Kameron Dodge

D.C. transplant; erstwhile Iowan. @NorthwesternU and @IowaLawSchool. Fmr. @ShopFloorNAM, @ChuckGrassley. RTs might be endorsements.

[Kameron Dodge @k_dodger]

The end of a glorious era. Rest easy, Beth we have the #cornwatch. There really is no one like @ChuckGrassley

[Chuck Grassley @ChuckGrassley]

U willl see Beth no more   See black that’s from electrical sparks. It’s not safe to use anymore. GOOD BYE BETH . U hv been a real workhorse. Ur namesake still is hard worker.  I will miss u

[Kameron Dodge @k_dodger]

Ben Sasse exemplifies decency and principled leadership. My prayers are with you and your family.

[Ben Sasse @BenSasse]

Friends-

This is a tough note to write, but since a bunch of you have started to suspect something, I’ll cut to the chase: Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die.

Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence. But I already had a death sentence before last week too — we all do.

I’m blessed with amazing siblings and half-a-dozen buddies that are genuinely brothers. As one of them put it, “Sure, you’re on the clock, but we’re all on the clock.” Death is a wicked thief, and the bastard pursues us all.

Still, I’ve got less time than I’d prefer. This is hard for someone wired to work and build, but harder still as a husband and a dad. I can’t begin to describe how great my people are. During the past year, as we’d temporarily stepped back from public life and built new family rhythms, Melissa and I have grown even closer — and that on top of three decades of the best friend a man could ever have. Seven months ago, Corrie was commissioned into the Air Force and she’s off at instrument and multi-engine rounds of flight school. Last week, Alex kicked butt graduating from college a semester early even while teaching gen chem, organic, and physics (she’s a freak). This summer, 14-year-old Breck started learning to drive. (Okay, we’ve been driving off-book for six years — but now we’ve got paper to make it street-legal.) I couldn’t be more grateful to constantly get to bear-hug this motley crew of sinners and saints.

There’s not a good time to tell your peeps you’re now marching to the beat of a faster drummer — but the season of advent isn’t the worst. As a Christian, the weeks running up to Christmas are a time to orient our hearts toward the hope of what’s to come.

Not an abstract hope in fanciful human goodness; not hope in vague hallmark-sappy spirituality; not a bootstrapped hope in our own strength (what foolishness is the evaporating-muscle I once prided myself in). Nope — often we lazily say “hope” when what we mean is “optimism.” To be clear, optimism is great, and it’s absolutely necessary, but it’s insufficient. It’s not the kinda thing that holds up when you tell your daughters you’re not going to walk them down the aisle. Nor telling your mom and pops they’re gonna bury their son.

A well-lived life demands more reality — stiffer stuff. That’s why, during advent, even while still walking in darkness, we shout our hope — often properly with a gravelly voice soldiering through tears.

Such is the calling of the pilgrim. Those who know ourselves to need a Physician should dang well look forward to enduring beauty and eventual fulfillment. That is, we hope in a real Deliverer — a rescuing God, born at a real time, in a real place. But the eternal city — with foundations and without cancer — is not yet.

Remembering Isaiah’s prophecies of what’s to come doesn’t dull the pain of current sufferings. But it does put it in eternity’s perspective:
“When we've been there 10,000 years…We've no less days to sing God's praise.”

I’ll have more to say. I’m not going down without a fight. One sub-part of God’s grace is found in the jawdropping advances science has made the past few years in immunotherapy and more. Death and dying aren’t the same — the process of dying is still something to be lived. We’re zealously embracing a lot of gallows humor in our house, and I’ve pledged to do my part to run through the irreverent tape.

But for now, as our family faces the reality of treatments, but more importantly as we celebrate Christmas, we wish you peace: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned….For to us a son is given” (Isaiah 9).

With great gratitude, and with gravelly-but-hopeful voices,
Ben — and the Sasses

[Urbandale Community School District @UrbandaleCSD]

Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Dr. Pam Dodge who will be serving as our Interim Superintendent while Dr. Daca is out on medical leave. We send well wishes to Dr. Daca & we welcome Dr. Dodge! #UCSDpride https://t.co/6B2y68kEQS

[FreightCaviar 🚛 @freightcaviar]

Everyone’s shitting on immigrant truckers right now.

Yes, some are driving recklessly. Some are running scams.

But we met Jared, who is from China, at a truck stop in Stockton, CA two weeks ago.

Drives a day cab for SWIFT. Local routes. Immigrant.
Proud. Polite. Hardworking.

He loves trucking.

Not everyone fits your X narrative.

[Kameron Dodge @k_dodger]

This RT is an endorsement.

[Josh Holmes @HolmesJosh]

I just have to say this was the most predictable day of politics in my lifetime.

[Stephen Neukam @stephen_neukam]

Get the Cups staff into the room for these funding discussions. I PROMISE you they’ll have it figured out by end of business day.

[Emily Ehman @emilyehman]

Here’s my yearly reminder that the correct abbreviation for Nebraska is “UNL” and NOT “NU.”

Northwestern is NU.

Thanks.

[Brent Blum @brentblum]

Big shout out to @KrystalBlum for making this happen. She designed the pizza box herself and made sure this was all ready to go for Saturday! Excited to see all the work come together with our friends from Creasman foods! 🌪️🍕

[Kameron Dodge @k_dodger]

Justice Barrett’s concurrence in Trump v. Anderson is especially good. Justices should write like this more.

[Kameron Dodge @k_dodger]

It’s time to rally around the only candidate left who loves the Constitution, freedom, and respects voters. @NikkiHaley’s nomination means the GOP wins the WH, Senate, and House. She’s positive generational change and a tough leader. The choice has rarely been so obvious

[Kameron Dodge @k_dodger]

My uncle’s company is making pizzas in support of the @WeWillCllective. Pick yours up in Ankeny today and let’s get these in more stores! @Fareway_Stores @HyVee #GoCyclones

[Brent Blum @brentblum]

Excited to share with you the launch of We Will frozen pizza! Available now at the Fareway off Oralabor in Ankeny! Worked with a loyal Cyclone that produces the pizza and is donating all profits to WW! Can have a HUGE impact and the pizza is amazing. Gluten free available too.

[Kameron Dodge @k_dodger]

Taking Insurance Law from Prof. Anya Prince @IowaLawSchool was one of the most valuable classes I took in law school. A baseline exposure to underwriting and litigating claims/exclusions made me a better lawyer. And it has definitely improved the questions I ask about coverage.

[Raffi Melkonian @RMFifthCircuit]

Re: this developing discussion.

1) Insurance is one of the most important factors in private litigation. It drives so much of how cases work & are resolved.

2) I am not sure what I would have learned/retained from a law school course teaching insurance law.

[David Kochel @ddkochel]

This isn’t some random woman. This is Marlys Popma, one of the most effective organizers in Iowa caucus history. This is an exceedingly impressive endorsement.

[Kameron Dodge @k_dodger]

Let’s gooo! Another great day at $TFIN 🚀 🚀

[Kameron Dodge @k_dodger]

What a record! Thrilled for my friends, @jeniowa2505 & Nick. Was a great weekend celebrating you both!

[Chuck Grassley @ChuckGrassley]

Jen, my chief of staff & Nick Davis got married in Cedar Rapids this wkend. They are the 20th couple to marry after mtg in my office

[Chuck Grassley @ChuckGrassley]

Just voted 2 confirm Gen Randy George frm Alden IA as Chief of Staff of the Army Many thx for ur decades of dedicated service 2 our country & leadership in the Armed Forces He was confirmed 96-1 PS I nominated him for West Point he started there in 1984

[Kameron Dodge @k_dodger]

DC has some of the best weather of any major city

[Washingtonian Problems @WashProbs]

What opinion about DC will have you ending up like this?

[Teddy Greenstein @TeddyGreenstein]

Northwestern should switch things up and donate to its alums this year. This is pathetic.

[Kameron Dodge @k_dodger]

@greg_shill I’ve been wondering the net difference of IPOs and take private transactions during the cheap money/rising regulation period. I think there’s an under appreciated story around take privates in the face of increasing regulatory burden.

[Kameron Dodge @k_dodger]

@BarredinDC Don’t sleep on the burger at The Eastern. $17 incl. fries and better than all of the above.