Local delegates attend state GOP convention

GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska -- Several Southwest Nebraska citizens attended the recent 2012 Republican Party State Convention in Grand Island.

Those in attendance as delegates or alternates included Mayor Dennis Berry. Also, representing Red Willow County were Rex and Tammy Solomon and John Smith. Kathy Wilmot and Tom Patterson from Furnas County also attended. Bruce Desautels represented Hitchcock County and Rod Cornelius and Jon Holzfater represented Perkins County.

Keynote speakers included Nebraska U.S. Senator Mike Johanns, U.S. Senator Jon Kyl from Arizona (a native of Oakland, Nebraska), and Louisiana Gov. Bobbie Jindal, who is a possible vice presidential candidate. Deb Fischer, candidate for U.S. Senate for Nebraska also spoke to the group. Fischer, a former Nebraska State Senator, is a rancher from Valentine, Nebraska.

The attendees repeatedly heard the message that the United States is quickly becoming a nation of takers rather than makers as nearly 45 percent of the citizens pay no federal income tax yet receive benefits from the government.

Other hot topics included the increasing federal debt and the fact that 42 cents of every dollar that the federal government spends is borrowed money.