Opinion

Nebraskans happiest, not easily misled

Monday, April 20, 2009

People in Nebraska are happier than any other state in the nation, according to the Happiness Index published this month by MainStreet.com.

The Cornhusker state was rated the Number One Happiest State in America because we are weathering the economy better than most. MainStreet.com listed three main reasons: first, that Nebraska ranked 2nd in lowest number of foreclosures; second, that Nebraska has the 2nd lowest unemployment rate (now third); and third that we are 5th in lowest percentage of non-mortgage debt by income.

This tells me that Nebraskans have been responsible, lived within their means, and that our job base is holding on. Jobs, tax cuts, and responsibility - these are the values that guide my work in the Senate in such things as the stimulus bill that is cutting taxes and putting $9 million per week into Nebraska's economy while creating jobs and improving infrastructure.

After traveling the state last week and visiting with my fellow Nebraskans I would like to add a fourth category of my own to the Happiness list; Nebraskans are independent-minded. Most Nebraskans are not easily misled and think for themselves.

10 Very Important Words

The inscription on the state capitol building in Lincoln sums it up best with ten very important words -- "The salvation of the state is watchfulness in the citizen."

Our citizens are watchful when it comes to the flow of information they receive. They want it to be accurate. They do not want to be misled by inaccurate or incomplete information.

There's a lot of inaccurate and incomplete information out there, thanks to talk shows and partisan blogs that have political agendas. It doesn't matter if they come from the far left or the far right. Either way, they are not interested in bringing people together to solve problems. Their goal is to find issues that stir up anger and controversy that support their agenda.

Not News Shows

Most Nebraskans understand that they are "info-tainment" and opinion shows that provide only a small portion of the entire picture and end up distorting the truth. Most Nebraskans don't let their scare tactics push them into being used for a political purpose.

I frequently make personal telephone calls to Nebraskans who have written or e-mailed me armed with slanted information based on incomplete facts that are aimed at misleading the public to further an agenda. I've done this since I was governor in order to listen to their concerns, to try to give them a more complete story, and to see if there is a common sense solution to their concerns.

Nebraska is a Populist State

We are made up of people who listen carefully and understand that there are usually two sides to a story. We Nebraskans know when someone is offering solutions and when someone is just trying to tear down what others are trying to build.

I saw that admirable quality again during my travels statewide last week. This ability to avoid being misled and seeking out the other side is just another factor that contributes to Nebraska being the happiest state in the nation. :)

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  • I wish you were right Ben but I'm afraid we are a state of people that turned their minds over to Rush and Hannity.

    -- Posted by Meshedup on Mon, Apr 20, 2009, at 4:41 PM
  • Limbaugh and Hannity actually opened our minds. You spend 6 hours listening to them and ask yourself, can this be true? Get on the internet, do your own research and find out they are right. Now what is it you are saying Ben?

    -- Posted by Hugh Jassle on Mon, Apr 20, 2009, at 9:47 PM
  • April 20, 2009

    Senator Ben Nelson,

    Good afternoon!

    Re: Gross National Happiness

    Let me start by saying, "Go Big Red"! Since I was born on Adams Street in Lincoln in 1950 I still feel connected to Nebraska even though for the past decade I live in Chicago.

    My name is Dr. Walt Winkelman, Ph.D. in Behavioral Science and have spent the past 3 1/2 years (full-time) scientifically, through quantitative analysis, been researching the area of what is usually termed 'Gross National Happiness'.

    Not to be too long-in-the-tooth, let me say that Europe and Great Britain are at least 3-4 years ahead of the USA in this regard. The real short version is that for most nations for the past 250 years have measured their success on GDP. Well, before that, for over 10,000 years, the way that nations determined if they were successful was by the greatest number of 'happy' citizens. In 2002 Dr. Kahneman (Princeton University) won the Nobel Prize in Economics for what he termed be 'behavioral economics. Last year the President of the AEI (American Enterprise Institute in D.C.) wrote a very well received book by the name 'Gross National Happiness'.

    Enough background, but I wanted to ground this

    unilateral conversation with you.

    Currently we am seeking a specific state to use as the independent variable in a scientific study of said topic. I am certain that within a year, there will be vast amount of positive results for Nebraska, i.e. via general media, T.V. interviews, etc. Additionally, it will facilitate the advancement of 'basic scientific research' in America which President Obama is advocating. This is a very serious topic and not frivolous topic. Many of us Behavioral and Social Scientists in both the USA and globally believe that by 2015 that the 'happiness of the World's citizens' will be an extremely important component of the global, integration and social progress which will be the #1 vast improvement in terms of society and culture.

    I pray, hope and trust that you will be will to at least entertain opening a dialogue between the two of us in order to see if we can carve out a long-term win/win relationship. This a scientific,societal and cultural chance to help significantly improve the value that Nebraska brings to our nation's citizens. In our humble opinion, Nebraska has nothing to loose and a lot of potential benefits.

    In the meantime Senator Nelson, let me know if there is anything that I can do for you.

    Best Regards,

    Dr. Walt Winkelman, Ph.D.

    Happiness Imagineer

    The Human Thriving Foundation

    A non-profit 501c3

    Founder/CEO

    www.happiness360.squarespace.com

    waltwinkelman@yahoo.com

    773-226-9373

    -- Posted by Dr. Walt Winkelman on Tue, Apr 21, 2009, at 2:57 PM
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