There's no real justice in Iowa politics

They're going to drag this out as long as they can, I said.

"Probably," Bob Mette said.

Bob mentioned that Mike receives letters from people who've read about his plight and that Mike wouldn't mind getting a few more, if you want to write to him. So here's how you can do it. Bob asked me not to publish the address of the prison -- most of the prisoners don't know his son is a former cop and inmates get newspapers -- but they don't have Internet privileges. So if you wish to write to Mike Mette, you can find his address at mikemettedefensefund.com.

"It would cheer him up to get some more letters," Bob said. "Make sure you fill it out with his inmate number. That's on the Web site. You have to put your name and return address, otherwise [Iowa prison officials] won't deliver it."

And don't send books, magazines or newspapers; Mike can't receive them from casual pen pals.

"He gets a lot of letters and keeps them in a lockbox," Bob said. "He responds, but he only gets so many envelopes a week."

I asked Bob whether he followed the politicians in Iowa, since the presidential candidates insisted they care about the little guy, the taxpayer, the fellow without clout. Mike isn't some Senator's son, and proves it every day, by waking up behind bars.

"No, I don't follow what the politicians say," Bob told me. "I don't expect them to stick their neck out. They're politicians. If they don't have to stick their neck out, they won't. That's politics. They'll tell you what they want you to hear until they get elected, then it's over."

Like Iowa.

----------

jskass@tribune.com