Author Archives: Paul Deaton

To EV Or Not To EV

Posted on May 16, 2024 by Paul Deaton

Moving the automotive economy toward electric vehicles is a good thing for multiple reasons. An important benefit is to decrease reliance on burning stuff in an internal combustion engine. In the late 19th Century, Rudolph Diesel invented an engine that … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Minority Rule

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Paul Deaton

A decent history of American politics in the post-Obama era has yet to be written. One can’t rely upon any of the conservative principals to author one, because they have been drinking at the well of minority rule for too … Continue reading →

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Nuclear Power Isn’t It

Posted on April 28, 2024 by Paul Deaton

Little has changed to make nuclear power a safe and affordable option to produce electricity. That didn’t stop Iowa Republican members of congress, all four of them, from voting for H.R. 6544, the Atomic Advancement Act of 2023. They were … Continue reading →

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Abortion Heads Back To The Supreme Court

Posted on April 27, 2024 by Paul Deaton

When the U.S. Supreme Court decided Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on June 22, 2022, it was a matter of time before abortion would have another hearing in the high court. On Wednesday this week justices heard oral arguments … Continue reading →

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Misinformation About Climate Change

Posted on April 21, 2024 by Paul Deaton

We hear in public forums that “climate is always changing,” or that “climate change is part of a natural cycle.” This is a form of misinformation intended to deflect from the existential fact Earth should be cooling according to natural … Continue reading →

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Immigration Iowa – Style

Posted on April 21, 2024 by Paul Deaton

In an effort to present a contrast with Joe Biden, Republicans insist upon elevating immigration as a top tier 2024 campaign issue. My issue with this is they lie, dissemble, and obstruct. Are there are many “contacts” at the border. … Continue reading →

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How Are Things Going Before Earth Day?

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Paul Deaton

Earth Day is Monday, so how are we doing? Is the news media helping us create a better environment? Bill McKibben follows issues centered around the climate crisis better than almost anyone. Here’s the stark truth from his substack, The … Continue reading →

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Defend The Clean Air Act

Posted on April 14, 2024 by Paul Deaton

From our friends at Physicians for Social Responsibility: Members of Congress are attempting to roll back one of the most crucial standards of Clean Air Act protections. We must stop them! The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are now … Continue reading →

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How Abortion Is A Campaign Issue

Posted on April 13, 2024 by Paul Deaton

The topic of abortion exploded in our news media this week. It had a short fuse. Historian Heather Cox Richardson summarized two national news events in her April 9 Letter from an American: Yesterday, former president Trump released a video … Continue reading →

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I Write Letters To The Editor. You Should, Too

Posted on April 7, 2024 by Paul Deaton

As Blog for Iowa notes our 20th year, I looked and found this is my 1,220th post here. My first post was on Feb. 25, 2009, and by any measure, that’s a lot of writing. What I value more, though, … Continue reading →

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