🗣️ It’s Friday; time for reader replies!

My take: I will not at all be surprised if Iowa Republicans try to pass this unconstitutional Oklahoma BS here when the legislative session starts back up in January. Here’s hoping I’m wrong.

Iowa news briefs:

• Mountain lion in Iowa: Several people have spotted a mountain lion wearing a tracking collar (apparently tagged in Nebraska). Now, he’s traveled all the way to northwest Iowa. The DNR wants you to leave him alone, but tell them where you spotted him.

• Charmed, I’m sure: Decorah, Winterset, Pella, and five others made World Atlas’ list of the “most charming town squares in Iowa.” Reply and tell me which city they left out!

• Most difficult to pronounce: As someone who looked up a bunch of Iowa’s weirdly pronounced towns, I can’t disagree with Mental Floss that this one deserved to win, especially as Reader’s Digest said the same in 2019.

• Make America sick again: Even though HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said high-risk individuals don’t need them anymore, please go get a COVID shot this fall, especially if you’re at risk for complications from the virus or care about those who are. And, yes, that includes if you’re pregnant. (Because President Donald Trump’s CDC is no longer recommending them for everyone, however, be prepared to pay out of pocket for it, depending on your insurance coverage.)

• Iowa Pride: The best Pride in the state (I defy you to disagree) is this weekend. If you can’t make it up to Waterloo, check out this Trans Rights are Human Rights rally in Davenport. Or read up on why it’s all even more relevant than ever here.

A pork tenderloin sandwich fried to crispy perfection. (Blue Amber Design KC/Shutterstock)

🐶 This is Chip, “the pride of my friends Ed and Darice,” says reader Don C. “Chip is a sweetie, but as you can see, has grown weary of phone cameras.”

Relatable, Chip!

Send me your pet photos here.

🌼 “Iowa butterflies enjoying the nectar of an orange butterfly weed on 8/11/25,” says reader Donna W.

I need to get one of these for my yard!

Send me your flower photos here.

Readers are invited to add to the conversation by replying to any newsletter or emailing responses@iowastartingline.com. Please include your first name and last initial. You may also want to include your city, but that’s up to you. We may shorten your content or correct typos.

Iowa’s nursing shortage:

• “Sorry to hear about your doctors and nurses not staying or coming to your city. We are having a similar problem with more leaving than coming to practice. They can’t afford our state being next to if not most expensive in the states. We are all going to be in trouble when Trump really steps up his capture and deporting when it comes to skilled workers in our nursing homes. We are all in trouble (internationally, locally, and spiritually!).” — Cassandra A.

Cancer in Iowa series:

• “Reporting at its very best! Superb!” — Greg C.

Reader soundoff feedback:

• “Response to Gene K.’s thoughts:

   

  1. IPERS is on the chopping block, next in the long line of policies that have served to spread the Greater Good to be mutilated by our Republicans. IPERS is basically a fair exchange—lower lifelong salary for secure, robust retirement income. Risky investment instruments can’t replace that.

   

  2. The purpose of teachers’ unions is to advocate for our teachers and foster working conditions that maximize their ability to do their job. It is not the role of teachers’ unions to improve education; that function belongs to the government. Sadly, in my lifetime, Iowa has gone from a top education system role model to 20th in the national rankings (https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/iowa) while our Republicans have curtailed education budgets and enabled the crippling of our classrooms. Our parents can now block any kind of knowledge they want from entering our children’s minds, and we have intelligent citizens with no grasp of simple concepts like government responsibilities or benefits of labor unions, blissfully voting Republican.

   

  3. I am keenly interested to know what a person who thinks like Mr. K. would call an improvement to our great country.” —Dixon S.

• “To Gene’s response: Were you a teacher or just someone who thinks they know everything? I taught for 37 years and get really tired of people who know nothing about education talking like experts!” —Frank M.

• “Superb letter from Mark Zimmerman!” — Greg C.
  

Letter of the Week: When you’re back from vacay, Congress, do your job

“America’s 435 House of Representatives started their summer recess on July 25 while our 100 Senators’ recess began on Aug. 4; everyone will return to DC on Sept. 2.

This four to five-week respite should give our elected delegates time to reflect on their achievements since President Donald Trump’s 2.0 administration started on Jan. 20. And hopefully the break will give our legislators time to consider how they’ve come up short in representing their 340 million constituents by honoring the principles of the US Constitution, which they took an oath to uphold and defend. …

1) Trump signed multiple Executive Orders (EO) directing agencies to pause or redirect funds that were explicitly appropriated by Congress. Such actions violate the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act, which prohibits the president from unilaterally withholding congressionally allocated funds. Congressional response: nothing.

2) Trump fired 17 Inspector Generals in the first week of 2.0 without
providing—as mandated by law—the required 30-day notice and case-specific reasons to Congress. Congressional response: silence.

3) Trump issued a series of EOs asserting powers that contradict or
bypass federal statutes, such as border enforcement, birthright citizenship, and instructing the Department of Justice not to enforce TikTok’s ownership.
Congressional response: sound of crickets.

4) Trump signed EOs to place independent agencies—such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Communications Commission, and Federal Trade Commission—under his control and shut down USAID, bypassing congressional intent and defunding programs authorized by law. Congressional response: nada, nil and naught.

5) In March, Trump issued an EO that many think undermines the
independence of the electoral process, intervening where only Congress and the 50 states have constitutional authority. Congressional response: diddly-squat.

6) Trump’s personal business entanglements and refusal to place assets in a blind trust violate the Emoluments Clauses of the Constitution, which our Congressional delegates have taken an oath to uphold. Congressional response: zip.

Back in February, Gallup noted only 29% of Americans approved of
Congressional endeavors. Not surprisingly, today, only 23% of Americans
approve of the way Congress is handling its job (news.gallup.com).

Congress’ do-nothing behavior—since Jan. 20—is more alarming as their inaction risks normalizing executive overreach, enables unchecked
presidential power, ignores laws, weakens democracy, and most assuredly reveals an autocratic dictatorship is not coming to America, it is here!

Congress: When you go back to work on Sept. 2, re-read your oath of office,
uphold the constitution, and do your job without personal or political evasion!“

— Steve Corbin, Professor Emeritus of Marketing, University of Northern Iowa

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