1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,080 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Buck Sexon and you're listening to the 2 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:05,240 Speaker 1: Tunor Dixon Podcast, part of the play Drivers and Buck 3 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: Sexton podcast Network. Welcome to the Tutor Dixon Podcast. I'm 4 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: Tutor Dixon and super excited to have you join us today. 5 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: I love bringing exciting new people into your world, and 6 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: today is no different. Although I think many of you 7 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:23,799 Speaker 1: have probably heard great things about Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa, 8 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: until you actually spend time with her, you can't really 9 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: grasp how incredible she is. There are some folks in 10 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: life who make a really strong impression on you right away, 11 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: and Governor Reynolds is one of those people for me 12 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: because she cared. I know that seems incredibly simple, but 13 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 1: you can actually feel her heart the minute you engage 14 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,480 Speaker 1: with her, and I think that's incredibly special. I don't 15 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: think I met a single person at her level on 16 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:50,240 Speaker 1: the campaign who immediately offered me their assistance the way 17 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 1: she did. And certainly she's been in the news quite 18 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: a bit lately with all of the presidential candidates visiting 19 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: her wonderful state, and some people have even floated her 20 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: name as a presidential candidate. I know she's not talking 21 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: about it or asking for it. But once you get 22 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:07,839 Speaker 1: to know her, you will understand why so many people 23 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:11,479 Speaker 1: find that idea intriguing, and I do myself. I'm honored 24 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: to introduce to you the forty third governor of Iowa, 25 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: Governor Kim Reynolds, Governor, Welcome to the podcast. Oh hi Tuter. 26 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,760 Speaker 1: First of all, congratulations, this is exciting. I'm really happy 27 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: to hear that, and it is an honor to be 28 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:28,119 Speaker 1: with you. So thanks for giving media opportunity. Absolutely well, 29 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 1: thank you for coming on. And you do have quite 30 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,319 Speaker 1: a few presidential candidates visiting Iowa, so I wanted to 31 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: ask you about that, because everyone has a different personality. 32 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: It's certainly interesting to have folks like that visit your state. 33 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,960 Speaker 1: It kind of confuses things. There's a lot of traffic, 34 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 1: there's a lot of people. So tell me a little 35 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: bit about what it's like to host the different candidates. Well, 36 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: I love it. First of all, it's you know, we've 37 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: done this for quite some time where the first nation 38 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: cloccus and it did. Iowans take it very very seriously. 39 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: So what I love about Iowa's is there gauge. They're 40 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: very knowledgeable on the issues and so we can almost 41 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,279 Speaker 1: always guarantee any of the candidates that are considering running 42 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: a really good turnout because they want to be able 43 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: to look the candidate in the eye, they want to 44 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:14,839 Speaker 1: learn a little bit more about their character. And it's 45 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: really great for the candidate as well because it gives 46 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: them the chance to really hone their message, to connect 47 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: with Iowans, to see what that's like to connect with 48 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 1: somebody that is informed and is asking the right questions. 49 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: And so it's fun to start to build relationships. I mean, 50 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: we connect it right off. I mean, I loved your passion. 51 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: I loved that you were so concerned what had happened 52 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:43,239 Speaker 1: with COVID, to the kids and to the people in Michigan, 53 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 1: the lockdowns, and just so I could say right back 54 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: to you, your heart was just was right there. And 55 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: so I love the connection and the friendship and the 56 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: relationship that we were able to build. But the same 57 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: thing happens when you're hosting candidates in the state. You 58 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: get to know them and get to learn about kind 59 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,079 Speaker 1: of what their vision is and what they're talking about. 60 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 1: And then a lot of times you know the ones 61 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:08,519 Speaker 1: that don't make it through and are the presidential candidate 62 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: a lot of times to do they get they're asked 63 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: to be a part of the administration and you're able 64 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 1: to connect back out on issues that impact the Iowans 65 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:19,679 Speaker 1: that are the individual that we serve, and so that's 66 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:23,359 Speaker 1: always been a really great opportunity and resource as well. 67 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: So it's it's fun, it's we keeps you busy. You know. 68 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,640 Speaker 1: We've had Nicky Haley in and we've had times gone 69 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 1: in and I did a day with the Governor DeSantis 70 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: and then we had President Trump in on Monday. So 71 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: wegistic why sometimes it's a little bit of a challenge, 72 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: but but I we love it well. I want people 73 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: to know. I mean, I don't know if you're comfortable 74 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: with me sharing this, but I'm going to do it anyway. 75 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: When I met you, when you're running for governor, you 76 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: meet a lot of governors. We went to all the 77 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: RGA meetings, the Republican Governors Association meetings. You are now 78 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: the chairman of the RGA, but at that point, you 79 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: you were just walking through walking past and I had 80 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: a friend that introduced me to you, and the thing 81 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:09,839 Speaker 1: that struck me was you immediately said, let me put 82 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: my number in your phone. This is really hard. Well, 83 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: it's really challenging. You'll come across challenges and when you 84 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: need to ask someone about them, call me. And that 85 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: just meant so much to me because people don't take 86 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 1: that time. I mean, certainly you are very busy, but 87 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: you knew that I was going through something and as 88 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 1: a woman, I know you mentioned that too. You said, 89 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 1: you know there are different challenges you'll face as a woman, 90 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: and you were just willing to talk to me about it. 91 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: And I have to tell you that meant a lot. Yeah, well, 92 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 1: it's so important too, because there are different challenges and 93 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: I didn't have a lot of mentors when I was running, 94 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 1: and so I want to make sure you know that 95 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 1: I'm there for other candidates and I you know, we 96 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:52,559 Speaker 1: want the best candidate running. But I am always trying 97 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:56,600 Speaker 1: to encourage bright, articulate women because the first of all, 98 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: I think sometimes they have to be asked. We're just 99 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:00,080 Speaker 1: think we have to know everything before we even and 100 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: step into the fray. We have to be perfect, and 101 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: it's just not the case. You just step in there 102 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 1: and you're going to be surprised at just the capacity 103 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: that you have to do big and bold things. And 104 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:14,160 Speaker 1: so often as I'm traveling the state, I'm watching and observing, 105 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:16,720 Speaker 1: and if I see somebody that I think would just 106 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: be a phenomenal candidate or you know, I'll go up 107 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:21,239 Speaker 1: and say, I don't know if you've ever thought about 108 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: running before, but I hope you do at some point, 109 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 1: and I would be happy to sit down and talk 110 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,279 Speaker 1: to you about it or be a resource. And then 111 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 1: if here's the other thing. And we could never connect, 112 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 1: but we did several times. I just wasn't able to 113 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: get up there, but we did connect on phone calls. 114 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: But and then to support them when they do make 115 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 1: the decision, you know, to be there and to be 116 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:49,280 Speaker 1: a resource and to be supportive as there once they 117 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 1: do make that decision to step in. Yeah, I think 118 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: that I like what you've said there because I think 119 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: people look at folks that decide to run and they say, 120 00:05:58,040 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: what makes you think you can do this? There's so 121 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: many different aspects to running a state or you know, 122 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 1: even the presidential candidates, why do you think you can 123 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 1: do this? And what you said there is so important 124 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 1: for people to understand when they are looking at different 125 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: candidates that you're going to learn along the way, and 126 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: it's the people you surround yourself with as well. That's important. 127 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 1: And you were kind of in a unique position because 128 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,360 Speaker 1: you were a lieutenant governor and then you were placed 129 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: into the position of governor before you ran again. So 130 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: you inherited this job when the governor of Iowa was 131 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: appointed to be ambassador of China, and so that suddenly 132 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:38,719 Speaker 1: was thrust upon you, and you had a lot of 133 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: decisions to make. But you've done such an incredible job. 134 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 1: And I want to go to something that is kind 135 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 1: of controversial across the whole country right now because after COVID. 136 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: Coming out of COVID, a lot of parents said, man, 137 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: I really want to have a choice in education, and 138 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: you are working on school choice in Iowa. You've passed 139 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 1: that in Iowa. Tell me a little bit about that 140 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: process and what that was like and how you handle 141 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:04,480 Speaker 1: it when people come up against you and say that 142 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: this is not the right choice. Yeah, oh, thank you. 143 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 1: It's something I feel so passionately about and it was 144 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 1: just underscored after going through COVID. You know, it was 145 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: the kids that needed that structure more than anything to 146 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: be in the classroom, to have a safe environment to 147 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: you know, I mean, they had a parent that was 148 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 1: working to tell them to learn from how It was 149 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: just absolutely crazy. And I think even through it all, 150 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: I mean even before that, we were working on it, 151 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 1: but parents just had a front row seat to some 152 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: of the things that were being taught, even in the 153 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: classroom as well. And so I had been working on 154 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: school choice for three years. We enhanced charter schools, we 155 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 1: expanded open enrollment, but the school choice bill I got 156 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: through the Senate two years in a row, only to 157 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: have it held up in the House. And it was 158 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: so frustrating because I just we put a lot of 159 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: work into it. I traveled the state, and I was 160 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 1: hearing from parents who agreed with the fact that every 161 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 1: parent should have that opportunity, not just those that have 162 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 1: the resources. I mean, you know, they accused me of 163 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 1: not caring about children, but yet it's the individuals that 164 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: need it the most that weren't able to take advantage 165 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:15,559 Speaker 1: of it. And so the first thing I did tutor 166 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: is I got involved in primaries. And I don't normally 167 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 1: do that, but I was either going to be an enabler. Yeah, 168 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: I was going to either be an enabler or I 169 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: was going to step in and do what I could 170 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: because the chair of the Education Committee in the House 171 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 1: was opposed to it, and he was the one that 172 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: was stopping it every year, and so I got involved 173 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 1: in nine primaries. We were successful in eight of the nine. 174 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 1: I'm proud to say that the ninth primary he actually 175 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: supported and voted for the bill and probably is one 176 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 1: of the biggest proponents of it this year getting it 177 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 1: across the finish line. But I just ask a simple question, 178 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 1: and it was really focused on that. I said, tell 179 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:53,959 Speaker 1: me your position on school choice, and if you think 180 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 1: that every parent should have that choice, and if they 181 00:08:57,240 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: agreed with that, then I helped in any way that 182 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: I could get them across the finish line. And so 183 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: we were able to get that done. But the other 184 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: thing that I did that I think was really almost 185 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 1: as important. It was more kind of almost a rural 186 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 1: urban issue. I heard from a lot of legislators that 187 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: this would destroy their schools and that they wouldn't be 188 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 1: able to compete. And so I spend a lot of 189 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 1: time meeting one on one with those rural superintendents and 190 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:25,199 Speaker 1: I said, I know I'm not going to change your mind. 191 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: I get that, but I want to look you in 192 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: the eye and I want to tell you that it's 193 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 1: imperative that we have a strong, successful public school system. 194 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 1: This is not going to destroy it. I believe with 195 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,440 Speaker 1: all my heart it will elevate education overall. But what 196 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:40,559 Speaker 1: can we do? What are we doing that's inhibiting your 197 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:44,560 Speaker 1: ability to be innovative and to be competitive and to 198 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: provide your students with the best possible education. And they 199 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 1: talked a lot about Chapter twelve, which is the regulatory 200 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: piece of it. It was shall shall shall shall, and 201 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 1: you know we always add we never take off, and 202 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: ask if we would just relieve some of the burdensome 203 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 1: regulations that they have so they can have a little 204 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 1: bit more flexibility. And I said yes, and we did that. 205 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: And then the other thing they said is we can't 206 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 1: be competitive, especially in rural Iowa, when it comes to 207 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: our teacher salaries. And so we found some existing funds 208 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: quite a bit actually was one hundred million dollars that 209 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 1: they were setting on three hundred twenty million overall that 210 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 1: they can actually roll in not into administration, but into 211 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 1: teacher salaries to increase teacher salaries or use it to 212 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 1: hire additional teachers. And I think that also helped some 213 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 1: of my rule. Lawmakers feel a little bit more comfortable 214 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: with it, but that is certainly what we hear, especially 215 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 1: in Michigan but across the country, is that if you 216 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: pass school choice, that will hurt the public school system. 217 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 1: And so the narrative that they use is that if 218 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: you are a pro school choice, then you are anti 219 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:50,440 Speaker 1: public education. I think it's really important that you pointed 220 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 1: that out, that you actually were able to expand conversations 221 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 1: on public ed by talking about school choice. Yeah, and 222 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 1: same thing with the charter. That's a pub best through 223 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 1: the public schools. And I started out with my condition 224 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: of the state this year and said, you know this, 225 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 1: the media and the unions drive this hysteria. And you 226 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:11,560 Speaker 1: know when we passed I signed in the law my 227 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 1: third tax cut, Oh my god, state government was going 228 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: to collapse. I mean we were going to just destroy education. 229 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: The world was going to cease to exist. When I 230 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 1: got the kids back in the classroom and COVID, you know, 231 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 1: I was going to kill the kids. I was going 232 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: to kill the teachers. I got obituaries from teachers that 233 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 1: came to me, But mostly it was the unions that 234 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: were driving the narrative. And I've been able to point 235 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:35,560 Speaker 1: back to every single we passed collective bargaining reform in 236 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen that really minimized the union's ability. I mean, 237 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 1: they can only negotiate salaries and it's a three percent 238 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 1: or a cost of living race, whichever is lower, and 239 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:48,840 Speaker 1: then they can bargain other things, but those are they 240 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 1: both both sides have to agree. We can't paycheck protection 241 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 1: was a part of it in twenty seventeen, and then 242 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: they have to recertify every time they have to renegotiate 243 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:01,719 Speaker 1: a contract. So you were able to kind of eliminate 244 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:04,440 Speaker 1: a lot of that too, But same thing. I mean, 245 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 1: they just all of the same accusations, and I just 246 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 1: went through and kind of highlighted how at each point 247 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 1: we proved it wrong. You know, our economy is growing, 248 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: our revenues are higher. Even with a lot of the 249 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:24,120 Speaker 1: you know issues that we're facing from an aggressive administration, 250 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 1: we're still doing really well in Iowa. And so I 251 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:28,680 Speaker 1: just told them once again, we're going to prove the 252 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 1: media wrong. And that's what I think, Tutor, they're so 253 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 1: afraid of is the more states that are doing this, 254 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: that narrative that it's going to destroy the public school 255 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 1: system is going to be proved untrue, and then I 256 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 1: don't know what they have after that, because we're going 257 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: to be able to demonstrate with data that that's not true. Well, 258 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 1: I think in some cases there is a fear that 259 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:56,559 Speaker 1: if you are a government school you really are guaranteed 260 00:12:56,559 --> 00:12:59,440 Speaker 1: that income. You don't have to compete. And so there 261 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: are some areas. I mean, I know in Michigan, for sure, 262 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: we have some school systems that have been consistently at 263 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:09,160 Speaker 1: about a five percent literacy rate. What is the motivation 264 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 1: to increase that if you don't have any competition? And 265 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 1: I think this is something that Republicans have been trying 266 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 1: to say, but just parents have been trying to say, Well, 267 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: if I can't get it higher than five percent, give 268 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:22,679 Speaker 1: me the option to give my child a future. And 269 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 1: that is really key to these kids' lives. If you 270 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: can't read, what do you have? Yeah, and it can't 271 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:32,080 Speaker 1: just continue to pass them on. They have no accountability, 272 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:37,040 Speaker 1: there's no transparency. And what other area is competition not 273 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: a good thing? To your pointing, I act right, you know, 274 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: and so quit being fearful of that. We're going to 275 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 1: help you get in there. But get in there and 276 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 1: you know, and that's the other thing. If they know nothing, 277 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: they understand the money. And so now I mean we passed, 278 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 1: you know, said no to critical race theory. We've done 279 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: parental rights and we've done all of that. But the 280 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 1: best thing that we can do to the education, as 281 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 1: you know, is to give parents a choice. And as 282 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 1: those kids start to leave, they are going to have 283 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 1: to look at how they're providing that education and either 284 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 1: get in the game or they are not going to 285 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 1: cease to exist. And so they do understand dollars and 286 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 1: they do understand that they're going to have to other 287 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: game if they're going to be able to keep the 288 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 1: kids there. So that is just overall, will do more, 289 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 1: I believe, to drive opportunities for these kids and to 290 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: just set them up to be successful. That's our future. 291 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 1: You know, you want to give them every opportunity. Let's 292 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 1: take a quick break more with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. Next, 293 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Tutor Dixon Podcast. We continue our 294 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: conversation with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. You definitely have been 295 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 1: about making sure people have choice and people are successful 296 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: and that there is opportunity for folks over government. And 297 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: so in a way, I would say that you're really 298 00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 1: a proponent of smaller government, and you're proving that with 299 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: your this proposal that I think is a fifteen hundred 300 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 1: page proposal to reorganize state government but really make governments smaller. 301 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: So that scares people for some reason, Whenever we talk 302 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,480 Speaker 1: about making government smaller, people start to freak out that 303 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 1: they're going to lose something. Explain, how do you talk 304 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 1: to people about this and assure them that you're not 305 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: taking something away, that this will actually give back. Yeah, 306 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: it's actually streamlining the whole process. I mean, I feel 307 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: sorry for take for example, we started by an MU 308 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: and then we codified in the language this year the 309 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: Department of Public Health and Human Services, and the amount 310 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 1: of doors that an individual had to go through to 311 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:40,680 Speaker 1: try to get the services, to try to have the 312 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 1: accountability and to be able to serve and was ridiculous. 313 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 1: You know, these individuals, these moms, these dads, you know, 314 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:50,160 Speaker 1: they're trying to survive and trying to put food on 315 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: the table and do the best that they can, and 316 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:54,280 Speaker 1: they don't have the time to do that. We had 317 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 1: over a hundred professional licensing functions that were spread over 318 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 1: eleven different agencies. We had one hundred workforce programs that 319 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 1: again were spread over a different one eleven different agencies. 320 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 1: That's not got good government. There's duplication and every time 321 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 1: there's duplication, there's cost to the taxpayers. And which you know, 322 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 1: it's too big, it's government's too big, it's too expensive, 323 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 1: and it's too fragmented. And so in Iowa, I'm so 324 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: proud to say it just passed. So it's on its 325 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:25,040 Speaker 1: way down to my desk. Wonderful. Yeah, we're going to 326 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: take the executive branch, which I have control over, had 327 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: thirty seven executive branch agencies. Crazy, I mean, we were 328 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 1: bigger than every one of the surrounding states when I 329 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: and we're going down to sixteen, So thirty seven down 330 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: to sixteen. And we brought it, we brought into consultant 331 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: to help us go through this. We've been working on 332 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 1: this since June of last year, so we've been very 333 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 1: strategic and how we did it. But here was the 334 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 1: final kicker when I found out that Illinois, we spent 335 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 1: twenty one hundred dollars more allocated as an expenditure per 336 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: capita than Illinois, who is four times our size of 337 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:09,440 Speaker 1: the four times the size of Iowa and not really 338 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:12,919 Speaker 1: known for their conservative budgeting practices. I mean, it was 339 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:16,439 Speaker 1: like underscore, underscore, we are way out of line. And 340 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 1: it had been forty years since we have done a system, 341 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: a system wide enterprise review, and so I'm really excited. 342 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:29,160 Speaker 1: It's projected to save and I think this is probably 343 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:31,720 Speaker 1: on the conservative side, about two hundred and fourteen million 344 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 1: dollars over four years, So it will save significant money. 345 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:39,680 Speaker 1: We'll get that back to the taxpayers, and I will 346 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:41,879 Speaker 1: be able to actually have a cabinet meeting where we 347 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 1: can set down and talk about strategies. And so I 348 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 1: know without hesitation that we are going to continue to 349 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 1: streamline because I've seen it happen just in the conversations 350 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 1: that we've had leading up to going from thirty seven 351 00:17:55,440 --> 00:18:00,080 Speaker 1: down to sixteen. But oh my goodness, you know, in 352 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:04,359 Speaker 1: the hosteria and the pushback, the you know, the other side, 353 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 1: you know, they were like, I'm controlling, I'm being more controlling. 354 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 1: I'm going I said, I'm going from thirty seven down 355 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,399 Speaker 1: to sixteen. I don't know how you can say that. 356 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 1: I can't. It doesn't really exactly. That's the thing you'll 357 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: find a way to make it look bad. So but 358 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 1: so now I said, okay, team, I set them down 359 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 1: and I said, we got it done. So now we 360 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 1: got we got to execute. But we've got a really 361 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:30,160 Speaker 1: good plan in place to move that through. And so 362 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,919 Speaker 1: I'm really excited. And then just real quick, we just 363 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 1: have too much government overall, and so I knew that 364 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: I delete by example, and I needed to get our 365 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:40,919 Speaker 1: house in order before we would start to have that 366 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 1: conversation with our local governments. Because if we want to 367 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 1: be more competitive and continue to reduce the tax burden 368 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:51,120 Speaker 1: on Iowa's we just we can't continue to fund government 369 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 1: at the level that we are. And so hopefully I 370 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 1: can lead by example and go talk to some local 371 00:18:56,119 --> 00:19:00,359 Speaker 1: governments and start that process. And I think that people 372 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 1: are getting to know you. And as you talk, especially today, 373 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 1: as that people are listening, they can see that you're 374 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 1: just very reasonable. It's just very easy to talk to you. 375 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: It's very easy to understand. And so I really believe 376 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:14,359 Speaker 1: that this is why so many people have floated the 377 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:17,679 Speaker 1: idea of you being on the ticket with someone in 378 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:21,959 Speaker 1: twenty four I mean, just honestly, is that flattering? I mean, 379 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,359 Speaker 1: what do you think of that when people say that, Oh, well, okay, 380 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 1: I'm gonna tell you what I think. I mean, I 381 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 1: think it's great for Iowa. So I always come back 382 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:34,439 Speaker 1: to that perspective. It's just doing things like this. It 383 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: helps kind of get Iowa on the map. A lot 384 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 1: of times. We're a small state in the heartland of America, 385 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 1: and I feel like I'm up on the Capitol Dome 386 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 1: like just waving my hands, say look at what we're 387 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 1: doing here. We've got great things happening. And you know, 388 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 1: they just tend to talk about the larger states. They 389 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 1: think they about got Texas and Florida, and we have 390 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:57,239 Speaker 1: mimicked so many and lead honestly on so many of 391 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:01,959 Speaker 1: the policies, whether it's selection, integrity reform, or esays you know, 392 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:06,720 Speaker 1: we lad this year and Sarah Sanders is following in Arkansas. 393 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 1: We've got Utah, You've got Greg a lot of people 394 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 1: following suits. So I think it's helping just people take 395 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 1: a look at what we are doing in Iowa. If 396 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:21,119 Speaker 1: that's part of the conversation, I'm okay with that. But 397 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:23,920 Speaker 1: I'm really truly, really focused on what we're doing here. 398 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 1: I got to keep cutting taxes because fifteen of my 399 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:30,160 Speaker 1: governor colleagues have tax cuts in their proposal this year. 400 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:33,440 Speaker 1: So I've got to We've got to come back next 401 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 1: year and continue to look for ways to bring that down. 402 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:38,160 Speaker 1: I'm trying to get to zero. Oh my gosh, and 403 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: I think I just read we're Michigan is repealing right 404 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:45,200 Speaker 1: to work? Yeah, yeah, isn't that terrible? It's so sad. 405 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 1: Forty years I mean this has happened. It's been forty 406 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 1: years since. I mean, it's just everybody's heading in the 407 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 1: opposite direction. It's so sad, it's it's terrible. I mean, 408 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: we have that, we have you know, they're talking about 409 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 1: taking away immunity for gun stores and gun manufacturers. These 410 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: are things that I think that some of these bills 411 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: go through and people go, oh, that sounds, you know, 412 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 1: their favorite term common sense to me. But then you 413 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:12,720 Speaker 1: dig in and there's these other crazy things in there. 414 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:15,680 Speaker 1: I mean, imagine, are we going to say that suddenly 415 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:20,159 Speaker 1: the potato chip manufacturers are going to be held liable 416 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:21,480 Speaker 1: if you have a heart attack? Are you going to 417 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 1: say that car manufacturers are going to be held liable 418 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 1: if you have a car accident? I mean this is 419 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 1: some crazy stuff, but this is what they are very 420 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 1: good at twisting it into making people believe that you 421 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 1: have to do this, and so removing right to work 422 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:38,040 Speaker 1: is really going to hurt the state of Michigan. And 423 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: I think that Michigan and Iowa are similar. In the 424 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:45,359 Speaker 1: center of the country, it's very Midwestern. You really understand 425 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:48,640 Speaker 1: the average American person and what they need, and so 426 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 1: I think that is also why there's such an attraction 427 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:54,440 Speaker 1: to the state of Iowa. But in Iowa, you're also 428 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 1: very focused on mental health and especially children's mental health. 429 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:00,679 Speaker 1: That to me, I really want to get into with 430 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:02,840 Speaker 1: you because it was a big deal to me. I 431 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 1: watched what my kids went through during the pandemic, and 432 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 1: I tell this story because it was so shocking to me. 433 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 1: I have four girls, and at the end of the pandemic, 434 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:13,959 Speaker 1: you know, we were in Michigan, locked into our homes 435 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 1: and so people. The kids couldn't go out at all. 436 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:18,680 Speaker 1: And I think that because I could go to the 437 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: grocery store, I sort of forgot about the fact that 438 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 1: the girls are really trapped together in the house. And 439 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 1: my daughter, my oldest at the time, she was ten, 440 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:28,639 Speaker 1: and I was putting her to bed and she started 441 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:31,359 Speaker 1: crying and I said, what's wrong and she said, Mom, 442 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:35,360 Speaker 1: I think this is what depression feels like. That hit 443 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: our kids so much harder than we really ever could understand. 444 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,920 Speaker 1: So how are you looking at this differently in Iowa, 445 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 1: because we really as a country need to examine mental 446 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:49,280 Speaker 1: health and our kids mental health. Yeah, especially what we did. 447 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:51,159 Speaker 1: You know, what we did to them, because it was 448 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 1: just self inflicted on them. And that's why we were 449 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 1: one of the first states to get our kids back 450 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 1: in the classroom. And I even you know, I did 451 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:03,120 Speaker 1: it by by order and then I had the legislature 452 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:05,439 Speaker 1: take it up and ran up through the legislature because 453 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:08,199 Speaker 1: I knew that it would have more weight by doing that. 454 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 1: I didn't want to keep the health order going for 455 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:15,679 Speaker 1: any longer than I needed to because they could just 456 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:18,199 Speaker 1: you could, you know, the governors used that as a 457 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:21,920 Speaker 1: way to really hurt the people that they served, to 458 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:24,879 Speaker 1: really let government step into areas that they shouldn't have 459 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 1: done that. But but it's still it's still a need, 460 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: even though we got the kids back in and so 461 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 1: I am really it's been a passion of mine from 462 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:36,080 Speaker 1: the very beginning. We work to get a comprehensive adult 463 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:39,880 Speaker 1: mental health reform done. And then I recognized the fact 464 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:41,920 Speaker 1: that we didn't even have a children's health system. And 465 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: what I found out is they've been talking about it. 466 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:45,640 Speaker 1: This isn't what they do. They like to talk about 467 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,119 Speaker 1: an issue, but never deal with it because then it 468 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:51,439 Speaker 1: goes away, you know. So they've been talking for twenty 469 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:55,400 Speaker 1: years about standing up a children's mental health system, and 470 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 1: I put a task force together. It gave them one 471 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 1: hundred days, asked them to to figure out how we 472 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:04,440 Speaker 1: can stand up a system so we have a continuum 473 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:07,399 Speaker 1: of care and hopefully we can get these kids the 474 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,400 Speaker 1: services that they need early on so that they can 475 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 1: have every opportunity to have a healthy and a happy life. 476 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:18,760 Speaker 1: And we were able. So we gave the recommendations and 477 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: then I put it in bill form again and took 478 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:25,840 Speaker 1: it through the legislature to give Iowan's the opportunity to 479 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:29,400 Speaker 1: weigh in and to make sure that everybody was heard. 480 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:31,040 Speaker 1: And we were able to stand that up. And I 481 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 1: want to tell you, which just doesn't happen very often. 482 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:38,960 Speaker 1: It passed unanimously in the Iowa legislature in both chambers. 483 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 1: So I'm very proud of that too, but we've also 484 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:48,120 Speaker 1: we've provided mental health parity for telehealth, which was really important. 485 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 1: We made our schools a site of service and what 486 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:57,560 Speaker 1: that means is they can provide on site professionals and 487 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:00,920 Speaker 1: they can get reimbursed for it that something that wasn't 488 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:04,000 Speaker 1: done and so we have some therapist or they can 489 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:07,320 Speaker 1: use telehealth to either one. But it's really been a 490 00:25:07,359 --> 00:25:09,680 Speaker 1: really positive thing, not only for the kids but for 491 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 1: the teachers and the families because the families are comfortable 492 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,480 Speaker 1: going to a school and so and we're able to 493 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:20,400 Speaker 1: meet all the hippop so our mom and dad involved 494 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:23,959 Speaker 1: in that, because I think that's been for sure. Oh no, no, no, 495 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:27,680 Speaker 1: for sure, we were very very they're driving it, they're 496 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:30,520 Speaker 1: the ones that are and not all of them have it. 497 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,119 Speaker 1: But it's an option, it's it's it's gone very well 498 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:35,560 Speaker 1: in the schools that we've been able to do it. 499 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 1: And then just mis spent just some training, some put 500 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:42,639 Speaker 1: some dollars into training teachers so that they can identify 501 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:45,280 Speaker 1: the early warning signs. But yeah, so then we go 502 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 1: to the other side of how they've kind of trying 503 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:50,120 Speaker 1: to take parents out of the child's education and on 504 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:53,199 Speaker 1: one of the decisions that are being made on that 505 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:55,360 Speaker 1: a parent should be making. And so this year we're 506 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 1: putting in all kinds of protections to make sure that 507 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:01,479 Speaker 1: that's not happening as well. And we did that with 508 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: the Mental health peace too. It has to be driven 509 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:07,160 Speaker 1: by the parent, it can't be driven by the schools. 510 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,520 Speaker 1: So the last thing I want to go over really 511 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:15,200 Speaker 1: quick with you is Republican Governor's Association because one of 512 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 1: the things you said at the beginning was when someone's running, 513 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:20,879 Speaker 1: you know they can talk to other people. They're not 514 00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:23,359 Speaker 1: doing this alone. And that was what I thought was 515 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 1: so fascinating when I was running, because here we were 516 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,639 Speaker 1: able to meet and there's so much access. The governors 517 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:32,359 Speaker 1: at those meetings are so willing to sit and talk 518 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 1: to you. That to me was amazing to think that 519 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 1: these people who are so powerful are willing to sit 520 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:40,880 Speaker 1: with you and say what questions do you have? And 521 00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:44,240 Speaker 1: so when I was talking to folks across the state 522 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:46,959 Speaker 1: of Michigan and they were saying, how was it that 523 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:50,480 Speaker 1: these Red states were doing different things during COVID, I 524 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:52,800 Speaker 1: was able to say, Hey, I've talked to these governors 525 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:55,919 Speaker 1: and they were talking, they were communicating, so tell us 526 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 1: a little bit about that, because I think people think 527 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 1: everybody is doing this on their own and not communicating. 528 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:05,240 Speaker 1: But the Republican governors really do talk and we're making 529 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 1: decisions together about a lot of these things. Such a 530 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 1: tight knit organization, organization. And to your point, you know, 531 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 1: I've got the cell phones of all of them, So 532 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:16,880 Speaker 1: not only during COVID, and I mean these were long days. 533 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:19,440 Speaker 1: I was out of the State Emergency Operations Center. We 534 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:22,639 Speaker 1: started there early in the morning and worked late in 535 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:24,760 Speaker 1: to night and to the night, and I would either 536 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:26,639 Speaker 1: take the call there or when I got home or 537 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:28,800 Speaker 1: on the way home. But at least twice a week 538 00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 1: we would do a late night conference call. I would 539 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:34,600 Speaker 1: say probably around eight o'clock a lot of times because 540 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:37,160 Speaker 1: all the governors were doing press conference, are still working 541 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:39,280 Speaker 1: on things. Maybe sometimes seven thirty or eight. A lot 542 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:41,439 Speaker 1: of times too. We would be on the phone for 543 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 1: an hour and a half to two hours, and you know, 544 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:46,320 Speaker 1: it was just it was hitting different stages at different 545 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:48,879 Speaker 1: times and different parts of the country, and to be 546 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:51,480 Speaker 1: able to get their feedback on what they were seeing, 547 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:54,520 Speaker 1: the data that they were collecting, where they were finding 548 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 1: testing supplies, how they were standing up testing opportunities how 549 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:03,000 Speaker 1: we were keeping you know, and I we produced ten 550 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:05,720 Speaker 1: percent of the nation's food supply, and so it was 551 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:08,960 Speaker 1: impairing that I kept my processing plans up and going. 552 00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:11,640 Speaker 1: But I wanted the employees to know that they were 553 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 1: in a safe environment. So I needed some way to test, 554 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:16,560 Speaker 1: you know, so that when they went in they felt 555 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: comfortable and safe to be able to keep it open 556 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:22,640 Speaker 1: and to keep the food supply chain moving. But it 557 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:27,480 Speaker 1: was invaluable to be able to have that resource, to 558 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:32,160 Speaker 1: have that open conversation, and you know, where you could 559 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 1: it was safe zone too, you could be really honest 560 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:37,520 Speaker 1: about what you were seeing and what was working and 561 00:28:37,560 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 1: what wasn't and so and that's just that's just typical. 562 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 1: We'd do it with the what's happening at the southern border. 563 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: You know, I have so much respect for Governor Abbott 564 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: and then Governor Ducey, you know, trying to lead a 565 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:53,280 Speaker 1: state at the same time where your border is open 566 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 1: and you just have millions of illegal migrants coming across 567 00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 1: the border, the drugs, the human trafficking. I mean, I 568 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 1: don't even know how you know, good team, you said 569 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:05,760 Speaker 1: it earlier. You better surround yourself with the best and 570 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:08,240 Speaker 1: the brightest, but to be able to help with them, 571 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:10,960 Speaker 1: and we sent law enforcement down We've had our National 572 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:13,920 Speaker 1: Guard down there. But a lot of coordination with all 573 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 1: the governors from that perspective as well. And just even 574 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 1: if you've got a question about an issue that you're 575 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 1: working on, you know, I would Pete Rickets. I would 576 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:27,160 Speaker 1: pick up the phone and I would say, Pete, how 577 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 1: are you handling? And we worked really closely during COVID 578 00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:34,479 Speaker 1: because we're so connected with the Omaha and the Council 579 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 1: Bluffs area, and so we didn't want to make decisions 580 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:42,360 Speaker 1: that would you know, hurt his residence or mind because 581 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 1: we were so connected. So our chief oft staff and 582 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:46,920 Speaker 1: Pete and I were a lot of times just hey, 583 00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:49,240 Speaker 1: this is I'm thinking about I'm going to open the 584 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:51,480 Speaker 1: restaurants back up. This is wrong. We've got to put 585 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:53,560 Speaker 1: our trust in the same thing. And just to kind 586 00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 1: of time it so that we were moving forward. I 587 00:29:57,200 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: love this. I just have to interrupt because I love 588 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:04,160 Speaker 1: the because I think that people listen to what the 589 00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:06,560 Speaker 1: media was saying. And you have the media coming out 590 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 1: and saying, oh, Governor Kemp is going to kill everybody. 591 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:12,040 Speaker 1: Abbott's going to kill everybody. This is outrageous. Florida is 592 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: going to kill everybody. And there was no discussion that 593 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:20,840 Speaker 1: these were actually data filled conversations about what actually was happening. 594 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: The people who were in charge managing this were having 595 00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:28,040 Speaker 1: those conversations back and forth. It was not willy nilly 596 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 1: discussions of let's see if we open restaurants. What happened? 597 00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 1: You were watching every state and how this was moving 598 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 1: across the country. And I think that's something people really 599 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:40,160 Speaker 1: have never heard. Yeah, no, honestly. And then even when 600 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 1: we brought in the test Iowa, the new program that 601 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:45,200 Speaker 1: we were able to do. It had a robust data collection. 602 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 1: I could tell you down to the zip code where 603 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:49,000 Speaker 1: we was starting to see a flare up and then 604 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: we could get in front of it quicker and just 605 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: to be able to share that conversation or to have 606 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 1: it start on the east and the west coast and 607 00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:57,720 Speaker 1: then kind of move in and then it went across 608 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 1: and you know, I mean just the steria driven by 609 00:31:01,560 --> 00:31:03,720 Speaker 1: the media, you know, And we did a daily press 610 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 1: conference and we were just honest with Iowans, here's where 611 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:10,520 Speaker 1: we're at, and here's what we're seeing, and this is 612 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:13,920 Speaker 1: what we're doing. And you know, I have people to 613 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:17,000 Speaker 1: this day, tutor. No matter where I go, I have 614 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:22,120 Speaker 1: just people come up and say, I never missed your 615 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:25,400 Speaker 1: press conference. We went through it together. We would stop 616 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:29,360 Speaker 1: everything and tune in, and you know, I got choked 617 00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:31,800 Speaker 1: up at one of them. It must have been some 618 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:35,120 Speaker 1: really bad data. And I was so mad at myself 619 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:37,680 Speaker 1: when I got done with the press conference, because I 620 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 1: felt like they needed to see their governor be strong 621 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 1: and to be able to deal with this, and I 622 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 1: felt like I had let Iowan's down, and I had 623 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:50,360 Speaker 1: just the opposite. I had people calling in, sending tech 624 00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:54,120 Speaker 1: sending emails and just saying, we recognized at that point 625 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:57,560 Speaker 1: that you were in Iowa, just like we were going 626 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:02,240 Speaker 1: through this together, and you're making the best decisions that 627 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:04,480 Speaker 1: you can make based on the data that you have. 628 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:07,320 Speaker 1: So you'll appreciate this because that wasn't the case with 629 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:10,080 Speaker 1: your governor at the time. But this isn't my this 630 00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 1: isn't my natural hair color. So you know, when the 631 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 1: salons were shut down and I said to my husband, 632 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:20,360 Speaker 1: I said, keV, you're not to color my hair. I said, 633 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:24,440 Speaker 1: I can't. You know, the stripe is getting whiter and whiter. 634 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:26,000 Speaker 1: And you know, I'm not going to break a rule. 635 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 1: I'm not going to do something. You know, I'm obliged 636 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:30,800 Speaker 1: by the same rules. And so boy he went down 637 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:33,959 Speaker 1: and he googled it and like a YouTube, and he 638 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:36,479 Speaker 1: had gloves in the dish and we got the stuff 639 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 1: and and so as he's trying to do it, I said, Okay, 640 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:41,880 Speaker 1: now here's the bad news, Kevin. I am going to 641 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:45,160 Speaker 1: have to take a picture of you post it because 642 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:48,160 Speaker 1: otherwise I really will believe that I didn't have you 643 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:51,360 Speaker 1: do my hair. My number one post of all times 644 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:55,040 Speaker 1: of anything I've done was the fact that my husband 645 00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:57,719 Speaker 1: agreed to color my hair and then let me take 646 00:32:57,760 --> 00:32:59,760 Speaker 1: a picture of him and post it on Facebook. But 647 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:04,880 Speaker 1: you know, I think Iowan's knew that I was putting 648 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 1: my trust in them, and if I did something, it 649 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:08,920 Speaker 1: was it was based on the unknown at the time. 650 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:12,200 Speaker 1: But bye, guysh whatever I did, I I was going 651 00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:14,400 Speaker 1: to live under the same rules that I was asking 652 00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 1: them to do so anyway, and that's why they put 653 00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:21,360 Speaker 1: That's why they put their trust in you. And honestly, 654 00:33:22,640 --> 00:33:25,680 Speaker 1: I know this is a sensitive subject, but that is 655 00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:28,240 Speaker 1: why so many people have their eyes on you. Right now, 656 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 1: and we're just watching to see what you do next, 657 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:32,920 Speaker 1: because I know you really care and I know you're 658 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:35,360 Speaker 1: really looking for the right solution. And I just love 659 00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:38,000 Speaker 1: that you said I had a task force to put 660 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:40,240 Speaker 1: together and gave them a hundred days. And that's the 661 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:41,920 Speaker 1: type of thing that we want to hear. You have 662 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:44,600 Speaker 1: the team, you have, the people working on the stuff. 663 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:47,719 Speaker 1: That's what makes you so unique. And the fact that 664 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 1: you can connect emotionally, the fact that you can share 665 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:54,960 Speaker 1: a picture like that, that is truly being an American 666 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:57,600 Speaker 1: and that's why we love you. So I just want 667 00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:00,160 Speaker 1: you to know that I appreciate what you've done, I 668 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:02,960 Speaker 1: appreciate knowing you, and I'm so thankful that you joined 669 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:06,040 Speaker 1: me today on this podcast. Thank you and right back 670 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:09,200 Speaker 1: at you, so you keep being you, keep doing you, 671 00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:11,520 Speaker 1: and just best of luck on your podcast. I know 672 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:14,040 Speaker 1: it's going to be a huge success. So thanks for 673 00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:16,960 Speaker 1: giving me the opportunity. Governor Kim Reynolds, thank you all 674 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:19,759 Speaker 1: for joining us today on the Tutor Dickson Podcast. For 675 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:23,799 Speaker 1: this episode and others, go to Tutor Dickson podcast dot com. 676 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:26,279 Speaker 1: You can subscribe right there. Join me next time on 677 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:29,000 Speaker 1: the Tutor Dixson Podcast. And have a great day.