Rick Smith

Why is Iowa Total Care, the state’s newest Medicaid insurer, renting the most expensive office space in metro Des Moines? Not only will their new West Des Moines Westfield Campus offices be the most expensive in the metro, they will be paying 37.5% higher rent than the average in greater Des Moines. Their offices in…

Republicans have long preached that the best government is the one closest to the people. Based on this basic conservative principle, one might expect that they would promote the autonomy of local governments from the overreach of federal or state rules and regulations. Historically, the GOP has been an advocate for local control and has…

Republican legislators have introduced bills in the Iowa House (HSB 110) and the Iowa Senate (SSB 1101) that are a direct attack on Iowa’s merit-based judicial selection process. The Iowa group Justice Not Politics describes the proposed changes as the largest judicial power grab ever attempted in Iowa. Iowa’s current merit-based judicial selection process significantly…

This week’s Moral Monday at the Capitol focused on several proposed Republican gun bills as well as the consequences of the ones they passed in 2017. The discussion was led by Representative Tim Kacena (D-Sioux City) and Scott Peterson, Chair of Iowans for Gun Safety. Over a dozen Democratic legislators attended and participated in the…

Democrats expected that the Republican-controlled legislature and Republican governor would continue to be emboldened to pursue an extreme agenda in the current session.  Much of the new legislation introduced so far by Republican legislators confirms the Democrats worst fears. Ranging from abolishing the Iowa Department of Education (Sen. Zaun), ending university tenure, relaxing gun control…

If anyone doubted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s ability to challenge and crush Donald Trump, the wall debate should leave little question. Pelosi dominated the debate and it ended with Trump folding after holding government employees hostage for a record 35 days. She repeatedly demonstrated her leadership by vanquishing Trump as few other politicians of either…

Both Senator Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley voted to lift sanctions against three Russian companies linked to oligarch Oleg Deripaska, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Why did Iowa’s senators vote to assist Deripaska, once Russia’s wealthiest man with an estimated worth of $28 billon? Critics describe Deripaska as a thug with direct…

The future of the University of Labor Center remains in doubt after the University cut off funding last summer. For Iowans not involved in labor unions, they may not realize the value of the Labor Center at the University of Iowa. They may have the impression that the purpose of the Labor Center is limited…

Current and former public employees rallied in support of the Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) at the Iowa State Capitol on Monday. The speakers expressed fear that Republicans may attempt to move IPERS, the defined benefit program to a 401(k) type retirement plan. The press conference was organized by Progress Iowa. They have many…

President Trump is going to the U.S.-Mexico border this week. If Trump really wants to get the advice of a border expert, he should meet with GOP Texas Congressman Will Hurd. What better expert on the most effective border security than a Texas Congressman whose district covers the largest section of the U.S.-Mexican border? Republican…