That campaign phrase from five presidential election cycles ago rings true for us Iowans after two weeks of ratcheted rhetoric from both sides of the wind energy tax credit argument. The campaigns of President Barack Obama and Republican standard-bearer Mitt Romney have brought to the nation’s attention the issue of whether to extend the federal Wind Energy Production Tax Credit. No state stands to benefit more than Iowa should the tax credit be extended. And no state economy would suffer more should Congress allow the credit to expire.

Some 200 of approximately 400 wind turbine component manufacturers and wind-related businesses in America are in Iowa, according to the Iowa Wind Energy Association (IWEA). Credible estimates attribute up to 7,000 full-time Iowa jobs to those companies.

All of Iowa benefits from wind energy because while the turbine manufacturers are located primarily in eastern and central Iowa, the wind farms are in rural Iowa, primarily in the northern and western parts of our state. Wind energy is economic development in Iowa.

According to IWEA Executive Director Harold Prior: “In 2008, Iowa ranked fifth in capacity. Today we’re number two, only behind Texas.”

In my 30 years of practicing energy law, I have never witnessed growth like wind energy’s growth over the past decade.

Regrettably, Washington’s zero-sum game of politics has effectively stopped wind energy development in Iowa and elsewhere. Because Congress hasn’t extended the Production Tax Credit for wind generation owners, no turbine sales are projected in the U.S. for the next year. None! Without the tax credit, the wind industry will not grow. Investors are waiting to see what Congress does.

While Congress waits, Iowa suffers. On Aug. 20, Cedar Rapids wind energy manufacturer Clipper Windpower laid off 174 employees, reducing its work force by a third.

Led by Charles Grassley, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee recently approved an extension of the tax credit on a bipartisan 19-5 vote. Even if the full Senate takes up the extension after its August recess, the House of Representatives won’t discuss an extension until after the November election. The best hope of moving forward wind energy is a lame duck Congress – not much comfort there.

The wind energy industry isn’t looking for a long-term handout from Washington. Experts believe it needs about five more years of federal tax incentives to be able to stand on its own.

When you cut through the political charges and counterattacks, Obama and Romney both support producing more domestic energy. Obama favors the wind tax credits and promotes an “all-of-the-above” strategy of increasing wind, solar, nuclear, natural gas and clean coal energy.

Romney opposes the tax credit and wants to expand nuclear, create a pipeline for oil from Canada, and streamline regulation to allow more domestic production of traditional energy, including coal, oil and natural gas.

No matter whom you support, tell their teams that Iowa needs the extension of federal wind energy tax credits — now.

Sheila Tipton is a shareholder at Belin McCormick P.C. She represents energy, telecommunications and water public utilities and other business entities. She can be reached at sktipton@belinmccormick.com