We keep hearing calls to “encourage thoughtful discourse” and “discourage violent rhetoric.” That’s true, and I have. One political party keeps crossing the line, …

As Iowans headed to the polls this week to elect local school board members, they faced an issue beyond the usual ones of taxes, student achievement, teacher pay, curriculum and enrollment. This …

Kathy and I live in an old house in Jefferson (apparent construction year 1901). It’s the house my parents bought in 1944, and it was my childhood home. My folks sold it about 28 years later …

Since the 1960s, think tanks and advocacy groups have been key influencers of presidential policymaking. For decades, Democrat and Republican presidents have relied on think tanks for research and …

Paradox seems to be the guiding principle of today's food policies. For example, the Trump Administration is arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court that the nation’s longstanding trade …

First impression of Keokuk: beautiful and blighted, drained away with the currents of time at the confluence of the Mississippi and Des Moines rivers on Iowa’s southeastern tip. You could …

Iowa is experiencing a tremendous amount of political change with numerous state and federal seats open for the taking. With upcoming special elections and legislative leadership and committee seats …

Not surprisingly these days, free speech on college campuses is back in the headlines. That makes it worthwhile to highlight the seven-page policy the Iowa Board of Regents wrote to proclaim how …

Earlier this year, the Congressional Research Service, the Senate and House’s self-described “exclusive” research and analysis group, “estimated 680,000 farmworkers are …

It sure smells like Gov. Kim Reynolds is cooking up something behind closed doors that will gut local government to make up for her bad fiscal decisions. The governor reportedly warned local …

Last May, I warned state leaders that their irresponsible budgetary practices, like using one-time federal funds for recurring obligations, had created a fiscal time bomb. Five months later, two …

This story is for the people in our age bracket, give or take 10 years. It seems like long ago, but not far away, flour came in 50 pound print cloth bags. Citrus fruit delivered to grocery stores …

Interest in local elections in Jefferson this fall appears to be greater than usual. It’s a good thing. City council and school board elections in Iowa are held in odd-numbered years. In …

One of the oldest sayings in poker warns that if you’re in a game for 20 minutes and haven’t figured out who's the patsy — the player most likely to be the game's biggest loser …

Wisdom from the Stable Genius on Truth Social last week: “I believe that China purposefully not buying our Soybeans, and causing difficulty for our Soybean Farmers, is an Economically Hostile Act. We are considering terminating …

The nation’s founders got right to the point when they laid out how to treat the First Amendment freedoms of religion, speech, the press and the rights of people to assemble and to petition the …

As I write this column on Sunday, October 12, the United States government is still shut down. Federal employee are not getting paid. No, wait, that’s not quite true. MOST federal …

If Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and his boss, President Donald J. Trump, “make America healthy again” I will eat any one of the 15 or so hats that somehow …

Professor Emeritus of Marketing, University of Northern Iowa and a non-paid freelance opinion editor and guest columnist who receives no remuneration, funding or endorsement from any for-profit …

Service has always been a defining pillar of my life. I answered my own call to serve our nation when I joined Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at Iowa State University and stepped …