What if Iowa started dreaming of being first in other ways?
Jane Yoder-Short  Writers' Group  Nevada passed a bill that aims to make it the first in the nation to weigh in on the 2024 primary elections. Iowa has had the status of being first since 1972. Nevada leaders believe their state is a better first. It is more diverse. The national political parties will decide whether to back Nevadas move. Iowans like being first. Sen. Chuck Grassley responded to Nevadas move: "I imagine Iowa will be first if we have to hold it before Christmas. I'm being a little facetious  but we've had other states  who tried to get ahead of Iowa and New Hampshire, and both Iowa and New Hampshire took control of the ball.  Iowa likes the attention of having the first presidential caucuses. It generates pride. We need some good news. Lets make Iowa first in the nation to creatively work across divisions. Lets find ways to show the nation that stereotyping urban people as elites and rural people as gun-loving idiots is wrong. Rural areas are not monolithic. Working-class people of all varieties live in small towns and urban areas. Rural areas are great places to experiment in creating locally-owned and worker-owned businesses. Lets make Iowa the first in the nation in childhood education. Iowas 24th ranking in Pre-K12th grade education is nothing to brag about. (https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/education)  How we measure success in education can be tricky. Test scores give a limited view. Lets make Iowa first in finding creative ways to empower teachers and energize students. Lets make Iowa first in clean water. Two of Iowas rivers made the top 10 of the most endangered list of 2021: the Lower Missouri River and the Raccoon River. (https://www.americanrivers.org/2021/04/2021-most-endangered-rivers-list-highlights-need-for-environmental-justice/)  The Raccoon River made the list because of pollution from industrial agriculture. Lets not underestimate Iowans' ability to work together. To work for clean water we need to stop trying to be first in fear tactics. The Iowa Farm Bureau speculating on proposed EPA guidelines stated: You may not be able to weed and feed your lawn, spray for bugs, landscape with treated lumber and wood chips, fill in a low area with soil, or even dig a hole without a federal permit. (https://iowafarmbureau.wordpress.com/2014/09/25/2-maps-that-will-raise-your-eyebrows/)  Sen. Joni Ernst went so far as to raise concern that federal regulation may reach every tire track that collects rain water. (https://www.ernst.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/12/iowa-public-radio-iowa-senator-applauds-new-water-rule)  Fear tactics get in the way of solutions and decrease our chances of beneficial conversations across our divisions. Lets not be first in fear. Lets dream of Iowa becoming first in the nation in multiple ways. There are no quick fixes, but that shouldnt keep Iowans from trying. Whether or not we are first to choose a presidential candidate shouldnt prevent us from doing our Iowa best. Jane Yoder-Short lives in Kalona.