U.S. Sen. Benjamin E. Nelson Regional Airport

In a recent column I sent a little advice the way of Nebraska's favorite "conservative" Democrat Sen. Ben Nelson. Evidently the advice, vote NO on the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Nominee Sonia Sotomayor, was not well received. In my opinion Nebraska's overwhelmingly Republican voters favor Sen. Nelson as our senator because we feel that he examines the issues and votes what is best for the people. I do also recognize that it is a tight rope that Sen. Ben has to walk because his Democrat Party leaders apply great pressure for him to vote their liberal party line. I'm sorry, the current buzzword is "progressive" but if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, maybe it is a duck ....

A case in point. An online blogger has been giving Sen. Nelson fits for expressing an opinion against President Obama's proposal to set up a government-funded line of health insurance (free to the uninsured) that will compete with the existing lines of private health insurance. Obviously those employers who now pay the premiums for their employee's health insurance would back off that expense if the federal government decided to provide insurance to their workers for free. The result of course would be a complete collapse of the health insurance industry as it now exists. Now health insurance is Sen. Nelson's forte'. Insurance is where he earned a fortune before seeking power in politics. Reportedly the insurance lobby also donated something like $2 million for his election campaign. We used to call such shenanigans bribes but nowadays that is the way we do politics. Those in power tell us with a straight face that such donations have no influence over the way the Senator/Congressman/President votes. Yeah right! And yes I agree with Sen. Nelson on this one. I, too, would hate to see the whole health insurance industry that we know today be destroyed with even greater cost accruing to those of us who still pay taxes!

Several sources have told me lately that Sen. Nelson is upset that the people in McCook aren't very appreciative about "all that he had done for us."

That translates to a lack of appreciation for all the earmarks (spelled pork) that Sen. Ben has sent our way. The lack of appreciation is obvious because we haven't named a single thing after him. After all Kings of Pork, U. S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, Democrat, West Virginia, has all manner of buildings, bridges, streets and roads in his home state of named after him. U. S. Senator Ted Stevens, Republican, Alaska did well in the naming business too before he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Therefore, in order to keep the free money coming our way I propose that we name the West Ward School building after him as that is where Sen. Ben attended grade school. Oops, the City Fathers are going to tear that one down. Then how about "B" Street from city limits to city limits. "B" Street is a rather prosaic name, Sen. Ben Nelson Avenue would sound much better and then too his childhood home fronted "B" Street.

Better yet, we could rename Norris Park to be Sen. Ben Nelson Park. After all Sen. George Norris is long dead and would no longer care. Sen. Ben's childhood home has been moved nearby, at Ben's personal expense, and is an attractive addition to the neighborhood. Then, too, all the huge trees that made Norris Park a delight are long gone and Sen. Ben Nelson Park can grow into a place of shade and beauty as Sen. Ben continues to water and fertilize our coffers with public money.

What the heck, Gen. McCook, our city's namesake, is also long dead and the Civil War is ancient history, so lets rename the city Nelson, Nebraska, or is that name already taken?

No, by the time that you read this, the City Council will have most likely renamed our Municipal Airport to honor Sen. Nelson. Awhile back the Airport Advisory Board was asked their opinion about renaming the airport after Sen. Ben and the consensus was totally against.

Consequently no formal vote was taken. I have asked many of the persons I see daily at the McCook Airport if they are in favor of renaming our airport and not one has been in favor.

For a pilot having some strange unattached name applied to an airport makes no sense. If the airport is named McCook Airport it is only logical that it is located near the town of McCook but Nelson Airport -- oh that's right, it is near McCook, not Nelson, Neb. I find it interesting that all those pushing the renaming of the airport have little to do with the place. Those of us who spend time at the airport and love the place seem to have no say in the matter. But then that is the way we play politics. You may not like it but you will get used to it!

Thought for the week: "In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule." Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

That is the way I saw it.