For all you Seinfeld fans out there, today is a special day. Today is Festivus. To celebrate this special day “for the rest of us,” please take part in this thread. This thread will be used for the time-honored Festivus tradition of the “Airing of Grievances.”
Is someone or something bothering you? Well, let it all out. This day only comes once a year!
I opened my mailbox today and to my surprise, I received a piece of campaign literature from Pete Ricketts.
I really don’t know why. I’m a registered Democrat and I’ve never picketted in front of a Planned Parenthood.
You can see the front of the letter I received below. My favorite part of the piece of mail is…
Yes, Pete! You can count on me to help you take our Nebraska values to Washington. Please accept my contribution of:
There are a few things rather strange about this line. Why do I have to go through all the trouble of donating money to Pete and then have to say pretty “please accept my contribution.”
Instead of reading “please accept my contribution of:”, it should read “I’ve generously sent you some of my hard-earned money and you should forever be grateful for my contribution.”
Also, if it only costs $25 to send Nebraska values to Washington, then how much would it cost to send Christian Coalition values to Washington? What about the Club for Growth and Focus on the Family values? Are those values included in my $25 donation? Where is the box where I can check which values I want sent to Washington?
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Tonight, a few members of the UNO College Democrats filmed an episode of Student Democrats TV.
President Chad Brakhahn and Vice President Cody Farrens were the guests and I was the host. Basically, the show is a 30 minute infomercial about the UNO College Democrats. If you are interested in joining the College Dems or want to know what we’ve been up to, then you need to tune into the show.
We couldn’t have filmed this award winning television without Till manning the cameras and Gary in the control booth.
If you are Cox Cable subscriber in the Omaha area, you can watch the program on Cox Metro 23. The program will air on two different dates…
Monday, December 26th at 4pm
Wednesday, January 4th at 5pm
The infamous Patriot Act hit a roadblock Friday morning as the Senate could not get enough votes to reauthorize sixteen controversial provisions. Some of the provisions that are under scrutiny include increased authority of the government to set wiretaps on phone lines and obtain personal records from libraries, businesses, and hospitals without a search warrant. (article)
Sixteen provisions are set to expire on the 31st of December if not reauthorized. And in a stunning move, the Senate Democrats suddenly grew a spine and threatened to filibuster any attempt at reauthorization. In total there were 47 Senators who voted against the reauthorization including five Republicans. One of the Republicans voting against the reauthorization was our own Chuck Hagel.
For all of those Democrats in Nebraska who wonder how Ben Nelson represents your views in Washington, another piece of the puzzle was put in to place. As one of only two Democrats to vote for the measure, I am again forced to ask if he remains a Democrat simply because he lost a horrible bet back in college.
In an election year, it is necessary we get our Democrats elected, but if Sen. Nelson wants any more support from this blogger, he’s going to have to quit holding hands with President Bush on nearly every vote.
In related news, the NY Times reported that President Bush gave the National Security Agency the power to spy on American citizens.
Patriot Act’s critics got a boost from a New York Times report saying Bush authorized the National Security Agency to monitor the international phone calls and international e-mails of hundreds — perhaps thousands — of people inside the United States.
It is estimated that several thousand American citizens have been spied on since Mr. Bush authorized the practice. Are these the American values that he claims he believes in? Mr. Bush has taken away our civil liberties and disregarded the Constitution. Thankfully the Senate made the first stride today in showing the White House that America is still the land of the free.
Some significant developments have occurred in the David Hergert cheating scandal since we last discussed it on this blog.
Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning has recommended that the Hergert case be sent to a grand jury.
Hergert’s case headed to grand jury - Omaha World-Herald
“When I reviewed the State Patrol’s report, it became clear to me from the totality of the evidence that it was intentional. I do not have reasonable doubt,” Bruning told a press conference.
He said Hergert may have broken six criminal laws, including a possible felony.
He said that a grand jury would add a “layer of credibility” to the process and that, perhaps more important, a grand jury has the power to force uncooperative witnesses to testify.
An editorial by the Lincoln Journal-Star pretty much sums up my thoughts on the decision.
Attorney General Jon Bruning is amply justified in his decision to seek a grand jury indictment of University of Nebraska Regent David Hergert.
He even sounded enthusiastic about his pending prosecutorial mission, saying he personally “had no reasonable doubt” that Hergert’s violations of campaign finance laws were intentional.
That sort of aggressive spirit inspires confidence that the attorney general is serious about enforcing the law. Bruning’s statement Monday certainly lends more assurance than his comments in July. As he launched his initial investigation, Bruning cautioned: “This is not a witch hunt.”
This action comes only a week and a half after the UNO Student Government voted down a resolution (13-10-1) condemning Hergert’s actions.
UNO Student Senate votes down resolution calling for Hergert’s resignation - UNO Gateway
I wish I could list the names of the 13 people that voted against this resolution, but the vote was done in secret. That’s how democracy at UNO works. Voting on a resolution like this in secret does a complete disservice to the student body of UNO. Instead of having to defend their position, senators voting against this resolution can hide behind a cloak of secrecy.
When the UNO Student Government pulls things like this, it alienates itself even further from the student body. It gives the appearance that the UNO Student Government is a secret society with members that care little about the student body.
If a senator wanted to vote against this resolution, then that’s their decision to make. But how is the student body suppose to hold it’s elected officials accountable when they are voting on important and controversial matters in secret? Acts like this are cowardly and undemocratic. I’m sure our forefathers would be proud.
I encourage everyone to visit Huskers Against Hergert for some great commentary and information about the Hergert situation. Jeff has some great analysis of the UNO Student Government position on the situation… UNO Tacitly Endorses Lying, Cheating, Lawbreaking, and David Hergert!
We have a candidate for governor in Nebraska!
Democrat Hahn to enter governor’s race - Omaha World-Herald
Hahn to announce bid for governor - Lincoln Journal-Star
Internet entrepreneur David Hahn of Lincoln said Wednesday that he has decided to enter the 2006 governor’s race and would make a formal announcement soon.
This summer I had the privilege of meeting David Hahn. At the time, I had no idea he was interested in running for governor or any elected office. I remember Hahn being smart and articulate on the issues. I think he’s going to make an outstanding Democratic candidate.
Also, my opinion is somewhat slanted not because I’m a Democrat but because I have a soft spot for internet entrepreneurs.
Who do you think deserves to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for president in 2008?
Cast your vote in the Nebraska Democratic Party’s presidential straw poll.
Although we generally cover politics on this blog, I wanted to take a second and cover some UNO sports news. This afternoon, the UNO women’s soccer team advanced to the NCAA Division II national title game by defeating Franklin Pierce College 2-1.
Getting this far is a tremendous accomplishment, but I’m sure the ladies won’t be satisfied with a second-place finish.
If you want to watch the national title game, there’s no need to travel to Wichita Falls, Texas. On Saturday, NETV2 will televise the game live at 1 p.m. It’s great to see UNO and the women’s soccer team will be showcased for the rest of the state to see.
Go Mavericks!
