Todd Dorman

The touchy subject of school consolidation emerged in Iowa's race for governor last week with an ironic twist for Republican Jim Nussle.Nussle told a task force exploring education reform in Iowa that he favors consolidating school administrative positions to save dollars needed in the classroom. It's hardly a new idea and politicians on both sides of the aisle have called for similar efficiencies.But Democratic

Believe it or not, that sweaty guy in front of you in the funnel cake line, his smiling face smeared with pork chop grease, might be the next president of the United States.That's the beauty of the Iowa State Fair - it's a magical place where any guy with a blue polo shirt, neatly-pressed khakis and a dream can run for president.Our next generation of national and state leaders is on daily display, just like mutant

In politics, scandal is the mother of overreaction. For example, because of Enron and WorldCom and some guy named Arthur Andersen, I'm required to change my computer's password every four minutes.That seems pretty reasonable.This week, because of the once-salacious, now-soporific CIETC scandal, Republican governor-in-waiting Jim Nussle and his Democratic rival Chet Culver declared open war on bonuses and ballpoint

More than 63 million votes were cast in last week's "American Idol" finale, more votes than any U.S. president has received.At the same time, Iowa Democrats are lamenting how only a fraction of registered party voters will bother showing up for the June 6 primary election.Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Of course you are.Democrats should decide their gubernatorial primary race just like American Idol.All the