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We’re all human. We all need teaching of the humanities.

The University of Northern Iowa won, for now, a big one. No, it was not a three-point shot at the buzzer by the women’s basketball team or a two-point conversion on a trick play to secure a victory by the football team. This is bigger than all of those by far. UNI just received a $2.4 ...

Farmers shouldn’t need permission to fix what they own

When something breaks on our farm, my first instinct is the same one my father had, and his father before him: figure out what’s wrong, fix it, and get back to work. That instinct is bred into Iowa farmers. We are, as Rep. Derek Wulf put it when he introduced House File 2709, “the best ...

Kids aren’t picky — we’re just bad parents

It’s not my fault that my kids are picky eaters, I learned today. But it’s my fault if I don’t fix it. That’s what I gleaned from a recent article by Helen Zoe Veit, the author of a forthcoming book called “Picky: How American Children Became the Fussiest Eaters in History.” Children are not naturally picky, Veit tells us in her piece. Not at all. In fact, children are voracious eaters of vinegar and raw oysters and tiny crabs still in the shells. They are not engineered to demand Lunchables, then only eat the cheese out of the package and the second you cave and buy 10 ...

Celebrating President Trump’s historic State of the Union

This week, I had the honor of attending President Trump’s historic State of the Union address, a speech that sent a simple but powerful message: America is back on track. One year ago, President Trump made a promise to put the American people first, and the results are clear — a secure ...

Barker Bulletin Week 7: Floor debate

Last week was our first legislative funnel deadline. This week, we transitioned to the first full week of floor debate so that we could send House bills over to the Senate to prepare for the second legislative funnel deadline in a few weeks. I’m excited to report that 3 bills that I filed ...

The Warme Wire: Week 7

Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman returned to work for the first day of the Minnesota legislative session “changed, but not deterred,” following a seven-month recovery from being shot nine times. His 2025 attack was followed by the assassinations of Rep. Melissa Hortman and Charlie ...