The Scheme To Raise Grocery Prices

Posted on December 14, 2025 by Dave Bradley

Tip of the hat to Justin Stofferan at “You’re Probably Getting Screwed.”

I had several videos concerning the newest weapon corporations have to wrench every last nickel from our fingers. The practice of “surveillance pricing” is being brought out in the open. As it is right now it doesn’t look like there is a lot we can do. I am guessing that buying at the store and paying cash would keep your data from being sucked up by the AI monsters.

Anyway, this was the best of the bunch. It explains the concept of surveillance pricing very well. It runs about 19 minutes. Being forewarned about what is going on is at least a start:

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Sunday Funday: Hanukkah Starts Today Edition

Posted on December 14, 2025 by Dave Bradley

Randy Rainbow’s newest (6 minutes, but a 2 minute commercial from @ :40 to 2:30)

Hanukkah is perhaps the longest continuously celebrated festival among humans. Celebrations go back to 164 BCE (before common era). The celebration goes back to the the revolt against the Greek Army by small group of devout Jews lead by Judah Macabee. The feast gets its name “Festival of Lights” because olive oil that should have burned for only a day lasted for eight days allowing the revolters to last out the siege.

As so many of the feasts around this time of year, the theme of the celebration is light. Lighting the Menorah is one of the main activities for the celebration. his year the festival starts tonight and goes through next Monday. As with many things, I may not be of the group but am more than happy to celebrate.

What to my wondering eyes should appear, but what seems to be a loosening of the iron grip that the Felon In The White House has on his cult. Maybe a Hanukkah miracle? Here is hoping!

A) Let’s go right to Hanukkah. How many candles does a Menorah hold?

B) Another gawd awful week in Trump world. What very red state spurned Trump’s push to re-gerrymander their state when the state senate voted the bill down?

C) Couldn’t be climate change, could it? What state is suffering through massive floods as an ‘atmospheric river’ rains down water on them?

D) The FIWH is getting involved in a corporate battle over what media property?

E) Why is the FIWH getting involved in this battle?

F) What time of day is the Menorah lit?

G) What grade did the FIWH give his economy in an interview last week before he went to make a campaign speech about the economy?

H) The senate failed to pass a bill concerning the impending gigantic raise in premiums for what?

I) In an action that would usually be declared an act of war, the US did what to a Venezuelan oil tanker?

J) What midwestern bred movie star turned 100 yesterday and shows little signs of slowing down?

K) What are the favorite foods during Hanukkah?

L) A federal judge ordered that US immigration officials could no longer detain what person who has been a focal point of Trump’s racist immigration policy?

M) The FIWH approached what newer issue by calling it a “hoax”?

N) Australia has begun its quest to keep children under 16 away from what modern problem?

O) Discoveries in eastern Britain indicate that man may have been making what 350,000 years earlier than previously thought?

P) What toy is often associated with Hanukkah?

Q) In yet another case of a Trump district turning blue, a Dem was elected to the state house in what state Tuesday?

R) Also Tuesday what major US city elected their first Democratic mayor in 30 years?

S) The Iowa-Iowa State played both men’s and women’s basketball this week. Who won?

T) Hanukkah has little impact in the popular culure with the exception of “The Hanukkah Song” performed by who on Saturday Night Live?

Republican billionaires now control every major social media platform, Fox News, CNN, WaPo, WSJ, CBS, and 200 local news stations in 100 markets.
They are creating a propaganda state that treats their misinformation as fact, and actual facts as conspiracies.
This is by design. – Melanie D’Arrigo

tip of the hat to all-hat-no-cattle.com

Answers:

A) 9 – 8 of the same height and a taller one in the middle called the shamash

B) Indiana

C) Washington

D) Warner Brothers – Discovery

E) SIL Jared Kushner’s company Affinity Partners is tied in with Paramount trying to take over WBD and Trump wants to see CNN come under control of a Trump friendly Paramount

F) after the sun goes down

G) A ++++++ or more pluses

H) health care more specifically government subsidies for those on the ACA

I) The US seized a Venezuelan oil tanker

K) Dick Van Dyke

L) Kilmar Abrego Garcia

M) affordability

N) social media on the internet

O) fire. While man used fire they were not able to start fires until scientists though 50,000 years, Now that timeline has been moved back

P) the dreidel

Q) Georgia – the district was +12 Trump

R) Miami, Fl

S) Iowa State won both – women’s 74 to 69; Men 66 to 62

T) Adam Sandler and here it is:

At the time our country and constitution have never been in more trouble, tomorrow – December 15th – is Bill of Rights Day.

 

*******************************************************************************

Never forget those days when our enemies attacked our nation: December 7, September 11 and January 6

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Harkin Still Packs A Punch

Posted on December 13, 2025 by Dave Bradley

Tom Harkin speaks at the Iowa Farmer’s Union last weekend:

“My friends, I am not overstating it to say we are at our most perilous time in saving our constitution, in saving American democracy, in securing for future generations the blessings of liberty and opportunity and personal freedoms since the adoption of the Constitution in 1788.” Sen. Tom Harkin

Former Iowa Senator Tom Harkin can still fire up the people. And he does it with the truth (20 minutes)

I want to thank Suzan Erem and her great substack Postcards from the Heartland for Harkin’s quotes:

“Lincoln with malice towards none, with charity towards all. Trump with malice towards my opponents…and with charity towards none.”

 

“Trump and his team of dedicated modern-day Nazis and fascists are transforming America from a caring, inclusive, diverse, and respected nation, moving America, from yes, even Ronald Reagan’s shining city on a hill, moving us to a mean, loathsome bully on the top of the heap.”

 

 Here is the question – Iowa has four Democratic candidates to fill this seat next November. Can one of them – Wahls, Turek, Sage or Henry – fill the seat the way Tom Harkin did? I believe any one of them can, but any Republican will only be a Trump stooge.

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“Intellectual Freedom”? Maybe Not So Much

Posted on December 13, 2025 by Dave Bradley

The University of Iowa opened what is called a “Center For Intellectual Freedom” at the university. As I understand it, the idea came from the Iowa legislature last year. Like so many projects fostered by the extremist right of this country, this Center has a very misleading name for the actual goals it appears to want to achieve.

Like the infamous right wing environmental bill of the George W. Bush days named “The Clear Skies Act” whose purpose was to gut the original Clean Air Act, the “Center For Intellectual Freedom” seems to have a goal of quashing true intellectual freedom and inquiry. How do we know? They told us. As a matter of fact, they are proud of it.

From an opinion piece written by David Randall and John Hendrickson (David Randall is director of research at the National Association of Scholars; John Hendrickson is policy director for the Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation.) published in the Iowa City Press-Citizen and the Des Moines Register 

Gov. Kim Reynolds has just signed into law House File 437, which establishes a Center for Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa. Reynolds did a great service to Iowans — as did Rep. Taylor Collins, who shepherded the bill through the Legislature, and all his colleagues who supported and voted for House File 437. The new center will do a great deal to improve Iowa’s public higher education. It will improve intellectual diversity on campus, and it will help address Iowa’s crisis in civic education.

The Center for Intellectual Freedom will provide faculty, courses, and entire programs dedicated to teaching courses in American history and government that lead students to a greater understanding of the principles of the American Founding and the Constitution. Because the center will be administratively autonomous within the University of Iowa, it will be immune from capture by members of the education establishment who are allergic to depoliticized, truly civic instruction. Iowa policymakers still should exercise oversight, to make sure no bureaucrats attempt to veto legislative intent, but the Center’s administrative structure should make sure that a mission-aligned executive director can proceed without sabotage from the larger university. The ideologically extreme advocates of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) would undermine the center if they were given the chance.

While making claims for “intellectual diversity” with the “Center for Intellectual Freedom” in one paragraph, they also claim that DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) is extreme in the next paragraph, thus mocking their own claims.

Below is a conversation from Iowa City radio station KCJJ with Iowa State Representative Dave Jacoby where he and the interviewer peel away the dishonesty of the so-called “Center For Intellectual Freedom” and expose what extreme right wing agendas always want to do: suppress dissent and create their own narrative that is not to be questioned. (25 minutes) Note: Dave Jacoby serves on the state Education Committee.

Covering this event for iowacapitaldispatch.com Brooklyn Draisey noted the way the conference started:

The first day of the University of Iowa Center for Intellectual Freedom’s two-day inaugural event sought to answer two questions — what is wrong with higher education, and what caused these problems — with discussion from academics and activists involved with the center or invited by its interim director.

There wasn’t much debate among panelists and audience members, with the group seeming to agree that the root of the problems facing higher education comes from liberals and the ideas they bring with them.

There is little doubt that this “Center” is nothing more than yet another cog in the Republican led freedom suppression bandwagon. Iowa’s stature in education has gone from the top to the bottom 3 as noted by Captain Steve in the video. Thanks Republicans.

tip of the hat to all-hat-no-cattle.com

Posted in #trumpresistance, Iowa Legislature 2025, Republican mythology, Republican Policy | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

How To Stay Connected With The Pro-Democracy Movement

Posted on December 12, 2025 by Trish Nelson

“The biggest danger is that we give them powers they don’t have.” – Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible

Happy Friday!

Don’t miss Indivisible’s What’s The Plan? live discussion every Thursday. If you did not catch this week’s call you can watch the recording below. If you had listened to Thursday’s Zoom call you would already know that no formal date is set yet but the most likely date range for NoKings#3 is late March 2026.

Did you know there are DOZENS of new Indivisible groups forming EVERY WEEK?
On the call new Indivisible groups are welcomed weekly.
This week new groups in:
– Zionsville, Indiana!
– McCook, Nebraska!
And that’s just to name two.

Join thousands on the call for:

– Live Q & A
– Vote for top questions you want answered
– News of the week
-Resources
– Access to tools
– News article links
– Follow up email with everything discussed including transcript sent out to all attendees of the live Zoom.

Please enjoy this recording of yesterday’s weekly Zoom. If you prefer, read the transcript.
Then RSVP for What’s The Plan? 2026
Then don’t forget to join Indivisible Iowa on Facebook and follow on Blue Sky
Find your local Indivisible group at  indivisible.org/

 

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Congress Wants to Use the PERMIT Act to Gut the Clean Water Act

Posted on December 11, 2025 by Trish Nelson

Stream in the forest – Photo: JFFAN


ACTION ALERT from Jefferson County Farmers and Neighbors (JFAN)! Congress Wants to Use the PERMIT Act to Gut the Clean Water Act. Don’t Let Them.

The PERMIT Act (H.R. 3898), dubbed the “Permission to Pollute” Act, is a set of 15 dangerous bills that would gut many key Clean Water Act protections, drastically weakening this landmark legislation passed over 50 years ago. The US House of Representatives Committee on Rules will consider the bill, introduced in August by Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), starting the week of December 9.

If passed, the PERMIT Act would reduce industry regulations designed to keep pollutants out of rivers, streams, and lakes. Drinking and recreational waters are at risk of pesticide, PFAS, and other toxic chemical contamination.

Take Action Today to Tell Your Representative to VOTE NO on the PERMIT Act

Designed to streamline the permitting process, the PERMIT Act is supported by a diverse group of construction and home building, agribusiness, transportation, manufacturing, and mining associations along with the US Chamber of Commerce.

Environmental and clean water organizations oppose the PERMIT Act and with good reason.

Here are a few things the PERMIT Act would do if passed:

• Reduce protections for streams and wetlands by redefining which waters are protected, threatening many small streams, wetlands and seasonal waterways.

• Allow top officials at the EPA or Army Corps of Engineers to exclude any waterway from protections without public input or oversight.

• Provide immunity for polluters even if they are aware of and don’t report harmful pollutants in their wastewater.

• Allow dangerous chemicals like pesticides, PFAS and mercury to contaminate waterways with no consequences to polluters.

• Require the EPA to base pollution control and remediation technology recommendations on how much it would cost polluters to implement the technology rather than on science-based water quality standards.

• Fast track projects without proper oversight, eliminating state and tribe rights to review, prohibit or require more stringent conditions for harmful federal projects. It would reduce public participation, and federal agencies would make decisions, not impacted communities.

• Place the financial and public health burden of increased pollution on communities

• Limit the EPA from regularly updating water control standards with new or state-of-the-art pollution control and remediation technologies.

There’s more. Read how the PERMIT Act would further gut the Clean Water Act here.

The PERMIT Act would be a financial bonanza for industries looking to skirt or streamline the permitting process at a draconian cost to water quality, public health, and community rights. Iowa doesn’t need more polluted water. It needs laws that better protect this public natural resource.

Send a message to your U.S. representative today and tell them to vote NO on the PERMIT Act.

Or call your Congressperson today to urge them to vote NO on the PERMIT Act. Find your legislator here.

Congress should be looking for ways to strengthen the Clean Water Act, not weaken it. Clean water is a human right.

Thank you for all you do to take action to stop this harmful bill.

Diane Rosenberg
Executive Director

—–

Jefferson County Farmers & Neighbors, Inc.
PO Box 811
Fairfield, IA 52556
www.jfaniowa.org
641-209-6600
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JFANIowa

JFAN is funded by grassroots support and gratefully welcomes your donations. https://www.jfaniowa.org/donate-today

JFAN is a member of the Iowa Alliance for Responsible Agriculture (IARA)

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Local Unions To Assemble Holiday Food Baskets For Central Iowa Families

Posted on December 10, 2025 by Trish Nelson

Local union to assemble 300 holiday food baskets for central Iowa families

Des Moines, Iowa — On Friday, December 12, 2025, Labor union volunteers will continue a long tradition of community support as they assemble 300 holiday food baskets for local families, demonstrating once again the essential role unions play in strengthening the communities they serve.

Hosted by the South Central Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, the event begins at 9:00 a.m. at DMARC, 100 Army Post Road, Des Moines, IA. Media are welcome to attend (though we might put you to work).

Unions have long been part of the community fabric — supporting schools, disaster relief, public services, nonprofits, and neighbors in need. The holiday basket project is one more example of organized labor stepping forward to help local families.

Interviews available:

 Tom Hayes, President, South Central Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
 Melissa Speed, Community Services Committee Chair

EVENT DETAILS

 WHAT: Assembly of 300 Holiday Food Baskets
 WHEN: Friday, Dec. 12, 2025 — 9:00 a.m.
 WHERE: DMARC, 100 Army Post Rd, Des Moines
 WHO: South Central Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO & union volunteers

 AFSCME Council 61, is directly affiliated with the Iowa Federation of Labor – Iowa (AFL-CIO)

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AFSCME To Endorse Rob Sand For Iowa Governor

Posted on December 9, 2025 by Trish Nelson

Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch

AFSCME Council 61 to Announce Endorsement of Rob Sand for Iowa Governor

DES MOINES, IOWA — AFSCME Council 61 will hold an endorsement event on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at 2000 Walker Street in Des Moines, where the Council will officially endorse Rob Sand for Governor of Iowa in the 2026 election.

This endorsement builds on the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO’s early affiliate endorsements of Rob Sand for Governor and Nate Willems for Attorney General, underscoring a united labor movement heading into 2026.

AFSCME represents more than 40,000 public-service workers across Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas, including employees in corrections, public safety, human services, public health, education, and local government. This endorsement reflects a member-driven process focused on workplace safety, staffing, wages, and strong public services.

*Reporters will have opportunities for photo, video, and interviews after remarks.

EVENT DETAILS

WHAT: AFSCME Council 61 endorsement announcement for Rob Sand for Iowa Governor

WHO:

  • Rob Sand, Candidate for Governor of Iowa
  • Todd Copley, President, AFSCME Council 61
  • Melissa Speed, Political Director, AFSCME Council 61
  • AFSCME frontline public-service workers

WHEN: Saturday, December 13, 2025

TIME: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

WHERE:
2000 Walker Street
Des Moines, Iowa

To RSVP go to 👉 https://mobilize.us/s/nPzk7p

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Why We Can’t Have Nice Things (Clean Water)

Posted on December 8, 2025 by Trish Nelson

 

From At the Iowa Farm Table Podcast:

attheiowafarmtable.substack.com/this-is-why-we-cant-have-clean-water

“The fact that we’ve engineered the landscape in order to move water out of the ground quickly is called tiling.

Tile is pipe 4 feet below the surface. That tile is essentially ground water that hasn’t quite reached the water table yet.

The water that would have slowly done its dance through the soil oozing down through the cracks to the water table never gets a chance to do so. The tile, which is really piping… moves the water out too quickly.

We wouldn’t have the extensive agriculture beause in many areas if we didn’t tile you couldn’t grow the kind of crops that we grow here. To grow corn and beans it needs to be dryer in some areas than what is natural.

Then, that second ingredient to Iowa agriculture is the fertilizer. It helps the plants grow – especially when you deplete the soil by growing one crop over and over. In 2024 farmers bought more fertilizer than ever before. And it’s estimated that they are also growing 600,000 more acres of corn this year than last.

But when the tile moves the water out of the soil quickly it takes the fertilizer with it out into the creeks and streams and the water doesn’t have time to shimmy down through the soil where it can do something called de-nitrification. That’s when microbes in the soil break down the dangerous nitrates.”

More

 

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Rescheduled Union Vote For UnityPoint Nurses In Des Moines Today

Posted on December 7, 2025 by Dave Bradley

hat tip to iowastartingline.com

A big load of thanks to Amie Rivers of iowastartingline.com for sending out the reminder email about the union vote taking place starting today and going through Tuesday, December 9th.

The very fact that we have a situation where professionals like nurse have to unionize in order to not only get reasonable wages and benefits, but also to get working conditions and equipment that most of us would think would be standard in hospitals.

That “bad side,” according to nurses who spoke with me (Amie Rivers), is relentless cost-cutting at the expense of workers and patients: Nurses have seen their pay shift differential cut, meaning they’re working more hours for less money. Longtime nurses get burned out, leave, and aren’t replaced—meaning patient wait times go up, increasing frustration and angry outbursts.

Carpenter recalled a time a colleague was assaulted by a patient and broke their back. UnityPoint, she said, disciplined them when they were unable to return to work because of the pain.

“That type of stuff is the stuff that’s super disappointing, because I thought better of this company,” she said.

Even patient equipment has become substandard, said Dawn Balek, an overnight recovery room nurse at Iowa Methodist Medical Center with nearly 18 years of nursing experience.

“They don’t ask us which would work better; all of a sudden, we get new IV bags,” Balek told me. “We go to the cheapest tubing, and it falls out … We’re constantly telling them there’s a problem; they don’t care, ’cause they’re saving money.”

There is more at the link. Here is hoping that the nurses have a big turnout and that they become represented so they can get some resolution on their issues. Looking in from the outside, it definitely looks as if corporate health care is putting profit way ahead of care and while the nurses are losers in this situation, patients are the biggest losers.

This also gives me another thought. Of the many evils promoted by the right perhaps one of the most evil is for profit health care. To see that one of the nurses demands is simply for adequate equipment and staffing makes me wonder how far for profit health care will go to squeeze out that profit. Certainly this is not good for patients.

Which leads me to think that at some point the United States, once the shining light on the hill, especially in science, has to join the modern world and offer single payer health care to its citizens. Things like adequate equipment and staffing should not be negotiation items.

Single payer would be so much cheaper and would free us up to do the work of America rather than creating a multi-tiered society based on things like access to health care. Humanity over profit!

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