claim he won the election is not only chilling, it is downright shameful. However, I observed a long time ago that Grassley is a hoodwinker, a false prophet. Why does the press not say the word cowardice toward all those Republican leaders who refuse to say Trump lost fair and square? Does the Iowa press need to be reminded that cowardice and pandering led to the rise of the infamous cult leader Adolph Hitler?

Grassley has the reputation of being a government watchdog getting rid of waste and fraud. His claim to fame was shedding light on Pentagon waste and fraud ($400 hammers and $700 toilet seats). Well, it is true he is a watchdog of sorts: for instance, toilet seats now cost the Pentagon $1500. Yep, he just watched. Let’s not forget that he supported the Afghanistan trillion dollar boondoggle, but that’s okay. Grassley just watched.

During the 1980s Farm Crisis, he refused to support the Harkin-Gephart Save the Family Farm Act. Consequently, Grassley just watched while tens of thousands of family farmers were forced off the land. When bankers forced family farm cow calf producers to sell their herds to meet short term debt, Grassley just watched. Consequently, pastures and hay ground were put to crop production causing more grain gluts and cheap grain prices. Grassley just watched.

Kim Reynolds’s cowardice and pandering towards Trump is nothing short of grandstanding. Her visit to the southern border was a pure photo op! She lacks the intestinal fortitude to challenge and expose America’s historical imperialist power plays that ravaged Mexico, Central and South America. It is far easier for her to pedal the anti-immigrant message.

It is appalling that Trump, Republican leaders, right wing talk show hosts and syndicated columnists are still spreading suspicion about the integrity of our election system in 2020.

Remember Iowa voters, Grassley likes to watch, and watching without real pushback is pure political shallowness.