One of my favorite days of the entire year is the Century and Heritage Farm ceremony that takes place during the Iowa State Fair. During the all-day event in the historic Livestock Pavilion, hundreds of multi-generational farm families, many in matching t-shirts, wait their turns to proudly walk across the stage to receive recognition for owning a Century Farm (100 years) or Heritage Farm (150 years).

Q: What’s your message to Iowans during National Cancer Prevention Month?

In our free-market economy, Americans should have the freedom to purchase the car or truck of their choice without the federal government putting its thumb on the scale to advance a specific policy preference and distort the market. However, President Biden doesn’t see it that way.

By Brian Jack - First Lutheran Church

In my tradition (and perhaps yours) we were recently reminded of God’s promise “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:19) and had our foreheads marked with ashes in the shape of a cross. Even if that’s not your tradition, there are no shortage of these kinds of reminders in life as our bodies age. We’re all too aware that even those we would call young sometimes get sudden reminders of their mortality.

And the beat goes on for those of us along the route of the CO2 pipeline proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions. It’s been around two years since most of us first heard about the project. Many aspects of the project are very concerning, and we have received little to no information to allay our fears. We continue to meet with local government officials with the hope of getting sensible setback distances from the pipeline established.

When the wealthy and powerful demand something must be done. There will always be the invisible hand of corruption, even with our board of supervisors. What’s going on now doesn’t seem normal — almost like they’ve been groomed. How does this happen?

Over the course of the last eight months, I have been involved in helping schools to develop a school safety program of their choice. Unfortunately, the unthinkable happened shortly before our legislative session started in early January and a school shooting happened, right here in Iowa.

My third ever legislative “Funnel Week” was a full week of overseeing subcommittees, voting on bills in standing committee and getting those bills eligible for floor action and debate. The process of a bill once it is given to a standing committee, such as Judiciary, it is assigned to a group (subcommittee) of senators where it is discussed and all interested parties participate. The subcommittee then decides whether or not to advance it. This is the reason why funnel week is so busy.

Basic economic theory tells us that when too many dollars chase too few goods, the result is inflation. Americans don’t need to take a course in economics to understand this concept because President Biden personally delivered a real-world example. By wasting trillions of dollars – approved by Democrats in Congress – on more government programs, more red tape and more bureaucracy, President Biden created the worst inflation crisis that our nation has faced in more than 40 years.

Q: Why did you support the recent national security package?

By Barb Dean, Living Word Outreach Ministries - Spencer

I have long been a proponent of ensuring our border is secure. I have been told that is not a very humanitarian stance to take. I have even been told that it isn’t a Christian stance. While migrants flock over our border illegally by the thousands each day, our country is bombarded with the many problems associated with people coming unchecked through our borders.

Last Friday (Feb. 2nd) was Groundhog Day, and with the prediction of Punxsutawney Phil, we are supposed to have an early spring. I have to agree with “Phil” as this week, the weather in the Capitol city definitely is living up to the prediction.

Q: What’s the 10-year forecast for the federal budget and its impact on the economy?

China poses the greatest threat to America’s economic and national security.