Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson kick off a Presidents’ Day episode from the Hendrickson Library with a quick reset on the show’s running trivia thread—last week’s question on FDR’s failed 1937 “court-packing” push—and a new prompt for listeners: who was Abraham Lincoln’s political hero? They also trade a few studio-quality-of-life notes (and Chris’s ongoing desire for better signage) before mov...
In this episode of ITR Live, Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson dig into a set of issues that will shape Iowa’s upcoming legislative session — from Des Moines’ $7 million subsidy for a new soccer stadium to a stunning $1 billion fraud scandal unfolding in Minnesota’s state-administered social programs. The episode begins with lighter winter banter and trivia, but quickly turns toward major policy ...
In this episode of ITR Live, Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson tackle a theme that is becoming impossible to ignore in Iowa: local and state government continue spending aggressively while taxpayers are told to “tighten their belts.” Using several real-world examples straight from recent headlines, the hosts walk through how cities, counties, and state agencies keep subsidizing private developmen...
In this episode of ITR Live, Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson break down the latest ITR Foundation poll and what it reveals about Iowa voters’ priorities. The results show that fiscal issues are more important than ever, with tax policy, government spending, and inflation dominating voter concerns. Surprisingly, issues like illegal immigration and abortion have dropped in importance, possibly re...
In this episode of ITR Live, host Chris Hagenow and John Hendrickson discuss the latest ITR Foundation poll results, key issues affecting voter sentiment in Iowa, and the implications of the upcoming election. They analyze the role of abortion in legislative races, proposed tax amendments, and the significance of a property tax cap. The conversation also includes reflections on the recent vice pr...
In this episode of ITR Live, we present insights from the latest edition of the ITR Foundation poll. In our poll, Donald Trump has widened his lead over Joe Biden from 9% in our February poll, to 12% in this edition. The top concerns for Iowa voters are fiscal matters along with immigration.