Observations on a Clear Night

So I was cruising the Internet tonight to see what my Democrat friends are up to. A couple of interesting observations from the Nebraska Democratic Party website:

1. If you are going to have awards honoring former Governor/former Senator Bob Kerrey, I would suggest you spell his name correctly. If you want to name an award after Sen. John Kerry, then by all means do so, although I'm not sure what connection he has with Nebraska.

2. My friend and Neb. Democratic Chair Vic Covalt decided to issue a press release attacking Governor Heineman's selection of "Kerrey" Winterer as the new Director of Health and Human Services. First, it's "Kerry" (there we go again). Second, Kerry, as an attorney and expert on benefit issues, is imminently well-qualified for position. Better yet, the press release appears just one slot ahead of another Democrat post applauding Sen. Nelson's work to get his former Lt. Gov. Maxine Moul another government job.

Holding Democrats Accountable

Unfortunately for Omahans, the Democrats are now in charge of city government. Historically, what that has meant is higher taxes, bloated bureaucracies, and economic stagnation. Every move thus far from newly-elected Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle demonstrates that the Democrats intend to follow history.

Thankfully, Republicans are not standing by waiting for the Democrats to run Omaha into the ground. Today we learned that Republican Jim Vokal has created an organization called OMAPAC that will hold Suttle and his Democratic administration accountable.

Once again--where's Tom White on Omaha's future? Partisan White was elected ("serves" is a stretch given his lackluster attendance last session) to represent an Omaha district, and he has told Democratic activists that he's mulling a bid for Congress, i.e., to represent Omaha's interests in Washington DC. Does he support Suttle's plans for tax increases for Omahans?

Leadership is more than having your staff create a web site and sponsoring politically-motivated legislation that was going no where from the start.

Ben Nelson and the Moonwalk

Have to admit that, as a child of the 80s, I've paid attention to the media coverage surrounding the death of Michael Jackson. Despite all of his weirdness in recent years, I've tried to remember the Michael Jackson of my youth--the one honored by President Reagan. And it doesn't get any better than the first time he moonwalked in public.

The moonwalk is an amazing dance step. Once has to deftly slide across the ground without taking a position. In some ways it's like Senator Ben Nelson and his politics. He's constantly moving around, deftly at times, without taking a position, but attempting to please everyone in Washington and Nebraska and beyond . . . .

Democrat's Proposed Government Takeover of Health Care

An appropriate and thoughtful response to the forthcoming ObamaInfomercial to be televised on the AllBarackChannel (ABC).

For Nebraska Democrats, Higher Taxes are ALWAYS the Answer

He's only been in office 12 days and Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle has made it clear that increased taxes are part of his agenda. Rather than looking first to cutting wasteful spending, Suttle succumbed to the custom of his Democratic party to look first to tax increases.

Before he embarks down the traditional Democratic road of higher taxes, I would encourage Mayor Suttle to visit with Governor Dave Heineman. This past legislative session Governor Heineman and the Republican-led Nebraska Legislature passed a budget that result in about a 1 percent increase in state spending with NO TAX INCREASES. The last time I checked the state budget was a tad bit larger and more complex than the City of Omaha's.

No one will dispute that Suttle is off to a rough start. He had to rescind the hiring of his co-chief-of-staff, and recently it became public that he decided to lease an expensive new vehicle at taxpayer expense to the detriment of Omaha taxpayers (for what it's worth, Suttle has told some City officials that he needed a car that was "red" in color--for this vanity Omaha taxpayers are footing the bill). The clock is ticking on what may be the shortest mayoral term in Omaha history.

Suttle's proposed tax increases are only a start. On the horizon is his proposal to increase Omaha's sales tax, which will require approval from the Nebraska Legislature.

Question: Senator Tom White--Are you in support of a sales tax increase for Omaha?

Speaking of Tom White, it appears that he's no longer just dipping his big toe in the proverbial waters, but now is up to his ankle. It's a poorly kept secret that White (or at least White's sycophantic staff) may challenge Congressman Lee Terry in 2010 (see this interesting article in CQ Politics). But it's clear that White has some work to do as even Omaha Democrats don't think he can win:

"Even when voters elected Democrats in the 2nd District, it has always been
a ‘leans Republican’ district, which means that Terry is in a solid position to
continue on for as long as he cares to,” said Paul Landow, a political
science professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who specializes in
local politics.

* * *

But his political track record and that of district Republicans — at least prior
to 2008 — likely will give Terry the early edge for 2010 even if he draws
competition from Democrat White. “The last election against Esch was closer, but
Terry still won, convincingly, both times, and against huge Democratic tides
nationwide,” political scientist Landow said. “What more could you ask for from
a congressman?”

I agree--what more could you ask for from a congressman. Yes, folks, that's Democrat Paul Landow. Landow knows the district since he was the top aide to former Second District Congressman Peter Hoagland.

2010 is a mid-term election, and there needs to be a check-and-balance on the nonsense coming out of the White House and Congress. Congressman Terry is just that. Tom White is the most divisive, partisan member of the Nebraska Legislature. Looks like even his fellow Democrats like Landow realize that and are putting their money down on Congressman Lee Terry.

The Tide is Turning

Polling data released this week shows voters nationally now trust Republicans more than Democrats on six of ten key issues, including the economy.

Some interesting tidbits from the Rasmussen survey:

• The economy remains the key political issue for the majority of Americans. For the first time in over two years, more Americans trust Republicans than Democrats to handle economic issues, 45% to 39%. Republican strength on the issue increased since May, when the GOP held only a one point lead. Among independent voters, the Republican advantage is now 2-to-1 over Democrats on economic issues.
• Republicans have regained strength on the issue of taxes. While last year a majority of Americans trusted Democrats on the issue, Republicans now lead 44% to 39%.
  Republican strength on national security issues has intensified, giving the GOP a 15% lead on subject, up from 7% in May.

Lesson: it pays to stick to your principles.

Read the complete survey.

Obama's Budget Legerdemain

Here's a great video that cuts through the "DC-speak" and explains the federal budget and Obama's purported "cuts" in terms that even my 11 year-old daughter can understand.

The fact is that the Obama Administration is taking our country down a very dark path of fiscal and social irresponsibility.

Thankfully, many indicators suggest that that the tide is turning and that Americans are wising up to this gargantuan power grab by the Democrats and preparing to put a stop to it.

Freedom. It's what our forefathers fought for and what we must demand as Americans.

Democrat Goal: Increase Dependence on Big Government

From today's Breakpoint e-mail from Chuck Colson:

"In his classic book, Democracy in America, Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville marveled at how Americans could accomplish almost anything through voluntaryassociations—especially churches. They built schools, hospitals, sent missionaries all over the world. He wrote, “I frequently admired the boundless skill of Americans in setting large numbers of people a common goal and inducing them to strive toward that goal voluntarily.”

De Tocqueville doubted that government could ever accomplish all that American citizens could dothrough their associations. But he also warned that if government should supplant the good work of these associations, the American people would ultimately end up dependent upon government. And this, he said, would imperil not only American democracy, but 'civilization itself.'"


One cannot help to wonder if one of the ultimate goals of the modern Democratic party is to completely displace the religious, social and other nonprofit organizations that help form the very foundation of this country with a bigger, more powerful (and more expensive) federal government.

A government powerful enough to nationalize General Motors is powerful enough to do just that.

Jim Suttle: Paradigm for Democrat Leadership for Nebraska

Even before taking the oath office Omaha Mayor-elect Jim Suttle has confirmed our worst fears. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, he's incompetent. Thanks to a quality, albeit belated, piece of investigative reporting by the Omaha World-Herald, we now know that the individual Suttle tapped as his co-chief-of-staff was accused of having sex with a 14 year-old boy who later committed suicide. Thankfully the aide has apparently stepped aside, but some lingering issues about the forthcoming debacle to be known as the Suttle Administration remain:

• Suttle acknowledged to the World-Herald that he had heard "embarrassing rumors" about the aide, whom he first employed during his 2005 bid for the City Council. So far, Suttle has refused to say what the "embarrassing rumors" were. What did Suttle know, and when did he know it?
• Suttle initially told the World-Herald that he did not run background checks on the aide or anyone he has hired, saying such checks were a "suspicious, punitive system, and that's not something I build on." How can someone run a city as large as Omaha without a basic business background and understanding that pre-employment background checks are standard into today's modern workforce and sometimes legally required?
• What does it say of a person's leadership and organizational skills if he believes it is efficient to name not one, but two, chiefs-of-staff? While sports analogies likely escape Suttle, one should ask how many football teams have succeeded on the two quarterback system.
• What does all of this say about Sen. Ben Nelson? Recall that Nelson endorsed Suttle, in part, because of his "wisdom." Wisdom?
• Is the person most damaged by all of this Democrat State Sen. Tom White? Nebraska Democrats are coming up empty in their attempts to find any credible Democrat to challenge Governor Heineman, Attorney General Bruning, or the rest of the Republican constitutional officers. Liberal activists are pushing hard to focus all of their attention on just one major race rather than spreading their scarce resources, and by some accounts they are hoping for White to challenge Congressman Lee Terry. But 2010 is a mid-term election, and the party in power in Washington historically does very poorly in mid-term elections. Plus, Congressman Terry continues to demonstrate his ability to work with Republicans and Democrats in Washington. Thus, White, a liberal trial lawyer described by many as the most "divisive" member of the current Legislature, is a significant underdog before he's in the gate, let alone out of it. With Suttle occupying the mayor's office, White will have to explain to voters why Democrat "leadership" as modeled by his fellow Democrat Jim Suttle is what's needed in Washington.