SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

November 17, 2025

Sullivan’s Salvos 11/20/25

In this edition:

*RIP Barb Bardsley

*RIP Don Schuettpelz

*National Adoption Month

*United Way and Iowa Shares

*Horrible Healthcare Numbers

*Yes, and…

*Immature and Unrealistic

*Did You Know?

*RIP Barb Bardsley

I lost my Aunt Barb last week. Barb was my Mom’s younger sister and best friend, and had been struggling with dementia for quite some time.

I will always remember my aunt for her kindness. She spent a couple decades working at the Southeast Linn Community Center in Lisbon, where there is a food and clothing pantry, senior dining, and a few additional services. Barb was beloved by the people who visited SE Linn, and she was beloved by me.

RIP, Barb. I love you!

*RIP Don Schuettpelz

I was sad to learn of the passing of Donny Schuettpelz of rural Solon. I knew Donny pretty much my whole life. He was a longtime member of Ironworkers Local 89, and served many years as their Business Agent. Donny was active in Democratic politics, and also served as the President of the Hawkeye Labor Council. RIP, Donny.

*National Adoption Month

November has been named National Adoption Month and November 20th National Adoption Day.

The need out there is tremendous. In Johnson County alone, there are between 100 and 150 kids in foster care every day. There are nowhere near enough foster and adoptive homes to meet the need.

As many of you know, Melissa and I are the parents of three adopted children. We also served as foster parents to 50+ children, stopping just a few years ago.

It has been a life full of tragedies and triumphs. It has not always been easy, but it has been indescribably fulfilling. Along with marrying my wife, it is the best decision I ever made.

If you or someone you know is interested in foster care and/or adoption, please let me know. I am always happy to speak with prospective parents.

*United Way and Iowa Shares

The calendar has turned to November, when many of us begin to think about charitable giving. Personally, I hope you will consider gifts to the United Way and Iowa Shares.

The United Way of Johnson and Washington Counties is in its’ 105^th year. It consists of 32 partner organizations that serve thousands of local residents. Meanwhile, Iowa Shares is 26 years old, and consists of 21 social justice organizations.

We hope to increase charitable giving among county employees. It is easy to give you time and money. Please consider making a contribution today!

*Horrible Healthcare Numbers

A friend just sent me some shocking data. The source for this info is the Congressional Budget Office. Under current GOP policy:

· 15 million Americans will lose their healthcare.

· For the 22 million Americans on Obamacare, the average increase in health care costs is over $1000 per year.

· Medicaid is being cut by $1 trillion. One trillion!

· Medicare is being cut by $500 million.

In our Congressional District (IA1), 24,000 people will see their healthcare costs rise. 25,523 people will lose healthcare coverage all together.

This is why so many Democrats are fighting Trump!

*Yes, and…

(This has run previously in Salvos.)

I have been on a kick lately, and I imagine you will hear me say this again: I am a big believer in the concept of “yes, and.” What do I mean by that? We have a tendency to attempt to figure out complicated situations by finding a single, specific cause of said situation. This typically results in arguments. I think the cause is A. You think the cause is B. So we argue. In reality, both A and B can be correct.

Complex situations almost always have multiple causes. There are several correct reasons why. But we have a tendency to dismiss the other person’s opinion rather than saying, “Yes, and…”

Let me give you a classic example. The Iowa Football team had a lousy offense a couple of years ago. It was the talk of the town. I view myself as a relatively knowledgeable fan. So I was always amazed to hear people argue, “It’s the quarterback’s fault!” “No, it’s the Coach’s fault!”

Reality? Yes, quarterback play was a problem. And coaching was a problem. And the offensive line was a problem. And to a lesser extent, the receivers were a problem. That is a lot of “yes, and!” It demonstrates why the offense was pretty bad!

Here is another famous example: Why did Hilary Clinton lose the 2016 Presidential election? Misogyny. Her husband’s record. She was not likeable. She ran a poor campaign. She ignored battleground states. Unfair media coverage. Russian interference. James Comey. Jill Stein.

I just listed 9 completely different reasons for Clinton losing to Trump. There are undoubtedly even more than that. You may think one was bigger than the others, and that is your prerogative. Bottom line? Each of these reasons is true, to some extent. They added up to an election loss. Any one of these deserves a “yes, and.”

A final example: Lots of folks wish they could drop a few pounds. Why have they added some weight? A slowing metabolism. Eating the wrong foods. Eating when you aren’t hungry. Overeating. Failure to get enough exercise. Drinking too much alcohol. Genetics. Every one of these might be true. Odds are, more than one is true.

Since we deal with many complex issues at Johnson County, I am trying very hard to emphasize this idea of “yes, and.” We need to make certain that we recognize there are no silver bullets. We need to be thorough when we diagnose a problem, and understand that no single solution will solve it. We may need to take multiple steps.

I hope you will join me in viewing the world through a “yes, and” lens!

*Immature and Unrealistic

This is the mirror image of a piece that ran in Salvos last week. That one was entitled “Stupid, Lazy, or Evil,” in reference to the way many liberals view more conservative Democrats. This one is “Immature and Unrealistic,” in reference to the other side of the coin.

I have spent a lifetime on the receiving end of “Immature and Unrealistic.” Wealthier, more conservative Democratic power brokers (centered in Des Moines) have always considered my Johnson County peers and I as immature and unrealistic. They have always dismissed us as naïve and “unelectable” statewide. So I get it.

To be clear – I agree that there are some folks who are immature, some who are unrealistic, and yes, some who are both. I have definitely labelled others as immature and unrealistic. So I am not without sin. And I’ll even go so far as to say that perhaps it was fair of me to apply those labels in some cases. But we need to be careful. The fact is, people can disagree with us and *NOT* immature and unrealistic.

People on the left are going to need to suck it up and agree to disagree with people who hold positions with which they disagree. And so are people who are more centrist. The “Big Tent” must stretch both right AND left!

There have been many important elections in Iowa’s history. But I am convinced that November of 2026 will be one of the most important. And the only way we are going to win is to have a large coalition of diverse voters. That coalition, by definition, is going to have to include some people with whom I disagree on some issues.

So how are we going to navigate this? Are we going to tell those with whom we disagree that they are immature and unrealistic? Or are we going to recognize that we must work together despite some differences of opinion?

I know what I am going to try to do, and that is to build a big, diverse coalition. I want my construction, meatpacking, and farming family members to join my highly educated wife and liberal friends in electing a Democratic Governor and Congress in ’26 and a Democratic President in ’28!

*DID YOU KNOW? November’s name has remained unchanged since the ancient Roman calendar, which was in use until 45 BC. This first Roman calendar was only made up of ten months, with November being the ninth month. November translates rather appropriately into “ninth month” in Latin. When the Julian calendar was adopted in 45 BC, two new months were added, which pushed November back to the 11th month. Despite its change in position, November was never renamed.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-

www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov.

"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.

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As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

---Rod

November 10, 2025

School and municipal elections are in the books. Let’s chat about some of the results:

First, we have some new records! Iowa City, Coralville, and the ICCSD all set turnout records! Nice work, voters!

In the ICCSD elections, incumbents Jayne Finch and Ruthina Malone won reelection, and will be joined by newcomer Jennifer Horn-Frasier. There was a very close race for the third seat, with Dan Stevenson just over 200 votes behind.

In the Iowa City Council elections, incumbent Shawn Harmsen won in District B with about 54% of the vote, and incumbents Bruce Teague and Megan Alter handily won the two At Large seats.

Coralville had by far the most candidates running this year, with two for Mayor and 8 candidates for 3 Council seats! In the results there, Laurie Goodrich moves from Council to the Mayor’s seat. She will be joined by incumbents Hai Huynh and Mike Knudsen, and newcomer Katie Freeman.

I was sad to see Lauren Whited and Cole Gabriel lose in Solon; both of have been excellent public servants. I was, however, pleased to see my friend Greg Morris claim a Council seat there.

IOWA CITY – Johnson County Supervisor Rod Sullivan announced today that he will seek reelection in 2026.

“It has been a pleasure and a privilege serving as a Johnson County Supervisor,” Sullivan said. “We have accomplished some very good things, but we can do much more. I want to continue to push Johnson County to be the best it can be.”

Sullivan pointed to several accomplishments during his time in office. Since Sullivan joined the Board, he has led Johnson County in:

He led the fights to save the Sutliff Bridge and to preserve the Historic Poor Farm, and initiated the renaming of Johnson County after Lulu Merle Johnson.

Sullivan grew up on a Heritage farm just east of Sutliff. He lives in Iowa City with his wife, Melissa Fath, who does cancer research at the UI. They have 3 adult children, 5 grandchildren, and have served as Foster Parents for an additional 50+ children.

Sullivan has been active in numerous organizations, including AFT Local 716; Iowa City Federation of Labor; Housing Trust Fund, Affordable Homes Coalition; RSFIC; and St. Andrew Presbyterian Church.

Sullivan says his goals for Johnson County include addressing affordable housing, our mental health crisis, and climate change.

Because of a change in State law, Johnson County voters will be electing Supervisors by District beginning with the June 2026 party primaries. Sullivan said, “The voters just elected me to a four-year term one year ago. I want to let voters know that I plan on running to keep that seat regardless of how the District maps turn out.”

Sullivan can be contacted at 319-354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. You can visit his website at rodsullivansupervisor.com.

Support & resource fair for veterans and individuals facing housing or financial instability.

Flu/COVID vaccines, HIV/STD testing, mobile pantry, blood pressure screenings, benefit signups, Nalaxone, healthy foot clinic & more!

FREE coats, hats, gloves, hand warmers, and other cold weather gear! FREE breakfast starting at 9am while supplies last!

The Iowa City Foreign Relations Council is hosting David Driesen Friday, November 14, 2025, from 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM at the Old Capital Senate Chambers.

Driesen analyzes the chief executive's role in the democratic decline of Hungary, Poland, and Turkey and argues that an insufficiently constrained presidency is one of the most important systemic threats to democracy. Driesen urges the U.S. to learn from the mistakes of democratic decline in these countries.

I have been using a line a bit lately, and I recently saw a friend on Facebook making a similar point. So let’s find out what Salvos readers think.

My argument is that too many left-of-center folks in the US, and far too many left-of-center folks in Johnson County, feel that everyone who disagrees with them has to be stupid, lazy, or evil. I think this feeds the “liberal elite” narrative that the Right uses so well.

To be clear – I agree that there are some folks who are stupid, some who are lazy, and yes, some who are evil. There are even folks who are a combination of two or three. I have definitely labelled others as stupid, lazy, and yes, evil. So I am not without sin. And I’ll even go so far as to say that perhaps it was fair of me to apply those labels in some cases. But we need to be careful. The fact is, people can disagree with us and *NOT* be stupid, lazy, or evil.

I grew up on a farm. My whole family on one side were farmers; the whole family on the other side were union construction and meatpacking workers. None of them had much formal education. I am biased, obviously, but I happen to believe both families contained a lot of really good people. Both families still do.

That said, I have family members on both sides who definitely disagree with me on political matters. I do not think they are all stupid, lazy, or evil. Sure, maybe a few are. But many are definitely not.

It is much easier to disagree with people you have dehumanized. That is why the US Army used to refer to fighting “gooks.” It is why some Republicans refer to the “Libs.” It is why there are slurs for almost every type of difference human beings can possess. It is much harder to call people stupid, lazy, and evil when they do not have names and faces.

I have been on the losing end of a bunch of primaries. Jesse Jackson. Tom Harkin. Bill Bradley. Howard Dean. Bernie Sanders. Elizabeth Warren. In each case, I backed a more progressive candidate. I had two choices: tell the people who picked other candidates that they were stupid, lazy, or evil, and take my ball and go home. Or I could acknowledge the differences of opinion, but still work to elect Mike Dukakis, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, Hilary Clinton, and Joe Biden. I am proud that I chose to do the work. I firmly believe we got more progressive results because people like me chose to do the work.

So how are we going to navigate this? Are we going to tell those with whom we disagree that they are stupid, lazy, and evil? Or are we going to recognize that we must work together despite some differences of opinion?

The holiday shopping season is just around the corner. I know much of our shopping behavior has moved online, but I want to make a pitch for shopping locally.

Local businesses are the lifeblood of our community. They pay property taxes. They sponsor local events. They hire local people. And frankly, the products are better quality and more unique. Please shop local!

If you must shop online, at least do your best to avoid Amazon. They have been killing local economies for two decades now. They are bad. Bezos is bad. Please consider the impact of these actions.

*DID YOU KNOW? Iowa City set a city election turnout record Tuesday with 19,928 voters. The previous record was set in 2007 with 15,728 voters. A ballot issue on the bar admission age contributed to the record turnout.