Author Archives: Paul Deaton

Keeping Up On The Climate Crisis

Posted on March 22, 2026 by Paul Deaton

Good people are working to address the climate crisis… just not in the Trump administration. The dominance of the president and his minions runs throughout the federal government to promote energy solutions that make climate change worse. More specifically, discussion … Continue reading →

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Nanny State — County Supervisor Edition

Posted on March 21, 2026 by Paul Deaton

When Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 75 into law on April 1, 2025, a crowd of Republican well-wishers was present. Senate File 75 mandates that Iowa counties containing a Board of Regents university — specifically Johnson, Story, and Black … Continue reading →

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Nanny State — School Board Edition

Posted on March 15, 2026 by Paul Deaton

The Ankeny Community School District defined SSA (State Supplemental Aid) as the cost of living adjustment for school budgets. “To keep pace with rising costs, SSA needs to at least match inflation. If it does not, we would need to … Continue reading →

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Conventions And Candidates

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Paul Deaton

My week in Iowa politics was about planning the county convention and finding a Democratic candidate to run for House District 91 and Senate District 46. One success and two failures. At our precinct caucuses I volunteered to be on … Continue reading →

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Local Roads, Local Decisions

Posted on March 8, 2026 by Paul Deaton

The township where I live was established before Iowa Statehood. There were oak, walnut, hickory, ash, elm, and cottonwood thriving here among numerous pure springs. The first sawmill and grist mill was built in 1839 by Anthony Sells on Mill … Continue reading →

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War With Iran Without Congress

Posted on March 7, 2026 by Paul Deaton

On Monday I sent emails to U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst as well as to U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks on the subject of the U.S. aggression against Iran. My message was simple: “I urge you to support the … Continue reading →

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Iowa Weekend Politics

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Paul Deaton

When I began writing for Blog for Iowa in 2009, I covered individual political events like the state hall of fame ceremonies and the special election of Curt Hanson. In reading those old posts, I remembered I also wrote advocacy … Continue reading →

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Letters To Elected Officials

Posted on February 28, 2026 by Paul Deaton

Dishes don’t wash themselves, so I went to the kitchen and started cleaning up. Each of us in the household does their share of work, and I like nothing better than clean plates and silverware waiting for supper. Being a … Continue reading →

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Talk To Iran

Posted on February 28, 2026 by Paul Deaton

Those following the president’s public statements about Iran knew trouble was brewing when on Thursday, Feb. 26, after a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland between U.S. and Iranian envoys, mediated by Oman, and with the International Atomic Energy Agency present, the … Continue reading →

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Flashback 2008

Posted on February 5, 2026 by Paul Deaton

What characterized the 2008 presidential election for Democrats was the systematic use of nearly every procedural, legal, organizational, and technological lever within the electoral process to bring people to the polls that were previously infrequent voters. The Obama campaign innovated … Continue reading →

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