Sage Against The Machine Podcast

Sage Against The Machine
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Politics
  • Updated Semiweekly

Sage Against the Machine is a working-class podcast hosted by Nathan Sage, a former U.S. Senate candidate from Iowa, featuring straightforward, blunt conversations about politics, culture, and the issues facing working Americans. sageagainstthemachineia.substack.com

  1. 2d ago

    Affordability, Politics and the Fight for Good Jobs in Iowa

    This episode of Sage Against the Machine covered two things that I think are at the heart of what this podcast is about: whether government is actually working for working people, and whether the jobs being promised to Iowa workers are actually going to be good jobs. We started with Tony Thompson, a fourth-generation Iowa farmer, small-business owner, data professional and Democratic candidate for Iowa Senate District 23. Tony talked about something I think a lot of Iowans can relate to: spending years believing government was the problem, only to start asking a different question, who is government actually working for? For Tony, the biggest issue is affordability. Housing, healthcare, utilities, transportation, education and the basic cost of raising a family are all putting pressure on working people. His message was pretty simple: before politicians start arguing about whether government should be bigger or smaller, maybe we should ask whether it’s actually delivering the outcomes people need. Tony also talked about something that drives me nuts about politics, making decisions without talking to the people who are actually going to live with them. His answer was basically, get the right people in the room. Patients, workers, farmers, experts and regular Iowans shouldn’t be an afterthought after the lobbyists and politicians have already made up their minds. And with the election just a few weeks away, Tony is taking that message directly to voters. He’s inviting supporters to join him for his birthday celebration and a rally for his campaign three weeks before Election Day. The event will include food and live music from Abbie Sawyer. Donations are optional, but the campaign is asking people to RSVP so they can plan for food. RSVP for Tony’s event . Then we got into the big story dominating southeast Iowa: the proposed $15 billion Mesabi Metallics steel project in Lee County. Charlie Wishman, president of the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, joined us to talk about what this project could mean for Iowa workers. The potential numbers are massive, thousands of construction jobs and roughly 1,750 permanent jobs, but Charlie made an important distinction: there’s a difference between jobs and good jobs. That’s where the fight over union labor comes in. Charlie wants a Project Labor Agreement and a neutrality agreement that would give workers a real opportunity to organize. His argument is straightforward: if taxpayers are potentially putting more than a billion dollars into incentives for this project, Iowa workers should get something substantial in return. And I agree with that. I’m excited about the possibility of bringing major manufacturing back to southeast Iowa. But I’m not interested in celebrating a $15 billion announcement simply because the number looks good on a press release. We need to know where the money is coming from, whether the project actually gets built, how the workforce will be supplied, and most importantly, whether the people doing the work will be able to build a decent life from those jobs. Charlie also made a bigger point that goes beyond this one steel plant: America needs an actual manufacturing and infrastructure strategy. We can’t keep making one-off deals and hoping they somehow turn into a national economic plan. And, of course, we had to talk politics, including the Senate Leadership Fund’s attack ad against Josh Turek. As a Marine Corps veteran, I couldn’t get past one thing: the ad couldn’t even pronounce Marine Corps correctly. That’s not a minor detail when you’re trying to use veterans as political props. At the end of the day, that’s what this episode was about. Cut through the talking points. Ask questions. Talk to the people who will actually be affected. And don’t let politicians convince you that a big number automatically means a good deal. Whether we’re talking about taxes, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing or a $15 billion steel mill, working people deserve better than political slogans. They deserve results. And that’s why we keep asking questions, keep talking to people and keep showing up. Get full access to Sage Against The Machine at sageagainstthemachineia.substack.com/subscribe

    Affordability, Politics and the Fight for Good Jobs in Iowa

  2. Oct 1

    The Race Is On: A Conversation About Where Iowa Stands Heading Into the Final Month

    Today’s episode of The Sage Against The Machine Podcast was a little different. Instead of interviewing candidates, Dr. Bob and I were joined by Zachary Oren Smith from Iowa Starting Line and Liz from Iowa for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of the races across Iowa as we head toward Election Day. We started with the proposed $15 billion steel plant in southeast Iowa. A project of that size could mean thousands of construction jobs and potentially thousands of permanent jobs, which could be a huge opportunity for the region. But as we talked about, Iowans have heard big promises before. The real question is whether those promises turn into actual jobs and investment, and whether Iowa gets enough in return for whatever incentives taxpayers provide. From there, we got into the governor’s race between Rob Sand and Zach Lahn, including Sand’s approach of traveling around the state and talking with people who don’t necessarily agree with him. We also discussed the U.S. Senate race between Josh Turek and Ashley Hinson, where issues like healthcare, affordability, the economy and Iowa’s involvement in the war in Iran are becoming major parts of the conversation. We didn’t stop at the top of the ticket. We talked about congressional races involving candidates like Lindsay James, Joe Mitchell, Christina Bohannan, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Sarah Trone Garriott and Zach Nunn, along with several statewide races for attorney general, secretary of state, auditor and secretary of agriculture. The point was simple: there are a hell of a lot of important races on the ballot, and voters shouldn’t just focus on the names they see on television every night. But the biggest part of the conversation was about working people. The cost of groceries, housing, healthcare and everyday life continues to put pressure on families across Iowa. That’s what I keep coming back to. Politics isn’t just about campaign ads, polling numbers or who wins an argument on social media. It’s about whether people can afford to live in the communities they call home. Liz, Zach and Dr. Bob each brought a different perspective to the conversation, but there was plenty of common ground when it came to the importance of getting people involved, telling Iowa’s stories and actually paying attention to what happens in our communities. We’re about a month away from Election Day, and sitting this one out isn’t going to fix anything. If you’re pissed off about the direction of Iowa, get involved. Ask questions. Talk to your neighbors. Learn about the candidates. And most importantly, show up and vote. That’s what this episode was really about. Not telling people what to think, but getting people to start thinking, talking and paying attention. We’ve got work to do. And we’re going to keep doing it. Get full access to Sage Against The Machine at sageagainstthemachineia.substack.com/subscribe

  3. Sep 29

    Two Races. Two Candidates. One Question: Who Is Working for Iowans?

    Today on Sage Against the Machine, I went solo with Dr. Bob Leonard out, but we still had two important conversations with candidates running for offices that directly affect Iowans. First up was Heather Jones-Brown, Democratic candidate for Polk County Supervisor District 4. Heather talked about listening to residents, improving transportation, expanding access to mental-health resources and making sure rural communities aren’t forgotten. Her point was simple: local government should actually listen to the people it serves. Issues like transportation and mental health aren’t abstract political talking points when you’re trying to get to work, afford basic needs or find help when you need it. Then I sat down with Ryan Peterman, Democratic candidate for Iowa Secretary of State. Ryan and I talked about his military background, his experience serving in the Navy and why he believes the Secretary of State should put the Constitution, Iowa voters and fair election administration ahead of party politics. We also discussed the pressures election officials can face and why the person overseeing Iowa’s elections needs to be prepared to stand up for the integrity of the process. These are two very different races, but they have something in common: the decisions made in these offices affect regular people. A county supervisor can influence transportation, mental-health services and other local programs. The Secretary of State plays a major role in how Iowa’s elections are administered. That’s why working-class Iowans can’t afford to ignore races just because they’re not at the top of the ballot. Know the candidates. Ask questions. Look at their positions and records. And when Election Day comes, show up. Because if we don’t pay attention to who is making these decisions, somebody else will make them for us. Keep asking questions, keep talking to people and keep showing up. Get full access to Sage Against The Machine at sageagainstthemachineia.substack.com/subscribe

  4. Sep 24

    A Little Politics, A Little B******t, and Getting to Know Nathan and Bob

    This week on The Sage Against The Machine Podcast, Dr. Bob and I did something a little different. No guest. No formal interview. Just the two of us talking about the things that are pissing us off, the things we’re worried about, and, for once, some of the stuff that makes us who we are. We started with something every working person understands: the cost of everything. Coffee is now costing me damn near twice what it used to, and according to the Iowa Farm Bureau’s latest report, food prices continue to climb. That matters heading into Thanksgiving and the holidays, especially for families already struggling to put food on the table. We also talked about Ashley Hinson and her sudden call to end the Iran war after previously voting to continue U.S. involvement. For me, this comes down to something pretty simple: if you know something is hurting the people you represent, you should fight for them when it matters, not wait until the political winds change. Dr. Bob had a pretty simple response to politicians suddenly talking about gas and diesel prices after voting in support of the Iran War: “Too f*****g late.” We also got into polling, Trump’s lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and J. Ann Selzer, Social Security, and the growing concerns surrounding artificial intelligence. AI can absolutely be a useful tool, but when we’re moving this fast without proper safeguards, I think we have every right to ask some serious questions about where this is headed. Then we changed gears. Since we didn’t have a guest, Dr. Bob and I spent some time answering questions about ourselves, our favorite music, movies, food, books, dream jobs, vacations, guilty pleasures and the people we’d want to sit down with. You find out Dr. Bob is a Pink Floyd guy, while I’m obviously a Tool guy. We talked about The Great Gig in the Sky, “No Quarter,” Liar Liar, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, green chile enchiladas, my mom’s “white boy enchiladas,” and why neither of us has much use for black licorice. But we also got a little more personal. Dr. Bob shared a lesson his dad taught him about doing your work right, even when nobody else will ever see the mistake. I talked about lessons I learned in the military and why those experiences still stick with me today. That’s really what this episode was about. Politics matters. The issues we talk about matter. But behind all of it are real people with families, stories, music they love, things they’ve been through and things they’re still trying to figure out. We’re just two guys trying to make sense of a pretty damn crazy world while continuing to speak truth to power. And we’re going to keep doing it. The next episode is already coming, and October is right around the corner. The election will be here before we know it. Until then, keep asking questions, keep talking to people and keep showing up. And, as always, catch us on the flippity flip. Get full access to Sage Against The Machine at sageagainstthemachineia.substack.com/subscribe

  5. Sep 22

    In Rural Iowa, Real Conversations Still Matter

    This week on The Sage Against The Machine Podcast, Dr. Bob Leonard and I sat down with Brett Mohler, Democratic candidate for Iowa House District 26 in southern Iowa. Brett is an engineer who has lived in the district for more than two decades and the creator of the Iowa Ledger, a project designed to make campaign-finance information and legislative voting records easier for regular people to understand. What stood out to me most was how Brett talked about actually talking to people. Brett grew up Republican and said his political outlook changed over time. But instead of turning every conversation into another partisan argument, he talked about finding common ground and listening to people about what’s actually happening in their lives. He’s knocked doors where people initially wanted to argue politics, only to end up inviting him inside for long conversations. One line Brett used really stuck with me: It’s not about the culture war. It’s about the war at the kitchen table. That’s where we spent a lot of our conversation. Healthcare access. Struggling rural communities. Water quality. Schools. The cost of groceries, gas and healthcare. These aren’t abstract political issues. They’re the things people are dealing with every damn day. We also talked about the Iowa Ledger and why making campaign-finance and voting information easier for regular people to find matters. Who is donating? Where is the money coming from? How are lawmakers voting? Voters deserve to know. After Brett left, Dr. Bob and I kept the conversation going. We got into fuel prices and what the conflict involving Iran could mean for Iowa, especially with harvest season approaching. Higher fuel costs don’t just affect farmers, they ripple through the entire economy. We talked about the Derek Wolf situation, journalism and the importance of reporters being willing to ask uncomfortable questions. We also talked about politics, accountability and the absolute circus that sometimes comes with covering Iowa politics. And then we ended on something I don’t talk about enough: hope. More than 300 candidates qualified for Iowa’s 2026 primary elections. Think about that. Hundreds of people decided to step forward. They’re knocking doors, going to meetings, talking to voters and trying to make a difference. That’s something worth being hopeful about. But hope isn’t enough. We still have to do the work. Keep talking. Keep knocking doors. Keep asking questions. Keep showing up. That’s what The Sage Against The Machine Podcast is about, honest conversations about Iowa, politics and the issues that actually matter to working people. Sometimes those conversations are angry. Sometimes they’re funny. And sometimes they remind you that there are still plenty of people who give a damn. Get full access to Sage Against The Machine at sageagainstthemachineia.substack.com/subscribe

  6. Sep 17

    Two Campaigns, One Family, and a Lot of Reasons to Fight for Iowa

    This week on The Sage Against the Machine Podcast, Dr. Bob Leonard and I sat down with Sinikka and Spencer Waugh, a husband-and-wife team from Indianola running for the Iowa Legislature. Sinikka is running for Iowa Senate District 11. Spencer is running for Iowa House District 21. They’re running separate campaigns, but at the end of the day, they go home to the same house, so naturally, we had to find out what the hell it’s like to run two political campaigns under one roof. But the real story was why they’re running. Sinikka talked about her experience as a small-business owner and mother and her desire to make Iowa more affordable, protect clean water, strengthen healthcare and make sure young people have opportunities to build a life here. She also raised concerns about corporations and outside interests having too much influence over Iowa politics. Spencer, a longtime educator, said the conversations he’s having while knocking doors keep coming back to the same issues: healthcare, mental healthcare and clean water. He’s been running since 2024 and said people are still telling him they’re hurting. We also got into campaign finance, education and Iowa’s growing data-center industry. Spencer has not taken corporate PAC money this campaign cycle, instead relying on small-dollar contributions from people in his community. Sinikka called for a pause on new data-center development until Iowa has a statewide plan addressing water, energy, farmland and the impact on local communities. And, of course, we had some fun with the husband-and-wife campaign team. Who brings politics home? Both. Who wants to stop talking politics first? Spencer. Who is more likely to knock on one more door? Sinikka. That’s politics the way I like to see it: regular people stepping up, talking to their neighbors and trying to make their communities better. Sinikka and Spencer are doing exactly that, and I appreciate them both for putting themselves out there and fighting for Iowa. We didn’t stop there. We also dug into the national headlines making news, and I took a little time to rant about Ashley Hinson’s latest campaign ad, because apparently we’re supposed to believe she’s all about working across the aisle. Yeah… I had a few thoughts about that one. We covered the headlines, the b******t, and everything in between. Go listen to the full episode. Get full access to Sage Against The Machine at sageagainstthemachineia.substack.com/subscribe

  7. Sep 15

    Zach Mecham Wants Iowa to Work for the Next Kid

    On today’s episode of The Sage Against The Machine Podcast, Dr. Bob and I sat down with Zach Mecham, Democratic candidate for Iowa Senate District 19. Zach has spent years advocating at the Iowa Capitol, particularly for people with disabilities. Eventually, he got tired of watching politicians ignore people and decided it was time to step up himself. We talked about the issues he’s hearing at the doors: education, healthcare and water quality. We also got into nursing home accountability, campaign finance, marijuana legalization and how Iowa can bring in more revenue. But the part that stuck with me most came at the end. When I asked Zach why voters should support him, he called himself a “success story of Iowa.” He got the education and support he needed, built a career and a business, bought a home and built a life for himself. Now he wants to make sure the next kid coming up has that same opportunity. That’s what this should be about. Can we build an Iowa where every kid, no matter where they come from, has a real shot at making something of themselves? That’s the conversation we had with Zach Mecham. No b******t. Just Iowa, politics and the issues that actually matter to working people. Get full access to Sage Against The Machine at sageagainstthemachineia.substack.com/subscribe

  8. Sep 10

    We’re Tired of Being Told to Just “Get By”

    On the latest episode of The Sage Against The Machine Podcast, Dr. Bob Leonard and I sat down with Kris Williams, Democratic candidate for Iowa House District 8. Kris is 27, a dad, and someone who has worked retail, manufacturing and car sales. He talked about moving more than 30 times growing up and helping his family put food on the table when he was 16. That background matters when he talks about the issues facing working people. We talked about healthcare, prescription drug costs, housing, wages, clean water, education and the challenges facing rural Iowa. One thing Kris kept coming back to was listening. Actually listening to people instead of immediately turning every conversation into another political argument. We also got into campaign finance, corporate PAC money, the Republican midterm convention, Trump, gas prices, tariffs and the rising cost of living. And we talked about Zach Lahn’s running mate, Derek Wulf, and the questions surrounding his finances and farm. We finished by talking about polls and why nobody should treat them like election results. A poll isn’t a vote. A poll isn’t a door knocked. A poll isn’t a conversation with a neighbor. You still have to do the work. That’s really what this episode came down to. Working people aren’t stupid. We’re not lazy. We’re not victims. We’re people trying to pay the bills, raise our families and get through the month. That’s what The Sage Against The Machine Podcast is about, honest conversations about Iowa, politics and the issues that actually matter to working people, without the political consultant b******t. Thanks to Kris Williams for joining us. Now let’s get back to work. Get full access to Sage Against The Machine at sageagainstthemachineia.substack.com/subscribe

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Sage Against the Machine is a working-class podcast hosted by Nathan Sage, a former U.S. Senate candidate from Iowa, featuring straightforward, blunt conversations about politics, culture, and the issues facing working Americans. sageagainstthemachineia.substack.com

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