Yawn . . . Obama Announces his Reelection Campaign

And the reaction?

A Tale of Two Senators

Nebraska Statesman



Father of the Cornhusker Kickback



Today, the U.S. Senate voted on the McConnell Amendment, which mirrored the bill recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives to repeal ObamaCare.  This amendment represented the first step in the Republican plan to "Repeal and Replace" the federal takeover of health care that was enacted thanks to the decisive 60th vote cast by Senator Ben Nelson.  

Senator Nelson has had plenty of time to reflect upon his ObamaCare vote and the embarrassment he brought upon our great state as a result of his sleazy Cornhusker Kickback.  He's now had plenty of time to actually read the entire legislation (something he had not done at the time he cast the deciding vote).  He's had access to the numerous studies that demonstrate that this bill does absolutely nothing to control costs, and represents the greatest expansion of government in our lifetimes. 

So how did he vote on the McConnell Amendment?

Party line--in favor of ObamaCare (again).  And since the Democrats still control the Senate, the McConnell Amendment failed.  Sen. Nelson sold his soul to Harry Reid when he voted in favor of ObamaCare the first time.  Apparently he's decided there's no going back, truth be damned. 

Nebraska's other senator, Sen. Mike Johanns, listened to Nebraskans and voted in favor of the McConnell Amendment.  Sen. Johanns understands that he represents Nebraskans, rather than dictating to us what he thinks is in our best interests. 

In addition, Sen. Johanns successfully led the effort to repeal the insane requirement of ObamaCare that businesses of all sizes file Form 1099s with the IRS for purchases large and small.  But the Democrats refused to recognize Sen. Johanns leadership.  Instead, they made cosmetic changes to the Johanns' proposal and let another endangered Democrat, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, put her name on it, and it passed overwhelmingly. 

The Democrat's legislative games were accurately described in Human Events:

Sen. Mike Johanns (R.-Neb.) spent almost a year pushing for repeal of the 1099 tax paperwork mandate. Last week, he announced that he had finally gotten 60 co-sponsors, enough to ensure passage of his bill.


Then this week, the Democrats took Johnanns’ amendment, changed six words, and introduced it as the “Stabenow Amendment.”

“It really is the same amendment,” Johanns said at a press conference after the vote. “I’m actually kinda flattered.”

“It turns out Sen. Johanns did such an outstanding job raising awareness about the 1099 requirement that Democrats took the idea and are now claiming it as their own,” said McConnell, mocking the Democrats’ plagiarism. “It’s not a bad precedent actually. We’ve got a lot of other good ideas that we’d be happy to share.”

For Nebraskans, it truly is a tale of two Senators.  On one hand, we have Mike Johanns.  He listens.  He represents us.  He remembers where he comes from.  On the other (left) hand, we have Ben Nelson.  He's been in office too long.  He thinks he knows better than us.  And it's time to give Ben the boot. 

Saul Anuzis for RNC Chair

I’m currently in Washington, DC for the Winter meeting of the Republican National Committee (RNC).  As Chair of the Nebraska Republican Party, I am one of the 168 voting members of the RNC (along with Nebraska National Committeewoman De Carlson and National Committeeman Pete Ricketts). On Friday, RNC officer elections will occur, including election of the RNC Chair who will lead our national party organization for the 2012 election cycle. Current RNC Chair Michael Steele is seeking re-election to another 2 year term, and he has 4 announced challengers who remain in the race: Saul Anuzis, Maria Cino, Reince Preibus and Ann Wagner.

Late last year I endorsed Saul Anuzis for RNC Chair. Why? The reasons are many, but here are the primary ones: 

• Saul fits the job description. The job description for the office of RNC Chair for the 2012 election is different than what was required in 2010. Republicans (and therefore the people) have retaken control of the House of Representatives. Thus, we have Speaker Boehner as our national spokesman. Soon the 2012 presidential campaigns will kick into high gear and a large number of Republicans will step forward and serve as spokespersons, not only for their own respective candidacies but for our party as well. In January 2009 we needed an articulate spokesperson who could take on President Obama and congressional Democrats, and Chairman Steele fit the bill.  In January 2011, we need someone who:

o is a workhorse, not a show horse—someone who is willing to work behind the scenes with little or no fanfare;


o will restore the credibility of the RNC with donors, activists and donors;


o knows how to raise money in a cost-effective manner (what counts is net, not gross); and


o understands that the thought of a 72-hour program in today’s early voting era is now obsolete and that we need to move to a 30 or 45 day GOTV program.


Saul Anuzis satisfies each of these essential requirements.

• Saul understands the potential and limitations of technology. Saul has been a leader—perhaps THE leader—in Republican politics when it comes to adapting modern technology and social media and implementing it to the benefit of the Republican Party and its candidates. Chairman Steele tapped Saul to serve as Chair of the RNC’s Technology Committee (on which I serve), and during Saul’s tenure the RNC gained ground. But much remains to be done. According to Saul, we must take “our Internet campaign beyond just our web site, infusing social networking and mobile communications into everything we do. Our goal is to equip Republican and conservative activists with tools that will let them take action anytime of the day or night, no matter where they are. Think of it as having a Victory Center in every home, or on every cell phone.” 

• Saul is a friend of Nebraska. My predecessor, State Board of Education Commissioner (and former State Senator) Mark Quandahl told me early on that had he chosen to serve another term as NEGOP Chair back in 2009 he would have strongly endorsed Saul for RNC Chair. Saul travelled to Nebraska in early 2009 to attend a Douglas County Republican Party event and to visit with me and Pete Ricketts about his ideas for the RNC and to ask for our votes. While Saul was not elected back in 2009, he has remained in contact and has continued to express an interest in Nebraska politics and helping us to elect more Republicans in Nebraska. Simply put, Saul is a friend of the Cornhusker State, and Nebraska Republicans should know that we would be well served by having Saul Anuzis as the next RNC Chair.

Thanks and Let's Give Ben the Boot!

A word of thanks to my fellow Republicans who kindly elected me to a second 2-year term as Chairman of the Nebraska Republican Party.   I appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve and look forward to working together to give Ben Nelson the boot in 2012 and electing a Republican who doesn't support ObamaCare, wasteful earmarks and won't embarrass us with sleazy backroom deals like Nelson's Cornhusker Kickback.

At Saturday's Republican State Central Committee longtime Republican leader Tim O'Dell presented the NEGOP with a size 20 custom made boot--a single left boot given Nelson's support for liberal policies like ObamaCare--with the hand stitched lettering "Cornhuskers Kick Back".  Those contributing $100 or more to our Give Ben the Boot effort will have the opportunity to sign the boot.  It's fitting that the first contributor and signer was former NEGOP Chair and Omaha City Councilman Chuck Sigerson since he spent so much time educating Nebraskans on Nelson's penchant for breaking his promises, including his broken promise not to run for the U.S. Senate that helped lead to his eventual loss to Chuck Hagel.

If you are interested in contributing and signing the boot, call the NEGOP headquarters at 402.475.2122, or e-mail Erin at erin@negop.org to make arrangements.

Ben Nelson: One of the Worst Members of Congress

On a recent business trip I had the opportunity to peruse a stack of periodicals that piled up during the 2010 election cycle.  One of the magazines was the November issue of Esquire, a magazine that I received as a gift.  One article sought to identify the 10 Best and Worst Members of Congress.   

And guess who appeared among the "Worst Members of Congress" right alongside Rep. Charlie Rangel? 

The Father of the Cornhusker Kickback--Senator Ben Nelson.

Here are a few excerpts from the Esquire piece:

Once the coveted "sixtieth vote," Nelson, the most obstreperous Democrat in the Senate, maneuvered for a sweet deal for his home state to have its mandated expansion of Medicaid paid for by the federal government permanently in order to get his vote for health-care reform. This is a deal no other state gets. Republicans mocked this arrangement as the "Cornhusker Kickback," and Nelson was stunned to find that every last person in his home state was horribly embarrassed by his deal; he muttered that it was all a misunderstanding, and it was really all about abortion funding anyway, which is one of his standby excuses for everything. Antiabortion groups, once stalwarts for the senator, decided that they didn't trust him, either. Now no one trusts him, and he has been tarred with a catchy new name for the stupid thing he did, which imperiled the passage of health-care reform. In the end, Harry Reid found a way to pass the House bill without Nelson's vote, and Nelson was compelled, pathetically, to plead that his sweet deal be removed from the final bill. Because that's how Ben Nelson rolls.

And the people cheered: "Twenty-Twelve. Twenty-Twelve. Twenty-Twelve."

 

Merry Christmas!

Earmark Earl

In recent weeks Sen. E. (Earl?  Earmark?) Benjamin Nelson has become quite defensive about his support for federal earmarks.  Every other member of Nebraska's congressional delegation--including his fellow Senator Mike Johanns--has announced his support for a ban on earmarks.  Sen. Johanns put it best:  the current earmark process is "simply not open, transparent or merit-based."

And where does Sen. Nelson--the architect of the Cornhusker Kickback--stand?  Firmly on the side of business-as-usual.

Nelson has attempted to portray his support for this antiquated form of political cronyism as fighting for Nebraska's share of the federal pie.  What Nelson doesn't tell us is that in order for him to get federal money for the National Wild Turkey Federation, he has to agree to support the pork submitted by other Senators, including bridges to nowhere.  And apparently he's more than happy to cut that deal. 

Let's decide the issue once and for all.  Potential Republican Senate candidate Attorney General Jon Bruning has come out firmly in opposition to earmarks, and I'm quite confident that every Republican candidate for Nebraska's Senate seat will as well.  The November 2012 election can be a referendum on the earmarks and backroom deals that have become the hallmark of Nelson's time in public office.

On November 6, 2012, Nebraska voters can decide whether they approve of the current federal earmark process and deals like the Cornhusker Kickback.  If they support business-as-usual, they should vote for Sen. Nelson.  If they oppose these practices and want more transparency and integrity in Congress, they should vote for the Republican nominee.