Monday, November 5, 2012
Talking politics with your kids can be a touchy subject. How do you do it?
If you have school age children, then you've no doubt been bombarded with political questions this election year. I know I have. Just last week, my first grader came home after a mock election at her school, proud to tell me she cast her vote for Barack Obama. While we've talked a little bit about the election at home, she still had a thousand questions about what happens next. "Mom, will you vote?," "How do they choose a winner?" and "What happens if Obama doesn't win?" I won't lie, it's hard to stay unbiased when talking politics with your kids. I want them to understand the process and make their own decisions about political affiliation when it's appropriate, not just mimic the things they've heard at home. Dr. Peggy Drexler, research …
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Q&A with Tim Hagle from the University of Iowa's political science department.
President Barack Obama is expected to visit Iowa next week. Here's an excerpt from an interview UI Professor Tim Hagle about the president's upcoming visit. Hagle teaches and does political science research at the university and worked for two years in the U.S. Department of Justice. Iowa City Patch: President Obama just visited Iowa last month. Why is he returning so soon? Tim Hagle: That's a good question. When he came a couple weeks ago, folks were asking 'Why Iowa?' and the standard answer is that we're going to be a swing state and it's clear that Iowa, despite our small number of electoral college votes, is still going to be important to Obama's strategy ... Iowa has to be one of those states he keeps in his column ... If we were in …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
In his first visit to the battleground state since the January caucuses, the presumptive GOP nominee tells Iowans a "prairiefire of debt is sweeping across … the nation."
As a military wife and stay-at-home mom, federal spending plays a huge role in the day-to-day life of 30-year-old Rebecca Hayes. In fact, her family’s livelihood depends on it. “My husband is in the military and that’s how we receive our paychecks,” Hayes said. “And it always seems like that’s the first area they cut.” Hayes, a native of Boston, Mass., who now lives in Ames, Iowa, was among dozens of local residents who turned out to see former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at the Hotel Fort Des Moines in Des Moines Tuesday. This marked Romney’s first Iowa appearance since the Jan. 3 caucuses. The stop is part of a weeklong stint coordinated by Romney’s campaign and the Republican National Committee to stress “Obama’s debt, deficit and …
Friday, December 9, 2011
With Gingrich's surge still lacking substantial numbers of female supporters, opponents could use one of their last gasps before the Iowa caucuses to remind voters that the former Speaker is on marriage No. 3.
Newt Gingrich's woman problems may be creating women problems. Heading into Saturday's Iowa debate, Gingrich's overall poll numbers may have surged in recent weeks, but his support among women lags two steps behind the number of men who say they intend to vote for him. With a library of articles chronicling the thrice married former Speaker of the House's extra-marital affairs already on the shelves, rival Mitt Romney has been trying to blow the dust off the stories of Gingrich serving his first wife with divorce papers as she lay on her hospital bed recovering from cancer surgery. The question will be whether his soaring campaign can push through the dirt. Support for Gingrich from women pales in comparison to support from men, …
Maria Houser Conzemius
7:32 am on Friday, May 18, 2012
Good interview. It's appalling that Iowa swung back Republican to vote in Gov.-for-Life Terry Branstad, but Chet Culver was a very weak candidate, even as an incumbent. I hope Culver doesn't run again. We need a better gubernatorial candidate next time. more ›