The Tipping Point By Doug Smith May 16, 2026 I believe the events of January 2026 in Minneapolis will come to be seen as a tipping point for many people. Seeing the on-camera murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by agents of the federal government has stunned this country. I’ve heard that some lifelong Republican voters are now saying “I can’t vote for this party anymore if this is what they do with the power my vote gives them.” Add to that the disgust people continue to feel about...

There is a simple, logical solution by Doug Smith May 9, 2026 Thanks to the Supreme Court essentially gutting the Voting Rights Act of 1965 on May 2nd, we once again see clearly the weaknesses in our current system of redistricting. For years, the “one person, one vote” ideal has been trashed by devious politicians of both parties who cluster voters in such as way as to minimize the ability of the out-of-power party to ever regain control of that seat. Gerrymandering is wrong, it has always...

How it Connects to Property Tax “Reform” Doug Smith May 1, 2026 Two recent Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier articles attracted my attention: first, Waterloo Schools attendance has slipped below 10,000, resulting in a loss of more than $2 million in state funding for the district; and second, the Iowa Republicans are trying to restrict property tax increases in the 2026 session. Here’s how these issues are connected. Governor Reynolds’ policy of allowing our tax money to flow freely to private...