Author Archives: Ed Fallon

Republicans refuse to address crisis in long-term care

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I was introduced to the rampant negligence in our elder care “industry” in the early 1990s, during my first term as a State Representative. On walks home from the State Capitol, I’d make unannounced visits to one of the nursing homes in my legislative district. Some of the conditions I observed were nothing short of appalling.

Sadly, things have only gotten worse. The for-profit nursing home industry has a powerful lobby, and it plays hardball through generous campaign contributions to key lawmakers, almost exclusively Republican.

A December 22, 2023 Iowa Capital Dispatch story by Clark Kaufmann lays out the nursing home money problem: The political action committee that represents Iowa’s nursing home industry had donated $30,000 to Reynolds’ 2022 reelection effort. David Chensvold, nursing home consultant and president of HealthCARE of Iowa, gave $20,000. Ted LeNeave, CEO of Accura Healthcare, gave $10,000, as did Lisa Toti, president of Accura Healthcare. Richard Allbee, CEO of the ABCM nursing home chain, gave $5,000, as did Douglas Johnson, CEO of Blue Stone Therapy.

Not every issue is this cut and dried. But when you follow the money, it’s clear that key Republican leaders are all kinds of cozy with the nursing home industry. Continue Reading →

“You’re probably getting screwed”

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This is solid, progressive-prairie populism, and it has deep roots in northwest Iowa. (The 1932 Farmers’ Holiday sported this poetic slogan: “Lets call a Farmer’s Holiday, a holiday let’s hold. We’ll eat our wheat and ham and eggs, and let them eat their gold”.)

J.D.’s message is timely and resonates with most voters. Which brings me to the obvious question:

WHY ISN’T J.D.’S MESSAGE THE IOWA DEMOCRATIC PARTY’S MESSAGE!?
Continue Reading →

If Nikki Haley needs a double, Kathy’s a contender

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When Kathy’s dental hygienist told her she looked like Nikki Haley, I knew things were about to get interesting. The former theater major in Kathy gleefully rose to the challenge, and yeah, she pulls off a pretty decent Haley, don’t ya think?

On more serious matters, here’s what Charles and I have in store for you this week:

(00:41) Iowa Caucuses: What the losers have to gain;
(20:23) Here’s where climate denialism comes from;
(38:27) Reynolds refuses food for poor kids;
(52:55) The poverty-obesity paradox, with Kathy Byrnes.

Regarding the Iowa Caucuses’ winners and losers: Continue Reading →

Eminent domain could hurt Trump in Iowa

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There’s no doubt Donald Trump will win the Iowa Caucuses. With Ron DeSantis in free fall, I’ll go out on a short limb and predict Nikki Haley finishes second.

It could be a strong second if Haley capitalizes on Trump’s support for eminent domain.

Here’s what Trump said a few years back: “Eminent domain is something that has to be used, usually you would say for anything that’s long, like a road, like a pipeline, or like a wall, or a fence.” (Washington Post)

Here’s Trump’s more recent, completely nonsensical response to an Iowa voter concerned about the threat of eminent domain to build CO2 pipelines: “Well you know we’re working on that, and you know we had a plan to totally … uh … it’s such a ridiculous situation, isn’t it. But we had a plan and we would have instituted that plan, and it was all ready. But if we win, that’s going to be taken care of. That will be one of the easy things we do.” (Forbes Breaking News, July 7, 2023, 2-minute mark)

Huh?? If Haley doesn’t jump all over that and Trump’s previous pro-eminent domain comments she’s missing a huge opportunity. Continue Reading →

A better way to get around

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Architect Mark Clipsham joins me for the first half of the program. Among other angles of sustainability, Mark discusses transportation options to the present car- and plane-dominated system.I’ve posted a set of images Mark shared with me on the Fallon Forum Facebook Page. I  hope you’ll check those out, along with this week’s program.

Thanks for reading, listening, and taking action! Thanks for reading, listening, and taking action! And many thanks to the local small businesses, non-profits, and individual donors who help make this program possible. If you’d like to pitch in, contact me at ed@fallonforum.com. Continue Reading →

Braver Angels seeks dialogue across the partisan divide

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I hope you’ll listen to this week’s program and share your feedback, especially on the topic Melinda Voss and I dive into.

Maybe you disagree, but the way Melinda and I see it, since we’re at a time when a former president calls his opponents “vermin” and a previous candidate for president refers to opponent’s supporters as “deplorable,” we need to nurture respectful dialogue now more than ever.

That’s only going to happen if we each make an effort to have those tough conversations with our uncle whose primary source of information is Fox News. Or with our niece who’s fond of cancelling any public figure she disagrees with. For an excellent, 15-minute documentary, on how this is possible and why it’s important, check out Ralph King’s “Crossing the Divide.” Continue Reading →