Editorial

Effective politics involves airing all sides of issue

Monday, August 25, 2008

Ethanol heated up Saturday's Senate race as one candidate said he was misquoted by a newspaper and the other took heat for urging his boss to veto a farm bill that included money for developing new sources of the fuel.

It's unfortunate that both the underdog, Scott Kleeb, and the likely winner, former governor and U.S. Ag Secretary Mike Johanns seemed to resort to what Stephen Colbert calls "truthiness" to get their points across during the State Fair debate.

We doubt Kleeb was actually misquoted, as he claimed, by a newspaper report that he saw corn-based ethanol only as part of the short-term solution, and not part of the solution long-term.

If he did say that, he was probably right. Corn-based ethanol is likely to be important for decades to come, but we expect it, some day, to be replaced by electricity, hydrogen or some other energy combination in the long term.

Kleeb made points on Johanns' contention that the Warner-Lieberman bill would raise fuel prices by 53 cents a gallon -- without pointing out that increase would be spread over 25 years.

But voters aren't served well by arguments like Kleeb's pointing out that Johanns opposed a the farm bill that included money for cellulosic ethanol, without noting that the opposition was based on the fact the bill would raise taxes on an industry that would pass the cost on to farmers.

Newcomer Kleeb took advantage of Johann's position as a former Lincoln mayor, Nebraska governor and ag secretary by pointing out that he left the final two positions early when other opportunities presented themselves.

We doubt Nebraska voters will hold that against Johanns, but Kleeb's quote of a senator that Johanns "didn't even give farmers a two-week notice" before quitting as agriculture secretary is just the sort of mantra that can cost votes.

Nebraska voters have some real bread-and-butter issues to consider in picking their Senate candidate this fall. Let's hope they make the decisions based on the complete truth.


The Beijing Olympics should make Americans grateful for the freedom of speech and the freedom of assembly we take for granted. News from China also should give pause to leaders and citizens who long for peace and harmony on the political front.

Eight U.S. activists, as well as a British person and a German were arrested for having the gall to demonstrate in favor of a free Tibet, released early from their 10-day prison sentences after pressure from their governments.

Yes, the Chinese government designated three parks as protest zones, provided demonstrators obtained permits.

Seventy-seven groups applied to demonstrate; 77 were rejected.

It will be interesting to contrast Beijing with the Democratic National Convention this week in Denver.

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  • Experience counts. In the Senate race the choice is between a former Mayor of Lincoln who was also a Governor of Nebraska and U.S. Sec. of Ag. and a ranch hand that went to school on the east coast. In the Presidential race we have a third generation war hero that has served in the Senate for years and has the history of crossing party lines to get things done and a first term senator that gave a whale of a speech at the last democratic convention and has a history of following the party line. When you vote just ask yourself if you would rather have an experienced, proven doctor do your heart surgery or a novice? Then transfer your answer to the ballot.

    -- Posted by dennis on Mon, Aug 25, 2008, at 7:19 PM
  • You talked about "truthiness" then repeated a lie by Mike Johanns like it was fact. This tips your hand and shows your true bias. The "tax" Johanns is claiming was not a tax and had nothing to do with farmers. It was closing a tax loophole that allowed foreign companies to filter their profits through countries without trade agreements with the US, and thus avoiding taxes completely (that's right - while you pay taxes, they pay zero while profiting off of us). This closing of the loophole would have gotten those due taxes once and for all and would have affected only a fraction of foreign companies in this country. THERE WAS NO CONNECTION TO FARMERS!!!

    So, Johanns stood up for companies using the Bahamas for a base, while caring less about farmers.

    -- Posted by gcooper on Sat, Aug 30, 2008, at 11:09 AM
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