Substacks recommended by Robert Leonard | Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture

Recommended by Robert Leonard

The Good in Us by Mary L. Trump

By Mary L Trump

In which we come together to save American democracy, or at least have fun while trying.

Trump Tyranny Tracker

By Olga Lautman

Documenting corruption, human rights abuses, and dismantling of American democracy

Art Cullen’s Notebook

A view from rural America: immigration, agriculture, environment, politics

Kyle Munson's Main Street

Stories from along the thoroughfare and down the side streets, too

Adam Kinzinger

I’m terrified by America’s fascism trend and disgusted that my party is now a Trump cult. My time inside the system and in the probe of the January 6 attack has left me with just an ember of hope. Making it grow requires the hard truth. Can we handle it?

The Honest Broker

By Roger Pielke Jr.

Making sense of science, policy and politics

American Bardic Poet

By EmilyLupita

Joseph S. Plum is a poet in the bardic tradition. He lives off-grid in rural Iowa and composes his unique chant-like oral poetry for fascinated audiences around the world. Spiritual / Mystic / Star Knowledge / New Age

Joe Plum is an amazing person and poet. I am very happy that he and his talented daughter Emily Lupita have teamed up to share his work. Please check it out.

- Robert Leonard

Colleenie Watches Movies

By Colleen Gonzalez

Find reviews and recommendations on new, old, in theaters and streaming. Think of me as your friend who watches a crazy amount of movies!

Weathering Climate Change

By Chris Gloninger

The nexus between extreme weather events and climate change - we will be connecting the dots between the two and why it matters to you.

Though the Heavens Fall... by John Crabtree

My personal Substack

Slow Boring

By Matthew Yglesias

Start your day with pragmatic takes on politics and public policy.

In the Dirt by Beth Hoffman

Learn more about the economics of farming, the dirt on the politics of agriculture and tales from our ranch, Whippoorwill Creek Farm.

Food & Power

By Claire Kelloway

From seeds to meat to grocery, the food industry is highly consolidated. Food & Power investigates how corporate power shapes our food system, and how monopolization impacts farmers, consumers, and entrepreneurs.

Popular Information

By Judd Legum

Independent accountability journalism.

The Life and Times of a Midwestern Girl

By Connie Taylor

The Life and Times of a Midwestern Girl takes you into the magic of what it's like living life in the Midwest.

A World of Your Own

By Debra Engle

Where writing and life meet—stories, reflections, and prompts to help you live more deeply and write more truly.

Barry Piatt on Politics: - Behind the Curtains

Consistently ahead of the curve political commentary and analysis

I love his fascinating historical and insider perspective!

- Robert Leonard

Sanity Clause

By Joe Klein

As the Marx Brothers said, there ain't no sanity clause--but these are my latest thoughts about politics, policy, culture, books and other stuff.

The Iowa Mercury

By Douglas Burns

Fourth-generation Iowa journalist dives deep with unpredictable, well-reported writing on rural America's people, politics and culture.

Shifting Gears with Phoebe Wall Howard

Original news reporting, analysis and features by award-winning journalist Phoebe Wall Howard. Topics range from auto industry and politics to sailing and spotlight profiles with a Detroit perspective.

I explore cool people and happenings in the Midwest, being first-born and first-gen, widowhood, grief & healing, and other topiocs that make my fingers itch to write.

Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger

...Iowa, small towns, and saddle shoes

Liberating Motherhood

By Zawn Villines

For mothers who are pissed off about sexism, household chore inequality, and endless misogynistic bullshit, and for the allies who want a better world for all of us.

Dispatches from the Heartland

By Suzanna de Baca

Reflections on change and transformation.

Writing in the Dark with Jeannine Ouellette

By Jeannine

For people who do language. Writing saved my life—so I teach writing as if it can save yours.

Josh Turek’s Substack

Iowa House. Rep. 4x Paralympian, 2x Gold Medalist in wheelchair basketball. Disability advocate. Ready to be Iowa's next U.S. Senator.

Steady

By Dan Rather

Dan Rather's steady take on a complex and chaotic world.

Relatively Minor

By Vicki Minor

A newspaper column providing a weekly dose of humor.

everyone is entitled to my own opinion

By Jeff Tiedrich

I read the news today, oh boy

Claire’s Invisible Life

By Claire Richmond

Compassionate rituals for living with a chronic illness.

True Justice

By Lynn Hicks

Spotlighting restorative justice and the human side of the courts. Not true crime, not legal advice. A non-lawyer's observations and aspirations on pursuing effective and equitable justice for all.

Iowa Writers' Collaborative Emerging Journalist Corps

By Emerging

The Iowa Writers' Collaborative Emerging Journalist Corps

PR@ctical

By Sarah Evans @prsarahevans

Your executive brief on AI visibility, modern PR, and what's actually working right now. By Sarah Evans — Partner at Zen Media, 23+ years in comms, creator of The Before Layer and Published Monthly.

The Education Wars

By Jennifer Berkshire

Reporting from the front lines of the education wars from freelance journalist and podcaster Jennifer Berkshire.

View from the Cedar Valley

By Pat Kinney

Column of news and observations from the Waterloo-Cedar Falls and greater Cedar Valley area.

Seymour Hersh

It's worse than you think

Stop the Presses

By Mark Jacob

A weekly newsletter about how right-wing extremism has exploited the weaknesses in American journalism, and what we can do about it.

Excellent analysis from a top-notch journalist.

- Robert Leonard

The Nature of Things

By Ron Dodson

Regular thoughts on moments of life from a biologist and environmental educator.

Too Close To Call

By David Catanese

Mostly politics. With a side of personal. Always #profound, pushing boundaries and perhaps problematic.

The Contrarian

Unflinching journalism in defense of democracy

Inner Life

By Joshua Doležal

An open conversation about the life of the mind.

My Gaia

By Diane Porter

It's about personal contact with nature, especially birds, native plants, and other wildlife in rural Iowa and farther afield. Whenever I can, I try to give nature a helping hand.

Dispatch: Revolution

By Stacey Walker

This is a space dedicated to unpacking and analyzing progressive movement politics—its history, its trajectory, the stakes of the fight ahead, and the futures we demand.

Thinking about...

By Timothy Snyder

Opening the future by understanding the past.

Along the Mississippi

By Ed Tibbetts

News, opinions and ideas from the Quad-Cities, where the river runs east to west

From Naz With Love

By Naz Pankey

Writer, storyteller, and filmmaker sharing creative sparks, soulful insights, and life lessons to inspire your next chapter. Motivation to create, grow, and thrive.

Naz writes some of the most beautiful, heartfelt and powerful stories being written today. With passion and rare intelligence she shares her world, and I feel lucky to be a small part of her existence.

- Robert Leonard

The First Person with Michael Judge

The former WSJ editor's independent newsletter featuring essays, poems, and in-depth conversations with writers, thinkers, and doers around the globe.

WTF Iowa?

By Gordie Felger

WTF Iowa? What the actual f*%k is happening to our state? How are your tax dollars being spent? What does the Iowa Legislature consider "priority issues" for Iowans? Check out my take on how decisions in Des Moines affect all Iowans.

Christie Vilsack

I write about people living close to the land who believe in community and the public good. Teacher, writer, wife, mom and gramma. Proud Iowa First Lady, candidate and USAID Advisor. A world traveler but an Iowan by birth and choice.