Krusin' the Capitol
By Nebraska State Senator Lowen Kruse
2004
Week 1
January 11, 2004
Hi
"Crankin' up the old flivver" is week #1 of the legislature, even though the
young may ask what a "crank" and a "flivver" are. Sigh. Webster knows. We
are off to the races (of days), with a modest number of new bills and a cordial
spirit which will be tested.
Before I get into that, a hearty newcomers welcome to my weekly column. The
original guideline was that I print what the World-Herald won't publish. Ha.
The plain truth is they do not consider it news. The column is my take on
issues, stated as concisely as I can. I have a new resolution: to limit the
subjects each week, in order to reduce the length.
On a personal note, I have reduced myself by 20 pounds since last winter and
will continue to climb 1,000 steps a day at the capitol -- so should be in
fighting trim. Charge!
The issue of alcohol impaired drivers comes up this week. I will separate
last year's bill into two parts, to expedite action. My amendment to LB 208
strips out everything that was added to the bill last year, leaving a simple
recodification of DUI statutes, which is long over due. It will go.
[Recodification is bringing back to proper form and order.] I will attempt to amend it to
prevent offenders from blocking 'enhancement' of counts by appealing
convictions. For example, now a man with two convictions can appeal both of them and
then his next arrest and charge can be only a First Offense [not 'enhanced' to
Third Offense.] Way too much game-playing.
The new LB 871 collects what is best of last year's "repeat offender" effort.
It will have an early hearing and should have good support. If we are
successful it will be a huge personal victory for Ruth and Me, and for my staff.
One example: the new bill requires impoundment of a car loaned to a person
whose license has been suspended because of a previous DUI conviction. I am
convinced the driver who injured our Doug could not have borrowed a car if this
had been in place. His friends knew his license was suspended but figured the
car was o.k.
Our effort has taken 13 years, with many friendly cooperators. It is not
done yet, but we have the votes and may have a chance for a wonderful, mellow
party in a couple of months. Wow.
I cannot resist commenting on Nebraska's search for a coach and the wild,
manufactured rumors which make up so much of the sports comment. For you poor
souls living beyond Nebraska borders, our A. D. fired the head coach because he
did not like the direction the program was going. He did this over a month
ago, too early, because of rumors which had become headlines. He has a policy,
often stated, that he does not talk to a coach until the season is over. So
he could not recruit a new coach until after the bowl games. Seemed pretty
obvious. [We learned later he also likes to interview several before making an
offer.]
Whether he did this right or well I would not know, and I know of very few
people who have the competence to know. So no comment on his actions. But the
press and the sports fans created rumors, fanned them, then treated them as
news. Spurrier was available from Washington. Might he be the one? They
interviewed his friends. He clearly was the right one. Oh, he says Nebraska is
too cold. Not coming. So our A.D. is accused of his first turn down. Not one
bit of evidence he ever spoke to the man.
And on and on. Steady ridicule for firing a coach "because a 9-3 season is
not good enough." Clearly he did not say that. His reason for firing was
stated. We had count down of days in the paper and on TV -- like how many days to
Christmas. "Day 29 and still no word! He may have three rejections by now."
It seemed obvious to me he may have checked credentials on a dozen people
but he could not have interviewed even one of them. He is a bum. He is a
saint. Based on my methods, not his. Crazy. And it hurts us all.
I am not in the high and mighty sports world, but experience the same thing.
Folks who cannot even spell my name correctly decide from a press clip what I
think, announce it to their email lists, and then raise the plaintive cry,
"How could an elected official think like that?!" Well, the thoughts they
assigned to me were their creation and were usually in direct opposition to my
thoughts. In the several instances of this, not once has one of these persons
asked me what I think.
Enough. We cannot control the sports rumors, but we can do better than this
in developing public policy. I welcome your thoughts. Hopefully, you welcome
mine. You can check out my legislation and ideas on my website:
www.lowenkruse.com.
Bonus: under family pictures, you can marvel at my beautiful new
granddaughter, Lauren.
Have a great year.
Lowen
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