Posted March 15, 2021in Stray Thoughts
The actions of journalists and police officers were in the spotlight last week in a Des Moines courtroom. The scrutiny came at the trial of Andrea Sahouri, a Des Moines Register reporter. She was arrested while covering a chaotic protest last May 31, six days after George Floyd died under
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Posted March 09, 2021in Stray Thoughts
Tucked away among hundreds of bills being considered this year by the Iowa Legislature is one people might have quickly embraced in a different era. But times have changed. It has been 38 years since Robert Ray left the governor’s office. State government today is far messier than it was
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Posted February 22, 2021in Stray Thoughts
Iowa’s 2020 election was one for the record books — with 1.7 million people marking ballots. It was an impressive turnout in Iowa — with 76 percent of Iowa’s eligible voters taking part. There were no allegations of election fraud or polling place shenanigans in Iowa. No one suggested people
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Posted February 15, 2021in Stray Thoughts
Gov. Kim Reynolds’ message for Iowans has been consistent since the coronavirus pandemic arrived a year ago: Yes, wearing masks is important, the governor has made clear, but government should leave it to people to do right thing. Reynolds has been under intense pressure, both for and against facial masks.
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Posted February 09, 2021in Stray Thoughts
Through the years, the Iowa Legislature has chosen an official a state flower and a state bird. There’s also a state tree and even an official rock. It may be time for lawmakers to designate an official state punctuation mark, too. The question mark seems to be an appropriate choice
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Posted January 26, 2021in Stray Thoughts
The purpose was pretty simple when the Iowa Legislature wrote the state’s public meetings law many years ago: Government boards are required to announce their meetings at least one day in advance, and officials must tell the public what will be discussed and voted on. People are entitled to participate
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Posted January 18, 2021in Stray Thoughts
Forty-five words that were first written with a quill pen 230 years ago form what may be the most consequential sentence in United States history. But that sentence also is one of the most misunderstood — as recent comments from some of our leaders illustrate. The sentence I refer to
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Posted December 22, 2020in Stray Thoughts
This season reminds us of all that is possible, of the importance of concern and compassion for others. But even a message so sound, so succinct and so universal can benefit from real life examples. A California sheriff’s deputy with Iowa roots will help us with that today. So will
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Posted December 17, 2020in Stray Thoughts
The boss told Gus Malzahn on Sunday that he was no longer needed. His employment was ending immediately. With that blunt conversation, Malzahn became another statistic of 2020. He took his place next to the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs this year — a year when unemployment,
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Posted December 07, 2020in Stray Thoughts
Tone-deaf. That’s the dismal state of the political discourse in our nation these days. Regrettably, Iowa has an all-too-prominent role in this bumbling lack of awareness of how our democracy is being eaten away by the people who want to be our leaders. Pour yourself a glass of Maalox. You
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