Donald Trump wants to lend $20 billion of our money to bail out a political ally and his global investors before an election. Oh, and Argentina just struck a major deal with China that crushes American soybean farmers already suffering from Trump's tariffs. “America First.”

Here is the you tube link to the full first 28 minutes of the Jimmy Kimmel show last night. I hope you can watch. m.youtube.com/watch?v=c1tj...

Kimmel: "He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this now."

As I was saying…

#SunDayofAction @sundayofaction.bsky.social

Photo from late July. The bean harvest is done, but the solar panels at church keep generating power. Electric bill in Sept. 2022: $886 Electric bill in Sept. 2025: $148 Savings: $738 (and avoided utility inflation). Solar works for Iowa. Happy Sun-Day.

The League of Conservation Voters helped organize a rally at the University of Iowa today. Message: “we can’t afford” what Trump and Republicans are doing to our democracy, our economy, our health, and our environment. Photo of my new sign taken on the Express 380 bus heading back to Cedar Rapids.

One of the grave markers from the Battle of Antietam (September 17, 1862) which I visited in 2015.

I helped harvest prairie seeds (probably 3-4 tablespoons of golden Alexander seeds) this morning at Kent Park in Johnson County near the Conservation Education Center. What a lot of work for a small amount of seeds. Beautiful prairie surrounding the center.

BREAKING: Democrat Xp Lee wins the Minnesota House special election to fill the seat of Melissa Hortman, who was assassinated in June.

Lord have mercy. The special election to fill the seat of my law school classmate and friend Melissa Hortman. With 13 of 14 precincts, Democrat Xp Lee is leading Republican Ruth Bittner 4,097 to 2,605 (61 to 39%).

Good ways for Americans to respond to political violence, from the children of Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, who were murdered in their home on June 14. Plant a tree Visit a local park Pet a dog Bake something Try a new hobby Stand up for justice and peace www.kare11.com/article/news...

“Earth’s temperature has risen by an average of 0.11° Fahrenheit per decade since 1850, or about 2° F in total. The rate of warming since 1982 is more than three times as fast: 0.36° F per decade.” Global heating is accelerating. #ActonClimate www.climate.gov/news-feature...

Cedar Rapids, Iowa Remember how September started off cool? Well, the highs and lows for Sept. 1-15 are now above average for the month, and every day in the 15-day forecast is above average. Average high is 75. Average low is 52. Only had 0.15 inches of rain over the last month, too.

Remembering the things that the children of Melissa and Mark Hortman suggested after their parents were killed in their home early morning June 14. It continues to be good advice. www.npr.org/2025/06/21/n...

Remembering the things that the children of Melissa and Mark Hortman suggested after their parents were killed in their home early morning June 14. It continues to be good advice. www.npr.org/2025/06/21/n...

If you are in or near Dubuque, please join me next Saturday, Sept. 20, from 5:00 to 6:30 pm for a “meet and greet” with Irene DeMaris, executive director of @iowafaithclimate.bsky.social, at Mount Carmel Bluffs, 1040 Carmel Road, in Dubuque. iowafaithandclimate.org/save-the-dat...

Awful news from Utah. I lost a friend to political violence less than three months ago. Bring Americans together. More public safety including gun safety. More mental health care. More jobs and opportunity for education. Hold criminals accountable. More fairness. Less violence.

Awful news from Utah. I lost a friend to political violence less than three months ago. Bring Americans together. More public safety including gun safety. More mental health care. More jobs and opportunity for education. Hold criminals accountable. More fairness. Less violence.

Another article on how Trump and his Republican policies are hurting our farm economy. Record agricultural trade deficit, losing customers to Brazil. Congress needs to stop Trump. www.agriculture.com/partners-ag-...

Soybean prices are down about 3% since August 22. China is buying more from Brazil. Trump and his Republican policies are hurting our economy. www.reuters.com/world/china/...

Disgusting! Congress should hold Trump accountable for lying and release the Epstein files! www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2...

Congress must hold Trump accountable for lying and release the Epstein files. Also troubling to see an Iowa connection from 1988 in the Epstein birthday book.

Trump not only lied to the American people about the Epstein birthday letter, he filed a lawsuit seeking over $10 billion in damages from the Wall Street Journal for reporting about it. Congress should stop him, hold him accountable for lying, and release the files. www.cnn.com/2025/09/08/p...

Jeffrey Epstein’s estate has given Congress a copy of the 2003 birthday book, including the letter with Trump’s signature that he has said doesn’t exist. Read more: 🔗 on.wsj.com/4nGGdnJ

Trump not only lied to the American people about the Epstein letter, he sued the Wall Street Journal seeking over $10 billion in damages. Congress should stop Trump, hold him accountable for lying, and release the files.

This detail from the WSJ’s new Trump-Epstein reporting also seems pretty bad www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...

This is the birthday note to Epstein that Trump said did not exist.

Chicago has a lower violent crime rate than Davenport. I want lower crime but there is no emergency to justify the use and cost of federal troops. Congress should provide more funding for police and social services to further reduce crime. www.kwqc.com/2025/09/03/w...

The raid at the Hyundai plant under construction in Georgia was wrong. South Korea is an ally investing billions in the USA. Plant was being built to meet demand for electric vehicles. Raid will cost Americans jobs and hurt our economy long term. www.reuters.com/world/asia-p...

Something folks are missing here: this raid wasn’t about “illegals taking American jobs.” It was about ICE storming the Hyundai–LG battery plant in Georgia, part of a $7.6B Metaplant project that isn’t even operational yet. 🧵

I disapprove.

Just a reminder that all of Iowa’s Congressional delegation - all Republicans - voted in July to increase the debt ceiling by $5,000,000,000,000 (that’s $5 trillion) and add an estimated $3.4 trillion in debt on top of the previously projected annual deficits. www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...

Trump and his policies are hurting our economy. June and July revised down by 21,000 jobs. August was 22,000 jobs, less than projected. Worst three months for jobs since the pandemic. www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/job...

BREAKING: another terrible jobs report. The U.S. economy added just 22,000 jobs in August, far below the 75,000 expected. Unemployment ticked up to 4.3%. Turns out the problem isn’t the BLS Commissioner. It’s Trump’s failed policies.

News Analysis: By ordering the U.S. military to summarily kill a group of people aboard what he said was a drug-smuggling boat, President Trump used the military in a way that had no clear legal precedent or basis, according to specialists in the laws of war and executive power.

Trump pardons drug dealers who have been convicted, if they have big money connections. At the same time, he blows up boats of people who are suspected of drug dealing, but have not even been indicted. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/22/t...

Start and finish photos from this morning’s harvest at the solar garden at Christ Episcopal Church in Cedar Rapids. Beans are slowing down, but these were delivered to Feed Iowa First for distribution today.

Rand Paul: "The reason we have trials & we don't automatically assume guilt is what if we make a mistake and they happen to be people fleeing the Venezuelan dictator? ... off our coast it isn't our policy just to blow people up ... even the worst people in our country, they still get a trial."

Kenneth Roth: “Former Philippine President is in custody in The Hague, having been charged by the International Criminal Court for ordering summary execution of alleged drug traffickers. Trump just ordered summary execution of 11 alleged drug traffickers.” www.commondreams.org/news/trump-a...

Here is one summary (BBC) of the survivors’ statements about abuse and exploitation by Epstein and Maxwell. Sickening. #StandWithSurvivors #ReleaseTheEpsteinFiles #NoPardonForMaxwell www.bbc.com/news/live/cp...

I think we should all stand with the survivors of the abuse and exploitation by Epstein and Maxwell and the people to whom the survivors were trafficked. #StandWithSurvivors #ReleaseTheEpsteinFiles #NoPardonforMaxwell m.youtube.com/watch?v=iWv4...

With Ashley Hinson not running for re-election, I thought I should re-share this about the candidates who are running for Congress in Iowa’s 2nd District. This will be one of the key races nationally.

The beans at the solar garden at Christ Episcopal Church are slowing down, but our three-person crew picked these this morning for distribution today at the Loaves and Fishes food pantry at Westminster Presbyterian, 1285 3rd Ave SE, in Cedar Rapids. Loaves is open on Tuesdays from 2:30 to 5:00 pm.

Big week ahead: Will Trump be able to talk publicly for the first time in a week? What will the Epstein survivors say?

If you live in or near Dubuque, here’s an opportunity to connect with the Iowa Faith and Climate Network on Saturday, September 20, for a reception from 5:00 to 6:30 pm. iowafaithandclimate.org/save-the-dat...

Workers over billionaires

U.S. House bill weakens the Clean Water Act www.thegazette.com/staff-column...

“The deployment of federal military forces in Chicago without the consent of local authorities undermines democratic norms, violates the City’s sovereignty, threatens civil liberties, and risks escalating violence rather than securing the peace.” (1/2) www.reuters.com/world/us/chi...

I do want to hear what Epstein’s victims have to say at their press conference this Wednesday morning, September 3. thehill.com/homenews/hou...