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PACHYDERM PRESS
THIRD DISTRICT REPUBLICAN NEWSLETTER
Go elephants!! What an exciting
election cycle in the Third District – wide open races for Governor,
Congressman, U.S. Senate and many more. A number of candidates are
running like sprinters in the 11 month marathon race to the May 2006
primary finish line. Our newsletter is a forum for candidates to
express their views, and for you to use this newsletter as one
source to help you decide which candidates you will actively help in
their campaign. And this newsletter helps us to synchronize our
calendars. Let’s go!
Republican Primary for Governor Highlighted. Even though we are 8
months away from the filing deadline, the Republican primary for
Governor seems to be set. Three outstanding candidates are
contesting for our party’s banner.
This race is reminiscent of the primary battle 8 years ago among
three highly qualified candidates for Governor and of the First
District Congressional primary last year. These primary contests can
give the GOP heartburn as Republican supporters of different
candidates try to sway others. It is especially difficult for GOP
leaders and staff that need to be neutral in these campaigns because
of their position in the Republican Party.
For the GOP activists who can support a candidate, the primary
campaign is a time of great opportunity. Get in on the ground floor.
Study the candidates, figure out who to support and VOLUNTEER. Work
hard for the GOP candidate of your choice. May the best candidate
win!!
After the primary election decides our GOP candidate for office,
there is a mixture of joy and grief. Then Republicans must unite to
elect the Republican primary winners in the general election with
total, wholehearted support from everyone in the GOP.
The three candidates for the GOP nomination for Governor tell you
below why they deserve your support on May 9, 2006 in their own
words in alphabetical order. Thanks to the three candidates for
getting us material for this newsletter
From Governor Dave Heineman
Governor Dave Heineman is off to a
strong start. After taking over for Governor Mike Johanns, Governor
Heineman employed the experiences he gained as Lieutenant Governor,
State Treasurer and over a lifetime of public service, including a
five-year stint in the U.S. Army after graduating from the United
States Military Academy at West Point.
Governor Heineman helped the Legislature craft a forward-looking
budget that invests in the future of a bright and vibrant Nebraska.
His budget vetoes were sustained, and his strong relationships with
members of the Unicameral helped pass the Nebraska Advantage – a
comprehensive jobs-creation package that positions our state for a
decade of growth. That package, being marketed in Nebraska and
across the globe, offers opportunities for communities and
businesses of all sizes. It offers important incentives for creating
jobs in rural Nebraska and an emphasis on ethanol and value-added
agriculture. It also values our small- and medium-sized communities,
more of which will qualify for small-business incentives. The
Governor wants to help Nebraska become the best place to grow,
expand or start a business, because it is already the best place to
live, work and raise a family.
Education is another important priority for Governor Heineman. He
successfully pushed for full funding of state aid to education,
describing it as vital for our state’s future and as an opportunity
for the state to hold up its end of the bargain for property
taxpayers burdened by state cuts of recent years. He also worked
closely with senators to invest in our state colleges, community
colleges and the University of Nebraska.
Public safety is another key element of Governor Heineman’s team
approach. He worked closely with members of the Legislature and the
Attorney General’s Office to craft anti-methamphetamine legislation
in LB 117 that is among the nation’s toughest. It stiffens the
penalties for people who manufacture meth, and it ensures that meth
dealers know Nebraska’s Good Life has no place for them or their
vile drug.
The Governor also values local control. When school consolidation
came calling, Governor Heineman stood up on behalf of the quality
education our Class I schools provide. He vetoed LB 126, and he
continues to work on behalf of Nebraskans’ right to choose where
they live, pay taxes and send their children to school. The standard
should be choice.
Governor Heineman is taking time this summer to visit with producers
for the state’s largest and most significant industry – agriculture.
He recognizes the financial crunch that many farmers and ranchers
feel as they slowly work their way back from drought conditions, and
he continues to foster a long-term relationship with the Nebraska
contingent at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A six-year drought
cannot be overcome by one wet spring, so he continues to focus on
water policies that value irrigators.
Last and most importantly, he continues to solicit the opinions of
Nebraskans. Whether deciding a course on school consolidation or
picking an image for the state quarter, Governor Heineman continues
to read every letter, e-mail and telephone message he receives. He
describes that input, especially what he receives in-person as he
travels our state, as the most rewarding part of his job. His
passion, enthusiasm and vision are traits Nebraska needs to succeed
in this global age.
From Businessman Dave Nabity
Dear Fellow Republicans,
My name is Dave Nabity and I would like to be the next Governor of
the great state of Nebraska. I believe that Nebraska is at a
crossroads. We must decide which direction to travel in order to
prosper in the 21st century. I want to create a road of economic
opportunity for all Nebraska citizens, both urban and rural. It’s
not a road that reads, “Status Quo,” but rather “Nebraska, The Jewel
of the Midwest.”
The first step in accomplishing this is to modernize and streamline
our state government. As governor, one of the first things I will do
is launch a team of business analysts in to state government to do
performance auditing. This group will identify areas where there is
waste, duplication, and outdated methodology so we can reduce the
size of government and cut taxes.
The second step in my plan is to create a nationally competitive tax
structure. Currently, our tax structure is motivating money to leave
the state. This must change if Nebraska is to remain competitive in
the 21st Century.
The third step in my plan is to design an integrated statewide
economic development plan. Agriculture is the driving force of
Nebraska’s economy. We must do all we can to support our ag-industry
by removing government red tape that prevents our farmers and
ranchers from being able to grow their business and expand.
Furthermore, we need to create Regional Economic Development Zones
with an incentive package designed around the particular strengths
of local communities. This would enable city and county governments
to target specific industries that those communities would like to
see invest in their areas. Also, we need to expand and maximize
tourism in Nebraska. Tourism is a sleeping giant in Nebraska. We can
create a whole new recreation economy that does not exist in
Nebraska today. Please go to my website at www.DaveNabity.com for
details.
The fourth and final step in my plan is to strengthen families. We
must uphold and protect the institutions of the traditional family
and the rights of the unborn. Strong families will translate into a
strong Nebraska and marriage must be defined as being between a man
and a woman.
This is my plan. I know that it will be a daunting task, but I’ve
faced tough challenges throughout my life. I started my own business
27 years ago and in 2004 was named the Small Business Person of the
Year by the Omaha Chamber of Commerce. I was a business and
financial news commentator for WOWT television and KFAB and KKAR
radio in Omaha. I’m a member of Rotary International, Nebraska
Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Nebraska Diplomats, and the National
Rifle Association. My wife Kim and I have been married for 26 years
and have seven children.
If you would like more information about me or my vision for
Nebraska, please check out my website, www.DaveNabity.com. Also, if
you would like to help my campaign, please contact us at
402-391-2273.
Thank you for your consideration and for all that you do to make
Nebraska great.
With Warm Regards,
Dave Nabity
From Congressman Tom Osborne
Fellow Nebraskans:
My decision to run as a Republican candidate for Governor was the
result of serious thought and careful analysis of how I believe I
can best help Nebraska achieve a preeminent position in the Midwest
and the nation. My years in Congress have been rewarding and
productive. However, at this juncture, I believe I can serve our
home state best in the role of Governor.
My agenda for Nebraska is aggressive—and I am physically and
mentally ready to serve two terms if necessary in order to achieve
what I know we can accomplish together. My mission will be to do
what is best for the state, not what is necessary to be reelected.
Therefore, you can count on me to make the tough calls that will be
needed as we work to improve the future for our state and its
people.
The issues that face Nebraska are very clear. Solutions to these
challenges are many and varied. The key is to select a leader who
has the right vision and also has the capacity to accomplish that
mission.
That is why, as Nebraskans vote in the 2006 primary, the fundamental
question they should ask themselves is: “Who can lead in a way that
unites Nebraskans in pursuing a course that will result in statewide
excellence?”
For 25 years, I served as the leader of a successful, nationally
recognized organization. I was responsible for personnel, fiscal
management and decision-making in a multimillion-dollar
enterprise—an organization in which accountability was measured with
every season, every game, every play. An environment in which
information was gathered, processed and acted upon—every 25 seconds.
I have experience running an organization with people of diverse
backgrounds, ethnicity and ability—and allocating resources wisely
in order to achieve an objective. An organization that was
responsible for nurturing and educating young people. An enterprise
that, by all standards, was among the best of its kind in the nation
for more than three decades.
As your Governor, I will apply my experience and leadership to:
• Expand our vision of economic development not only across the
state, but outside our borders to position Nebraska as a regional
magnet for bioscience, entrepreneurship, tourism (including
agritourism and hunting) and “knowledge-based” businesses.
• Ensure quality and relevance in our educational system—from
preschool to postsecondary institutions. A comprehensive distance
learning network linking all secondary schools in the state is a
must to ensure uniform quality of course content across Nebraska.
• Evaluate our state’s tax structure and its role in our economic
future. We cannot continue to have the highest state and local taxes
in the region and remain competitive.
• Establish accountability in state government by establishing
private/public oversight, implementing performance audits and
creating measurable goals for state agencies.
• Leverage our combination of natural resources, research
capability, venture capital and human initiative to create new
businesses and value-added opportunities that will employ Nebraskans
and attract the best employees and investment to our state.
• Improve the long-range future of our state by focusing on programs
that help our youth make good choices, avoid substance abuse and
realize the opportunities that exist for their future here at home.
We pay a huge price as we rank near the top in underage drinking
statistics and are inundated with methamphetamine.
• Employ what I have learned at the federal level to help Nebraska
capture its share of grants, loans and other programs that can help
us stretch our state budget and foster business growth, improve
education and create opportunity throughout the state.
• Conserve, manage and optimize the incredible resource we have in
the vast aquifer that lies beneath our state—and position Nebraska
to incorporate our abundance of water in our overall economic
development strategy.
• Energize Nebraskans to envision a bright future for this state—and
empower them to join together to reach beyond our limitations,
expand our ideas of what can be accomplished and then, have the will
and commitment to transform Nebraska from a good state to a great
one.
I have devoted most of my life to uniting people behind a common
mission to achieve significant goals. With your vote and your
support, we can accomplish great things for the state we call
“home.”
There is an abundance of campaign rhetoric and promises. Often these
promises go unheeded and unfulfilled after the election. My purpose
in running for Governor is to accomplish an agenda. I hope that you
agree that my history indicates a strong likelihood that I will
accomplish what I set out to do.
I have great optimism and enthusiasm for this state and its
people—and I look forward to working together with all Nebraskans to
help this state achieve the potential that we all believe lies
within.
IN RETROSPECT: We thought it would be interesting to look back at
our May 2004 edition and reprint our article on the impact of 527
groups on the 2004 Presidential and federal elections.
FEC Drops Back 15 and Punts. Free-For-All Begins. The Federal
Election Commission delayed a decision on the complaint filed by the
Republican National Committee and the Bush/Cheney campaign against
527 political groups and the John Kerry for President campaign.
Barring a miraculous reversal, the 527 political groups will create
a lot of noise and will have a major impact on the 2004 elections.
With the complaint under consideration at the FEC, Republicans
discouraged the formation of 527 political groups supporting GOP
candidates and causes. Now that the FEC has failed to make a
favorable decision on the Republican complaint, a number of
Republican oriented 527 groups are sure to be created and enter the
fray. Brace yourself for a huge political free-for-all among a large
number of diverse 527 political groups.
Urging that the FEC should control 527 groups, Senator Chuck Hagel
said “Elections should be about elevating the debate in an honest
and open way. Instead, because of these 527 groups, we are seeing
shadowy, unaccountable groups defining down political standards and
accountability. These groups spend unlimited amounts of money in raw
partisan attacks. This fails the American people.”
To this all we can add is Amen.
A leader you can trust
A
Offensive Howard Dean’s Defense
During a discussion with minority leaders and journalists, Howard
Dean declared that Republicans are "a pretty monolithic party. They
all believe the same. They all look the same. It's pretty much a
white Christian party." He further stated that "the Republicans are
not very friendly to different kinds of people" and Democrats are
"more welcoming to different folks, because that's the type of
people we are."
In terms of sheer historical hostility toward minorities, the
Republican party fares a bit better than the competition. For
example, it wasn't the GOP that opposed the Emancipation
Proclamation. Nor was it the GOP that opposed the Thirteenth
Amendment prohibiting slavery, the Fourteenth Amendment guaranteeing
equal protection, or the Fifteenth Amendment guaranteeing voting
rights. In fact, Republicans voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Act and
the 1965 Voting Rights Act in greater percentages than did
Democrats.
Moreover, it wasn't the Republican party that opposed Teddy
Roosevelt's anti-lynching legislation or that filibustered or
otherwise opposed more than a dozen other anti-lynching provisions
during the 20th century.
Republicans didn't institutionalize Jim Crow, implement school
segregation, or establish poll taxes and literacy tests to keep
non-whites from voting. Bull Connor, George Wallace, Lester Maddox,
and Orval Faubus weren't Republicans.
It wasn't a Republican who ordered the internment of
Japanese-American citizens (or Italians or Germans) during World War
II. Nor were Republicans behind the Chinese exclusion acts or
licensing requirements that discriminated against non-white
businesses and tradesmen.
While Dean maintains that Democrats are more welcoming to
non-whites, several major media organizations have noted that the
aggressive GOP outreach to minorities is far more vigorous than that
of the Democrats. USA Today recently noted that whereas Dean has
been spending the bulk of his time preaching to the converted, RNC
Chairman Ken Mehlman has maintained an exhausting schedule appearing
before predominantly black, Hispanic, and Asian audiences.
The GOP may have been missing in action in minority communities in
the Sixties, Seventies, and Eighties but Howard Dean must not have
paid much attention to what's been going on recently. Republicans
still have lots of work to do, but now they're playing offense while
Dean's on defense. From the National Review by Peter Kirsanow.
PACHYDERM PRESS
THIRD DISTRICT OFFICERS -- DEDICATED TO SERVING YOU
Elroy Bartels, Chairman 402-243-2283
John Hanson, Vice Chairman 308-390-0449
Herb Knudsen, Member-at-Large 308-284-8403
Kathy Wilmont, County Chair Representative 308-268-6235
KEEP UP TO DATE! SEE OUR THIRD DISTRICT WEB SITE!
www.megavision.com/gop
Our Thanks to Linda Aerni for Hosting this Site
QUICK DATES
2005
July 6 President George W. Bush, 59th Birthday
2006
February 15 Deadline for filing for Incumbents
March 1 Deadline for filing for Non-incumbents
May 9 Primary Election
November 7 General Election
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