PODCAST · news
What A Week
by Progress Iowa
James Simmons from Progress Iowa break down the big headlines of the week in Iowa and national politics and talks with leaders from around the state about issues Iowans care about.Text JOIN to 515-417-3320 for text message updates from Progress Iowa.Have a question or want to hear a certain issue addressed on the podcast? Email us at [email protected] a Week is part of the Potluck Media network. Learn more at https://potluck.fm
Episodes
-
The Significance of Black Lives Matter Pt. 2 - Discussion
Join "What a Week" host James Simmons, Progress Iowa's Deputy Press Secretary, on this special, two-part edition to discuss "The Significance of Black Lives Matter" Forum hosted by the University of Northern Iowa's Women and Gender Studies program. The forum featured Dr. Reverend Belinda…
more -
The Significance of Black Lives Matter Pt. 1 - Forum
Join "What a Week" host James Simmons, Progress Iowa's Deputy Press Secretary, on this special, two-part edition to discuss "The Significance of Black Lives Matter" Forum hosted by the University of Northern Iowa's Women and Gender Studies program. The forum featured Dr. Reverend Belinda…
more -
Tax Plans Explained with Senator Pam Jochum
Join "What a Week" host James Simmons, Progress Iowa's Deputy Press Secretary, to break down this week's news and hear from a tax expert to help us make sense of all the tax plans coming from the Iowa Capital. Later in the episode, James speaks with former President of the Iowa Senate and Ranking...
-
Democratic Leader, Senator Zach Wahls
Join "What a Week" host James Simmons, Progress Iowa's Deputy Press Secretary, to break down this week's news and to hear from Iowa Senator and Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls, who joins us to discuss workers' issues in the state of Iowa. *** Theme Song: "What a Week" Lyrics and music by Lily...
-
Roe v Wade 49th Anniversary
January 22nd, 2022 is the 49th Anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in the case of Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion access nationally. Host James Simmons speaks with Iowa House Ranking Member on the Human Resources committee, Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, and Jamie Burch Elliott, who is the...
-
House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst
Join James Simmons, Progress Iowa's new Deputy Press Secretary, and Iowa House Representative and Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst in discussing Governor Kim Reynolds' Condition of the State Address, the Democrats' response, and what to look out for during the Iowa 2022 Legislative Session. ***...
-
Meet the Team Edition
Join James Simmons, Progress Iowa's new Deputy Press Secretary, and meet the new Progress Iowa team! *** Theme Song: "What a Week" Lyrics and music by Lily Noel and James Simmons Produced by Lily Noel
-
Roe on the Ropes
Matt and Ivy discuss the Supreme Court challenge to Roe v Wade, Iowa's increasing COVID numbers, the latest school shooting that our leaders refuse to do anything about, and Iowa's big windfall in money for clean water as a result of the infrastructure bill.
-
Building it Back Again
Matt and Ivy discuss the rollercoaster of a week with the highs of the Build Back Better Act passing the House and the John Deere UAW strike ending and the lows of the gut punch verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.
-
Build it Back!
Kim Reynolds is taking credit for popular bills she opposed, the John Deere strike goes on after a second attempt on a contract is rejected by workers, COVID vaccines are coming for kids as young as 5, municipal and school board elections were a mixed bag here in Iowa, Chuck Grassley votes…
more -
Oh Deere.
Workers at 14 John Deere plants across the country walked out after their union, the United Auto Workers, rejected an unacceptable contract offer from management. Also, Governor Reynolds's boasting may have sunk her mask mandate ban lawsuit, early voting has begun in local elections across the...
-
Give it up, Chuck!
Matt and Ivy discuss the news that Iowa's own Chuck Grassley wants an 8th term in the US Senate. Gross. They also discuss the wailing and thrashing of the right at school board meetings around keeping kids as safe as possible during COVID, Governor Reynolds wants her mask mandate ban back as…
more -
Everyone Needs a Labor Union
Matt spent the week at the yearly Iowa Federation of Labor conference and got to speak with elected officials and Iowans who fight for the rights of all workers, unionized and not, every day. We hear from Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls, RuralVote.org Executive Director JD Scholten, IFL...
-
Back to School
Kim Reynolds' sides with COVID against common sense in order to score political points. She digs in her heels on her ridiculous school mask mandate ban. Also, her administration is being sued for not following open records laws. Also, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz came to the state fair...
-
Deep Fried COVID
The 2021 Iowa State Fair kicks off and it's not just the deep fried butter that could be hazardous to your health. Spoiler: It's COVID. There's COVID at the Fair. Matt and Ivy also talk about the census data that shows most of Iowa's counties are shrinking in both population and diversity, the...
-
Delta, Delta, Delta.
The "Delta variant" of COVID-19 runs rampant across Iowa and Kim Reynolds' blames immigrants and tries to restrict abortion rights, the most on-brand thing for her we can think of. Matt and Ivy also discuss the latest Olympic wins, President Biden's nudge to governors who won't do their jobs, the...
-
The Supreme Stakes
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa Public Affairs Director Jaime Burch Elliot joins Matt and Ivy to talk about the Supreme Stakes, a series of events hosted by Progress Iowa, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa, and the Iowa Interfaith Alliance to educate Iowans about the attacks on our...
-
Please, Think of the Children!
Matt and Ivy (and Greg) are back in the Progress Iowa studio after 15 months of social distancing and boy, does it feel good. Almost as good as hundreds of thousands of Iowa families receiving $300 in tax relief every month in an historic initiative to cut childhood poverty. Thank you to Cindy…
more -
Time's Up for Chuck
Matt and Ivy discuss the Des Moines Register poll that said over 60% of Iowans want someone other than Chuck Grassley in the Senate, the new anti-protest bill that would have made they themselves criminals, the tragic fire that destroyed a memorial to Black youth and investigation around that…
more -
Petty Unemployment Politics
Matt and Ivy deep dive on Governor Reynolds's decision to make Iowa one of just four states to cut its citizens off from extended unemployment benefits. Colin Gordon, a senior research consultant with Common Good Iowa, joins later to explain just why this was a bad move.
-
Happy Pride Month!
Matt and Ivy talk Pride Month and Progress Iowa's LGBTQ+ Media Guide, Kim Reynolds unwillingness to do any more than the bare minimum when it comes to promoting vaccinations, the wide ranging effects COVID relief had on Americans, the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Massacre, and more.
-
No One Likes A Bragger + Edward-Isaac Dovere
Governor Reynolds goes back on Fox to brag/lie about Iowa's COVID recovery, the post legislative session landscape, and Matt is joined by staff writer for The Atlantic Edward-Isaac Dovere to talk about his new book "Battle for the Soul: Inside the Democrats' Campaigns to Defeat Trump."
-
This is the End
The 2021 legislative session is finally over and Matt and Ivy (and special guest little Joey Sinovic) have thoughts on that, Iowa's sputtering economy, and the 20th Shrekiversary.
-
The Bully in Chief ft. Sen. Zach Wahls
Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls (D-Coralville) joins Matt to discuss the bombshell leaked audio of a right-wing think tank admitting to writing the voter suppression law that Iowa Republicans rammed through the legislator, possibly in violation of Iowa law, as well as Governor Reynolds...
-
Get Vaccinated, Iowa!
Matt and Ivy discuss President Biden's address to Congress, Iowa's supply/demand issue with COVID vaccines, Governor Reynolds's bizarre admission that she sent $93 million back to the federal government instead of using it for contact tracing, Rudy Giuliani's early morning visit from the FBI, and...
-
13 Years Old.
It's been a rough week for anyone who cares about justice and equality and our hearts go out to the families of Daunte Wright, Adam Toledo, and the eight victims of the mass shooting in Indianapolis: Matthew Alexander, Samaria Blackwell, Amarjeet Johal, Jaswinder Kaur, Jaswinder Singh, Amarjit...
-
Kim Reynolds is Our Problem
Matt and Ivy discuss Governor Reynolds's "not my problem" moment when discussing immigrants, the press conference from AFSCME around workplace safety and the murders of corrections workers at the Anamosa State Penitentiary, the anti-abortion amendment that passed the legislature and more.
-
Flush it down the funnel
Kim Reynolds caves to the NRA and signs the bill to allow concealed guns to be carried without a permit or mandatory background check. That, plus the bills that made it through the second funnel and now that Trump's out of town Matt Gaetz is Washington's newest Sleazeball Supreme. Joining us for...
-
The Extreme 16
State Rep. and Assistant Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst join Ivy and Matt to bust this year's Extreme 16 Bracket: Bad Bill Edition. Links: Follow Rep. Konfrst on Twitter Learn more about the Extreme 16
-
Stop the Madness!
On March 24, 2020 the first of more than 5,600 Iowans passed away due to COVID-19. Progress Iowa honors those who we've lost with the Iowa COVID Memorial website. Matt and Ivy also discuss this year's "Extreme 16" bracket where you can vote on the worst of the worst bills introduced in this…
more -
Help is on the way!
Matt and Ivy talk about the American Rescue Plan, Ashley Hinson's trolling messages via mask, the latest goings on in the Iowa Legislature, and give a shout out to @IAVaccineAlerts who has helped people across the state find open vaccine appointments in their areas.
-
Down the Funnel We Go!
It's Funnel Week! Bills that have not passed a subcommittee in the Iowa legislature are almost surely dead. Unless they're not. Matt and Ivy discuss the big bills that made it through, the COVID relief package coming out of Washington and the political theater that Republicans are engaging in…
more -
Slash and Burn
Kim Reynolds learns how to use GoDaddy six months too late, Sen. Schultz says we're "out of the pandemic," (we're not) and wants to cut food assistance, the Equality Act finally passed in the US House, and State Representative Christina Bohannan joins to discuss the voter suppression bill that…
more -
Republicans Don't Want You To Vote
Matt and Ivy talk about Kim Reynolds's latest retreat in the fight against COVID, the voter suppression bill that election attorney Mark Elias calls "the worst anti-voting bill" in the country and other disasters coming out of the state house. IT'S NOT GREAT, PEOPLE. WE DON'T WANT TO BE THIS MAD.
-
Race to the Bottom
Ivy and Matt talk about Governor Reynolds's bizarre fundraising pitches around her COVID response and literally auctioning her time off to the highest bidder, the once again inadequate school funding bill, the legislature's race to the bottom on transgender rights, and give their hot take on the...
-
Don't Tread on My Jeans
Ivy and Matt discuss Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell's "Denim Demonstration", the racial profiling bill that isn't, (finally) some COVID relief from Washington, favorite Super Bowl foods, and more! Text JOIN to 515-417-3320 for text message updates from Progress Iowa.
-
It's Burn It All Down Week
Matt and Ivy discuss the horrible bills moving through the Iowa Legislature and Governor Reynolds's refusal to take responsibility for our state's response to the pandemic which has also been horrible.
-
A Light at the End of the Tunnel
Matt and Ivy react to the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President, the historic inauguration of Kamala Harris as the 49th Vice President, and the progressive agenda that will begin restoring our nation. They also discuss the "disappointing but not surprising" agenda coming out of the Iowa...
-
How Low Can We Go?
Matt and Ivy discuss Governor Reynolds's Condition of the State address and agenda, the death penalty bill that passed a subcommittee vote despite almost unanimous public comment opposing it, the second impeachment of Donald Trump, and State Senator Zach Whiting's gross comparison of the attack…
more -
Treason, Terror, and a Silver Lining
We're back for the first episode of 2021. It feels so good to leave such a toxic and tumultuous year behind for... oh... Matt and Ivy discuss the domestic terror attack on the US Capital, Iowa's ongoing COVID crisis (we're 5th in positivity and lowest in tests!), Kim Reynolds's PR video debut…
more -
The 8th Annual Progress Iowa Holiday Party!
Every year Progress Iowa holds a holiday party to relax, reflect on the hard work we've done over the past year, and gather with friends and allies. Obviously due to COVID-19 that couldn't happen in person this year so we asked our friends to record videos and we streamed the event on Facebook....
-
Kim Reynolds's White Flag of Surrender
Matt and Ivy discuss Governor Reynolds latest COVID press conference, the apparent end of the Hart/Miller-Meeks race in #IA02 (every vote counts, y'all!), the disturbing developments out of the Glenwood Resource Center lawsuit, and again advocate for Dolly Parton's receiving of the Presidential...
-
Secretary Dolly Parton?
Matt and Ivy talk about the half-a-loaf non-mandate mask mandates from Kim Reynolds, Joe Biden's picks for his national security team, the historically close margin in Iowa's 2nd congressional district race, and of course their Thanksgiving Day recipes. Be thankful. Stay safe. Links: COVID-19…
more -
Iowa needs a mask mandate
Matt and Ivy talk about the ups and downs of last week's election, the COVID crisis that just keeps getting worse, and the complete lack of leadership from the Governor's office. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Stay apart.
-
Health care is on the ballot. VOTE.
Matt and Ivy discuss the news of the most recent week to feel like 50 years and share stories of Iowans with pre-existing conditions to remind you that health care is on the ballot tomorrow. GO VOTE. Links: IWillVote.com
-
Close the Boyfriend Loophole!
Matt and Ivy discuss the final presidential debate, the Senate Judicial Committee's vote on Amy Coney Barrett, the 545 migrant children still separated from their parents, and Kim Reynolds's CARES Act spending spree. We also hear a message to Sen. Joni Ernst from Lilly Steil, a young woman who...
-
Donald and Kim. Two Beans in a Pod.
Kim Reynolds opens for Donald Trump at a rally in Des Moines that spits in the face of her own COVID guidelines, Joni Ernst implodes in her final debate with Theresa Greenfield, David Young tells more lies about his record, and Ivy talks to Murphy Burke of Next Gen Iowa about their efforts to get...
-
Talking About Talkers Talking
The buzz (get it?) is over the one and only Vice Presidential debate, as well as a debate between Congresswoman Cindy Axne and her challenger David Young in Iowa's 3rd district. Buzz buzz. Links Watch the Vice Presidential debate (CBS News) Watch the 3rd Congressional Debate (Iowa PBS)
-
A hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck
Matt and Ivy discuss the Ernst-Greenfield debate on Iowa Press, the Trump-Biden debate/"hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck," and Friday morning's breaking news that Donald Trump and others in his circle have COVID-19. Links Watch the Ernst-Greenfield debate (Iowa PBS on YouTube)...
-
Losing a Legend
Matt and Ivy talk about the loss of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsber and our US Senator's baldfaced lies to the people they serve. They also share several hot takes on birds... Yes, birds. Links: Rob Sand's tweet about RBG and the Des Moines Symphony
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
James Simmons from Progress Iowa break down the big headlines of the week in Iowa and national politics and talks with leaders from around the state about issues Iowans care about.Text JOIN to 515-417-3320 for text message updates from Progress Iowa.Have a question or want to hear a certain issue addressed on the podcast? Email us at [email protected] a Week is part of the Potluck Media network. Learn more at https://potluck.fm
HOSTED BY
Progress Iowa
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does What A Week have?
What A Week currently has 103 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is What A Week about?
James Simmons from Progress Iowa break down the big headlines of the week in Iowa and national politics and talks with leaders from around the state about issues Iowans care about.Text JOIN to 515-417-3320 for text message updates from Progress Iowa.Have a question or want to hear a certain issue...
How often does What A Week release new episodes?
What A Week publishes regularly with 103 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to What A Week?
You can listen to What A Week on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts What A Week?
What A Week is created and hosted by Progress Iowa.
URL copied to clipboard!