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Last Tuesday I regretfully withdrew LR 233 CA prior to its Feb. 27 hearing in the Judiciary Committee. I would like to explain in this week's letter why I introduced LR 233 CA and why I made the decision to withdraw it.
When I decided to introduce LR 233 CA in January, I knew it was a controversial issue and would most likely not make it out of the Judiciary Committee to the floor of the Legislature. Some of you might be asking, "then why did you introduce it?" I felt like this would be a worthwhile discussion to have in the Judiciary Committee highlighting two different approaches to addressing prejudices in hiring and contracting in the public sector. As I have explained to many of you, I believe the person who is most qualified for a job, contract, or school should get it no matter what they look like or where they come from. We should not be focusing on color, ethnicity, or sex. Not to choose the most qualified individual or group every time is a disservice to our state institutions and all the people involved. Nebraska should be rewarding excellence and outstanding character no matter what "package" it comes in.
A week before the Feb. 27 hearing I began to be pressured by several senators who said that they could not support LB 1094 -- a bill to get farmers paid for the water they leased to the NRDs -- unless I withdrew LR 233 CA. Not only were they pressuring me and targeting my priority bill, but many other senators. As important as the discussion on racial preferences is, I did not want to elevate the issue over more urgent water issues in District 44. Because LR 233 CA was not coming out of committee anyway, and a successful petition process to get it on the ballot was still very likely, I decided the circus that it would have caused in the Legislature was not worth the damage it could have caused to other important bills at this time.
I also want to congratulate Perkins County for winning the Class C-2 Girls State Basketball Tournament, including Cambridge and Arapahoe for their fourth place finishes in Class C-2 and D-1 respectively. Great job!
As always, I enjoy hearing from you all regarding the issues important to you and District 44. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any concerns or questions.
This just proves what's wrong with politics as a whole these days. "I'll push your bill if you push mine." Or the opposite like we have here, "I won't back your bill unless you withdraw your other bill." If they don't like Mark's bill then don't vote for it when it comes up for the vote.
This country needs a major reform in politics now. I watched a group of young Americans tell a tv reporter why they're mad with politics these days. They hate the partisianship and the fighting.
We need to elect representatives to do what's right instead of what might get them ahead and re-elected. This country will not survive much longer with the current political system.
This political system just makes guys like Mark a one-trick pony. He is forced to drop everything he could contribute to in the legislature so that he can hang on to the ONE bill that probably carries the most importantance to his constituents.
It's too bad.
From what I see of LR233, it would promote the same problem caused by those already on the books, only in reverse. How about authoring a bill that simply removes the old, bad, and I think unconstitutional, laws from the books, and allow Americans to hire Americans based on what the 'Boss' is looking for in a person, to accomplish what the 'Boss' wants, not what a politition thinks the 'Boss' should want. I found it an impossible dictate which would require me to hire anyone based on anything other than 'skill to accomplish.'
I do not envy you your job of serving us. Good Luck. Arley Steinhour