Author Archives: Paul Deaton

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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An Unforgiven Year

Posted on January 23, 2026 by Paul Deaton

This week was the one-year anniversary of the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump. In my view, he and his sycophants can not be forgiven for the pain and suffering caused in 12 months. Long before he was president I … Continue reading →

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It’s The Oil

Posted on January 5, 2026 by Paul Deaton

At his inaugural ball, President Donald J. Trump said that his “proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.” What planet is he living on? I understand his rationale of peace through strength. In the case of Venezuela … Continue reading →

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No Kings — Venezuela Edition

Posted on January 4, 2026 by Paul Deaton
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The Health Care Abomination That Is America

Posted on December 15, 2025 by Paul Deaton

Dec. 15 is the deadline to sign up on the ACA marketplace for health insurance effective Jan 1, 2025. When I left the company and career of 25 years, securing health insurance was an issue. That was July 2009. There … Continue reading →

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