Government exists for a variety of reasons, and one of the chief reasons is protecting people’s health and safety. Keeping competitors out of your business shouldn’t be one of the reasons. But in Iowa, that’s not really the case. There are too many examples written into Iowa’s laws and regulations that
Read More →For a moment, on July 5, I longed for Nov. 9, 2016, the day after the presidential election. Then we’d be rid of insidious campaign ads, overblown rhetoric and questionable press coverage. But it dawned on me (1) at my age I should savor each day and not wish time
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Posted June 24, 2015in Guest Commentary
A faith group in our town recently held a worship event with about 350-plus people in attendance. They expected people from several states and foreign countries including Nigeria, South Africa, Botswana, United Kingdom and Canada. The International group came together in celebration of their Christian faith to worship and recognize
Read More →On the sidewalks of New York, longtime mayor Ed Koch, would ask passersby “How’m I doin’?” Iowa legislators would be ill advised to ask that, given the awful record of the 86th General Assembly. Sadly, in Iowa government, promises seem to outnumber progress and production — that’s certainly so in
Read More →For all the red-white-and-blue hurrahs and chest thumping so dear to the hearts of those who promote the Iowa caucuses, it is sobering — even depressing — to consider how the caucuses don’t much care about the wisdom of the U.S Constitution in general or the spirit of Article VI
Read More →The Iowa dream of homespun democracy now seems like more of a nightmare of electoral folly. The notion of grassroots selection of presidential candidates — thanks to the Iowa caucuses — is pretty much bankrupt. It has given way to billionaires with more money than they know what to do
Read More →The Iowa GOP needs to update the party’s platform to welcome what Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas sees as his Christ-driven presidential candidacy and to endorse the mission of David Lane and the American Family Association to make the U.S. once again a Christian culture as God intended. The 2014
Read More →By Kent Carlson Maybe it was the period in time I was raised, or maybe it was who raised me, but the term “charming” really wasn’t a big part of my vocabulary. At least not until I met my friend, Dennis. Dennis was about 15 years older than me. He
Read More →GUEST #1 By Herb Strentz Although the Iowa press has not reported it yet, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has taken himself out of the Iowa caucus scene and the race for the GOP presidential nomination. Matter of fact, he did so two years ago in January 2013 when he told
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An important addition to the library of Iowa history
While Congress and several state legislatures, including Iowa’s, were reinforcing the barriers to gay marriage, a determined handful of Iowa gay-rights advocates were preparing to go to court. A new book, “Equal Before the Law,” which came off the presses this summer, offers a highly readable, thoroughly researched and sometimes
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