Branstad Moves Occupy Iowa Off Statehouse Grounds

Smack dab in the middle of the country, surrounded by harvested corn and bean fields, cities in Iowa are experiencing their version of Occupy Wall Street. Occupy Iowa came to Des Moines and promptly found that Gov. Branstad was willing to be fair, but not be taken advantage of.

Occupy Iowa brought its protests and sleeping bags to the statehouse lawn. They broke the existing curfew law and 30 were arrested on Sunday night. They obtained a permit for three days for the statehouse lawn, and all was well.

On Friday evening, the permit ran out, and they were told they would have to leave. Occupy Iowa instantly became upset. They thought they were being put upon by the governor. Branstad told them that the policy for this kind of event was a permit for three days. He went on to say that the State House was for everyone, and not for one group to take control of.

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie offered Occupy Iowa use of Stewart Square instead. He gave them a permit that would last until eleven pm Thursday night. Not all of Occupy Iowa was happy with the decision, but it saved a lot of them from being arrested again.

The three-day permit limit is nothing new. Gov. Branstad said that the limits have been around for decades. This seems to be a fair way to handle protests. Apparently most of Occupy Iowa was content with the decision. They had their tents moved and set up again in three hours at Stewart Square.

Iowa's version of Occupy Wall Street may be unorthodox compared to other cities. They are, for the most part, following the law and cleaning up after themselves. Next to New York City's filthy streets and extensive camp-outs by protesters, Branstad and Cownie handled this situation as well as anyone could do.

The compromise between Governor Branstad, Mayor Cownie and Occupy Iowa should show us all something. There can be compromise and there can be solutions, no group gets everything they want and no group loses everything. Too bad all the Occupy Wall Street protests can't be negotiated in a similar fashion.

Des Moines Register