To the editor:

As a parent, when my kids acted up in a store or restaurant, I always believed that you should not reward bad behavior. If you give in to their demands when they are acting inappropriately, you reinforce the behavior and almost assuredly have to deal with it again very soon.

We in House District 9 need to decide if we are going to reward bad behavior in the form of negative campaigning regardless of political affiliation. I never hear anyone say that they like all the negative mailers and advertising they see. In fact, almost everyone I speak with (regardless of party) hates this part of every campaign season. Yet we wonder why it happens and who would spend the money to produce all of this garbage.

Recently filed campaign contribution disclosures from the Charles Clayton campaign tell you exactly where the money is coming from and begs the question why so many people in coastal states want to have a say in the Iowa House race. Reviewing the 370 plus pages of the report, you would be lucky to find one in 50 contributions coming from within our district.

That said, do we want this outside money from 1,000 miles away influencing our local elections? Do we want this outside money contributing to the vitriol of campaigns? Do we want a software developer from Oakland or a lawyer from New York having influence over our Iowa House District 9 representative?

If you answered no to any of these questions, your response should be to not reward bad behavior. Clearly, the reward they seek is to put Charles Clayton in the state House, but our response should be to stay out of Iowa politics. You can deliver that message with a vote for Ann Meyer.

Barb and Joe Vonsak

Fort Dodge