Looking back on the year that was in 2006, from world events, to national and local news, and the UNO College Democrats:

January:

9: UNO Dems kick off the spring semester with the first meeting of the year.

25: Lee Terry endorses Jim Esch for Congress.

We need to get rid of the DeLay group and elect new blood that was not caught up in the DeLay style and is open to reform,” he said. “I think we need a clear break from the old regime.”

28: The UNO College Democrats are honored at the Douglas County Democrats’ annual Truman Dinner.

31: Samuel Alito is sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice.

February:

8: We hosted DemFest 2006, featuring Democratic candidates, from Congressional candidate Jim Esch to legislative candidates like Lynne Anderson.

11: Dick Cheney shoots a man in the face.

18: Nebraska Young Democrats and the UNO College Democrats presented Yellow Dog University, a campaign training event for young Democrats across the region. Students from four states showed up to participate in the successful event, which will return on March 31st – 2007 (save that date!).

March:

6: South Dakota passes a law banning all abortions. The law is later overturned by a referendum in November.

7: Douglas County Treasurer Julie Haney suspends Democrat – and candidate for Douglas County Clerk of the District Court – Trish Lanphier for signing a greeting card. Lanphier’s job was later reinstated, and Haney was thankfully defeated in the general election by John Ewing.

25: UNO Democrats President Chad Brakhahn is elected President of Nebraska Young Democrats.

April:

10: Cody Farrens was elected President of UNO College Democrats.

12: David Hergert is impeached by the Nebraska Legislature… thanks in a large part to Young Democrats related efforts around the state.

13: LB 1024, which proposed a split of Omaha Public Schools into three districts, was signed into law.

25: The UNO Democrats presented A Tribute To The Fallen. 2,390 American flags were placed on UNO’s campus, and the names of each soldier killed in Iraq were read, to honor those who have sacrificed their lives in this war.

29: Stephen Colbert delivers a blistering satirical jab to President George W. Bush as the keynote speaker at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner.

May:

1: The three year anniversary of “Mission Accomplished.”

6: Barack Obama visits Omaha to speak at Salem Baptist Church and the Morrison-Exon Dinner.

9: Election Day. Tom Osborne’s bid for governor ends in defeat as incumbent Dave Heineman upsets him in the primary. Pete Ricketts ensures victory for Ben Nelson when he wins the U.S. Senate primary.

10: Lee Terry – and Nebraska’s Fighting Second District – is the subject of Stephen Colbert’s “Better Know A District” segment. If you haven’t seen it, please watch here.

14: The final episode of The West Wing airs on NBC.

15: For the first time, Bush’s approval rating dips below 50% in Nebraska, with the majority of Nebraskans disapproving of the job Bush is doing.

June:

5: Jim Esch speaks on immigration in advance of Bush’s visit to Omaha.

6: George W. Bush arrives in Omaha. Nebraska Young Democrats give him a warm welcome.

8: Pete Ricketts thinks his property taxes are too high. Nebraskans groan in disgust.

14: Abbie Cornett and Pat Engel show their true colors, defect to the Republican Party.

25: Omaha billionaire Warren Buffett donates $30 billion to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

26: Dave Heineman announces the formation of a Task Force Task Force.

July:

4: The Ralston Fourth Of July Parade. UNO Democrats came out in large numbers for Democratic candidates Jim Esch, Ben Nelson, Pam Tusa, and Trish Lanphier.

5: Pete Ricketts decides that his campaign isn’t dirty enough, hires Jessica Moenning.

7: David Hergert is convicted, removed from office.

12: A conflict between Israel and Hezbollah begins when Israeli troops invade Lebanon. A ceasefire is agreed to a month later.

14: A federal appeals court overturns the lower court ruling that suspended Nebraska’s ban on gay marriage.

16: Nelson’s campaign decides to climb in the gutter with Ricketts. Nebraskans everywhere groan.

30: Chuck Hagel starts making sense again, so it must be Sunday. He calls Iraq “an absolute replay of Vietnam.”

August:

7: Jim Esch calls for immediate redeployment of troops from Iraq.

8: Ned Lamont defeated Joe Lieberman in the Connecticut U.S. Senate Democratic Primary. Lieberman, living up to the nickname Republicans gave him in 2000, refused to accept the result, and ran as an independent in the general election, winning on the backs of Republican voters. Lamont’s victory in the primary opened up debate on Iraq across the nation.

18: Kate Witek joins the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party grudgingly embraces her. She loses anyway, and vows to get out of politics.

19: The Nebraska Democratic Party State Convention continues in Grand Island. Many UNO Democrats attend and several are elected to the NDP State Central Committee.

21: The UNO Democrats launch the 2006-2007 school year.

September:

11: 5 year anniversary of the September 11th attacks.

Jim Esch joins UNO Dems at our weekly meeting.

12: UNO Chancellor Nancy Belck resigns.

16: UNO Democrats go door-to-door for Democratic candidates. This is just one example of the thousands of hours spent by UNO Dems volunteering and working on campaigns.

17: Several UNO Democrats travel to Iowa to see Barack Obama speak at the Tom Harkin Steak Fry.

25: Pete Ricketts runs perhaps the ugliest, most juvenile attack ad I’ve ever seen.

29: Mark Foley is a scary person.

October:

1-2: Campout the Vote. UNO Democrats camp out in Douglas County Election Commission parking lot to be the first ones to vote early in Douglas County.

5: Jon Bruning starts running for Senate two years early.

7: Get out the Vote, Damnit! With a month left until Election Day, we ramp up our efforts on and off campus.

15: Scott Kleeb grabs the endorsement of the Omaha World-Herald.

19: Our little blog gets a “cosmetic update.”

23: David Hahn joins the UNO Dems at our meeting.

30: Jim Esch speaks at UNO, fielding questions from students in the Nebraska Room.

November:

5: George W. Bush has to travel to Grand Island to bail out Adrian Smith against Scott Kleeb. Saddam Hussein is sentenced to death by hanging in an Iraqi court.

7: Election Day! Jim Esch almost pulls off a near-shocker against Lee Terry. Ben Nelson throttles Pete Ricketts. And our own UNO Democrat, David Klug, gets elected to the NRD Board. Nationally, the Democrats take both the House and the Senate!

8: Describing Tuesday’s results as “a thumping,” Bush fires Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense and appoints Robert Gates as his successor.

17-19: Several UNO Democrats brave way too many hours in a car to attend Young Democrats of America’s National Conference in Jackson, MS.

December:

6: The Iraq Study Group report, calling the situation in Iraq “grave and deteriorating,” calls for a phased redeployment of U.S. troops, and for most troops to come home by early 2008.

9: Nebraska Young Democrats hold their first annual Forever Young Dinner. UNO Democrats are named 2006 Chapter of the Year.

This has been an incredibly successful year for Democrats in this state, especially Young Democrats. We worked hard to elect Democrats, and won a few races, came up short in others, but built the foundation for something great. The future looks bright, folks. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We’ll be coming back strong in 2007!