Author: Nick Bergus

Why I Voted for Amy Hospodarsky

I posted this back on Oct. 6 on social media, but failed to add it here. Early voting is going on Nov. 1, 2 and 3, and Election Day is Nov. 4, 2025.

The choice is so clear for the Iowa City Council District B seat on Nov. 4: Amy Hospodarsky.

As a fellow lover of Iowa City, my path has crossed Amy’s many times, in ways both personal and professional. I know her best through our overlapping board service, first with The Englert Theatre and currently with the South of 6 Iowa City Business District.

I’ve come to know her as the person who will ask the important questions, say the hard thing, and make sure there is accountability for follow through.

Just showing up to meetings and voting isn’t enough. No matter what a candidate claims, it’s not action. We need people who will champion action that advances our shared values and make decisions based on facts, not allegiances. Amy Hospodarsky is one of those people, and I’m proud to vote for her for Iowa City Council.

Also on my Nov. 4 ballot:

Iowa City City Council At-Large: Clara Reynen

Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors: Ruthina Malone and Jennifer Horn-Frasier

Local Option Sales Tax Ballot Measure: Yes

Why Would It Reopen?

Sometime next week, the current shutdown of the federal government will become the longest lasting one in United States history. The House of Representatives has been out of session (er, in a district work period) since Sept. 20, and there hasn’t been much smoke around conversations to actually find a solution beyond recrimination of the fully out-of-power Democrats.

I don’t think will ever reopen in any meaningful way.

Reducing the federal workforce is unpopular and painful, but if you just…stop issuing paychecks…a lot of people will just leave. This administration will continue to find ways, legal and illegal because it doesn’t care, to pay the people it wants and, presumably, pay for the things it wants.

Voting to take away SNAP benefits and other social safety net programs is unpopular and painful, but if the programs just…have no money…then this problem solves itself.

Rewriting and passing new laws and regulations takes time and energy but if you just…let it all fall apart…there’s no one to enforce the law and you can just marshal special task forces to go after your political enemies and pet issues.

Once these things are broken, and people get past the initial shock of it, why would you ever reopen in a real way? You’ve achieved your longstanding aim.

If your party wants to dismantle government — which Republicans do — and controls the federal government — which Republicans do — and is willing to break the law to achieve its goals — which Republicans are — you can basically let entropy take hold to break the parts you want to break and fund the pieces you want to keep.

Finally

My reply to my Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ newsletter with the subject line “Iowa Delegation Urges Senate to Reopen the Government” (no link but it says exactly what you think it does):

It is time to reopen the federal government. 

I’m excited that Republicans, who are in full control of our federal government, have finally decided to fund and re-open the federal government. It has been bizarre to see you folks who, again, control the Senate, House, White House and, for good measure, the Supreme Court, flail and fail to run the government including the most basic piece: passing an annual budget.

Blaming the minority, out-of-control party for, again, failing to run the government that is fully under the control of Republics is, frankly, wild and leaves me to question your understanding of how our government works, which has always involved some smart compromises for the greater good. Continuing to decry your helplessness in this is transparent and harmful.

This is stepping in front of a bus and pretending the bus itself pushed you.

Grow up and govern.

Underwhelming

The City of Iowa City, under the headline “City of Iowa City issues statement on Sept. 25 incident” in reference to the highly visible chasing, tackling and detention, by unidentified agents of the state, presumably from United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, using an unmarked van, of Jorge Elieser González Ochoa during his work day in downtown Iowa City:

The City of Iowa City is aware of an incident involving federal law enforcement at Bread Garden Market, 225 S. Linn St., that occurred around 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. The City was not involved in the initial incident and did not have advanced knowledge.

As the incident was unfolding, Iowa City Police were dispatched to Bread Garden for a disturbance in progress related to the incident. The federal law enforcement action was concluded prior to officers’ arrival.

Because the City had no prior knowledge and was not directly involved with this incident, all questions should be directed to federal authorities.

Since this “not us” statement: nothing.

There were local politicians, some of whom are running for reelection, who provided some proof-of-attending-the-call-to-action social media posts.

There’s nothing on the agenda for the regular work session or the regular formal meeting on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, we have well-meaning white people ready to call 911 if ICE shows up [buzzer noise and/or sad trombone] and understandably scared or at least uncomfortable folks who wonder what the fuck local government might do if something like this happens again.

So what the fuck are you doing?

Wrong, Period

Nate Holdren in The Little Village:

People of conscience must not let ourselves be pulled into line-drawing between acceptable and unacceptable instances of this violence committed by the government. The historical record is very clear that justice movements lose when they let themselves be sidetracked into litigating when forms of state violence are acceptable vs. unacceptable, often in an effort to seem reasonable so as to be palatable to the rich, powerful, and officially respectable.

This letter is about ICE and immigration and deportation but also slavery and war and civil rights and capital punishment and torture and other forms of state violence.

Don’t stop there. It’s also about why people of conscience must work to end policing full stop.

The Narrative

Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts was reportedly well loved by the community, students, parents and teachers. He’s well educated and a former Olympian. Here he is in a suit racing students for fun. It’s sweet.

So the Ministry of Truth got to work.

Sam Olson, described by the Associated Press as an “ICE enforcement and removal operations regional official”:

This suspect was arrested in possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle provided by Des Moines Public Schools after fleeing federal law enforcement.

[…]

How this illegal alien was hired without work authorization, a final order of removal, and a prior weapons charge is beyond comprehension and should alarm the parents of that school district.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds in a press release:

The arrest on Friday of Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts was shocking, particularly his attempt to evade authorities, and the loaded gun, knife, and large sum of cash found in his vehicle.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is running for US Senate, on her campaign X account:

ICE arrested the Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, Ian Andre Roberts — an illegal alien from Guyana & active ICE fugitive with a deportation order since May 2024. When ICE caught him, agents found a loaded gun, a hunting knife, and $3,000 in cash.

Rep. Randy Feenstra on his campaign X account:

Thank you to ICE for detaining the Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools — an illegal immigrant with a criminal record who was caught with a loaded gun and $3,000 in cash.

All of these people are rabid supporters of a broad interpretation of the Second Amendment, but in their mind Black people aren’t afforded that right. Now, throw in the mention of a “hunting” knife (Roberts was reportedly a hunter and it is nearly hunting season in Iowa) and cash — the only source for which is the ICE official’s statement — and you’ve got yourself A Narrative™ straight from the Scary Black Man Who Deserves Whatever He Gets Playbook.

The prolific use of the phrase “illegal alien” and the random inclusion of a Scary Black Man photo from 2020 are red flags this trope is in play, of course. Journalists should be skeptical, and the public shouldn’t fall for the framing.

The rule of law includes the presumption of innocence and due process.

Abduction & Terrorism & Law Enforcement

A few thoughts about the local impact of the abduction, by federal agents, of Jorge Elieser González Ochoa from his place of work in downtown Iowa City:

The time, place and manner of the seizure is the point. As the organization Escucha Mi Voz said, “This reckless action is an attack not only on Jorge and his family, but on our entire community.” This is terrorism, and the only thing that should truly be surprising is that this is the first time this has happened in Iowa City.

Bystanders calling 911 to report an abduction in broad daylight seems reasonable, but what would have happened should the Iowa City Police have arrived before Immigration and Customs Enforcement had left the scene? Almost certainly not a dearresting. More likely local law enforcement would have kept bystanders at bay.

The Little Village headline, “ICE violently seizes an immigrant worker at Bread Garden Market in Iowa City,” is accurate, but is not out of the normal range of violence expected for local law enforcement, including the Iowa City Police or Johnson County Sheriff’s departments.

So what’s next? There will be increased pressure to collaborate with ICE locally, including the State requiring us to have contracts with federal authorities for our officers, jail cells and weapons. Local officials who refuse to question our continuing and increasing investment in police and policing and then stand by “horrified” or offering other platitudes of support are failing as they become a bike fall meme.

Iowa State Employee Fired Under Freedom of Expression Policy for Expressing Negative Feelings About Charlie Kirk After His Murder

Vanessa Miller in The Gazette:

In a Sept. 23 termination letter, provided to The Gazette in response to an open records request, ISU President Wendy Wintersteeen accused Spencer of violating the Board of Regents’ “freedom of expression” policy.

Issued by Iowa State University’s Ministry of Truth.