Opinion

Those wishing to expand Medicaid under Obamacare in Nebraska are working double time. After coming up short in the legislature, supporters are now eyeing a ballot initiative on the November ballot. But before going down this path, Nebraskans should know every state that expanded Medicaid has created an unsustainable burden on taxpayers and crowded out resources for the truly needy...

Does the name James Carville ring a bell? Ah yes, political advisor to Bill Clinton, Democrat, that helped Clinton to defeat President George H.W. Bush’s run for a second term and put Bill Clinton in the office of President. Carville was honored as Campaign District Manager of the Year by the American Association of Political Consultants. ...

Cannabidiol is still technically illegal in Nebraska, but President Trump signed the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, which removes hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, and thus derivatives such as CBD. Hemp is related to but different than marijuana, in that it has low levels of the THC that produces the “high.”...

You’ve probably heard the advertisements touting public schools in Nebraska, and we do have something of which to be proud. Nebraska students consistently score high in standardized tests, and our per-pupil costs are reasonable, especially when the challenges of geography and population are taken into account...

Last week I drove a combine down the highway for 15 miles from one field to another. I’m in a combine that takes over half the road even as I hang out on the left shoulder. Every time I do this, I end up being completely appalled at the many drivers who do not understand how dangerous it is to speed by me, pass on double lines, pass on my side of the middle line or cut in too soon in front of me...

Papa John’s founder John Schnatter probably thought he was in a “safe space” last May when he decried today’s political correctness. He turned out to be wrong. Schnatter was on a conference call to a marketing firm in a role-playing exercise to try to prevent further public relations fumbles like the ones he committed earlier while talking about National Football League national anthem protests...

By one count, 23 kids have died from being left in hot cars so far this year. Sadly, since July is the most dangerous time for hot-car deaths, that number may have climbed between the time it was written and the time it was read. One of the latest was a 3-year-old boy who died after only 35 minutes in a locked car in Texas on an 86-degree day...

Nebraska is coming from behind when it comes to renewable energy, despite recent progress like a solar farm at Kearney and wind farms in northeast Nebraska and elsewhere. Drive through northeast Kansas and western Iowa, and you’ll be greeted with great, white whirling wind turbines. Those, plus solar arrays and hydroelectric plants can be spotted almost anywhere you drive on your summer vacation...

It was noted recently that President Donald Trump takes no presidential salary. President Obama took every penny. First lady Melania reportedly has a staff of four while Michele Obama needed a staff of 23. Hmmm. Now, in all honesty, President Trump’s salary is not taken personally but assigned to a charity of his choosing so we taxpayers are still footing the $400,000 per year bill...

If you’ve been mowing the lawn or outdoors enjoying another summer evening — thanks for spraying for mosquitos, City of McCook, and please keep it up — you may just be getting around to reading today’s Gazette. If so, you may already know who President Donald Trump has nominated to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy...

I’ve been teaching and writing for 30 years about the most important function the President of the United States has is to make Supreme Court nominations. It’s his most important job for two major reasons. First of all, any person appointed to the Supreme Court serves for life. ...

Being admitted into a nursing home can be a scary thing for some people. In life, we spend many years working and playing and accumulating “stuff.” Imagine that you are at home one day and the next thing you know something happens and you are being told you need a skilled nursing center. ...

Mr. Buckley Haag showed that he has a little more class than Commissioner McNutt by resigning his elected position. Apparently, Mr. McNutt and the people he represents have little to no respect for public office. I guess in Red Willow County, McCook in particular, if you are going to endanger the image of the public office you hold you should commit your crime against children...

McCook’s Work Ethic Camp was created with the goal of helping ex-cons transition back to being productive members of society. That role has eroded with the overcrowding of Nebraska’s prison system, but a new trend may make it easier for convicts who have paid their debt to society to get back into the legal workforce...

This week I would like to discuss a couple of things that have been in the news and give you a break from property taxes. I would like to touch on the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that deals with sales taxes on items purchased on the internet, as well as, talk about industrial hemp and medical marijuana...

Yes, it is good to see the patriotic expressions of the American people during the 4th of July celebrations, but how many of us take the time to reflect upon what Independence Day signifies? When was the last time we read the Declaration of Independence? Let’s undertake an all-to-brief review...

If you’re one of the 47 million Americans who expects to drive more than 50 miles away from home on even this mid-week Independence Day, there’s one more thing to worry about. Besides drunk drivers and other travel hazards, you might want to take extra precautions when it comes time to fill up your tank...

Strap on your harness. Hop into the small airplane and climb to two miles above the ground. Open the door and jump out. Fall about a mile then open your parachute and float peacefully to the ground. Challenging, thrilling a wonderful experience! Well, perhaps not in the mind of your writer a long time pilot who is of the opinion that only two things fall out of the sky — bird doo and fools...

The Republican Party’s traditional image as a friend of business took a hit today as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce rolled out a major campaign against the party leader’s trade policies. The same day, his long-time lawyer, who recently said he would do anything to protect the president, had a change of heart...

The drive to Arkansas and back was uneventful but long and boring. No matter how you split it up or what kind of vehicle you’re in, you’re still driving ten and a half hours by yourself and that’s no fun. On top of that, spending the night going and coming added on to the usual fuel costs and incidentals totaled more than an airline ticket would have so I’m going to have to rethink my travel plans before my next trip down there...

Growing up in Colorado and living in Nebraska for 45 years, I’ve had the opportunity to watch many kinds of birds. “Survivors fo the Skies” on pp. 88-97 of the May 2018 National Geographic magazine by Victoria Jaggard is truly a fascinating story about the evolution of birds...

We hope you’re making sure your pets have plenty of water and shade these days when the temperatures are in the triple digits. The same goes for you if you have to spend any length of time outdoors. A lot of construction workers and others know that it’s smart to get started in the cool of the morning to allow a break in the heat of the day...

Nebraska is doing a good job taking care of its kids, according to the 2018 Kids Count Data Book just released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Based on health, education, economic security, family and community, Nebraska is second in the nation. The report — http://bit.ly/2MuMkJR — shows improvements in the number of Nebraska children in poverty, children whose parents lack secure employment, living in a household with a high housing cost burden, and in the number of teens not in school and not working.. ...

Visiting with a friend recently who commented that she has never attended any of her high school class reunions. “I never liked any of those people so why would I go see them now!” she told me. Well, it is America and we don’t have to uncomfortably attend any event just because it is happening. In my opinion, though one might consider going and you might just find out how people have changed as they matured in life and suddenly you have new/old friends...

If you’ve ever been or lived with a small-town volunteer firefighter, you know how it goes. You’re about to take the burgers off the grill, and the pager goes off. Just before the second bite of your hot dog, the town siren sounds. Yep, that’s the Fourth of July in rural Middle America...