One of my blogging new year’s resolutions for 2016 was to publish more work by other authors, and I’m grateful to the many talented writers who helped me meet that goal. After the jump I’ve linked to all 140 guest posts published here last year.
I encourage readers to consider writing for this site in 2017. Guest authors can write about any political issue of local, state, or national importance. As you can see from the stories enclosed below, a wide range of topics and perspectives are welcome here.
Pieces can be short or long, funny or sad. You can write in a detached voice or let your emotions show.
Posts can analyze what happened or advocate for what should happen, either in terms of public policy or a political strategy for Democrats. Authors can share first-person accounts of campaign events or more personal reflections about public figures.
Guest authors do not need to e-mail a draft to me or ask permission to pursue a story idea. Just register for an account (using the “sign up” link near the upper right), log in, write a post, edit as needed, and hit “submit for review” when you are ready to publish. The piece will be “pending” until I approve it for publication, to prevent spammers from using the site to sell their wares. You can write under your own name or choose any pseudonym not already claimed by another Bleeding Heartland user. I do not reveal authors’ identity without their permission.
I also want to thank everyone who comments on posts here. If you’ve never participated that way, feel free to register for a user account and share your views. If you used to comment occasionally but have not done so lately, you may need to reset your password. Let me know if you have any problems registering for an account, logging in, or changing a password. My address is near the lower right-hand corner of this page.
The most prolific Bleeding Heartland guest author in 2016 was fladem, later known as Dan Guild. He set the bar high with eleven contributions:
Front Runners Beware
My Experience at a Caucus (his view as an out-of-state volunteer for Bernie Sanders)
Is the GOP headed for a brokered convention?
Momentum versus Math: the difference and why it matters
Peak Trump?
You cannot beat somebody with nobody
In 11 days, we will probably know who the next President is
We now know who the next President will likely be, BUT
The First Debate: Irresistible Force Meets Immovable Object
The Wildcard: Third party collapses late in presidential elections
State of the race.
Economist Austin Frerick wrote five policy-oriented posts:
Disheartened in the Heartland: Iowa’s Disinvestment in Higher Education
Disheartened in the Heartland: Iowa’s Disinvestment in Higher Education (UPDATE)
Failing Iowa’s Children: The Shortcomings of Welfare Reform and the Path Forward
Why Iowans need job-protected paid leave
Big Meat, Small Towns: The Free Market Rationale for Raising Iowa’s Minimum Wage, which is the only Bleeding Heartland post ever to use the word “monopsony.”
Democratic activist and campaign veteran Julie Stauch also contributed five pieces:
What Kind of Precinct Captain Are You?
Focus on Problem identification NOT Blame (her take on the disastrous Polk County Democratic convention)
My first impressions of Tim Kaine
The First Step for Iowa Democrats (her post-election thoughts on problems and opportunities facing the Iowa Democratic Party)
Recruit, Engage and Empower (her more detailed blueprint for rebuilding the party).
Longtime Des Moines Register investigative reporter Tom Witosky wrote five posts as well:
Prairie Meadows IRS problem: Business decisions could end tax exemption
In the aftermath of a massacre: Grief, pride and hope for a new day
A journalist’s duty: Getting to the truth through verification not bias
Title IX and the Rio Olympics
Throwback Thursday: Down memory lane with politicians who don’t pay income taxes.
So did Lauren Whitehead:
Iowa’s “Toddler Militia Bill” is a chance to build bridges across pro/anti gun cultures
The Crisis: why revolution suddenly feels so risky
My case for HRC to those of you still on the fence
Activism While Parenting
A view from the ground
Longtime contributor ISU economist Dave Swenson contributed four pieces during 2016:
Data Centers Do Not Make Iowa a High Tech State
Decomposing Farm Financial Stress – It Ain’t the ‘80s, But There’s Cause for Concern
Sorting Through the Job Creation Shenanigans of Politicians and Special Interests
Nice Bunch of Jobs You Have There, Iowa. Be a Shame if Something Happened to Them, which turned out to be one of the most-viewed posts here last year.
Claire Celsi also wrote four pieces:
What to Expect at an Iowa Democratic Caucus
Peter Cownie Kills Autism Insurance Bill (the most-viewed Bleeding Heartland post of 2016)
How to Lead the Iowa Democratic Party
Seven Questions for Iowa Democratic Party Chair Candidates
So did dbmarin:
A disappearing act?
Grassley, Ernst vote against Zika Funding
Grassley/Garland chapter two
Hungry Chuck have you no Shame?
“Bill from White Plains” wrote about the Supreme Court four times:
“Maybe the legislature and the president are not as stupid as you think”
“The judge who always likes the results he reaches is a bad, bad judge”
How Roe v. Wade came to be and why it won’t be overturned
“The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away”: a Jobian analysis of gay marriage in America.
Marla Mertz wrote four entries for Iowa wildflower Wednesday:
Showy Orchis, A Preacher in the Pulpit
The Unmistakable Queen of the Prairie
The Alluring Fall Orchids
Ghosts of Iowa woodlands
Eileen Miller contributed three wildflower posts last year:
Pasque flower
Yucca and the yucca moth
Amazing close-up shots of insects on native plants
On a related note, Leland Searles shared his pictures and story of finding the rare Leatherleaf along a country road.
Howard County Democratic Party chair Laura Hubka published three posts here too:
Walking, Knocking and Talking the Talk (great tips for volunteers)
For the Life of Me
Jalapeno Pepper, Hot Sauce and Gasoline Tart
So did newly-elected Johnson County Supervisor Kurt Friese:
Of Slates and Allegiances in Johnson County
An Open Letter to Rep. Kaufmann (that’s State Representative Bobby “Suck it up, Buttercup” Kaufmann)
What Your Republican Friend is Actually Saying
And Chris Laursen, a Bernie Sanders delegate to the Democratic National Convention:
Iowa’s Democracy Spring
Are you tired of these motherfrackers? A first-person account from Standing Rock
Hey Democratic Party! Wake up and smell what you have been shoveling!
Many other authors wrote two posts during 2016.
Pete McRoberts, a close observer of many Iowa Democratic campaigns:
Up Close at the Des Moines Trump Event (this first-person account became one of the most popular posts from 2016)
Building a Statewide Party
DMNATIVE volunteered to write a 99-part series about Iowa’s counties and posted the first two entries:
Our tour of the 99 counties of Iowa starts in Adams County
Next we visit Ringgold County, Iowa
Dubuque County volunteer nwfisch:
Analyzing Misleading Caucus Results
A Political Autopsy: What Went Wrong for Iowa Democrats, and How We Can Come Back Stronger for 2018
Democratic and labor activist Tracy Leone:
Take Back Muscatine (a look at a local power struggle)
Dealing with America Inc.
Stephen Nein:
It’s not easy to challenge the King. It’s not easy to be challenged. (a first-person account from the Polk County Democratic convention)
3rd Congressional District Forum sponsored by Ankeny Dems.
The LGBT advocacy group One Iowa:
America Needs Lesbian Farmers
Iowa’s Outdated Medicaid Ban Fails Transgender Iowans.
Jon Muller:
Clinton Might Be a Better Bet than Sanders
The Jury Is In: Impact of Iowa Business Property Tax Cuts
Maridith Morris:
Legislative Attacks on Women’s Health Threaten Women’s Lives
Medicaid Privatization Hurts Vulnerable Iowans
K.O. Myers:
In Praise of Flip-Flopping
A Spin Around the May Poll
AbramsMom (Erin Miller):
Iowa Republicans tell Sick Iowans: “Go Somewhere Else”
The Medical Cannabis Debate in Dallas County, Iowa
Prairie Progressive (Jeff Cox):
How the Iowa Caucuses were Rigged
Democrats in Denial
Before the Iowa caucuses, I invited volunteers to advocate for any of the Democratic presidential candidates, which led to the following posts, in addition to Lauren Whitehead’s contributions linked above:
I’m pretty sure this was the moment by thefutureisnow (for Hillary Clinton)
Why I encourage Iowans to caucus for Bernie Sanders by aaroncampil
A view of the Caucus from the Overton Window by Robert Latta (for Sanders)
Yes, Maybe, We Still Can by Casey Exiron (for Sanders)
Weighing Presidential Experience by Shawn (for Sanders)
It’s O’Malley for Me by Tracy Hatfield
A Record of Leadership: Why I Support O’Malley by Hope4theFuture
The Iowa Democratic Party leadership contest inspired a number of guest posts, including two by Julie Stauch (linked above) as well as:
Gathering Forces and Resources by Kurt Meyer
We Can Do Better by Derek Eadon
Issue Advocacy and the Future Relevance of the Democratic Party by Sandy Dockendorff
Making 2017 the Year of Party-Building by Blair Lawton
A Bold Step Forward by Kim Weaver and
Sanders National Delegate Supports Mike Gronstal for IDP Chair by Ingrid Olson.
Mika Covington posted her case for becoming Iowa Democratic Party vice chair.
The devastating election results inspired more takes on next steps for Iowa Democrats, including posts by Claire Celsi, Tracy Leone, Laura Hubka, nwfisch, Jeff Cox, and Pete McRoberts (linked above) and:
What now? by Sue Dvorsky
Don’t Panic by Ben Nesselhuf
What the IDP Needs Now is Love, Sweet Love… For Rural Party Organs by Tim Nelson
10 Things the Iowa Democratic Party Can Do To Rebuild by John McCormally
Next for Iowa Democrats by Paul Deaton
Welcome New Friends, Tear Down Walls, Find the Common Ground by Bill Brauch
Run, Block, Pass, and Catch by Gary Kroeger
Many more authors wrote one post during 2016:
Deep Dive: Adams County, Iowa by Annaryon
A Lesson in How to Spot Fake News by ahawby
I Hope This Finds You Well: Our Health Care System is at Risk by Ruth Thompson
The “Normalization” Playbook by Kieran Williams
Post Election: Architects Struggle to Address Equity and Sustainability by Steve Wilke-Shapiro
The Big Fight Democrats Can’t Afford to Lose by susaniniowa
Trump election uncovers internal values conflict by Cheryl Thomas
My Hillary Clinton Retrospective by Tanya Keith
The Curious Case of the Conspicuous Constitutional Constable by Siouxsie
Trump: The Business Failure by Dpiller
A friend remembers Dan Johnston by Julie Gammack
Polk County early voting locations by jeffreybruner
Eliminating Two Supervisors A Mistake by Stacey Walker
My Experience at the Trump Rally by Carrie Clogg
Republican platform proposal demeans non-biological families, belies “family values” by cjtaylor
The Cady Court: Same As It Ever Was? by IowaBadger
Changing my mind on voting rights for felons by Karl Schilling
Iowa Conservation Voters PAC by rockm
The Reality of Sexual Assault Within The University of Iowa by Chase Carson
Iowa Medicaid Transition Not Smooth by Rhonda Shouse
Promises Made, Never Kept for Natural Resources by Mark Langgin
Holding the Iowa Senate by RobHumbleIA
Turtle Protection Bill passes and is signed by the governor by Mike Delaney
Patty Judge enters the US Senate race in Iowa. It’s about Citizens United. by Fiegen for U.S. Senate
Unfolding Energy Release Iowa Energy Assessment and Planning For A Cleaner Future Report by Pari Kasotia
J. Bruce Harreld Spreads the Peanut Butter by jpascoe
Carrie Duncan Running For Iowa House district 84 by ModerateIADem
Ending the Apathy Fallacy by Zoe Mercer-Golden
View from the inside by mrtyryn
Reflection on a Five Year Anniversary by Zach Wahls
Iowa Presidential VoteEasy tool from Vote Smart by melisa1993
Throwback Thursday: 2008 Iowa Caucus Day, Richardson Campaign by Stephen Cassidy
Keystone Killer to Headline Climate Caucus by Ed Fallon
How the Governor Could Invest in Water without Raiding Other Priorities or Raising Taxes by Agua Perdida