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The Government may be spying on your phone — Congress must act

Our smart phones reveal a lot about us. In order to function, they connect with communications networks and geolocation services, creating detailed maps of our daily lives. If you knew how to read them, you’d know someone’s favorite coffee shop, the person they’re dating, where they go to school or church, and more. Would you want the government to have this information at its fingertips? Most of us wouldn’t — but that’s what’s happening. FBI Director Kash Patel recently admitted that the agency is buying up our personal information — including movement and location ...

Big Tech’s ugly Data Centers finally meet the opposition

It appears that folks living in the gently rolling farmland of southwestern Ohio don’t want a 2-million-square-foot data center plopped down the road from their front porches. What’s wrong with them? Are they snotty not-in-my-backyard liberals? Not quite. Wilmington, Ohio, is a very Republican region marked by modest incomes. Such demographics may have made the locals, and other rural Americans, look like an easy sale to the tech companies hunting for places to plop their massive data centers. Amazon Web Services, which is proposing this nine-building data center on about 500 ...

A lifeline for Main Street: How new federal guarantees can save American manufacturing jobs

Walk through any industrial park in our region today, and you are struck by dedication. These local manufacturers — the bedrock of our economies — are more than just businesses; they support our communities. They represent nearly 98% of American manufacturing operations, providing jobs and stability right here at home. However, even the most dedicated local producers face a persistent hurdle: securing the right capital to navigate today’s economic landscape and achieve their next stage of growth. The proof is in the numbers: as wages have jumped by over 5%, our operating ...

Celebrating Community College Month

For 60 years, Iowa’s community colleges have quietly shaped the trajectory of our state, opening doors for students, strengthening local economies, and anchoring communities in times of both challenge and opportunity. As president of Iowa Valley Community College District, I have the privilege of seeing that impact every day and of reflecting on how far we have come. Iowa’s community college system was established in 1965, when the state reorganized a network of local junior colleges and vocational schools into a coordinated system designed to serve all Iowans. The vision was clear ...

Another war for oil? This is why we need renewable energy

The war on Iran has caused the biggest oil supply disruption in history, as oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz falters. Taken together with this year’s invasion of Venezuela, home to the world’s largest proven oil reserves, and the Trump administration’s subsequent cutting off of oil sales to Cuba — potentially its next military target — we are witnessing how the race for fossil fuel resources is compromising global peace and stability. Oil prices have swung wildly, and impacts may be felt in the fertilizer and food sectors too. According to Andy Rowell, an ...

GOP property tax plan may fall into one-size-fits-all trap

For as long as I can remember, I’ve listened to conservative politicians complain about one-size-fits-all laws and regulations. Usually, it’s in the context of the federal government. Often, the complainers are at the state level who say Washington, D.C., shouldn’t infringe upon the so-called “laboratories of democracy.” Now, Republicans in the Iowa Statehouse may violate their own rule. They may pass a big property tax cut this year with a very bad feature: A 2% cap on local revenues for cities and counties, excluding new growth and debt service. Local governments say ...