Friday, August 13, 2010

Poll: Omahans NOT gruntled

A poll out yesterday showed that Omahans are not gruntled with city government. Not gruntled at all. (Oh, it’s a word.)

You can read the entire poll commissioned by the MOPOA -- you know, the Metropolitan Omaha Property Owners Association (moh-poh-uh...) --  here.

A few highlights:
(400 registered voters, in Omaha, by phone, August 2nd-4th, 2010.)

City of Omaha, “Right Direction” or “Wrong Track”?
Right direction: 19% ( uh oh)
Wrong track: 70% (yowza!)
No opinion: 11% (Really, 44 registered voters had no opinion on this question? How can you not at least pick one?)

Approve or Disapprove way Jim Suttle handling job as Mayor?
Approve: 23% (ugh)
Disapprove: 67% (holy crap)
Undecided: 10% (really, you must have just caught them in the middle of a “So You Think You Can Dance” marathon)

When you look at the details of the DISAPPROVAL for Suttle you see this breakdown
Democrats: 57%
Indepdendent: 66%
Republicans: 80%

That is a lot of people un-gruntled about the Mayor.  Not even his fellow Democrats are gruntling.

So how do Omaha residents see their own Councilpersons? (Councilpeople?)

Here’s the list: (Approval / Disapproval)

District 1: Pete Festersen - 50/24 (only 50% Pete?)
District 2: Ben Gray - 42/41 (uh oh...)
District 3: Chris Jerram - 57/25
District 4: Garry Gernandt - 56/28
District 5: Jean Stothert - 58/23
District 6: Franklin Thompson - 53/33
District 7: Thomas Mulligan - 49/25 (not great - and that last presser in the road may not have done anything for him)

Of course, as a rule, voters in each district are heavily against increasing either property taxes, or the 4% entertainment tax.

And they aren’t nuts about the Police nad Fire contracts either, so those Councilmen who vote “Aye” may see their numbers tumble.

The Mayor’s mouthpiece, Ron Penzkowski, essentially said that people don’t know what they want, so screw them (we’re paraphrasing here).

But don’t kid yourself.

It is polls like these that start the fires kindling in the bellies of politicians-to-be and wanna-bes.
Expect many drums to continue to bang.

90 comments:

Anonymous said...

BTW, Fasthorse withdrew his Recall petitions in order to preserve the right to recall at a later date. 1000 signatures a day for 30 days straight is what is needed to overcome invalid signors.

All this according to last night's news.

Soooo, the heat may have played into not being able to get the required sigs by deadline, so sounds like a good idea to wait.

Here's my question. Is it legal to stand outside the defined line at the polls on November 2nd and gather petition signatures if done peacefully?

NE Voter said...

The lesson here is simple. It's easy for the tea partiers and sore loser Republicans (hello Nabity/Daub/Vokal) to use distortion and outright lies to generate anger among the public. Problem is, it affects ALL elected officials, not just Democrats.

A grass fire is an easy thing to start. Controlling the grass fire, that's another story.

Ya see, that's why the mood is so anti-incumbent. Nationally, the (dying) Republican party has utterly blown its chances to retake the Senate by nominating a handful of unelectable nutjobs (Rand Paul/Sharon Angle/and the doofus from Colorado).

Add to that the lunacy of formerly respectable Republican Senators like Graham to hop on the repeal-the-fourteenth-amendment bandwagon, and you've got a once-mighty political party crashing itself on the rocks of the future (Hispanic voters) for short term gain.

I guess I shouldn't throw away all that popcorn I made in anticipation of observing the Mayoral recall fail.

Tastes better the next day, anyhoo.

32-1524 (2) said...

No person shall do any electioneering, CIRCULATE PETITIONS, or perform any action that involves solicitation within any polling place or any building designated for voters to cast ballots by the election commissioner or county clerk pursuant to the Election Act while the polling place or building is set up for voters to cast ballots or within 200 feet of any such polling place or building. Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class V misdemeanor.

Street Sweeper said...

11:33,
We haven't focused on this guy's attempt as it never seemed credible.
If a Jim Cleary-type rears his head, we'll get back to you.
-SS

Anonymous said...

Considering that 70% of 400 is 280 out of a population base of over 500,000 this is well less than 1%.
In a poll you can always get the results you want depending on who pays for it. That may not be what happened here, but consider the source.

Not to say everybody is a happy camper, but maybe most are sick of the dog fight or really don't feel the passion of the polarized few much less understand the fine print.

Recall isn't like taking your product back for a replacement or refund. Unfortunately, the reality of the problem is still there and we are in deep.

The weatherman needs to go and find a map that shows some cooler air moving into the metro. He is not a great "communicator" by any measure and the mayor needs PR rehab.

Anonymous said...

A couple of questions for NE Voter (and other left-leaning politicos).

Why are these ‘unelectable nutjobs’ leading in the polls? Angle pulled ahead this week and Rasmussen survey released this morning shows the ‘doofus from Colorado’ leading Bennett by greater than the survey’s margin of error?

How is it that the state of Nebraska has been able to balance its budget shortfall over the last couple of fiscal years without raising taxes but Suttle / Omaha can’t seem to do it the first time they face a shortfall?

Don’t choke on that popcorn!

Pollster said...

Anon 11:48am
You obviously have no understanding of survey methodology. MSR was one of 2 pollsters correctly showing Heineman ahead of Osborne prior to the 2006 Gubernatorial Primary. No reputable polling firm is going to ‘bias’ there methods for an outcome. They wouldn’t remain credible or stay in business.

If you want to be 'critical' of something it would be there breakdown by council district. The margin of error would be over 12% making all but Stothert's approval within the 'error'.

How about Omaha’s leadership addresses the underlying issues rather people trying to ‘shoot the messenger’. Omaha voters aren’t happy with Suttle’s leadership and raising taxing in a recession. Anon 11:50 is correct. Figure out how to balance your budget by cutting spending!

GeosUser said...

I feel really sorry for Ron Penzkowski having the job of trying to explain/clarify Suttle's positions or unscripted comments. Can you imagine having a prep session with His Honor and trying to get the idiot to stay on some kind of "I'm not really here to bankrupt you taxpayers while paying off my campaign donors at your expense" message and not look like he's having a colonoscopy without the KY when he's taking questions or talking to a citizen. No wonder Ron uses a stage name, he probably wants to hold onto some hope that he can return to anonymous status when Suttle gets kicked out of office.

Anonymous said...

What distortion and lies by Nabity/Vokal and Daub? First, I haven't seen any comments from Daub and Vokal regarding this city budget.
Second: There is no distortion in the fact the city wants to raise taxes that people cannot afford
Third: There is no distortion in the fact that a 4% tax will hurt the restaurant business, and if not the business than the server
Four: There is no distortion in the fact that $20.5 million of the $33 million shortfall is due to the police and fire pension (I actually feel bad for the civilian union...they have been hosed over the years)
Five: There is no distortion in the fact that unnecessary items have been included in the budget: truancy money and tourism budget.

It can go on and on...

Do you even live in Omaha NE Voter? Who is this NE Voter guy? Can he be trusted?!?!?

Anonymous said...

Hey 11:59AM: It still is well less than 1% no matter how you make the case for credibility. Not saying they aren't credible. You brought that one into question. I just laid out the numbers.

Anonymous said...

So, according to statute, as long as the petition gatherers are outside the 200 feet that the poll workers must mark on election day, they can get out their clip boards and pens?

Sounds like a pretty doable operation. Who would ever have imagined we'd be welcoming back Jim Cleary.

Street Sweeper said...

12:12,
I said "Jim Cleary-type.
i.e. someone who is truly organizing and has a plan.
I'm not saying Cleary's not welcome, just that I'm not calling for his return.
-Ed.

Anonymous said...

LMAO ANON 12:11 p.m. "who is this NE VOTER?"
Coming from an anonymous poster, that's pretty funny.

Pollster said...

Anon 12:11
Your 1% factoid is totally irrelevant. A representative survey sample, is by definition, just that -a sample of less than 1% that is ‘representative’ of the ‘population universe’ as a whole.

What IS relevant is that if done properly (which this appears to have been), we can be sure that it would produce similar results if EVERY Voter were surveyed 100 times asking them the same questions. We know 95 of those times they would DISPROVE of both Suttle’s performance and tax increases. The other 5 times we aren’t sure if this would be true or not (in which NE Voter could draw some comfort).

Anonymous said...

moronymous at 12:11, here's a dollar, go buy a clue. It's really laughable that you find victory in the fact that the number of folks who were dissatisfied amounts to 1% of the population. If I was you, I wouldn't bank on the idea that everyone else who wasn't asked the survey would support the mayor. Those survey results can be extrapolated within the margin of error to the entire population. I guarantee you Jim Suttle isn't viewing the results with your same cavalier attitude. Or, if he is, he does so at his own political peril.

Anonymous said...

We need an organizer to start the Recall. Put one in every restaurant in Omaha. Have people sign as they pay their check.

Anonymous said...

Jerram's ratings will be going down

Nathan said...

The problem with these types of questions/polls is that it doesn't show alternatives. If the question read do you support a 4% entertainment tax or getting rid of 50 police officers? Would you rather have a 10% property tax increase or not fix the potholes? The answers would be skewed differently if those was in there and everyone knows it. But the average voter is to dumb to think about those things. If we want a good city we have to pay for it folks.

Anon 11:59 Who is NE Voter said...

@12:15 Anon:
It's clearly a take on the anti-Dave Nabity commerical: Who is this Dave Nabity?" and it ends with "can he be trusted.

It's called parody...laugh a little.

Anonymous said...

Mulligan is apparently not running for re-election. This is a Republican? He can't be recalled since he was appointed.

Nathan said...

Anon 1:20,
HE cant be recalled because he was appointed? I hadn't heard that before. I dont think he's done anything grave enough to deserve being recalled but I still didn't know, and am a little surprised, that he cant be recalled. And yes to all the people about to jump down my throat, I do live in that district.

Anonymous said...

12:43: I disagree. The trouble is most don't vote so even surveying those that did a million times still wouldn't give an accurate view.

12:46: Namecalling and clue buying. How sweet. Kiss, kiss.

NE Voter said...

11:50:

I, your humble NE Voter, will personally buy you a beer if Angle defeats Ried. Paul has a shot because he is a true Libertarian. The goofus from Colorado goes down hard.

11:59

Nabity and his OOPS group of corporate cutthroats have been misrepresenting the facts through the entire debate.

What's more, notwithstanding Tom Becka's hilarious fluffing yesterday that the Police union's radio ad is unfair because it is a "personal attack" on David Nabity, who has not used any personal attacks during the debate, I offer the following:

1. Nabity has repeatedly and falsely called the Mayor a liar.

2. Nabity has repeatedly and falsely called City Council members corrupt because of their relationship with the City's unions (even though Mean Jean $tothert took OFD's $$$).

3. Nabity has repeatedly and falsely stated that the Fire Chief has committed felonies.

I've reached the point where kinda wish Nabity WAS Mayor right now, in this time of crisis. He'd take the city of Omaha to bankruptcy -- Is that the kinda guy you'd want for your family's financial planner?

Not so much.

Si se pueda.

Anonymous said...

Nabity is right on in every accusation. The Unions can't buy him and they hate it.

Macdaddy said...

Talk about a recall is a waste of time. You (the good citizens of Omaha) elected Jim Suttle. Now you have to live with the decision. Next time maybe you won't be so lackadaisical about evaluating the candidates and then actually getting up and going to vote for them. Suttle is not mentally ill nor is he a criminal. You may not like his politics, but only the most naive person couldn't connect the dots before the election: Democrat = higher taxes + union giveaways every time. Every. Time. I can't believe how you people fell for his obvious lies. Suttle: I will lower taxes. LMAO.

So here is your only choice: inundate Suttle's office and the Council's offices with phone calls, letters, emails, visits. Then wait for 2012 because Suttle doesn't care what you think. This, too, was apparent before the election. The consolation for those of you who voted for Hal Daub is that Jim Suttle supporters are getting screwed, too.

Macdaddy said...

I heard that ad against Dave Nabity on KFAB. While the two women were complaining about Nabity not revealing who was funding him, I kept wondering who the ad was from. It never said. Pot, meet kettle.

Anonymous said...

NE Voter wrote: "Add to that the lunacy of formerly respectable Republican Senators like Graham to hop on the repeal-the-fourteenth-amendment bandwagon . . . . "

Not defending Graham, but that statement is an absolute lie. I've heard no one-- other than those who inhabit the fever-swamps over at the Daily Kos-- say anyone want to do that.

So, can you trust NE Voter?

Anonymous said...

The two women in the ad were police officers, probably on paid Overtime!

Anonymous said...

The two women in the ad were police officers, probably on paid Overtime!

NE Voter said...

1:58

Ha, it's absolutely true. Kyl also hopped on the bandwagon to oblivion.

Anonymous said...

Nabity is more correct than not. You will all see in due time.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of pay, did anyone ever answer the question raised in comments from the last topic on Leavenworth Street? Bonuses at MECA, when they have so badly failed to bring conventions to town? Thank goodness for the sporting events at the arena portion of Qwest, or the overall performance would be as dismal as the record of David Brown at the Chamber.

Can Be done said...

30,000 signatures would not be that hard to get.

You wouldn't have to stand right next to the polling place. Plenty of good spots 200 feet away and if properly marked as a place where a voter could sign the petition, I'd bet a lot of voters would make a bee line over to the petition this November.

Would need to have everything completely organized and funded BEFORE you check out the petition.

Just sayin...

Anonymous said...

MECA is the shadiest organization in town. They're about a shade lower than the Illuminati the way they operate. The fact that they get bonuses doesn't sit well with me. How much money do they have and why did they raise parking fees when the year before they offered a $5 million bribe to the City? Sounds like MECA is fleecing the citizens just as bad as the City.

Anonymous said...

Seriously, what bonuses? I am not going to believe this until I see facts presented. It makes no sense since MECA Board members don't get paid in the first place.

BTW, the poster that keeps saying how much they hate David Brown is so obviously a member of the Mayor's staff. Get back to work, would ya"?

Norm Peterson said...

Hey everybody.

I just heard one of those anti Dave Nabity commercials by the Omaha Police Union. What a hoot!

First of all, they complain about how the members and funding sources of Nabity's group are a secret because of some loophole in the law. Ooooh.

(Wait a sec, where have I heard that complaint before? Jane Cleb, can you answer that one for me?)

Oh, and Nabity has something else in common with the Clebs that the OPD union guys were quick to point out -- he ran for office ... and lost! (Gasp.)

And they're worried about whether they can trust a guy who's so secretive about the membership of his group and where they get their money AND YET they then LIE and DISTORT what Nabity has proposed. I heard it on Becka's show. He's suggesting we have Douglas County Sheriffs cover western Douglas rather than OPD covering pockets of turf that have been annexed by Omaha, thereby saving money for Omaha.

But this police union ad just says Nabity wants to cut police patrols in half, which they say isn't good for public safety. Buuuuut, they never mentions the part about having the sheriff do it instead. That's kind of a lie because they deliberately mislead.

So these liars are worried about whether you can trust Dave Nabity?

What a hoot!

Anonymous said...

NE Voter

Stother didn't take money from either the police or fire unions.

Anonymous said...

Nope she didn't. At least the firefighters just backed a website that sang her praises and pounded her opponent.

NE Voter said...

5:15 and 5:27

You're both wrong. Mean Jean $$$tothert took $$$$ from the Police union. Feel free to check her campaign statements on the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission's website.

It'll take you about three clicks of your mouse.

Thanks for playing, though.

Norm Peterson said...

Weeeeeell, it's been about 5 hours and no one's tried to defend the Police Union for a false and misleading ad about Dave Nabity (as I pointed out about 5 hours ago.) Wonder why that is.

They claim Nabity wants to cut OPD patrols in West Omaha in half but isn't it true he said the Douglas County Sheriff should do it instead?

That's a yes or no question.

Norm Peterson said...

Exit question: do you think the public opinion of the police contract will improve or get worse when they find out the police union's attack ad lied about Nabity's position?

Jane Cleb, where are ya? You seem to like defending the indefensible.

Jamie said...

Does the LJS just not cover it, or are the politics of Lincoln just vastly simpler than Omaha's? Omaha's problems have grown exponentially in the last half-decade.

Anonymous said...

Okay, I will bite. If there are 48 OPD working west of I-680, and Nabity says fire them and hire 20 deputies to replace them does that NOT equal 28 less cops in west O? Simple math is hard for the OAPS types I guess.

I would love to see how that works.

The biggest lie of all is that there are only "small pockets" of city west of I-680. Take a look at a map of the city limits and tell me that huge chunk of real estate west of the interstate and south of dodge constitutes "pockets" of the city.

PUBLIUS said...

There will be so muchBS flying around the next few months. You can poll the people anyway you like. The D's are going to lose BIG, Omaha will stay broke until the Unions are taken out of play, and just like the National situation you get what you elect. The Progressives are in control at both city and National, thank God not at State, and serves the citizens right. If you voted for Obama you have serious issues with character judgment or guilt. If you didn't vote you are more to blame for what has transpired over the last 18+ months than anybody.

So come November the Independents, Conservatives, Republicans, and a great number of Democrats are going to express their concern and vote out a LOT of people.

Get over it Progressives and be sure to watch to whom you hitch your wagon for the next decade.

Anonymous said...

You say Republicans "generate" public anger against elected officials.

So, us having a Democrat President, Congress and Mayor has nothing to do with the public thinking politics stinks?

So, out-of-power Republicans and informally organized tea partiers, with one sympathetic major media network, are doing what exactly? Casting spells on Americans to make them hate the thrifty wisdom and fine leadership skills of our benevolent Democrat leaders?

The dumpster guy who wears cardboard and drinks his own urine makes more sense than you.

NE Voter said...

I'm gonna be out of town for a couple of days, with sporadic access to the interweb. To all the Hatriots on this blog: I'm not ignoring you, I just won't have much time to engage.

Ciao.

RWP said...

Jamie:

The LJS doesn't cover Omaha politics.

Mayor Beutler, while he's also in the unions' pocket, has been reluctant to raise property taxes. IMO that's a sure sign he has political ambitions. He's been cutting positions - there's a recent brouhaha about him cutting the city forester position - and trying to foist on us some other self-defeating tax increases (e.g. a 6% on telecom equipment purchases within the city that caused me to buy my new 'phone over the 'net). We have a 2% restaurant/bar tax scheduled to help pay for the arena.

Anonymous said...

In 2003, 4 EMPLOYEES of MECA, received bonuses. Without debating the merit of these bonuses as a carry over comment from the last Blog post, I will state that the folks on this blog could stand to actually make an attempt at knowing what they are trying to speak about.

Board Members of MECA do not get paid. While I will concede that it is possible that they are reimbursed for any travel taken on behalf of MECA (ie: trips to tour other facilities), I doubt that any of them take any reimbursements.

Serving on a Public Board is considered a privilege and honor in our community. I doubt that any of the MECA Board members feel any differently.

Anonymous said...

The mistake Democrats make is in thinking that there's this anti-incumbent sentiment percolating in this country.

It's not an anti-incumbent sentiment. At least not anti all incumbents. There are plenty of incumbents who have nothing at all to worry about. Terry, Smith and Fortenberry, for example. They'll win their re-elections handily.

That wouldn't be remotely true of Ben Nelson if he were up for election this year. So, it's not really about anti-incumbency. There's something else.

Anonymous said...

Anon at 11:30, good effort. The problem is that the ad leaves out the part about "outsourcing" to the Sheriff's dept and leaves the impression that Nabity wants to leave vast areas of west Omaha completely unpatrolled.

And that's not what Nabity is saying.

Anonymous said...

Anon @9:01,

Really? That is not what he is saying. Fire 48 and replace with 20? How would that not leave the area with no patrol?

How long does it take to hire and train new cops? I read somewhere it takes around a year. So does he hire the 20 before firing 48 for increased cost?

OR

Does he say fire 48 and then hire 20 and wait a whole year before they are done training, etc before they are on patrol?

Either way it proves that once again it is a typical OAPS idea that is not very well thought out.

The above scenario either increases costs or reduces patrols period.

Anonymous said...

NE Voter

Thanks for playing but those are NOT contributions from the Omaha police union. The FOP contributions are from Douglas County Corrections employees.

Care to try again?

Anonymous said...

Polls before Labor Day are usually ignored and often times those who trump them up as the "gospel" for that race, are also the same folks who contracted with the pollsters, and suggested areas for poll data to be collected....
And in Nebraska polls are useless until about two weeks out from the general election.

Anonymous said...

I agree, its stupid to say Republicans are making voters mad. Republicans aren't in power. And how would Republicans do that?

If they mock Democrats as President Obuma, Speaker Peelousy, Majority Leader Rude and Mayor Puddle, how does that make voters dislike Obama, Pelosi, Reid and Suttle?

We suppose voters dislike them because they are crappy leaders with bad policy.

curbyourdonkeyness said...

Sure polls are useless, right up until its the "pole" the voters shove up the donkey's butt in November.

Hey Donkey people, you better stock up on roid cream because it ain't gonna be pretty.

Macdaddy said...

Anon 9:34: You do know that the cops out here in West O have cars and radios, don't you? What do you mean by "no patrol?" That there are areas where cops will never drive into unless they have 48 officers assigned? That there are areas where citizens will never call 911 to report a crime because they haven't seen a cop there in a month?

One of the reasons Omaha is in such dire straights is that people just keep demogoguing the issues rather than looking honestly at the problem and making compromises based on reality. You know, like adults are supposed to do. The article in the OWH today about Omaha selling a firehouse is an example. Somebody was quoted as opposing the sale because we need more fire stations, not less. Well, sure, but as the Rolling Stones said, "You can't always get what you want." Sometimes you have to do more with less.

Anonymous said...

Curbyourdonkeyness,

You seem to have an anal fixation. Does your parole officer know where you are?

Jamie said...

RWP

They cover a little. The LJS covered the White-Suttle Scuffle. But I meant the vibe I've gotten from Lincoln is that their politics aren't as heated as Omaha's when you look at Lincoln-specific media compared to Omaha-specific media. Then again, no other community I've seen has a political pundit like Tom Becka that acts as such a catalyst for debate.

Jamie said...

I take that back. With the possible exception of Mark Davis in the realm of Texan politics.

Anonymous said...

Bedka would argue a dead horse into living again. It's called ratings.

Anonymous said...

That would be Becka.....

Anonymous said...

@MacDaddy,

Thank you for making the point...

They do have cars and radios...hence a radio call "load". 911 takes the calls and sends them out to the cars to answer. If no one is available they will pull resources from other parts of the city/county.

48 minus 20 (28 less cops answering the radio) any way you slice it equals less police protection.

Things tend to get backed up at 911 (listen to a scanner sometime..."any car available to do X"). Citywide, county wide, it does not matter. If there are 100 calls to be answered and 28 less cops city or county wide to answer....

Well that would obviously equal LESS police protection. Spin it any way you want, it does not add up to better patrols, protection, or coverage.

There is a finite number of cops to answer calls period. The OPD and deputies have some sort of assistance agreement. Less cops means calls go unanswered in west O or some other part of the city/county when resources are reallocated to fill the gaping hole created from layoffs.

I don't know how much easier to say it other than, if you call 911 and there are fewer cops to answer up = less police protection period.

That makes me more than a little uneasy.

Anonymous said...

Does anybody really care if there are fewer cops out in west O? It isn't like there is much going on out there anyway. They need to have more cops out in North and South Omaha as it is. Not a lot of gang violence out in Elkhorn.

As it is getting rid of a few cops is ok. The Sheriffs can take care of a few loud parties, drunks, and speeding tickets.

What also needs to happen is they need get rid of 25% of the "workers" in City Hall who are pushing paper and 25% of the managers making sure the paper was pushed.

Wouldn't hurt if they got rid of Suttle either:)

Macdaddy said...

Omaha is underwater. Cuts have to be made, period. Omahans can't have top of the line everything. Trade-offs need to be made. That's just how it is. Of course, Suttle doesn't agree with that. He refuses to make any trade-offs and won't seriously listen to anybody else's ideas. So Anon 11:56, you don't need to be uneasy. Rest easy knowing that when you call 9-1-1 after your car has been stolen out of your driveway, the cops will show up in 20 minutes instead of 25.

One Out In The Third said...

If anyone deserves the title of State Whiner...it would be Becka. I can't listen to him anymore. It is about ratings and he is sinking.

Tom Becka said...

My ratings aren't sinking anywhere near the rate of the Suttle administration and the city itself. I'd be happy to show you the numbers so that you can be another of my satisfied advertisers. LOL

Anonymous said...

Ya, but you're still a whiner and if that's what you do to get ratings calling people names and overshouting them, then what does that say good ratings and all.

You've lost it of late and it makes good theater while doing damage to the kind of dialogue needed. What did Suttle do in your Wheaties of late? Badmouthing someone, using them to get a meal and then bagging on them before the first forkful. How does that work?

Anonymous said...

Tom Becka is doing a great job making sure the public knows the issues on this very important financial crisis. I hope he starts in on on Mulligan real soon! What an empty suit he turned out to be!

Anonymous said...

Becka needs to be asking questions of the Legislature is what he needs to be doing. Like are they going to roll over for Omaha? Geez there are like a dozen or so representing Omaha. The Dirty Dozen, has a nice ring to it.

Just how far can Suttle go with taxing before he has to get the Legislature to weigh in on it. It didn't go so well for Tom White last year when he tried to end the double tax on MUD bills for the Sewer Seperation, so who has bigger nads than White? Ashford? McCoy(No Taxes No Abortions)? Lathrop? Council?

Anonymous said...

Who has bigger nads than White? Are you kidding? All of them. White's Congessional campaign tactic of hiding in the corners is hilarious. Nads? Give me a break!

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:38: McCoy actually voted to filibuster White's bill. He sided with Jim Suttle and supported his plan to double tax the people of District 39. Don't think that won't come back to haunt him.

Anonymous said...

Beau McCoy, Jim Suttle's boy!

Has a nice ring to it.

Anonymous said...

Anybody see White yesterday? Mello must be his babysitter. He never ventures out in public without him.

Does Mello think he can work for White in the federal government the same way Ian Russell did all of White's campaign work for the last year and let the taxpayers of Nebraska be the only ones that paid him a dime?

Heck, Tom White won't even reimburse poor Ian Russell for money he spent out of his own pocket to fly to Washington D.C. with Tom White during the middle of a difficult legislative budget balancing session.

I wonder if Tom went to the CC pool after he campaigned for a total of 2 hours this weekend.

Anonymous said...

You mean he campaigned? There's news in itself.

One Out In The Third said...

Almost 20 some hours without a comment...that has to be a record.

Street Sweeper said...

Ah the doldrums of August.
New post up later today.
-Ed.

Anonymous said...

If content counts, it was a lot longer than 20 hours.

Anonymous said...

It is still better than what is available on the No News Network.

Anonymous said...

Can we take a mulligan on Tom Mulligan?

Anonymous said...

The guy is on a kamikaze mission of no communication.

Anonymous said...

Apparently the name "Assinine Nebraska" was taken. What follows is from the Bold Nebraska website regarding the attempt to organize a "flash mob" tomorrow.

"Join activists at 4:30pm at Memorial Park in Omaha to raise awareness about the pipeline. Bring a black garbage [bag] with a hole cut out of the bottom to put your head through. Put on your bag, run to the top of the hill at Memorial Park (facing UNO) and roll down the hill. Repeat and leave. That's it!

If you don't want to roll down the hill, people are also needed to hold signs from the walkway over Dodge Street."

Oh mander said...
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Boss Lady Jane said...

Revised instructions for the BOLD NEBRASKA Flash Mob. DO NOT, repeat DO NOT, cut a hole in the bottom of your black plastic garbage bag before you place your head inside. Please remember to tie the bag on tightly before you start running. Carry on comrades!

Anonymous said...

Aren't the Bold Nebraska folks and followers already dizzy enough without rolling down hill a couple of hundred yards?
Does this flash mob leave the city of Omaha and its taxpayers exposed to any liability claims if any of the BN babes works up some momentum and crushes a car on Dodge?

buck turgidson said...

The Jane Kleeb Spicy Trash Bag Roll will be followed by the Ben Nelson Bobbing for Excuses Barrel and the Jim Suttle Gunny Sack Race to Bankruptcy.

Please stick around for the Pin the Goober on the Meister Booth and the Temperamental Tom White Tilt-A-Whirl!

Fun for the whole family at the Bold Nebraska 1st Annual Freaky Sideshow Carnival, brought to you by Total Irrelevancy and Zero Common Sense.

Anonymous said...

Last post pretty darn creative.

Anonymous said...

So what happens it someone gets creative and forks the hill at the park? Or just runs out there with a few hundred corn dog sticks? Just Kidding, but of course a safety check will be performed, along with a briefing and the signing of a waiver of responsibility. Otherwise there will be more lawyers there than anybody else, looking for work.

What are the bags for anyway, keeping the Dog biscuits off the most excellent clothing?

Anonymous said...

What has Jane Kleeb and her followers been smoking? What's next, having her minions wear nothing but pink panties on the MAT? Seeing a bunch of fools rolling down a hill in black baggies sure makes me want to listen to whatever it is the participants want me to hear.

Bold Nebraska! Yeah - right!

Anonymous said...

I just hope the Hefty bag roll gets some TV coverage so everyone can see firsthand the kind of loony activities endorsed by Jane and her BFF's.

Jim Loveshal said...

It looks like ol' Hal is back in the horserace again. His minion, Jimmy Cleary, is leading the recall effort against Jim Whats-his-name.

Will Jimmy be back running Parks and Rec again?

Enquiring minds want to know. So does the retired polygraph operator from Missouri (eyes roll).