The Republican Party used to be pro-choice. What we are witnessing today is the result of a TAKEOVER of the party by extremists who want to impose Christian theocracy in America.

It didn't used to be this way. Don't believe me? Just 3 years after Roe v. Wade, public opinion polls showed Republicans SUPPORTED abortion rights even MORE than Democrats!

Republican First Lady Betty Ford called Roe v. Wade a “great, great decision,” and Republican VP Nelson Rockefeller CAMPAIGNED for abortion rights in NY.

George Norris' most CROWNING achievement, was the creation of Nebraska's unique one-house nonpartisan Unicameral legislature.

Every other state legislature in the country (as well as our national government in D.C.) has a bicameral (two-house) legislature, but not us! In a one-house legislature, Norris said, no actions could be concealed as was commonly done in the conference committee of bicameral legislatures. In his own words:

"Every act of the legislature and every act of each individual must be transacted in the spotlight of publicity."

Today is George Norris Day here in Nebraska!

Just who is George Norris you ask?

George Norris is a LEGENDARY Nebraska politician and a personal hero of mine. Norris represented Nebraska in the U.S. Congress for 10 years, and the U.S. Senate for 30 years. Norris was a Republican but cared not about party loyalty.

He supported Democrat Al Smith for president in the 1928 election over Republican Herbert Hoover and was even asked to LEAVE the Republican Party for doing so (sound familiar? 😉).

There is a cancer INSIDE the Republican Party, and that cancer is Trumpism. Just because Trump is gone doesn’t mean Trumpism will go away (Marjorie Taylor Greene is currently in Congress). When we look at this disease, we tend to focus on GOP outliers…Trump or Greene…but this is not where we should be spending our time.

We need to focus on the buttoned-up "civilized" elected Republicans who continue to LOOK THE OTHER WAY to the craziness consuming the GOP.

In 2020, do you think we need MORE partisanship or LESS partisanship? Exactly. Less.

Part of the reason we are so divided is STRUCTURAL. In addition to our archaic two-party system, our PARTISAN election system ENCOURAGES tribalism.

But in Nebraska, we have something special: The elections for our State Legislative races are NON-PARTISAN. One’s party affiliation is NOT listed on the ballot. In our primaries, the 2 candidates who receive the MOST votes face each other in the general (regardless of party). Independents are not locked out of the process.

In Nebraska, if you commit a felony, you don't have the same rights as other citizens. You can't vote. You can't hold political office. You can’t serve on a jury. You can't hold certain occupational and professional licenses, and you can't own a firearm.

#NELeg You also carry with you the label of “criminal” – which makes it difficult to find work and affordable housing.

Even if such limitations serve a purpose, should they last forever?

Dear Senator @BenSasse.

We need you more than ever right now. You know in your heart of hearts the rules imposed by Mitch McConnell are insane and antithetical to democracy. Please sir. For all Nebraskans, we need you to stand up for what is right. Here’s who I know you to be: Unlike most other Republican Senators, you were critical of Trump before and after the election. You’ve called out his racism and divisiveness. You’ve criticized his disastrous policies on tariffs and trade when few Republicans would do that.

If you are a Christian who loves Donald Trump, I’d like to share some bible verses with you.

Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.” (Proverbs 16:5)
#BibleVersesForTrump As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience." (Colossians 3:12)
#BibleVersesForTrump

Are we really to believe that Wednesday’s witnesses, each demonstrating a lifetime of integrity and experience working in Republican and Democratic administrations, would lie? Do we want to predetermine that EVERY OTHER witness is also lying? Or is it more plausible that a known con man is conning the American public?

I was struck Weds. by the stories and demeanor of the two witnesses that testified. William Taylor (Top 1% in West Point class) chose a vulnerable spot in the Infantry during Viet Nam, then worked in public service. These choices were made to serve something greater than himself. And we heard from George Kent, a Harvard graduate and decades-long diplomat who speaks Ukrainian, Russian and Thai. Again we see a public servant who has chosen to serve a purpose beyond his own ego.

The current scandal unfolding in front of our eyes doesn’t JUST involve Donald Trump.  It involves Attorney General William Barr as well.  If you want to understand HOW an Attorney General and a Justice Department is supposed to act, let’s talk history. During the Watergate Scandal, Nixon’s VP Spiro Agnew was wrapped up in his own scandal.  At this time, there was a concurrent federal investigation surrounding corruption in Maryland politics (where Agnew had been Governor).  And just who was investigating the VP?

Since I started speaking out, some have called me a RINO (if you aren’t familiar with the term, it stands for Republican In Name Only. Ultra-right-wing R's use it if someone isn't “falling in line,” and define that as anyone who isn't fully embracing the President). I reject this characterization. I am not the RINO. The Republican Party has lost its moorings - Donald Trump is the RINO.

If you feel frustrated with what’s happening in the country right now, I have some sincere advice to give you.  When you hear it, you may feel intimidated but please hear me out:

Run for office. Whether you run for State Senate, County Treasurer, School Board or some other position, we need good people in office.  People often feel like they “don’t know enough,” but believe me. You do.

I always find it strange and somewhat inconsistent when Trump supporters talk about the sanctity of the constitution, our founding fathers, and the formation of our country. Our founding fathers believed in a free press. Donald Trump does not. Before we declared independence from Great Britain, the British government attempted to censor American media by prohibiting newspapers from publishing unfavorable information and opinions. This was deeply disturbing to our founding fathers. A few quotes:

The integrity of our U.S. Senators will soon be tested when Articles of Impeachment are brought to the body from the House.  Will our senators uphold their oath or will they go down in history as lemmings who were afraid to do the right thing? This is truly a "Profiles in Courage" time for our country and the result will impact America for decades to come.

Conservatives fashion themselves at being “good at money” but their inaction on climate change proves otherwise. The ultimate irony about their delayed action is that the longer we wait, the more it costs! Had we started taking action 30 years ago, we’d be talking about a much smaller price tag. Want to know something even more ironic?

Today, a statue of Standing Bear will be unveiled at the US Capitol in statuary hall.

Standing Bear was a Ponca chief whose homeland covered parts of Northern Nebraska. He brought a lawsuit against the United States Army in 1879 after he was forcibly removed from his land. At this point in our history, the United States had signed 371 treaties with Native peoples and violated all 371 of those treaties.

Many think labor unions are a relic of a bygone era, but labor unions are more relevant now than EVER before. First some history: Labor Day came to existence during the heart of the industrial revolution in the late 1800’s. At that time, many Americans were working 12+ hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week for meager wages.

I have an ASPIRATIONAL view of the Republican Party. What our country needs now is a viable two-party system in which the Republican party is a full participant; not a hollow party hobbled by a leader that pollutes the airwaves with name calling and hate speech. I believe our party has been hijacked by forces and ideas that aren’t part of our original tradition. We used to believe in fiscal responsibility and sustainability. We used to believe in environmental conservation. We once championed civil rights.

There’s a myth that Donald Trump and his Republican enablers like to spread.  The myth: immigrants hurt our economy and take away American jobs. 

This is FICTION Immigrants have little to NO effect on the wages and employment of native-born workers.  There are NOT a finite number of jobs. When immigrants come they also increase demand for housing and other goods and services which creates employment opportunities for all workers.

The Republican Party has deserted their concern for the environment. Today it was announced that the Trump administration weakened the Endangered Species Act. Actions like this are common with Republicans of late but our party wasn’t always like this.... Teddy Roosevelt created the United States Forest Service. He established 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, 4 national game preserves, 5 national parks, and 18 national monuments. In total, he protected nearly 230 million acres of land.