Thanks, Art. During the last election I lived next door to a Democrat official. I'd look out my living room window and there would be Pete, talking with a neighbor or playing football with kids. Of course, you can't judge anything by radical Iowa City, but he went over very well here--and still does. I miss having him around and getting straight answers to questions.
We hosted a couple of Buttigieg staffers at our house the summer of 2019. We had great conversations (at the times they were home). Wouldn’t it be great if the Iowa Democratic caucuses became authentic again? Your column gives me hope.
Another excellent column, Art. You hit the nail on the head.
I'm from Cedar Rapids and have been a strong Buttegieg supporter from the start. I've always believed he's the best candidate to connect with (and represent) a wide cross-section of Americans.
Pete's appearance in Cedar Rapids last week confirmed that.
Perfect----if we miss this opportunity again, it will be the loss of the best talent I've seen in my lifetime. I've been on the Pete train since 2019. Go Pete!/Users/marystonge/Desktop/Petes Plates.JPG
Leaders need to re-discover Iowa. "Buttigieg suggests you can play Iowa to win, as does Walz". Yet, the DNC and Iowa Democrats never understood how Iowa reddened, failing to learn from our caucuses' value in vetting candidates and honing messages. My once-bluish rural Story County district, now red, mirrors this ignored shift. National leaders are belatedly "discovering" working-class voters. Speaking of the caucus, it is not too late that leaders can learn from Iowa. Whether the caucus returns or not is secondary to learning what the values of the caucus (and Iowans) were--prioritizing authenticity, organizing, listening, and working with others who may disagree.
Agree. But while Buttigieg may be a pending rock star the D party, in Iowa and nationally, is a disaster and the 2024 results here and nationally document this. Unless/until the party abandons its coastal cultural values it will not play again in Iowa. We launched Clinton and Obama (and absolutely rejected Biden) and close on several others so our bona fides are established. It will be a litmus test (I am not optimistic) if the D's again feature Iowa in a premier role.
Thanks, Bob. I agree. I am doing some volunteer work with some national groups that are pressuring our federal delegation to oppose the budget reconciliation bill. Their coastal wording/messaging is counterproductive. I am working with a group that is trying to provide neutral efforts— outside of the Democratic Party to help inform And provide an platform about what is happening in DC if not, Des Moines.
Just got back from a too short visit to my home town Sibley. When to the Family Farm to see about preserving some of the buildings. On a recommendation, I contacted two men from Sanborn who turned out to be Hispanic. Walking the Streets of Sibley, I saw the same percentage of Hispanic Population as where I have lived for sixty years. So there is hope for a future.
Visited my Uncle who for 24 years ran the Main Street Program in Spencer. He was kind of surprised to find that Wind Turbines produced revenue for the Farms they get placed upon. My Wife told him about her experience down here with the Turbine Lease Contract that she has down here. They also pay higher tax revenue to the Tax Entity’s than the acre of land that each tower would have yielded if used for agriculture.
I have lived for sixty years in a state ruled by two Christofascist Petroleum Billionaires. Iowa is going down that path for free, just to ape the Big Apes.
In Sibley, as well as Spencer, the local business’s are largely gone.
If Iowans will open their eyes, straighten their spines, take a deep breath, they will realize that what is not gone are the resources to create a New Jerusalem to feed the entire Earth. Just like the abundant wind, if the Soil and water are stewarded with care, our Grandchildren’s Future is secure. That would be a political message that anyone could get behind.
Unified government is the culprit. It may have value for one election cycle, but FIVE?! It just encourages them and always leads to excess, which would surely happen as well if the D's enjoyed such longevity. The solution is divided government which forces compromise on the significant issues and consigns the partisan excess to the dustbin. In Iowa the problem has been the incompetence of the D party, pushing "coastal" cultural values in a state that won't (yet, perhaps not for a long time) accept them.
Harkin had it right--campaign on three issues and three issues only: 1) no public money to private schools; 2) reproductive freedom; 3) no imminent domain for private enterprise. Nothing else.
Good article, and I'm amazed at how you wrote the whole thing without emphasis on how much the nation owes Iowa, which did so much to give us Barack Obama. Pete Buttigieg is amazing, and he's not afraid to appear on Fox News. He has that rare ability of being able to answer a question without bringing out the usual tired clichés, the canned answers that most politicians rely on. How refreshing!
Masterful - you feed my grudge and make me hopeful at the same time. Thanks, Art.
Thanks, Art. During the last election I lived next door to a Democrat official. I'd look out my living room window and there would be Pete, talking with a neighbor or playing football with kids. Of course, you can't judge anything by radical Iowa City, but he went over very well here--and still does. I miss having him around and getting straight answers to questions.
My favorite sentence: Iowa is the perfect place to start reclaiming our stake in democracy.
We hosted a couple of Buttigieg staffers at our house the summer of 2019. We had great conversations (at the times they were home). Wouldn’t it be great if the Iowa Democratic caucuses became authentic again? Your column gives me hope.
Thank you!
Another excellent column, Art. You hit the nail on the head.
I'm from Cedar Rapids and have been a strong Buttegieg supporter from the start. I've always believed he's the best candidate to connect with (and represent) a wide cross-section of Americans.
Pete's appearance in Cedar Rapids last week confirmed that.
Perfect----if we miss this opportunity again, it will be the loss of the best talent I've seen in my lifetime. I've been on the Pete train since 2019. Go Pete!/Users/marystonge/Desktop/Petes Plates.JPG
Leaders need to re-discover Iowa. "Buttigieg suggests you can play Iowa to win, as does Walz". Yet, the DNC and Iowa Democrats never understood how Iowa reddened, failing to learn from our caucuses' value in vetting candidates and honing messages. My once-bluish rural Story County district, now red, mirrors this ignored shift. National leaders are belatedly "discovering" working-class voters. Speaking of the caucus, it is not too late that leaders can learn from Iowa. Whether the caucus returns or not is secondary to learning what the values of the caucus (and Iowans) were--prioritizing authenticity, organizing, listening, and working with others who may disagree.
Agree. But while Buttigieg may be a pending rock star the D party, in Iowa and nationally, is a disaster and the 2024 results here and nationally document this. Unless/until the party abandons its coastal cultural values it will not play again in Iowa. We launched Clinton and Obama (and absolutely rejected Biden) and close on several others so our bona fides are established. It will be a litmus test (I am not optimistic) if the D's again feature Iowa in a premier role.
Thanks, Bob. I agree. I am doing some volunteer work with some national groups that are pressuring our federal delegation to oppose the budget reconciliation bill. Their coastal wording/messaging is counterproductive. I am working with a group that is trying to provide neutral efforts— outside of the Democratic Party to help inform And provide an platform about what is happening in DC if not, Des Moines.
Pete is both politically savvy and a clear, concise speaker. He can see the bigger big picture. Another good one for us today, Art!!
Just got back from a too short visit to my home town Sibley. When to the Family Farm to see about preserving some of the buildings. On a recommendation, I contacted two men from Sanborn who turned out to be Hispanic. Walking the Streets of Sibley, I saw the same percentage of Hispanic Population as where I have lived for sixty years. So there is hope for a future.
Visited my Uncle who for 24 years ran the Main Street Program in Spencer. He was kind of surprised to find that Wind Turbines produced revenue for the Farms they get placed upon. My Wife told him about her experience down here with the Turbine Lease Contract that she has down here. They also pay higher tax revenue to the Tax Entity’s than the acre of land that each tower would have yielded if used for agriculture.
I have lived for sixty years in a state ruled by two Christofascist Petroleum Billionaires. Iowa is going down that path for free, just to ape the Big Apes.
In Sibley, as well as Spencer, the local business’s are largely gone.
If Iowans will open their eyes, straighten their spines, take a deep breath, they will realize that what is not gone are the resources to create a New Jerusalem to feed the entire Earth. Just like the abundant wind, if the Soil and water are stewarded with care, our Grandchildren’s Future is secure. That would be a political message that anyone could get behind.
I'm saving my 20PETE20 Precinct Captain button for future reference!
Unified government is the culprit. It may have value for one election cycle, but FIVE?! It just encourages them and always leads to excess, which would surely happen as well if the D's enjoyed such longevity. The solution is divided government which forces compromise on the significant issues and consigns the partisan excess to the dustbin. In Iowa the problem has been the incompetence of the D party, pushing "coastal" cultural values in a state that won't (yet, perhaps not for a long time) accept them.
Harkin had it right--campaign on three issues and three issues only: 1) no public money to private schools; 2) reproductive freedom; 3) no imminent domain for private enterprise. Nothing else.
. . . .eminent. . . .
Good article, and I'm amazed at how you wrote the whole thing without emphasis on how much the nation owes Iowa, which did so much to give us Barack Obama. Pete Buttigieg is amazing, and he's not afraid to appear on Fox News. He has that rare ability of being able to answer a question without bringing out the usual tired clichés, the canned answers that most politicians rely on. How refreshing!