I hate washing windows. Well, I don’t really hate washing windows—it’s just that there are other things I like more. Like almost anything. But now that it’s spring, I notice that I can barely see out so it looks like I’m going to have to get out of my comfort zone and find a ladder and the Windex.

Of course, as laborious as washing windows may be, it doesn’t compare to Sen. Cory Booker speaking—mainly complaining about Donald Trump –on the senate floor for 25 hours straight without sitting down or even taking a bathroom break. Even Booker’s critics agree, the record-setting effort was pretty impressive. After he finished, Booker probably needed a good night’s sleep (and maybe a kidney transplant). But he beat the record for the longest senate speech set by Strom Thurmond in 1957 who filibustered against the Civil Rights Act for 24 hours and 18 minutes.

And speaking of getting out of your comfort zone, by the time this appears hundreds of thousands of Americans, including people in Mount Vernon and Lisbon will have participated in the Hands-Off event scheduled in all 50 states, calling for the federal government to get their hands off Social Security, Medicare, personal freedoms and the rule of law. You know, democracy stuff. It may be worth noting that when you see pictures of these rallies, you will spot a lot of white hair. You can bet these old Baby Boomers would rather be at home with their feet up, petting the cat and watching Matlock (okay, that’s a cheap shot). But they’ve seen a bit of history and they know what’s at stake.

Iowans have a special relationship to the Trump tariffs. After all, it was our very own Herbert Hoover– the 31st president and native of West Branch who signed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 –that set off a global trade war and sent the US economy spiraling deeper into the Great Depression. The idea was that tariffs on imported goods would protect American farmers and business (sound familiar?). Hoover meant well. But back then, nobody could have known it would lead to disaster.

Hoover was a good guy, known as The Great Humanitarian for saving millions of people from starvation, mainly Russians. He was a no-nonsense Quaker, a mining engineer and probably a bit of a geek. In 1898, after getting a new job, instead of proposing marriage to his sweetheart Ms. Lou Henry in person, Hoover sent her a telegram (the 19th Century version of texting). We don’t have the original cable, but it may have read something like this: “Dear Miss Henry (stop). Inquiring regarding possible matrimony (stop). Please advise (stop). Affection to follow. Sincerely, Herbert Hoover, B.Eng.”

Iowans are now wondering how the tariffs will affect us. Pat Grassley R-New Hartford explained to reporters that they will cost us but, with our $6 billion budget surplus, we can take the hit.

Sure. What else could we do with $6 billion?