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Ideological Battle By Robyn Wisch
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Photo courtesy John Comstock campaign
wo very different candidates are vying to represent Omaha’s Benson and Dundee neighborhoods in the Nebraska Legislature next year. It’s an ideological battle of the role of government from two candidates who have never run for political office. Holding a clipboard with a list of likely voters in his arms, Burke Harr walked the neighborhoods of Benson on a recent fall afternoon, knocking on doors, and presenting his pitch to potential voters. “My number one priority is the budget,” Harr tells one resident. “Number two would be education.” A former criminal prosecutor, Harr, a Democrat, says he decided to run for office because he saw the legislature spend too much time on, what he called,
John Comstock
“city council issues.” Roadside traps and motorcycle laws took five days to debate at the Capitol, he says, while the state budget was decided in a day. Harr says far more time needs to be spent setting priorities for the state budget. And he opposes the 10-percent across-the-board cuts currently on the table to balance a projected budget shortfall that has just climbed past $1 billion. “I think that’s just the easy way out,” he says. “There are certain programs that are important, that we have to continue to fund, that we just can’t cut 10 percent from. And then there are other programs that are wanna haves, and we want to have them, but unfortunately in these times, we just can’t have them.” Harr did not give specifics for what programs he would cut, but emphasized what he sees as the primary role of government. “Specific programs? No, maybe the Admiral’s ship in the Governor’s navy,” he joked. “But what we have to do is really look at what are our priorities are as a state, and that’s … taking care of those who can’t take care of themselves, that’s probably our number one priority.” Harr says that means education is very important, as well as caring for senior citizens and the mentally handicapped. Those priorities are followed by growing our economy through job creation, he says. Harr’s opponent sees government’s role very differently. Republican John Comstock is a property manager and graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. On his campaign’s Facebook page, Comstock criticizes Washington’s “insatiable appetite for causing dependency through giving away other people’s money.” Comstock says government welfare programs are structured to provide no incentive to succeed for those receiving assistance. And just because there may be a lot of need, he says, and a program sees a lot of money changing hands, that does not mean it’s successful. That incentive is reversed, he
numberscruncher dates and campaigns in Nebraska this year: $74,700. Number of GOP legislative candidates whose campaign funds have nearly doubled thanks to Ricketts: 2. Amount TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts — Pete’s father — has contributed through a one-man Political Action Committee to defeat Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Nevada: $860,000.
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NOV. 4 - 10 , 2010
| THE READER |
City Council’s GLBT vote noted nationally
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Burke Harr
says, when the family or church steps in to help someone in need. “One of government’s main goals, historically,” he says, “has been to grow and to get more authority. “There’s a lot of well-meaning people that serve in these different government welfare groups, but if they did something that actually cured people and turned their lives around, they would be out of a job.” When asked how that idea might play out in a practical example, such as the state’s current efforts to privatize the foster care system, Comstock said business has the same reverse incentive as government — to turn a profit, rather than say, improve a foster child’s life. So how would he go about changing the structure of government services? “It could be a long process,” he says. “We in Nebraska offer benefits that are very generous with taxpayer’s money. I think we have to take a look at everything government does … with continued on page 10 y
orrible.” That’s how Jeff Schamp described the gay community’s perception of Omaha after the City Council voted against an ordinance on Oct. 26 prohibiting discrimination based on sexual identity and gender expression. “When you look at this big picture, it’s shocking what they came down with,” says Schamp, executive director of Citizens For Equal Protection. That picture was seen far outside Omaha. Bloggers from New York City to Salt Lake City took up the cause, posting contact information for council members and the Omaha Chamber of Commerce. “If you were planning on any business or personal travel to Omaha, let the Chamber of Commerce know if this news changes your plans,” Joe Jervis wrote on his popular blog, Joe My God. The blog’s coverage of gay rights issues has been featured on MSNBC and in The Village Voice. The Twitter hash tag #OmahaCityCouncil burned for days with messages of outrage, disappointment and support for the local GLBT community. Schamp says his organization has been contacted by a number of national gay rights advocacy groups as it plans its next step in the fight for protection from discrimination. Despite mounting pressure from business owners and religious groups who opposed the ordinance, the decision still came as a shock to Schamp. “I was surprised, very much so,” Schamp says. “The couple of votes on the council we had the night before didn’t show up the next day.” The amendment to the city charter, introduced by Councilman Ben Gray, failed on a 3-3 vote. Councilmen Gray, Pete Festersen and Chris Jerram voted in favor of the ordinance. Thomas Mulligan, Garry Gernandt and Jean Stothert voted against. Franklin Thompson abstained. Schamp says his organization is working on a process that could bring the matter back before the council in the coming months. — Brandon Vogel
theysaidit
IT’S MY PARTY: Amount former senate candidate Pete Ricketts has donated to GOP candi-
UPFRONT
Photo courtesy Burke Harr campaign
Government’s role the issue in District 8
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Source: Federal Election Commission
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“If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.” — President John F. Kennedy during his 1961 inaugural address, a speech written in part by longtime adviser Ted Sorensen. Sorensen, a Nebraska native, died at 82 on Sunday of complications from a stroke.