Page 15 - Nebraska Report Nov Dec 2020

man, Bosselman, Groene, Albrecht tion is bringing new income, not just smart, can we practice pandemic
and the like—and the rest who are industry jobs but also land rent, to safety?
resolutely NOT the governor’s to the farmers, ranchers and landown- As I write, daily new cases in
do with as he likes, who often find ers of Greater Nebraska, Governor the U.S. are approaching 200,000
themselves hamstrung. Pete and his posse notwithstand- a day. Nebraska Governor Posse
It remains to be seen whether ing. Funny how Pete and posse are Pete Ricketts is saying “steps may
the so-called grand compro- always saying, Nebraska is open for be taken”, furrowing his consider-
mise—how Nebraska will pay for business and We are taking advan- able brow to indicate his grave con-
public education— passed this last tage, but when this chance—renew- cern, but no statewide mandates to
session will survive the pandemic. able energy development— comes counter covid will come down from
Will state revenues be enough? along to build a rural tax base while this governor. Luckily, you don’t
Will TEEOSA (the school funding we counter global warming, THIS have to wait for a mandate from a
formula) be revisited? One thing is they can’t support? governor to stay home. And unless
sure. Pete Ricketts will never allow To leave you with hope, I offer you really mess up badly, the gov-
a structural solution to the problem here some good news for Nebras- ernor cannot prevent you FROM
of over-reliance on property tax to kans in every zip code—the farm staying at home. So stay home.
fund K-12 education, because he to table movement may offer a I know you love your family and
wants an income tax cut. safe harbor in the pandemic storm friends, so protect them. When you
now and beyond, through a federal CAN stay home, do. You may be
Hard Truth 3: Just as white su- farm to schools initiative. A coalition tempted to say, I’ve had a rough
premacists won’t give up their of producers, school lunch staff, year and the bastards can’t take
dominance without a fight, so the farm organizations, a food bank, the holidays from me. I’m gonna sit
folks who make money off fossil UNL Extension and the Nebraska down like a human being and have
fuels are targeting renewable Departments of Education and Ag- a meal with my relations. Don’t do
energy production every chance riculture, is working in Nebraska to it. Don’t unleash a holocaust of con-
they get. facilitate farmer to school relation- tagion into our communities.
Along with cash from the surviv- ships as an alternative to industrial There are a hundred no contact
ing Koch brother (Ricketts’ soul- food product supply lines. Readers ways you can let the people you
mate and partner in “Americans for of the Nebraska Report understand love feel that love. My neighbor
Prosperity”), the governor’s money what is at stake here, as the farm to brings me noodle soup. Friends
also poured like manna overflowing school project has been the subject bring their dogs by and we chat at
to fund campaigns in public power of articles for some time now. This a generous distance, me on my
races, in order to defeat candidates is a tremendous opportunity for deck, guests in my yard. My best
who champion renewable energy. forward-leaning farmers and ranch- friend from high school talks to me
Nevertheless, Mary Harding re- ers to sell what they raise into the on the phone for an hour and a half.
tained her seat on the NPPD board nation’s largest restaurant chain— Neighbor kids bin my garbage and
as did Amanda Bogner (OPPD) the school lunch program—and the recycling and bring me origami and
and, with newly-elected directors in- dollars these ag producers earn will painted stones. My son splurges
cluding Aaron Troester (NPPD) and circulate again and again in their on streaming for me and texts me
term limited state senator Sarah home communities. Developing a the titles of great movies, history,
Howard and Mary Spurgeon (both domestic market for food for hu- science and travel and cooks tours
OPPD), all stand ready to fight the mans sustainably produced in this to watch. A friend drops off tomato
good fight against the entrenched country is the very best way to help soup from tomatoes she grew and
power of the fossil fuel industry. producers diversify their operations. roses in a plastic cup. My prayer
But facts are facts (see “Hard group is on Zoom once a week, and
Truth” Sept./Oct. 2020 Nebraska Hard Truth 4: If you love me you a lovelier bunch of folks I’ve never
Report), and just as climate change will leave me alone for the holi- known.
is busily expressing itself every- days. Want people to know you love
where these days in drouths and Nebraskans are smart, a them? Write all the really important
flooding, storms and rampant loss general practitioner from God’s people in your life a letter. On pa-
of habitat (including human), new country told me on a Zoom meet- per. Put those letters in envelopes,
diseases and climate refugees, ing. Then he said Nebraskans have affix each with a Forever stamp and
renewable sustainable energy de- the highest rate of vaccination of mail them off on Thanksgiving.
velopment can only be messed with all 50 states. The highest. So says That’s love.
and delayed, not stopped. Wind, so- the CDC. So if Nebraskans are so
lar, geo and biofuels energy produc- NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 NE REPORT, P. 15