McCook Daily Gazette: Opinion

New credit card rules to protect Nebraska (03/09/10)
Time and again, I have heard from Nebraskans who have been treated unfairly by their credit card companies. The stories I heard are the reason why I voted for a tough new credit card holders' bill of rights, which took effect in the last week of February. ...

Honored to know such a man (03/09/10)
He is probably the best friend that I've ever had. Liberal to the core, well maybe as liberal as my outlook in life is conservative, we still get along. He hates George W. Bush but surely can't be too proud of Bill Clinton's morals or the latest antics of our present esteemed president but, oh well, these are subjects from which we steer clear...

Careful giving (03/09/10)
My fellow givers of charity: Be careful of whom you give money to! If you give a ragged beggar a few bucks, he could easily spend it on a bottle of muscatel. If you go to an art auction, the merchandise on the block could easily be the work of an academic hack...

Scrutinize every office for possible elimination (03/09/10)
The current state treasurer isn't running for re-election, but says the job is too important to eliminate it. That's what State Sen. Dennis Utter of Hastings aims to do with LR284CA, up for Legislative debate today. If passed, the proposal would go to a statewide vote, and if that passed, the office would be gone in 2013...

Japan must drop U.S. beef ban (03/09/10)
The recent reports about faulty Toyota products have brought to the forefront a critical disconnect between the United States and a valuable ally, Japan. On one hand, Japan expects the U.S. to be patient and keep our borders open to Japanese cars and car parts. ...

Does Nebraska need a state treasurer? (03/08/10)
The Nebraska State Treasurer, a Constitutional office, is it needed? That is a question Legislative Resolution 284 CA, introduced by Sen. Utter, seeks to discover. The resolution would put on the next general election ballot an option for voters in Nebraska to amend the Constitution of Nebraska and abolish this statewide elected office...

Why census questions on race? (03/08/10)
We are supposed to be one nation, one people. If you're are in business, you are required to be colorblind, by law. Then why is it the Census wants to know what nationality and what color you are? Let us throw more fuel on the fires of racism. Max...

Great spin (03/08/10)
What a marvelous spin Jess Wolf, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, put on Sen. Ben Nelson's vote for "Obamacare." That is the main function of the NSEA, isn't it? Isn't it? Yes indeed, our Sen. Nelson saved us several thousand in "unfunded federal mandates," and voted twice to pass the most unpopular bill of our lifetime. ...

A city run amuck (03/08/10)
I live in what I thought was Free America but now it seems that we are not in America and are living under a Feudal System of government where the city and its Hitlerian council of 13 can come to your property without warrants and tell you what you can do and how you can live, the City of McCook has take our most prized documents the Constitution and Bill of Rights put it in their bathrooms to be used for toilet paper. ...

Raceway beer (03/08/10)
In response to comments regarding the recent decision of the Red Willow County Fair Board, City of McCook, McCook Speedway officials and Taste of Texas BBQ LLC to have available a beer garden during the McCook Speedway races, we offer the following:...

Nebraska enjoys advantages of cheap coal power (03/08/10)
We're all in favor of new alternative energy when it comes to generating electricity, but a new government report shows that Nebraska can thank one of the oldest sources for the cheap price we pay for power in this state. Nebraska ratepayers, who depend mostly on coal-powered plants like Gerald Gentleman Station near Sutherland, pay an average of 6.58 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity...

Report from Governor's Ag Conference (03/08/10)
At the 22nd Annual Governor's Ag Conference, several presenters from Nebraska and other states offered insight about the future of the agriculture. Speakers included Darci Vetter, a native Nebraskan who serves as a Deputy Undersecretary with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Her comments provided an update on federal efforts to expand trade opportunities in 2010 by focusing on three free trade agreements ready for approval by President Obama and Congress...

The future of fuel (03/05/10)
The future of our nation's fuel supply just might come in a tiny package. Microscopic, in fact. Algae -- the green pond scum which has frustrated gardeners for generations -- are being considered by many as a promising fuel source to meet our country's energy needs...

Long-term care savings (03/05/10)
Planning for financial security and healthcare in our later years is not something we may relish in considering. However, if you take the first steps today, it can be quite a painless process. Protecting the quality of life for yourself and your loved ones can be as simple as opening a Nebraska Long-Term Care Savings Plan (NLTCSP). ...

Understanding MS (03/05/10)
EDITOR'S NOTE -- March is National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month. Understanding what a person suffering with Multiple Sclerosis endures can be an eye-opening experience for those unaware. This little known disease slowly deteriorates the nerve coating (myelin) the signal conduit, in the central nervous system of the brain and spinal-cord. ...

Wasted days and wasted nights (03/05/10)
One of the greatest tragedies of life in America is that so many people throw away their chances. I've never understood how someone can be born in the greatest country in the world and not avail themselves of the opportunities that people in most other nations of the world would give anything to have. The history books are replete with people who gave up everything and risked everything, even their lives, to come to America while far too many of the people born here were doing nothing...

Pro-life group puts pressure on senators (03/05/10)
We pointed out earlier in this space the untenable position of pro-life state senators who say they support the unborn, yet would deny prenatal care to the unborn, just because the mother carrying them was illegally in this country. Now, the powerful Nebraska Right to Life has taken things one step farther, saying it will take senators' vote on the bill, LB110, which it supports, into account when it decides whether to endorse candidates later this month...

Show me the math (03/04/10)
In your Feb 24 Editorial, you quoted Nelson's office: "The president's plan essentially extends the Nebraska provision to all states by 'providing significant additional federal financing to all states for the expansion of Medicaid.' This will greatly reduce the unfunded mandate on state budgets."...

Delaying kindergarten 2 1/2 months (03/04/10)
This week I wanted to talk about a bill that some of you parents with preschool aged children might find interesting. You may not have caught it, but the Legislature advanced LB 1006, introduced by Sen. Adams, to the second round of debate. It is a bill I support that changes the eligibility date for kids entering kindergarten...

Officer deaths point out irony of seatbelt use (03/04/10)
Seat belts have been required in cars for nearly 50 years, their use has been mandatory for more than 20 and statistics confirm their value. In Nebraska, for instance, while seat belt use climbed from 31 percent in 1991 to 85 percent in 2009, the death rate per 100 million miles traveled has dropped from 1.95 to 1.10...

Being good without God -- and does it really matter? (03/03/10)
Being good without God has become the mantra for many atheists, and they undoubtedly have a point. Atheists, agnostics and people who worship many gods or no god in particular, are in fact capable of goodness, capable of acts of kindness, mercy and even self-sacrifice. (Of course, the opposite is also true, evidenced by the table set up by an atheist group at the University of Texas at San Antonio offering pornography in exchange for "holy text.")...

City Council ponders age-old alcohol questions (03/03/10)
It's an age-old question, and it won't be answered any time soon. Should drinking be allowed in public? More specifically, should alcohol be allowed on city property? The McCook City Council is considering revamping its policy to allow alcohol at the auditorium, under special, controlled circumstances...

Almost flying (03/02/10)
It was that old familiar terrible sinking feeling! Just after takeoff from a wet runway, we had already climbed into the thick clouds. The nose yawed sideways. The alternator and hydraulic failure lights illuminated but I was too busy trying to keep the airplane going straight ahead to notice. ...

Can advisory panel help find answers? (03/02/10)
Connecting academia to the real world is always an important task, but never more important than in the case of an advisory panel that has been looking at Nebraska's water problems since 2006. The 15-member Water Resources Advisory Panel's current priorities include quantifying water supply and demand for Nebraska river basins, beginning in the west; identifying opportunities for conjunctive management of water, especially where surface water could be stored as groundwater until needed for compliance with surface water compacts; determining the relationship between surface water and groundwater supplies; assessing better management options to reduce the impact on water supplies during drought and exceptionally wet periods; developing realistic state standards for nutrients in flowing waters; mitigating water contamination from livestock operations and agricultural production; and evaluating and measuring effectiveness of riparian buffer strips.. ...

Using budget reconciliation for health care unwise (03/02/10)
With the health care debate back in the spotlight, Americans continue to call for a new approach to health care reform. The original Senate bill was very partisan and costly, and required multiple special deals just to garner support from all Democrats. ...