2017
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While Dems Push Public Option, Kim Reynolds Paralyzed On Privatized Medicaid
Governor Kim Reynolds stubbornly refuses to act as her Medicaid privatization is spiraling into a total meltdown. She seems paralyzed, unwilling or unable to take action to solve this looming healthcare emergency. Even the Republicans in the Legislature are now admitting that privatization is in crisis. The legislative oversight committee met recently and Republicans joined…
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What Will Congress And Trump Do In 2018?
The second session of the 115th Congress begins January 3 of 2018. Given the trials and tribulations of the 1st session of the 115th, what might the next year bring? Frankly, any comments are based upon speculation, but here are a few I think might be on the table. 1. I know this seems nuts to many,…
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Let’s Give Our Farmers Another Shot At Diplomacy In Korean Crisis
A new year is just around the corner. But instead of tipping a celebratory glass of champagne on New Year’s Eve, a big tumbler filed with Maalox seems more appropriate this time. For all of the optimism that usually accompanies a new year, the arrival of 2018 is being dogged by anxiety about war breaking…
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With Zach Wahls And More, Iowa Dems’ Future Is On The Ballot In 2018
Few elections have ever held more longterm consequences for a state than the upcoming 2018 races in Iowa. A few of the issues at stake: the survival of public unions and Planned Parenthood, the existence of mental healthcare services, and the state’s own political identity as a purple or red state. Iowa could soon become…
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A Holiday Test For Your Trump-Loving Uncle Bob
In his first year as President, Trump has come under criticism for his outrageous tweets, insults, serial lying and flip flopping on issues. While Trump’s popularity numbers have declined, he has maintained a solid minority that are unwavering in their support. What would it take to convince these hardcore Trump loyalists that he is a…
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Iowa Sets Next Special Election: January 16 In Sioux City
Who’s ready for yet another special election? The Iowa Legislature will see its sixth race to fill an open seat since the 2016 election in January, this one in Sioux City for House District 6. Voters will choose Republican Representative Jim Carlin’s replacement – he just won a promotion to the Iowa Senate in last…
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It’s Not Just King: Anti-Immigrant Feelings Run Deep In Iowa GOP
Many wonder how Iowa Republicans can tolerate Congressman Steve King’s racist anti-immigrant rants. While most of the GOP doesn’t mimic King and many meekly claim they don’t agree with him, they fail to condemn or distance themselves. Iowa Republicans understand that appearing unyielding on immigration plays well to many in their party. Both Governor Reynolds’…
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Dr. John Paschen Seeks Right Prescription To Defeat Steve King In 2018
John Paschen, one of the Democratic candidates vying for the uphill fight against Congressman Steve King in 2018, already knows a good deal about overcoming skepticism. Born in the suburbs of Chicago, he moved with his family to Iowa as a teenager, settling down on a farm outside of Camanche in Clinton County. Looking to…
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This Big Entitlement Flies Under The Radar
Watching events unfold in Washington, D.C., these days is much like watching Wile E. Coyote pursue the Road Runner in the cartoons from years gone by. When the Coyote and the Road Runner were on the screen, you knew what was coming next. So it is with the federal income tax overhaul bill that Republicans…
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David Young, Rod Blum And Steve King Cave To Gun Lobby
How can these men sleep at night? Iowa’s Republican congressmen voted last week to expand the ability of unfit and unqualified people to legally carry guns freely across state lines. The gun bill they voted to be the national law of the land will legally force the opening of state borders to untrained, untested and…
