Trump’s “Make America Rake Again” Ignites Climate Change Debate

On By rick-smith

The devastating California wildfires should completely erase any skepticism about the crisis of climate change. However, President Trumps suggested that the fires resulted because America isn’t raking its forests and dismissed climate change as a major cause. It seems incomprehensible America could have a Commander-in-Chief so ignorant of science or the basic facts about forest management and climate change. While visiting fire devastated areas in California last week, Trump suggested he got the raking idea after talking to the President of Finland. “I was with the President of Finland and he said we have — much different — we are […]

Even In Loss, Fred Hubbell Raised Awareness Of Key Issues

On By rick-smith

Fred Hubbell fell short in his campaign to oust Governor Kim Reynolds, but he successfully raised vital issues that will continue to demand action by Iowans. The unsolved problems that Hubbell focused on in his campaign won’t go away; he was absolutely correct to identify them in his criticism of Reynolds’ leadership. Democrats shouldn’t take Reynolds’ victory as a rejection of the importance of the issues Hubbell focused on during the campaign. The exit polling that Iowa Starting Line summarized earlier this week confirms that many of the issues that the Hubbell campaign raised have majority support from Iowa voters. Hubbell […]

Iowa Needs More Than Just The Big Regents Schools

On By randy-evans

Iowa is speeding toward a dangerous crossroads this week, and there has been too little discussion about what might occur and zero discussion about what the state should do. Trustees of Iowa Wesleyan University, the second-oldest college in Iowa, meet on Thursday to decide whether the institution will close next spring. The Mount Pleasant school has been educating young men and women since 1842. It was established four years before Iowa became a state and five years before the University of Iowa opened its doors. Only Loras College in Dubuque is older, having been founded in 1839. But Iowa Wesleyan’s […]

Iowa Exit Poll Has Warning Signs For GOP Legislation

On By rick-smith

The recent 2018 election failed to end the Republicans trifecta lock on Iowa government. Democrats picked up several house seats, but remaining in the minority makes it extremely difficult to pass any progressive legislation in the next two years. Republicans will continue to control the legislative agenda. However, a 2018 exit poll suggests there are issues Democrats may be able to leverage based on voters’ answers on a variety of questions. The results of the poll suggest Iowa voters hold views much more in line with Democrats than Republicans. It validates Iowa voters support for many progressive policies even though […]

In Times Like These, Republicans Should Rethink Their Party Affiliation

On By dick-goodson

I believe it is extremely important to look at history as we deal with the partisan politics of today. We often hear, “I have been a Democrat most of my life or Republican most of my life.” For those who believe those comments resonate, I would suggest it’s important to occasionally review the underlying values of each party, to determine if your values still align with the one you have voted for in the past. Party values change over time. Example: if we go back 50 years and look at the Democratic Party, George Wallace, the segregationist Governor of Alabama […]

With A Nation Unraveling, When Will We Say Enough Is Enough?

On By randy-evans

Let’s skip the debate over whether our president bears even a smidgen of blame for contributing to the domestic terrorist incidents last week in the United States. Let’s agree we are never going to agree, so there’s no use driving each other’s blood pressure higher by talking more about that. Yes, there will always be people who are so mentally disturbed they think they are improving life in our United States by gunning down 11 people in a synagogue or by mailing 13 pipe bombs to people the culprit, and the president, dislike. Having said that, I wonder when will […]

Let’s Talk Iowa Rankings, Governor. Our Universities Are In Free-Fall

On By guest-post

Guest post by Allison Engel, an Iowa State University graduate, has worked in higher education for the past 12 years. Yes, Gov. Reynolds, let’s talk about U.S. News & World Report rankings. But not the livability rankings, which do not include data from all 50 states in all categories. In this blinkered competition, Iowa snagged the No. 1 spot, including the top ranking for infrastructure. This must have come as a surprise to those who read the recent Federal Highway Administration report that Iowa has the most structurally deficient bridges in the nation, as well as one of the country’s largest […]

Iowa Gets A Two-For-One Team If They Elect Hubbell

On By rick-smith

Iowa voters get a bonus this year when they elect Fred Hubbell as Iowa’s next Governor: Charlotte Hubbell, Fred’s wife and life partner, comes along as part of the deal. The role of political spouses of elected officials vary greatly. Some play no role at all, while others play pivotal roles in successful administrations. Many spouses become important advocates for issues they wish to elevate in importance. Others play a key role in communicating as proxies for the candidate. Charlotte Hubbell has already proven to be a valuable campaign spokesperson for her husband in articulating his policy positions. In addition, […]

Far-Right Media Spreads The Real “Fake News” After Bomb Scare

On By dick-goodson

After a very harried week of pipe bombs being sent to current and former high-ranking government officials, it looks like a suspect has been apprehended. Law enforcement agencies, including the Secret Service Protective Detail, the ATF, the US Postal Inspection Service, the FBI and many other state and local law enforcement departments were working full time to stop this home grown terrorism. On Friday morning, October 26, Cesar Sayoc was arrested in south Florida as the prime suspect. At the time, he was driving a van covered in political statements supporting the President and other posters in opposition to various […]

Trump, Iowa Republicans Finish With Immigrant Fear-Mongering

On By rick-smith

It’s less than two weeks until the election and Donald Trump has been searching for a new message. In an act of blatant racial opportunism, he targeted the Central American immigrant caravan traveling toward the United States. The videos of thousands of poor and desperate immigrants heading for the southern border provided the perfect victims to stoke up anger and fear within his base. With no proof, Trump immediately suggested that the caravan was made up of people of Middle Eastern descent, MS-13 gang members and other criminal elements. He again provided no proof but said “Democrats had something to […]