Thank you so much, Robert, for this post. I am just heart sick about what has happened since January 20. We were grateful to be able to watch all of Tim Walz’s town hall meeting on YouTube! Thank you again!
Thank you Bob. I am especially grateful that you’re covering what I wouldn’t know about if you didn’t. I would not have known that veterans are organizing and protesting. Thanks for providing them the opportunity to tell their stories.
Thanks for the updates. I watched Tim Walz's townhall the day after on Youtube. He gets it, he understands what's going on. Rita Hart, however, needs to up her game. From my perspective her thinking and acquiescence are comparable to U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, especially in matters related to Big Ag and Iowa's filthy water.
Regarding the veterans' rally, was it covered by any TV stations?
Thank you, Bob. I will be in Clarion tomorrow at the Pizza Ranch with Kyle Kruse and Ryan Melton to assist with local organizing in Wright County. You are welcome to tag along, certainly would welcome area veterans.
I was at an event yesterday in Ft. Dodge with rural county Democrats. Rita Hart was there. I spoke of how important the rural counties are, and how important the LGBTQ community is to Democrats. I hope Ms. Hart heard me loud and clear. I won't back down.
joni ernst is not “sort of abdicating” her responsibility and she is definitely not upholding her oath of office! Nor are the rest of our supposed representatives who hide under their desks until they get instructions on how to respond.
I see ernst, grassley and hinson are going to be in Iowa Falls soon. Maybe a new tactic to blunt the questions. Fill the air with fog and false empty replies.
Dr. Bob, thanks for plugging the vets. I did two years in Vietnam on a three year hitch with the Army. One tour and two extensions to be exact. I turned 19 on the flight over and before it was over for me, I turned 21. When I got out, we were the whipping dogs, even in Iowa, where Governor Ray was still in charge. We got sacked by the legislature that ended the tiny few points for Veterans Preference in hiring by the state because it was unfair to women, but now that women are a large part of the military, it hasn't been reinstated. So, now suddenly we are the ground troops for democracy! The same people who stuck our asses out as kids to do what our country asked of us, even as draftees, though most of us in Vietnam had enlisted. We had no money for school and no deferments! Those who did, are often the ones' who voted for Trump, or worse, didn't vote at all! We are carrying the torch, and sure as shit, the public will burn us with the same torch before it is all over! Yet, as Billy Joel wrote in his song about Vietnam, "We will all go down together!" because we are brothers in arms, and will stand up to any SOB that is attempting to end anyone of us! We can argue every side of an argument, and get mad as hell with each other, but in the end, we will defend each and everyone's right to do just that! Anyone who wants to silence any one of us, or all of us, will find their way into hell, and we will happily lay down our lives to help with that travel plan! We take care of our own, and many of us know personally who "our own" are! Those who have been shorted their entire lives and now are being robbed by the same people, in many cases, just like Trump, who found ways to avoid putting their ass on the line for their country. They used any opportunity to avoid the draft and a chance to get their asses killed, maimed, or injured. I can bet, that in that little crowd at the Capital you didn't see any uniform wearing Legionnaires or VFW officials! Those of us from Vietnam learned our lessons from the ones' who abandoned us first, our supposed "Comrades in Arms" who decided we weren't really in a a foreign war, so we weren't "eligible" for membership in their eyes. The Legion was almost as bad, their assumptions they made spoke volumes, if something came up about drugs or illegal substances, the first people they looked for leadership was us! They didn't want to touch it as subject, and of course we knew so much more about it! When the Iowa Memorial to the guys who died in Vietnam was being built, I was on the County Commission for Veterans Affairs for Linn County, and we were charged with helping raise money for that memorial. One of the larger Legion Clubs was in Marion, Iowa and they refused to contribute! That poster you showed with trump kissing up on the flag, speaks volumes for many who would do the same simply to look the part as being "patriotic" but when the rubber meets the road, disappear!
I really try not to use the word “hate” but I hate that these sorry excuses for representatives claim to represent! They claim patriotism without service and christian without Jesus.
Six active and twenty reserve for me with two recalls in 91 and 01.
Thanks, Bob. Between yours and Jess Piper's, hope emerges for those of us in the rural heartland. We often feel lost in a sea of Fox News propagandized, uncaring, unaware Republicans. It's heatening to know we aren't alone. The economic chaos might awaken some who are not irredeemable Trump cultists, but somehow simply always vote Republican out of habit. True populist progressive movements have historically arisen from the heartland, such as LaFollette Wisconsin. Maybe again?
This makes me wonder about using Facebook again. I think it is hard to know these protests are happening —I think that getting out the word must be difficult. Maybe I just don’t look in the right places. Thanks for being there and telling us what is happening, Bob.
Hey you vets voted for a draft dodging coward who called you suckers and losers. OOhhh WELllll
Not all vets did. Certainly, not all of these vets did.
I attended the Iowa City event.
Here's coverage: https://www.kcrg.com/2025/03/14/eastern-iowa-veterans-protest-proposed-cuts-department-veterans-affairs/
Thanks!
Thank you so much, Robert, for this post. I am just heart sick about what has happened since January 20. We were grateful to be able to watch all of Tim Walz’s town hall meeting on YouTube! Thank you again!
Thank you Bob. I am especially grateful that you’re covering what I wouldn’t know about if you didn’t. I would not have known that veterans are organizing and protesting. Thanks for providing them the opportunity to tell their stories.
Thanks, Anita! And thanks for all of your work with children…
Thanks for the updates. I watched Tim Walz's townhall the day after on Youtube. He gets it, he understands what's going on. Rita Hart, however, needs to up her game. From my perspective her thinking and acquiescence are comparable to U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, especially in matters related to Big Ag and Iowa's filthy water.
Regarding the veterans' rally, was it covered by any TV stations?
WHO-TV was there, but I can’t find their coverage online. KWWL covered Iowa City. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlSuJuIAfvY
Thank you, Bob. I will be in Clarion tomorrow at the Pizza Ranch with Kyle Kruse and Ryan Melton to assist with local organizing in Wright County. You are welcome to tag along, certainly would welcome area veterans.
I was at an event yesterday in Ft. Dodge with rural county Democrats. Rita Hart was there. I spoke of how important the rural counties are, and how important the LGBTQ community is to Democrats. I hope Ms. Hart heard me loud and clear. I won't back down.
I'd love to be with you, but have other obligations tomorrow, and might stop by the Capitol. I hope Rita listens too. Thanks for your hard work!
joni ernst is not “sort of abdicating” her responsibility and she is definitely not upholding her oath of office! Nor are the rest of our supposed representatives who hide under their desks until they get instructions on how to respond.
I see ernst, grassley and hinson are going to be in Iowa Falls soon. Maybe a new tactic to blunt the questions. Fill the air with fog and false empty replies.
I'd love to be there, it will be interesting to see the reporting on it.
Thank you for being our feet on the ground, our ear in the air.
Dr. Bob, thanks for plugging the vets. I did two years in Vietnam on a three year hitch with the Army. One tour and two extensions to be exact. I turned 19 on the flight over and before it was over for me, I turned 21. When I got out, we were the whipping dogs, even in Iowa, where Governor Ray was still in charge. We got sacked by the legislature that ended the tiny few points for Veterans Preference in hiring by the state because it was unfair to women, but now that women are a large part of the military, it hasn't been reinstated. So, now suddenly we are the ground troops for democracy! The same people who stuck our asses out as kids to do what our country asked of us, even as draftees, though most of us in Vietnam had enlisted. We had no money for school and no deferments! Those who did, are often the ones' who voted for Trump, or worse, didn't vote at all! We are carrying the torch, and sure as shit, the public will burn us with the same torch before it is all over! Yet, as Billy Joel wrote in his song about Vietnam, "We will all go down together!" because we are brothers in arms, and will stand up to any SOB that is attempting to end anyone of us! We can argue every side of an argument, and get mad as hell with each other, but in the end, we will defend each and everyone's right to do just that! Anyone who wants to silence any one of us, or all of us, will find their way into hell, and we will happily lay down our lives to help with that travel plan! We take care of our own, and many of us know personally who "our own" are! Those who have been shorted their entire lives and now are being robbed by the same people, in many cases, just like Trump, who found ways to avoid putting their ass on the line for their country. They used any opportunity to avoid the draft and a chance to get their asses killed, maimed, or injured. I can bet, that in that little crowd at the Capital you didn't see any uniform wearing Legionnaires or VFW officials! Those of us from Vietnam learned our lessons from the ones' who abandoned us first, our supposed "Comrades in Arms" who decided we weren't really in a a foreign war, so we weren't "eligible" for membership in their eyes. The Legion was almost as bad, their assumptions they made spoke volumes, if something came up about drugs or illegal substances, the first people they looked for leadership was us! They didn't want to touch it as subject, and of course we knew so much more about it! When the Iowa Memorial to the guys who died in Vietnam was being built, I was on the County Commission for Veterans Affairs for Linn County, and we were charged with helping raise money for that memorial. One of the larger Legion Clubs was in Marion, Iowa and they refused to contribute! That poster you showed with trump kissing up on the flag, speaks volumes for many who would do the same simply to look the part as being "patriotic" but when the rubber meets the road, disappear!
I really try not to use the word “hate” but I hate that these sorry excuses for representatives claim to represent! They claim patriotism without service and christian without Jesus.
Six active and twenty reserve for me with two recalls in 91 and 01.
Ya, they suck!
You are an American treasure, Steve. Thank you.
Relentless Robert Leonard - you are appreciated and respected!
And thank you Mike Totten!
https://bsky.app/profile/vgarmon3.bsky.social/post/3lkjbmsofdk2k
Thank you, Van! I'm happy you found this, and sorry I didn't catch the spelling of your name. YOU are appreciated and respected too!
Great reporting! Thank you.
https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/
Thanks, Bob. Between yours and Jess Piper's, hope emerges for those of us in the rural heartland. We often feel lost in a sea of Fox News propagandized, uncaring, unaware Republicans. It's heatening to know we aren't alone. The economic chaos might awaken some who are not irredeemable Trump cultists, but somehow simply always vote Republican out of habit. True populist progressive movements have historically arisen from the heartland, such as LaFollette Wisconsin. Maybe again?
Maybe. I've been thinking about going to the John. L. Lucas museum in Lucas, Iowa for inspiration...
This makes me wonder about using Facebook again. I think it is hard to know these protests are happening —I think that getting out the word must be difficult. Maybe I just don’t look in the right places. Thanks for being there and telling us what is happening, Bob.
Look at the websites for 50501 and Indivisible. Those two organizations are trying to keep up with listing events. League of Women Voters too.
Thank you!
https://events.pol-rev.com/search?contentType=EVENTS&mode=LIST
https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/