Commentary
Iowa politicians are still trying to teach history to your children
Republicans in the Iowa Legislature are determined to meddle in your kid’s classroom. The House and Senate passed a bill last week directing the state Department of Education to develop revised standards for the teaching of social studies in Iowa schools. But rather than allow the professionals to do the work unfettered by political influence, […]
Des Moines council members shut out the public from development discussions
The Iowa Legislature took an important step last week in voting to toughen penalties for state and local officials who violate a key government transparency tool, Iowa’s open meetings law. Unfortunately, lawmakers’ actions may not be enough to reverse the love for secrecy that too many government boards and councils demonstrate. The latest example comes […]
Terry Anderson, journalist and former hostage, was also a poet and a friend
I knew about Terry Anderson as early as 1974, before his kidnapping a decade later by Shiite Muslims in Lebanon, where he remained a hostage for 2,454 days, suffering mental and physical torture. I worked as a reporter for United Press International. Terry worked for our competitor, The Associated Press. We knew him by reputation […]
Stranded at the crossroads of student debt
A long-time acquaintance called me in 2022 to catch up. Throughout our nearly 50 years of friendship, I don’t recall discussing anything political. Somehow the topic of President Biden’s signature plan for student loan debt forgiveness came up. I was startled when he challenged me, asking, “Why should I pay for someone else’s college debt?” […]
Inside angle: The power of hand-made political protest poster art in a digital age
The rich history of art as protest is a forceful feature of a progressive-leaning Iowa organization that’s been elevating the medium in the months ahead of what is expected to be among the most contentious of American elections. The art is as strong as the passions for politically minded people, from liberal to independent, gathering […]
A rushed farm bill is a bad one
A five-year farm bill was supposed to have been approved last year, but was held up in the House over disagreements on food stamps, conservation, crop insurance and funding. House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., announced last week that he will find a way to push a farm bill out before Memorial Day in […]
The media should shut up about the Trump jurors
I was astounded Tuesday evening when I turned on CNN and saw anchors and analysts revealing details about the seven jurors picked so far in the first criminal trial of Donald Trump. There weren’t any names or faces revealed, but many other facts were. At the risk of compounding the error, but citing one example […]
Gov. Kim Reynolds plays politics with words about child nutrition
“Unsustainable” is a fascinating word, especially when it is used in government and politics. Merriam-Webster, the dictionary folks, tell us unsustainable means something cannot be continued or supported. But in governmental affairs, that definition sometimes gets changed. Instead of something truly being incapable of continuing, the word often means the person using the term simply […]
Ron Steele: 50 years on the air – and firmly grounded
WATERLOO — Ron Steele has been all about the job for 50 years. He’s also been all about family. It’s why he’s been at KWWL-TV in Waterloo 50 years. He’s been that good that long and found balance and dedication to his work and his family staying in a relatively small TV market. “The reason […]
Controlled burn at Cedar Bluffs aids prairie reconstruction
Violet the Dog and I spent yesterday morning observing a controlled burn at Cedar Bluffs Natural Area. Chris Clingan, director of Mahaska County Conservation asked me to to tag along if I wanted to—and I was delighted. After a recent excellent volunteer training by Mahaska County Naturalist Laura DeCook, I’m the official volunteer park steward. […]
Immigrants are not the problem. Don’t believe the propaganda.
My folks floated over the pond with the cattle down below in steerage. One was an indentured servant, another a prison guard, others were among an army of Irish who helped drive the Native people off the Mississippi River near Dubuque to claim the lead mines. Still another branch settled the sloughs around Emmetsburg about […]
Two-year-old law prompts big expansion in health care and benefits for veterans
Right wingers are trying to convince you Joe Biden is stealing from veterans to help illegal immigrants. It’s a lie, and Joni Ernst is in on the scam. I’ll explain why this is BS shortly. But first, it’s important to understand that over the past year and a half, claims at the federal Department of […]