Politics & Elections
Trump Wins
May 14 2016
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by John Deere and the National Corn Growers Association. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
I have been involved in Republican politics since Governor Jim Thompson appointed me as his Illinois Director of Agriculture 40 years ago. I have never seen a Presidential campaign like this one. We had 17 candidates…
Trump Wins Big
April 28 2016
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by John Deere and the National Corn Growers Association. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
Last week, I was on the farm in Illinois. Our corn is planted. Field soil conditions have been ideal. We still have soybeans waiting to be put in the ground. This is an exciting season.
Speaking of an exciting…
Is Donald Trump Right for American Agriculture?
March 31 2016
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This is Rick Frank sitting in for John Block. This radio commentary is brought to you by John Deere and the National Corn Growers Association. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
One of my law partners, a Republican farmer from the heartland, recently returned from a trip to the Midwest marveling at Donald Trump’s popularity in farm country and…
Things to Do
February 18 2016
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by John Deere and the National Corn Growers Association. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
As the days and weeks go by, we get closer and closer to elections next November. The U.S. House and Senate will find it more difficult each day to get legislation passed. Legislators don’t like to vote…
Debt 2016
February 11 2016
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by John Deere and the National Corn Growers Association. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary— President Reagan once said, “The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a government program.”
Government programs not only survive, they thrive. They just get bigger. We have a 19…
Presidential Campaign
February 4 2016
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by John Deere and the National Corn Growers Association. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
Who will be our Presidential candidates next November? It’s a long, complicated process. The voters of Iowa have spoken. Iowa may be first, but they don’t have the last word. Party conventions in July will be the…
Oregon Land Dispute
January 7 2016
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by John Deere and the National Corn Growers Association. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
Farmers, ranchers, and much of rural America has been unhappy and angry at the federal government’s heavy-handed restrictions and regulations on the use of government land. A new conflict just erupted in Oregon, a…
What Did We Get Done in 2015?
December 24 2015
Hello everybody out there in farm country. I want to sincerely thank Monsanto for being a reliable, enthusiastic sponsor of this program for so many years. They are stepping back for a year. The National Corn Growers Association is stepping up. My sponsors this coming year will be John Deere and the National Corn Growers Association.
And now for today’s commentary—
The U.S. Congress didn’t get much done this year until this month. Agriculture had a long wish list that just sat on the table.…
2015 Cabinet Luncheon
December 17 2015
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by Monsanto, and John Deere. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
I recently hosted the Cabinet Secretaries luncheon, which dates back to 1981 – the first year of the Ronald Reagan Presidency. That first Christmas luncheon was hosted by Marshall Coyne at the beautiful Madison Hotel. All of President…
This & That - The Politics of the Day
December 3 2015
Hello everybody out there in farm country. This radio commentary is brought to you by Monsanto, and John Deere. They are all friends, supporters, and allies of a healthy farm economy and prosperous rural America. Thank you.
And now for today’s commentary—
On the one hand, it makes me smile, and on the other, it makes me scratch my head. A lot of people are not sure if this Congress will get their business done without shutting down the government. I think they will avoid a shut down,…