

Elias pioneered cannabis policy in Iowa before House run
Michelle Servadio’s cannabis policy advocacy began when she met cancer patient Benton MacKenzie of the Quad Cities.


Ranked choice voting interest grows nationwide and in Illinois, Iowa
Evanston, Berwyn, Cedar Rapids and the Iowa Green Party are among the Illinois and Iowa entities exploring ranked choice voting.



Elle Wyant focuses on education, economy, equity
Elle Wyant faces an extreme conservative with a deep political history. in her pursuit of Iowa House District 91.



Hard truths: Russia’s invasion and our own strong-arm history
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forces the U.S. to acknowledge and evolve from its own international bullying history.



With courage and care: history and Eisenhower tell us how to handle January 6
For a cue on how to handle January 6 in classrooms and beyond, history teacher Kent Mick recalls Eisenhower’s stance to support desegregation in 1957.



Progressive the 1700s way: not a bad thing
It’s a lot like obscenity: “progressive” is a word shunned by people up and down the political spectrum. Its actual definition is open to interpretation, yet everyone thinks they know it when they see it. This free-for-all is one reason we identify as progressive at...



9/11 anniversary demands a return to perspective
We’ve already been down the path of pushing it to the limit, as we’re newly reminded with the 20th anniversary of 9/11. We can’t keep going down this path of relentless escalation and “shock and awe,” liberal-style. We have to stop the macro-ization of every micro-aggression.


Trans kids (and everyone): don’t listen to Caitlyn Jenner, misinformed fallen hero
That collective groan you heard recently? It was the transgender community nationwide learning Caitlyn Jenner launched her bid for Governor of California. That whistling kettle-like sound you also heard? It was our collective anger boiling over when she said this...


Misguided anti-meth bill has regressive, anti-art, anti-business impacts
Add yet another Republican-driven, over-reaching, and misinformed piece of legislation to the Iowa Legislature's list of bad ideas this year: a 40 percent tax on glass pipes, plus several more increased costs and licensures. Proposed under the guise of slowing the...


Community Briefs for Monday, March 1, 2021
Catch up on news items about progressive and intersectional groups, businesses and people throughout Iowa and Illinois: Thurgood Brooks is a native Rock Islander challenging fellow native and four-year incumbent Mike Thoms for mayor April 6. Read and watch WQAD's...


Groups ramp up, seek help, to fight Iowa’s anti-LGBTQ bills
DES MOINES -- If you'd like to join the fight against a rash of anti-LGBTQ bills proposed by Republican state legislators this year, two of Iowa's leading civil rights groups are providing three chances to get involved within the next week. "Moral Mondays Iowa: The...


Iowa, Florida still seized by Trumpism, Republican culture wars
Iowa and Florida both went strongly Trump in the 2020 election. Both are led by governors who mimicked many Trump policies. Both have state Houses and Senates in Republican control. Both resisted mask mandates and have led the country in COVID-19 transmission rates....



Elle Wyant focuses on education, economy, equity
Elle Wyant faces an extreme conservative with a deep political history. in her pursuit of Iowa House District 91.



Hard truths: Russia’s invasion and our own strong-arm history
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forces the U.S. to acknowledge and evolve from its own international bullying history.



With courage and care: history and Eisenhower tell us how to handle January 6
For a cue on how to handle January 6 in classrooms and beyond, history teacher Kent Mick recalls Eisenhower’s stance to support desegregation in 1957.



Progressive the 1700s way: not a bad thing
It’s a lot like obscenity: “progressive” is a word shunned by people up and down the political spectrum. Its actual definition is open to interpretation, yet everyone thinks they know it when they see it. This free-for-all is one reason we identify as progressive at...



9/11 anniversary demands a return to perspective
We’ve already been down the path of pushing it to the limit, as we’re newly reminded with the 20th anniversary of 9/11. We can’t keep going down this path of relentless escalation and “shock and awe,” liberal-style. We have to stop the macro-ization of every micro-aggression.