Tom Steyer visits Hampton

Presidential hopeful Tom Steyer met with potential supporters in Hampton on Saturday, January 4 for a meet-and-greet at Rustic Brew.

Though delayed by poor roads, Steyer was met by a packed room of locals interested in asking questions of the candidate and seeing what he has to say about the issues of the day.

While an oft made criticism of the government is that it isn't working Steyer offered a slightly different perspective.

"I think the corporations have bought the government," said Steyer. "They're doing a very good job of serving the corporations that bought them."

A self-made billionaire himself, Steyer sold his stake in his investment firm in 2012 and has since then worked on a non-profit organization that tries to combat corporate influence in the government by registering and encouraging more people to vote.

"The only answer is more participation and more democracy," said Steyer. "With the help of people like you, we can beat the corporations."

One of systematic changes Steyer would like to see in government in the implementation of 12-year term limits in Congress. While acknowledging that, as president, he wouldn't actually have the ability to enact such a change himself, it's his hope that his election would serve as a mandate for congress to pass a law imposing term limits on themselves.

"It has to start with Americans agreeing in a presidential election to change our government," said Steyer.

Along with limiting corporate influence, Steyer is heavily focused on the environment and making corrective measures to combat climate change.

"If the United States does not lead, it isn't going to happen," said Steyer. "We've got to put our house in order very fast so we can convince people to join us."

Steyer plans to tap leaders of both rural and urban communities to come together to find solutions that work without placing excessive burdens on the economy such as focusing on renewable energy production.

"We will do it in a way that makes millions of good paying union jobs," said Steyer.

On a related subject, Steyer was heavily critical of President Donald Trump's handling of the economy, particularly regarding the 2017 tax cuts that have largely benefited the wealthy.

"It isn't prosperity if the economy grows and all the extra money goes to the rich people," said Steyer. "The ability to start in a low income family and move up has almost ended."

Likewise, Steyer was also dissatisfied with how President Trump has engaged with China in a trade war.

"He has been devastating to the agricultural economy. Especially to Iowa farmers," said Steyer, who feels that the tariffs have done nothing but cause China to entrench in their policies at the expense of American consumers.

"I would get rid of the tariffs that Trump put on in the first day," said Steyer. "If you're in a hole, stop digging."

Instead of unilateral tariffs, Steyer would work with other economic allies to impose sanctions on China to pressure them into changing their practices.

"What we need to do is build a coalition and go through the World Trade Organization," said Steyer.

As one of several candidates remaining in the ever crowded field, Steyer is working to qualify for next week's Democratic debate in Des Moines. Following his meet-and-greet in Hampton, Steyer headed for his next event in Mason City.

"I'm encouraged by him," said Sonja Vosburg, "He's a different kind of candidate. He sees the big picture."

That said, Vosburg said she isn't yet ready to declare support for any candidate in particular.

"You try to listen to everybody that gets close," said Vosburg.