Krusin' the Capitol
By Nebraska State Senator Lowen Kruse
2004
Week 13
April 3, 2004
Hi-
The headline reads: "Legislature decides to postpone pain for a year."
Translation: do nothing even though we will probably have a $300 million hole in
January. Argh. Plus, I missed an appointment to teach a class I was really
looking forward to. Plus, plumbing backed up big time, flooding new carpet for
the third time. Bummer all the way around.
Please Lord, may I have a new week???
The "Do Nothing" Party won the day on increasing tax revenue. We have done
all the cutting that will not cripple. Cuts and taxes generally take one year
to implement. We could not get 25 votes on any of five plans, though we began
with general agreement that prudent people would enact the tax increase which
the governor requested and said we really needed.
One by one, they gave up on compromise. I can't believe it. Unrealistic
exchanges included this one: "I propose a 1/4 cent sales tax increase (25 cents
on $100, produces $60 million a year)." "When would the money start to come
in?" "January." "That is too late to help us. Let's wait a year." Hello?
Anybody home?
Brother Chambers filed a motion to pull my quiet little public transportation
bill back from final reading for an amendment. His amendment pitted the
elderly on buses against the Roads department, our Goliath that runs its own show,
on its own terms. I had the votes to stop him, but it turned out he only
wanted to get our attention, that my 1/20 of a cent added to gas tax was too much
for him. When he learned I would not be voting for two cents added to the
gas tax in another bill, he withdrew.
With a flourish. He stated on the floor that Senator Kruse had drawn and
quartered him and he had to give up and withdraw. Chuckles all over the place,
because he had not retreated from anything else all week. My neighbors on the
floor turned my way in amazement. "Lowen, HOW did you do that?!" I told them
Ernie was subject to secret prayer. Of those who are truly pious.
Had much more fun in the lobby. I found several of the major road lobbyists,
who have been fighting the two cents bill, and accused them of controlling
Chambers and sending him after me to force me to join them. "Ernie is devious
and you are devious so I know you are in collusion." Gotta' have some fun in
this business.
Chamber's game plan, which we had wondered about all week, is becoming clear.
There is always a goal. I am quite sure he is trying to put the legislature
and the state in chaos next January. Chaos is his favorite playground.
Since nothing is done on taxes, we will be facing a huge hole. The bills will
still be there. The only realistic cuts will shift the liability to property
taxes. Which several of us have fought all session. Argh. He will be able to
manipulate the agenda when we have so many competing interests that we do not
have a consensus on direction. Some will say he is controlling us. Not. We
are the ones who do not have a direction.
I assume you have a stubborn friend. Or two. I have two very stubborn
friends on the floor. Senator Foley brings a fetus to every bill he can. Senator
Chambers objects. And thereby we chew up a great amount of time, with no
production. I do not make light of the issue, as it is important. However, not
as important as some other agenda. Their competition prevents action on some
"real life" issues. We will not complete our work on preventing child abuse,
slowing down the death and mayhem from alcohol impaired drivers and getting
critical support for troubled kids. All about persons, all hurtful. But delayed
for another year.
Both men are a little bit right and a little bit wrong. With no ability to
listen to each other or to be in dialog. Frustrating, and a lesson to all of
us.
Foley says life begins with conception, which I consider a good basic
premise. But his approach in effect diminishes the birth day by angling to build a
case to also make the fetus a person. Most of think the birth day is a big
deal, when a life becomes independent. Eventually, quite independent!
Chambers says life begins at birth and this is all an extremely complex plan
to make a fetus a person. Law has literally hundreds of references to
"person" with assumptions of personal decisions, rights, and responsibilities. The
"fetus as a person campaign" carries great mischief, he asserts.
So, Foley attaches fetus language every chance he gets and Chambers enjoys a
field day in challenging it. Neither wins any points or converts any minds.
However, time is abused and some critical work on life issues is set aside.
Ah, Church tomorrow and a new week. Thank you.
Lowen
Back to Top
Krusin the Capitol Index
Home Page
|
