Rick Smith

Any reasonable person would likely look at the continuing Medicaid privatization scandal and question why Governor Kim Reynolds has refused to admit failure. Iowa’s Medicaid program has been in crisis ever since it began in 2016, and every indication suggests it is worsening. Each week brings another new story of clients whose care is being…

With the exception of the agricultural sector, Iowa’s economy is doing very well as evidenced by an extremely low unemployment rate of 2.6%. The stock market is booming due to increasing corporate profits, yet Iowa employees’ wages and salaries are stagnant. Factoring in inflation, Iowans are seeing their net wage increases consumed. Iowans at the…

It’s rare for a national company selling consumer products to take a stand on a controversial political issue. Generally, they would remain neutral, fearing that taking a political position would hurt sales with the consumers that support the opposing position. Nike boldly ignored that conventional advertising rule by making the former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick…

There are certainly many critical issues for voters to consider when choosing between the two Iowa gubernatorial candidates. Iowa’s deteriorating soil health and dangerously impaired water quality should rate near the top in factoring into voters’ decisions about choosing the state’s next governor. Many voters now getting to know Fred Hubbell may not be aware…

Senator McCain’s nickname as a maverick referred to his history of bipartisanship and putting country before party. His very visible friendships with former Democratic Senators Joe Biden, John Kerry, Russ Feingold, Joe Lieberman and the late Ted Kennedy have become the exception for most Republicans. The loss of Republican bipartisanship has lead to the deepening…

Iowa Republicans latest attacks on immigrants have their agricultural constituents worried about losing their critical workforce. Following the tragic murder of Mollie Tibbitts, Republicans from Trump on down saw an opportunity to attack Democrats on the issue of a broken immigration system. Trump immediately blamed Tibbetts murder by an undocumented immigrant on Democrats. “Democrat immigration…

When incumbent candidates have a strong successful record, they run on their accomplishments. When candidates must run on a failed record, lack any positive visions and refuse to discuss their positions, they turn to negative ads. With a failed record of achievements, Governor Reynolds has chosen the latter by going negative in a desperate attack…

The defeat of Missouri’s anti-union “right-to-work” law is likely to carry national repercussions. These unions’ huge success in a largely red state that Trump won with 54% suggests that voters support and believe in the value of unions. The right-to-work law was repealed by an overwhelming 67% to 33% margin. Since only 7.5% of Missourians…