Krusin' the Capitol
By Nebraska State Senator Lowen Kruse
2005
Week 1
January 7, 2005
Hi
The mighty turtle has lifted off. We will see if it can clear the fence.
The senators are dropping in about 100 bills a day, so we can hope to clear
the 800 fence in ten days. Mind you, I am not saying that is good.
Howsomever, as Pogo used to say, there are some good ones coming in. More on that
another time.
We opened in a snow storm. I invited two new senators to join me in hosting
our friends who came to the swearing in ceremony for lunch in the building.
Only one such room in the building, so we were quite exclusive. And became
more so. We had 50 reservations between us, with Lowen having a wonderful,
varied collection of 25. I was so looking forward to them meeting each other, and
some of the conversations which would develop.
Then it started to snow. For those out of state, Omaha ended up with 13
inches over two days. None from Omaha could come. I had my sister and husband,
plus three friends from Lincoln. The other two had a dozen family members.
Since we had guaranteed 40, we became Biblical and went into the byways to
"compel them to come in." Got our quota, with very young, very old, a few
lobbyists, and three senators and spouses. My sincere gratitude to all who considered
coming. Would have been fun.
Those who came got in on one my most famous prayer. People have been
commenting all week and I must humbly admit I do not ever remember that happening for
a Sunday morning prayer. However dexterous and brilliant. Or even spiritual.
Senator Chambers was in the chair for the opening session, as the Lt. Gov.
was acting gov. and was blocked from the chair. Next in line was our senior
senator, who strongly protests that we open with prayer and who has not been in
the chamber for a prayer in anyone's memory.
The clerk's office lines up pray-ers, so had signed me up in advance. The
clerk saw me the night before and said he did not know what would happen as
Chambers said he wanted a minute of silent reflection to open 2005 season. I said
I will stand by and be prepared to punt. Or as pioneer pastors warned each
other, be "prepared to preach, pray or die at a moment's notice."
Ernie found me about three minutes before the gong, said he would call for a
time of reflection and then introduce me as one who is ecumenical, open to all
faiths, and would lead us in a nonsectarian way. I responded I appreciated
his praise [which I knew was sincere] but to skip the adjectives and I would
continue the time of reflection. He seemed relieved, as he was becoming nervous
at the prospect of the whole doings. Which was interesting in itself. He
really wanted it to come off right.
So he asked for a moment of silent reflection and almost immediately called
upon me. I led a guided prayer in four parts: silent time of reflection and
prayer to give thanks for our blessings as individuals and as Nebraskans; time
to lift up those in the world trauma and to remember those who stand in harm's
way on our behalf; time to give thanks for every person in the room; and
silent commitment to be open to guidance from our creator and from each other as
we proceed with the tasks and decisions of our lives. So may it be.
That was it. The whole thing. About as modest an offering of rhetoric as
one could imagine. I must say the place was absolutely quiet, with some old
timers forgetting to breathe as they remembered Ernie's frequent derision of
opening prayers. Later, Ernie thanked me three different times. I said he did
very well in leading us and he quickly said it takes two hands to clap. I
should explain that Sen Chambers is not really against prayer, but is deeply
offended by those who piously tell God what a good man Jesus was and give no credit
to Buddha or Gandhi. I agree. I have never understood how a trained pastor
is not able to pray except in the name of Jesus or feels obligated to tell God
that God cannot get through to a one of us except through Jesus. Poor God.
Argh.
Several said they had tears in their eyes. Staff members who were watching
on TV came looking to tell me how they were moved. Amazing. Well, we lifted
off in such a way.
A senator's wife told Ruth she appreciated what I did, but it was too bad that
the country has become so antireligion that we cannot have religion in our
prayers. Ruth was too stunned to reply. Which was probably just as well.
Maybe this great country of ours could be helped by everyone getting into a
discussion group to define religion.
One senator sent us a memo complaining that there are too many farmers in the
legislature. They are less than 1% of the population, are nearly 30% of the
body. And 36.7% of the body are over 65, as compared to 13.5% of the
population. We have 14% who are attorneys [down from nearly 27%]. "The legislature
is simply not representative of the state's working population."
I have big news for this soul: that is our system. We require that it be a
second job, with a permissive employer. Which farmers have, if they are in a
family operation. Lawyers have, if a firm wants their own lobbyist. And
those over 65 have, if their pension is adequate. No one else need apply. I
enjoy the work and experience, but financially I hope to come out even at the end
of eight years. We do not allow for those who really work.
I would note that I know quite a few farmers and elderly folk who really work.
My philosophical thought for the week: the consensus of our citizens is far
more powerful than laws, but we have so little consistency in our shared
attitudes. We are upset with the needless death of a baby at some boyfriend's
hands, but we only murmur a protest when impaired drivers kill 100 people a year
in Nebraska, needlessly.
The thought comes from the tsunami experience. We are horrified at the loss
of life, as we should be. But we lose that many persons every month to the
AIDS epidemic, without losing much sleep. The world will give billions to
repair the first, again as we well should, but only a small fraction of that to
cure the second, which will happen again next month and each month after.
One must be grateful when people respond so generously to the pain of folks
they will never meet.
Keep your stick on the ice.
Lowen
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