My parents live in Ames, IA and the #Derecho took out their power on Monday. They still don't have power today, and they've been told it may not come back until Monday.

My parents are almost 70 years old and have pre-existing conditions. The layers of state failure are maddening

The power has been gone for so long that the've had to throw out food in their refrigerator and their deep freeze. They spend so much time clipping coupons and poring over grocery store ads to buy food cheap and store it, and now that's all gone, in the trash.

My parents also grow an incredible garden full of okra, squash, tomatoes, chilis, and more. They give most of it away, but they keep a deep freeze full to eat all through the winter.

All that work is now gone, in the trash, because the state has failed them.

My parents also have an electric stove, so they can't even make coffee, let alone boil a pot of water for rice. They've had to go to Panera to buy coffee and bagels.

My parents are both immuno-compromised and old and they're being forced out daily in a #COVID19 hotspot.

Of course our neighbors are all helping each other out. My parents are old, but they helped our neighbors clear downed trees as much as they could, and their neighbors with gas stoves have brought over frozen pizzas and brats they've grilled.

My parents shouldn't have to be a WEEK without power. They shouldn't be forced to go out every day to get food and going to get food shouldn't be a life or death danger.

While Trump deploys the national guard to suppress protests, there is no disaster response to #Derecho in IA.

While @KimReynoldsIA makes all of Iowa a #COVID19 hotspot through inaction, while @joniernst and Trump do nothing but defund the post office and elections to suppress the vote and steal the election, the ruling party can't even CONCEIVE of helping people like my parents.

The layers of state failure that my parents have to wade through are insane.

1. They haven't had power, phone, or internet for a week.
2. They can't have refrigerated food in the house.
3. Forced out by govt failure, they could get a deadly disease bc of another govt failure.

Trump, @SenJoniErnst, and @KimReynoldsIA have no interest or ability to meet the needs of the people they are supposed to represent and handling #Derecho or #COVID19. They're focused on suppressing the vote to steal the election instead of responding to #COVID19 or #Derecho.