I once was a part time DJ. I was program director at my college station and worked Sunday mornings at KKRQ in Iowa City. Back in the day, a Fairness Doctrine kept radio from being a partisan tool. The college station is no more and KKRQ moved to Solon and is part of IHeartMedia, which owns most stations in Iowa.
The conservative media group, IHeart, came in as Clear Channel. It’s constantly changing its name but not its message. It owns country radio and even got rid of the Dixie Chicks. So much for Goodbye Earl.
As I drive my husband to his chemo appointments in Iowa City, the government cutbacks, which the conservatives usher in is as obvious as the cracks in a country road. The more cracks, the more Trump signs you’ll see along the back-ways. You’ll not see a black person but you will see “all lives matter” signs. Conservatives run on slogans. In this article, a shallow guy repeats some slogans and says he wants good roads but government out of his life so he votes Republican, even as his teacher wife points out the down side. Buddy, you are not getting good roads or the government out of your life. Dumb stuff got in your ears and came out of your mouth.
Poweshiek County is an example. It’s got a few things going for it such as Grinnell College and Brownell’s. The later was a run-down shack outside of the county seat of Montezuma. The family started donating to Republicans. Before you know it, they had a new retail store with an opening attended by state Republicans who were a lot more wrinkly than they are now. And let me tell you, Brownell’s got a lot of free PPP funding.The funding was in the 5-10 million dollar range because they were having troubles keeping up with sales. Despite their tribulations and need of government assistance, the company guys had enough money to donate to political policy foundations.You can drive past their store on I-80, or stop and get an AR-15 or ammo magazine.
Or take the back roads such as state highway 85 if you want to see the country and give your tires a workout. Be sure to tune in an independent radio station or bring a podcast. You don’t want to get one of those conservative ear-worms.
Catherine Haustein 
Nice Iowa summary. People need to understand what is happening!
LikeLike
indeed, it was amazing when we lived in Memphis how Tennessee politicians would crow about how things were going under their regimes of severe austerity while the places were literally crumbling under their feet and tires, not to mention the state (pardon the pun) of their schools or healthcare, so sad to see Iowa racing to such ends and with the same sort of hubris.
LikeLike