I just heard Chuck Norris passed away at age 86. There’s a group of Iowa National Guard soldiers who won’t forget him — and not just because they may have liked his movies and his hit TV series “Walker: Texas Ranger.” Twenty years ago, the TV and movie star and martial arts expert ...
Monday, March 23, was the 16th anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law. Roughly 50 million Americans have gained health insurance coverage either through the ACA marketplace or Medicaid expansion. Since 2013, the number of Americans uninsured decreased by nearly half, from about 14.5% to just under 8%. I think most of us would agree that our healthcare system, including the ACA, is imperfect and that we could do more to ensure access to healthcare for all Americans. But programs like the ACA and Medicaid have made strides in closing some of the gaps in ...
The cause of problems Americans face has hooves, long ears, and a paperback copy of Antifa’s handbook. But the engine behind U.S. victories answers to the name, President Donald Trump. Economy A March 14 Economist report noted “GDP grew at 0.7% per year in the fourth quarter.” Inflation was 3.0%, and unemployment, 4.4%. Since Trump initiated MAGA policies, the S&P 500 has risen to 9.6%. A February CAPS / Harris poll reported 51% of respondents are confident our economy is strong. That’s up from earlier polls. 52% agreed dollar matters were worse under Biden. 59% credited ...
There are some in the Iowa Legislature who periodically toy with the possibility of eliminating the requirement that local governments print public notices in newspapers. This is the wrong move today, tomorrow and for the future. Government transparency is more important than ever. In truth it is critical. While the T-R and other Iowa newspapers have an economic interest in seeing that the public notice publishing requirement remains, the issue goes far beyond a few dollars. Maintaining the legal requirement to publish government actions and meetings in local newspapers is crucial for ...
Sunshine Week is observed in March during the week of James Madison’s birthday. The nation’s fourth president is known as the “Father of the Constitution” and a “fierce intellect” who prized public access to information. A statesman and a scholar, Madison’s fervent defense of open government shaped constitutional guardrails that put power in the hands of the people. One of the influential authors of The Federalist Papers, his words stand the test of time. Throughout my time in the U.S. Senate, I’ve faithfully subscribed to the Madisonian philosophy that “the ...
Happy Sunshine Week, folks! It’s the time of the year when we celebrate more sunshine in our lives…and in our government. But while we may be getting a little more sunlight every day, Washington seems to be lost in the dark. The government demands to know exactly how much money you ...
