A recent Saturday Night Live skit tapped into a deep concern among Americans about the President's excessive use of executive authority. That concern is exacerbated with the reality now better understood that President Obama has largely kept the public from knowing the extent of his unilateral ...

They sat indiscriminately on the clearance rack marked down like a thousand percent from their initial price. Hand towels. Not your everyday, ordinary, run-of-the-mill hand towels. These happened to be emblazoned with the letter "P" as in the first letter of my last name. I contemplated my good ...

The 2015 session of the Iowa Legislature began on Monday, January 12. State Senator Steve Sodders of State Center says his top priority is helping improve the incomes of working and middle class families by focusing on education and job training."The recovery from the Great Recession is ...

It was a simple trip to the grocery store. Something I could probably do in my sleep. Pick up a few items, hit the checkout line and bag up the goods. I'd even remembered my coupons. It was a good day.I didn't even bring my purse because I have a new trendy phone case that has a nearly ...

Among the last votes of the Senate's lame duck session this year was extending expired tax provisions. The Senate has this debate every year or two, and sometimes it goes much later than it should have. This was one of those years, despite efforts from many of us to avoid a last minute ...

We capped off 2014 with promising news on the economy. That means we can continue to make both fiscal responsibility and job creation top priorities in 2015.The latest review of state finances by the nonpartisan Revenue Estimating Conference points to steady economic growth for Iowa over the ...

It was a simple trip to the grocery store. Something I could probably do in my sleep. Pick up a few items, hit the checkout line and bag up the goods. I'd even remembered my coupons. It was a good day.I didn't even bring my purse because I have a new trendy phone case that has a nearly ...

Among the last votes of the Senate's lame duck session this year was extending expired tax provisions. The Senate has this debate every year or two, and sometimes it goes much later than it should have. This was one of those years, despite efforts from many of us to avoid a last minute ...

We capped off 2014 with promising news on the economy. That means we can continue to make both fiscal responsibility and job creation top priorities in 2015.The latest review of state finances by the nonpartisan Revenue Estimating Conference points to steady economic growth for Iowa over the ...

Our household is reaching the tail end of tooth loss. It's been a decade-long endeavor where the tooth fairy went from super benefactor to sleeping beauty. That can happen to a person (or fairy) after 60 pick-up and deliveries. The whole fairy thing sort of looses its charm somewhere around the ...