The offices of the Des Moines Register’s opinion staff were mostly empty when my telephone rang late one afternoon about 15 years ago. The guard at the lobby security desk said two men were there and hoped I had time to meet with them. I said sure and invited them up to our office on the ...
Does this sound familiar? It may not sound familiar if you don’t live near Indian Country. I live in Tama County, Iowa. Tama County is home to the only federally recognized tribe in Iowa. I have heard this statement or something like it many times since I have lived in Tama County. What makes this statement more troublesome is that it provokes a mentality that divides; us vs. them. I have had many conversations and been in rooms where this common phrase is used, and a thinly veiled justification for division with Meskwaki Nation. I have been told that I do not understand because I ...
I hurt my knee taking a step onto a riser in a performance at my kids’ elementary school the other day. I’m not sure yet how serious the injury is, but it’s the kind of incident that makes you feel about 100 years old and like a complete moron. I mean, who gets hurt taking the stairs? So, after it happened, I decided to make myself feel better in a manner passed down through the centuries as a sure-fire method for dispelling shame: Find someone who did something even dumber than you did. With that, I commenced to furious googling, turning up tales of some of the most ...
Iowans deserve access to the best quality health care at the lowest possible cost. This week, I was the floor manager for a major health care reform bill toward that end, and it passed unanimously. HF 2635 works to remove administrative and regulatory barriers so our hard-working health care ...
Historically, Congress would pass a Farm Bill every 5 years with bipartisan support. Unfortunately, we are now nearing a decade since the last Farm Bill and Iowa farmers need Congress to act now more than ever. The Farm Bill strengthens American agriculture, protects our farmers, and supports ...
The Times Republican and I have agreed to do a column in the TR. I’m planning on doing a column every two weeks for the weekend edition. So, what to write about? After thinking a bit of what should be in it and still be interesting, I have ideas, lots of ideas. I think I will bring you ...
