Ricketts attends rally

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Career politicians ... Social Security ... the war in Iraq ... the farm bill ...

Pete Ricketts, Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat from Nebraska, addressed these issues and more at a rally Wednesday morning in McCook.

Ricketts told the 20-or-so gathered at Country Kitchen that he decided to run for the Senate seat after learning from a successful anti-gambling effort, "that bad things can happen if you don't get involved. And that you can make a tremendous impact if you do."

Ricketts hopes to have an impact in Washington. "If you think things are broken in Washington, you can't expect change with the same ol' career politicians," he said. "That's the problem in the Senate and Congress. Too many career politicians."

"Too many decisions are being made based on the next big election," Ricketts said. "We need to start sending people to Washington determined to make a change. We need to send people who want to solve problems."


Ricketts supports change in the Social Security program, although not for anyone 45 or older. "Those are rock-solid rules," he said. "That's the deal," for those who would not have time to make financial adjustments to their retirement plans.

Ricketts believes that voluntary personal accounts would force the government to be more fiscally responsible. "There is a surplus in Social Security. The government spends it," Ricketts said. "The government won't get ahold of the money in the first place," if it's placed in personal accounts, he said.


In response to the statement, "The Iraq war is going to win this election," Ricketts said, "We can't allow Iraq to become a safe haven for terrorists, as Afghanistan did."

American has to insure that Iraq is successful, Ricketts said. "We need to remember that we have seen progress." He said that a 70 percent turnout at the last election is an indication that there are people in Iraq who want to solve their problems peacefully.

"If we leave now, Iraq can't handle it," he said. Osama Bin Laden tells everyone, Ricketts said, that "the U.S. doesn't have the fortitude. They'll leave. It's so important to complete the mission, to help the Iraqis succeed," even if it means more time, more troops and more resources.


Ricketts proposes a "drought and disaster assistance title" in the next farm bill and incentives to get young people involved in agriculture.

The USDA's delays in providing emergency assistance to farmers and ranchers indicates a need for a comprehensive drought and disaster assistance mitigation title that would minimize the time farmers and ranchers have to wait to receive assistance, he said.

"The average age of farmers is almost 56 years," Ricketts said, explaining that the elimination of the death tax would make it easier to pass on family-owned farms, ranches and small businesses.

Ricketts also supports tax incentives for older farmers and ranchers who sell their land to young farmers and ranchers getting into production.


Ricketts said he supports greater incentives for renewable energy production not only in energy policy but also in the new farm bill.

He supports ethanol, bio-diesel, wind and solar production, and increases in domestic oil drilling, in Alaska and off the east and west coasts. All will reduce America's dependence on foreign oil, he said, and increased oil supplies will also help lower fuel costs to consumers.


Ricketts sees the legislated consolidation of small schools and the federal "No Child Left Behind" program as Lincoln's and Washington's attempts to take away local control.

"We don't need Washington or Lincoln telling us how to run our schools," Ricketts said. "That's what our parents and our school boards are for."

Ricketts said he will vote against No Child Left Behind the next time it comes up.

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