January 2018

As Emeritus Chair of the Des Moines Committee on Foreign Relations and former board member and officer of the American Committees on Foreign Relations, I have been privileged over many years to hear the best and the brightest experts talk extensively on U.S. foreign policy. It is not news to any readers of this editorial…

 Iowa Starting Line Podcast episode #2 begins with host Pat Rynard & guests Iowa House District 13 Representative Chris Hall of Sioux City & Iowa Citizen Action Network Executive Director Sue Dinsdale discussing Governor Kim Reynolds’ Condition of the State Address, the 2018 & 2019 budget, Hall’s lawsuit over Reynolds’ budget transfer & how to get…

Governor Kim Reynolds laid out her agenda for the 2018 legislative session this week, presenting a set of lofty goals that hit on topics that typically have bipartisan support. But as Joe Biden often said, “show me you budget and I’ll show you your priorities.” So, let’s take a look at the budget for Fiscal…

There’s a debate going around in the halls of the Statehouse as legislators reconvenes for the 2018 session: will Republicans pull back on their most ambitious (and unpopular) ideas to try to save their majorities, or do they figure the trifecta is gone anyway after this year, and go all-out while they still have power?…

Last week was a time for setbacks in the United States. The only question is which setback was greater. Was it President Donald Trump’s standing in the eyes of the American people, with a book filled with fresh allegations about chaos inside his White House? Or was it American journalism’s standing in the eyes of…

Kim Reynolds gave the most important speech of her young term as Iowa’s first female governor, presenting the Condition of the State at the Capitol this morning. The Statehouse was packed with both supporters of the Republican governor and plenty of protesters and activists unhappy with the GOP-run legislature’s plans for 2018. Overall, it was…

Just minutes after Governor Kim Reynolds wrapped up her Condition of the State address, a speech full of optimism and new plans for Iowa government, the Legislative Services Agency released their initial analysis of Reynolds’ budget proposal. Included in it is the governor’s $29.6 million in cuts for Fiscal Year 2018 to help cover the…

There’s probably no better proof of Iowa’s long historical commitment to Iowa’s immigrant population than the welcoming pamphlet buried in the cornerstone of the Iowa State Capitol. On November 23, 1871, the cornerstone of the present Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines was dedicated. There were 40 sacred items placed in that cornerstone as a…

The new year brings with it something new from Pat Rynard – the Iowa Starting Line Podcast!

The second year of Republican dominance at the Iowa Statehouse kicked off today, but not without some sharp words of warning from Democratic lawmakers. Legislative leaders gave their start-of-session speeches in their respective chambers this morning after gaveling in the new session, with Senate Democratic leader Janet Petersen delivering a particularly direct message to her…