Rumblings from the Democratic Party leaders about changes to primary elections would take Iowa out of the early voting have sent some in Iowa scrambling. This recent piece in the Des Moines Register also has folks watching as Iowa leads in politics and farming.
The annual rush for Congress to finish their must do business and head home for the holidays is underway. This year is somewhat different as majority changes in the House has resulted in leadership changes of the parties and committees. Whether the new House Republican leader – TBD – will be able to centralize power or succumb to demands to decentralize leadership control will determine how cohesive an agenda is put forward next year. Divided government often brings out the best - and the worst - on both sides of the aisle.
The typical end of year must pass bill is agreement on next year’s government funding. A cap is generally agreed to with other high priority issues –Defense, Covid and Ukraine funding topping this year’s list – negotiated to avoid the shutdown of government programs.
The Administration and the House have taken action to avoid a national rail strike as the Senate considers similar legislation to delay a strike. President Biden’s call to action came the same day more than 400 business groups sent a letter to House and Senate leaders calling for them to step in if necessary to prevent the rail workers from striking.
USDA’s Agricultural Research Service broke ground in Auburn, Alabama, Monday for its new research facility housing the National Soil Dynamics Laboratory.
The USDA released a Request for Information (RFI), soliciting feedback on NRCS implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The NRCS team has been working over the past several months to prepare for implementation, including efforts to expand capacity, streamline program delivery, quantify outcomes, leverage partnerships, maximize climate benefits, and advance equity.
……….some say the fat lady sings but in this case I am going to say It’s Not Over Till All the Votes Are Counted. Some of my quick original observations and others picked up from sources.
No matter who controls Congress, economy and inflation top the issues on many voters minds.
Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the national nonprofit trade association dedicated to protecting underground utility lines, people who dig near them and their communities, today announced the findings from its 2021 Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report. The annual DIRT Report provides a comprehensive accounting and analysis of damages to buried infrastructure in the U.S. and Canada to help stakeholders understand the current damage landscape and the factors contributing to underground facility damages.
A new poll suggests Democrats face some strong headwinds in rural areas of the states that will determine control of the U.S. Senate for the next two years. Three-quarters of battleground rural voters say the economy isn’t working for them and half don’t expect their finances to improve in the next year, according to the survey sponsored, and published this week, by the online journal Daily Yonder.
The mid-term elections are likely to redraw the political map for the next two years, but perhaps not as much as Republicans initially thought, pollsters and pundits say.
Most predictions have Republicans taking over the House by an as-yet undefined margin. If they do, they’re sure to launch investigations into the Biden administration and President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter.