Author Archives: Paul Deaton

A Vast Right-Wing Shadow Network

Al Franken interviewed Anne Nelson, author of the 2019 book, Shadow Network: Media, Money and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right. If you read Jane Mayer, author of Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise … Continue reading

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Retire Chuck Grassley. It’s Long Overdue

Editor’s Note:: This post was written by long-time friend of Blog for Iowa Ellen Ballas of Iowa City. If Iowans want a better life, and who doesn’t, Mike Franken should be our next U.S. Senator. Senator Chuck Grassley has been … Continue reading

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Message Is To Vote. How Do We Get There?

In a 589-word article published Monday, July 11, Des Moines Register reporters Katie Akin and Francesca Block managed to reduce Sunday’s Reproductive Freedom Rally of thousands of people at the State Capitol to pabulum. “Speakers encouraged attendees of the event … Continue reading

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Newspaper Closings Cripple Our Democracy

U.S. newspapers close at a rate of two per week, according to David Bauder of Associated Press, referring to a recent study. In most cases, there is no replacement, creating a news desert. Lack of local news is bad for … Continue reading

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Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Becomes Law

On June 25, 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law S.2938, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The bill passed the U.S. Senate by a vote of 65-33, and the U.S. House by a vote of 234-193. Chuck Grassley, Randy Feenstra, … Continue reading

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Politics In An Unending Pandemic

Part of the new protocol for summer events in Iowa, including political events, is recognition of and taking action to avoid contracting the coronavirus. It may not be going well because it seems a lot of people recently tested positive … Continue reading

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Crops in Northwest Iowa Suffer Due to Drought

Photo credit: Josie Taylor | July 6, 2022. This is the second in our July series called Feature Friday. Iowa Environmental Focus, a product of the Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research (CGRER) at the University of Iowa, is … Continue reading

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West Virginia v. EPA

What is the meaning of last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency? Certainly it is a setback for the environmental movement. A court bought and paid for by the billionaire class did industrial polluters … Continue reading

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What’s So Imminent About Eminent Domain?

The Heart of Iowa 1st Wednesday Speaker Series continues tonight, Wednesday, June 6, at 8 p.m. with “What’s So Imminent About Eminent Domain?” Three companies are proposing capturing carbon dioxide from ethanol and other industrial ag plants in Iowa and sequestering it underground. … Continue reading

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Neoliberalism in Iowa: An Interview with Thom Hartmann

On Wednesday, June 29, I interviewed Thom Hartmann in advance of the September release of his new book The Hidden History of Neoliberalism: How Reaganism Gutted America and How To Restore Its Greatness. This will be the eighth book in … Continue reading

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