John Hendrickson

With mobility increasing, Iowa's reforms give it a better chance to retain and attract population, write John Hendrickson and Meg Tuszynski.

In 2023, Gov. Kim Reynolds unveiled “ Iowa: Freedom to Flourish ” as the state's new tourism slogan.

“When I first took office in 2017, Iowa’s top income tax rate was 8.98%, among the nation’s highest. So was our 12% corporate tax rate. Those taxes weren’t just numbers

The Center for Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa was created from legislation that was passed by the Legislature in 2025.

Herbert Hoover's appreciation for the principles of the American founding was shaped from an early age. He recalled that as a young boy, his “first paid job” in West Branch, Iowa, was “picking potato bugs at one cent a hundred,” and his wages went to “secure firecrackers with which to commemorate properly the Declaration of Independence.” Hoover described the American founding as the “American System.” He had a strong sense of American exceptionalism and never tired of defending the “American System” and what he described as the “Ark of the Covenant” of our liberty. “The founders of our republic under Divine inspiration” established a “great political system,” which is “unique in the world,” argued Hoover. However, Hoover understood that principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were based upon heritage. “God has blessed us with another wonderful word — heritage,” affirmed Hoover. Further, Hoover noted that the “great documents of that heritage” were “the Bible, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution, within them alone can the safeguards of freedom survive.” Both Christian faith and the English constitutional heritage were foundational. “When our nation was founded, it drew its strength and being not only from great political and social truths, but from spiritual convictions from a deep and abiding faith in Almighty God,” proclaimed Hoover. In addition, he argued that it was this Christian foundation, which led to the “pronouncement of the dignity of individual men in the Declaration of Independence, that is, men are ‘endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights' upon which not even the government may infringe.” Hoover reminded Americans that their rights and liberties did not come from government, but from God. “Our Founding Fathers did not invent the priceless boon of individual freedom and the respect for the dignity of men. That great gift to mankind sprang from the Creator and not from the government,” stated Ho...

“American politicians are addicted to spending,” wrote U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL). Although Scott was writing about the federal government and the $39 trillion national debt, this truth can be

On this 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence let's follow Hoover's wisdom and begin to rebuild our faith in and look to those sacred principles for national renewal. As Hoover stated, the nation “really needs nothing more to revive again hope in a frustrated people.”

Herbert Hoover’s appreciation for the principles of the American founding was shaped from an early age.

On this 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, let's follow Hoover's wisdom and begin to rebuild our faith in and look to those sacred principles for national renewal.

This legislation reflects elected officials keeping their promises.Legislators from every corner of the state spent years hearing the same message from their constituents. Homeowners, farmers, retirees, and small business owners