Charles Bruner

Oct 27, 2024 | bleedingheartland.com | Gerald Ott |Rick Morain |Charles Bruner |Ruth Sheffield

Ruth Sheffield is a pseudonym for a native Midwesterner, public school educator, mother of three, and passionate defender of democracy for all. All elections are important. This election feels even more important. The stark contrast between the two presidential candidates and the closeness of the polls leaves many questions unanswered. If Donald Trump wins the election, he said he would be a dictator on “day one.” He said it. He means it. Are voters listening?

Oct 27, 2024 | bleedingheartland.com | Gerald Ott |Rick Morain |Charles Bruner

Gerald Ott of Ankeny was a high school English teacher and for 30 years a school improvement consultant for the Iowa State Education Association. In the time before the election, I’ve become a TV junkie. So, I did see a clip of Donald Trump trying to win votes in Pennsylvania by telling penis jokes. It shows how low he and his applauding fans can go. Arnold Palmer’s daughter told ABC News Donald Trump had disrespected her late father’s memory by fawning over the size of the golf champion’s penis.

Oct 26, 2024 | bleedingheartland.com | Rick Morain |Charles Bruner |Bernie Scolaro

Rick Morain is the former publisher and owner of the Jefferson Herald, for which he writes a regular column. Pundits are fond of saying that elections are about the economy, and people’s relationship to it. “It’s the economy, stupid” and all that. It may be true—but there’s certainly evidence to the contrary. Look no further than the reaction to Donald Trump’s tariff proposals from Iowans whose livelihoods depend on the agriculture sector.

Oct 26, 2024 | bleedingheartland.com | Charles Bruner |Bernie Scolaro |Laura Belin

Charles Bruner was a state legislator from 1978 through 1990 and ran his campaigns as an advocate for children and families, turning his Senate district blue after two decades of Republican representation. More resources on the Kamala Harris care agenda for children are available on the Harris for Kids website. The image above is a refrigerator magnet I created for this election. I served in the Iowa legislature from 1978 to 1990, which were “kinder and gentler” times.

Aug 16, 2024 | bleedingheartland.com | Ed Tibbetts |Laura Belin |Robin Opsahl |Charles Bruner

Ed Tibbetts, a longtime reporter and editor in the Quad-Cities, is the publisher of the Along the Mississippi newsletter, where this article first appeared. Find more of his work at edtibbetts.substack.com. When I was a kid growing up in eastern Iowa during the 1970s, the school library opened up the world to me. I remember rushing through my homework during study hall, so I could get to the library.