Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle continues his sell on higher taxes.
The latest plan is to “raise the city portion of the property tax rate by 9 percent, boost the wheel tax by $23 per vehicle, and add a new 4 percent tax on restaurant food.”
And while Suttle is taking the battle to citizens at various spots around Omaha, others are fighting back on the airwaves.
Dave Nabity leads the “Omaha Alliance for the Private Sector” against the proposed tax increases.
The OAPS (“oh-pss”? “oh-aps”? oh well...), has produced this spot coming to a television near you. (We got our sticky fingers on it, and put it up on the Leavenworth Street YouTube site.) See it here:
Brief and to the point, with a call-out to the Councilmen. Of course, Democrat Chris Jerram has already called for a wheel-tax for commuters. So add that to the fun.
It will be interesting to see where this leads.
***
And speaking of Hizzoner, here is a little ditty about Mayor Suttle from Matt & Ben at “Twister 93.3”.
A riff on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” -- though we’re a little unclear on how this song fits Twister’s demographics.
(You can download this yourself from their iTunes page.)
***
Calling all Democrats...again.
Looks like Mike “Goober” Meister (hey, he ASKED us to call him that) is looking for a #2 on his ticket.
Seems he has until September 1st to find a Democrat -- ANY Democrat -- to join his team as the Lieutenant Governor candidate to take on Dave Heineman in November.
And really, if you’re a Dem with ambitions, why the heck not? You get your name out there. You meet the Elks clubs. You go to the Husker games. And if lightning hits you four or five times, you get an uncertain job in state government.
What’s not to like?
So step it up Dems! Get yourself a #2 already.
Oh, and BYOSsS (Seersucker Suit).
***
And kids, while we tough our way through the dog days of August,...just remember that while football season is a good two months away, Labor Day is less than 30.
And what happens on Labor Day?
The REAL start of the campaign season.
Fasten your seatbelts. (Especially those of you in NE-2.)
Monday, August 09, 2010
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132 comments:
I never experienced Suttle as a Mayor. (I experienced his wife as a legislator and have a little diddy about that.) But I did experience the 'Omaha factor' of Nebraska's "good life." Too many philanthropists "donating" too many new venues and now you, the public, must pay the light bills. Is the raw sewage still flowing in basements there?
You're gonna' have to raise taxes in Omaha and you knew (or reasonably should have known) this day was coming when you voted FOR the convention center bonds under Daub. Might as well quit bitching and pay up!
Does David Nabity even live in Omaha? Or am I thinking of David kramer?
Raising tax on property, food and wheels, punishes the people of Omaha, it brings not one more dollar more into Omaha, and it drives people with money out of Omaha.
Omaha needs more revenue. It is Suttle's job to bring in more outside business, tourism, etc., and have them bring their outside dollars into Omaha.
Instead, Suttle punishes the people who elected him for sake of his own failure to bring outside dollars into Omaha. HIS FAILURE.
If Omaha needs more revenue, that means Omaha hasn't enough dollars flowing in. Keep raising tax percentages, and next time people move, they move out of Omaha and they take thier dollars with them.
Suttle has the kind of limited mentality that creates a ghetto out of a nice city.
Late last week, the Omaha police union mailed out an expensive 8 page over-sized publication entitled "The Bottom Line" in which they attempt to spin the currently proposed police union contract as "the deal of the century". I don't know how widely this publication was distributed but it appears that it may have been targeted to city council districts of those council members who have expressed concerns about the proposed contract. Besides featuring a front page editorial which was evidently ghost written for the union president's byline, it's nothing but pure spin about how tough this proposed contract is for police union members. I'm left wondering how these poor under-compensated police officers managed to spend thousands of dollars on this political mailing. I checked this morning and I couldn't find "The Bottom Line" on the union website.
Sweeper, I'm disappointed in you. You are perpetuating the hype (a la Don Walton) that there is going to be some big smackdown with White and Terry and we should all be excited for the fireworks come Labor Day.
Really?
Do you really think this is going to be a competitive race? Do they even show up to work every day over at White HQ? Do they have any campaign structure at all? Salient, resonating policy points?
I think you are setting us up for a major disappointment (NEW Coke advertising); this is going to be a dud of a campaign.
White will go negative with some 'hail Mary' attempts to bring LT down, and the voters won't buy it. We will hear about "lack of leadership" and "cozy with female lobbyists" until we are blue-in-the-face, or White runs out of cash/credibility and crawls back into his trial law practice.
Why are the Republican letting three Republican legislators getting away with supporting higher taxes. Pahls, Adams, and Dierks called for higher taxes in the OWH yesterday. I haven't see a Dem call for higher taxes. These three are way out of line. Where is Fahlson and the party leadership at? These guys need to be taken behind the wood shed!!
Anon. 9:30--
Give it up. No one is going to read that article in the WH (or your lame distortions of it on here), and say, oh, Gee, I guess the Dems are the party of lower taxes after all. The real world always seems to intrude on the fantasy-posts on here.
Further, as I read that article, Dierks proposed a shift from property taxes to sales. Adams said exemptions "should be looked at". That counts as both of them being for higher taxes?
Finally, the reason Dems in the Leg. aren't proposing higher taxes is because they aren't proposing anything. Mello wants a special session, but doesn't say what he thinks should be done. I'm sure Nordquist agrees with him. White has been running for Congress for two years. Etc.
Tom White has 500k on hand still and Lee Terry has almost 800k, that is more than enough ammunition to do some heavy hitting on both sides.
I want to be Lt. Governor...so long as I get a matching suit.
And you call me Jelly Bean!
Maybe Vic Covalt should jump in there as Goober's running mate. He's from the eastern half of the state. Then we could have Goober and Gomer together again.
Dear Nathan: You need more than 500k to launch a new brand and White is someone most don't know while Terry is the devil they do.
The White campaign has done a miserable job of introducing itself and telling its story and no matter how negative the news is on Lee Terry it won't move the loyalists to abandon him.
Either way both guys seem to be comatose in their efforts to stimulate any kind of interest other than a voter snorefest. This is what happens when the kids are left to mind the store. You get...well...not much.
No complaints here. As an Omaha resident I understand that desparate financial times call for desprate measures. Too few leaders have the courage to raise taxes when it is absolutely necessary. Just keeping giving us what we pay for and we'll call it even.
I'm waiting for Jean Stothert to advocate cutting taxes to solve the budget shortfall because... well... that makes sense.
They can increase taxes...I'll just start spending less to make up for it so I stay within my budget.
Cox just raised their rates, so I lowered my services to stay within the same amount. City raises my property tax and imposes a restaurant tax, I'll stop going out..I already reduced it to two nights a month anyway!
They can increase taxes...I'll just start spending less to make up for it so I stay within my budget.
Cox just raised their rates, so I lowered my services to stay within the same amount. City raises my property tax and imposes a restaurant tax, I'll stop going out..I already reduced it to two nights a month anyway!
Anon 1:33
Cutting taxes to raise revenue has made a lot of sense to a lot of people...including John F Kennedy.
Anon 2:12
The earth at the center of the universe made sense to a lot of people. Doesn't mean it's right.
And if it makes so much sense why isn't Stothert advocating tax cuts?
Let's give Councilman Chris Jerram some credit for the most creative naming of a nonresident occupation tax as a street use fee. A true creative Democrat, owned by the fire union and never at a loss for ideas to raise taxes. He's even funneling fire union money to Tom White's campaign via his own city council campaign fund.
GeosUser might want to check with Boomer before bringing the Firefighters Union into the congressional race. Remember Lee Terry has taken something like $50,000 from the IAFF. This enthusaistic support of the firefighters goes back to Terry's time going to bat for them on the Omaha City Council.
Wonder if Terry will want them to put up big "Terry for Congress" signs in front of the union hall this time around?
Wonder what sweetheart deals for firefighters Terry voted for when he was on the council?
Gee--and I wonder what happened in the nursery when Lee was born if there was a nurse there that may have given him extra treatment or a doctor that didn't slap his behind or,....could we go back in time to check for influence peddling or just stick to this decade?
David Nabity is stupid enough to think that cutting 50 law enforcement personnel wont have an impact? Does he not think that if the Douglas County Sheriff has more area to patrol and respond to they wont need to hire more deputies? Being anti-tax is one thing, being mentally incompetent and assuming we're all just like you is another.
Nathan, you must be the mentally incompetent one....theres areas out in west Omaha that are the sheriff's responsibility completely surrounded by the city; which deputies must patrol and Omaha police dont. It makes sense for a uniform edge for jurisdictions, and since the deputies are cheaper to hire, why not?
And here we go.
Look, you want to make a point about Suttle and taxes or Heineman and taxes or how the Congressmen have voted on taxes. Great. Go for it.
But cutting and pasting something you found on Kos or where ever about taxes and Reagan or Carter or whatever you may find, does not a comment make.
Get original. Make YOUR OWN comment related to the post, or at the VERY least, to the theme of this here blog.
Or don't bother.
-Ed.
Anon,
So you want to steal from Peter to pay Paul? Cutting the city budget by getting rid of police officers only to have to pay Douglas County most of the difference is a good idea? His 7 million in savings for the city will mean most of that will just be shifted to Douglas County. Or are you naive enough to think that we can cut 50 LEOs and not have a dropoff in safety?
Do you think having a violent crime rate 2 points higher than the rest of the country is fine? How about a property crime rate 20 points higher than the National average? There are numerous websites where you can go look all that up.
As a west Omaha resident, I don't want policing duties handed off to the Doulgas County Sheriff's department. An officer in the sheriff's department goes through a much less intense screening process and goes through much less training than an Omaha police officer. Don't you remember how several officers on the Elkhorn police force were given special treatment by the OPD and still didn't get hired because they didn't meet the basic requirements of being an officer in Omaha.
The sheriff's department is the junior varsity squad. I'm paying for the varsity squad and I want the varsity squad.
And if a crime is committed and a Douglas County cop responds, is the investigation getting handed over to the Douglas County Crime Lab? Yeah, I really want crimes investigated by that competent crime lab.
Way to support the Sheriff's Dept...you're just a snobbish west Omahan who wants services gold platted, but doesn't realize that it costs a pretty penny. Sorta the reason the City's in this mess...
Maybe the Elkhorn officers didn't get into OPD because of Elkhorn PD's standards. Or they just weren't as qualified as they thought. I don't see how that reflects on the Sheriff's Dept.
Wait a minute. Raise taxes? Really?
How about cutting the size of government?
When will some people realize Government exists to do what the individual inherently can't. The bottom line is you need to take care of your self. So sorry if you make bad choices and have a limited lifestyle.
People come over on boats, have limited education, don't speak the language, and don't have a place to live. Then somehow, as if by magic, they have jobs, open businesses, and turn into very stable, Enlish Speaking, Americans.
Wow how do they do it?
Cut the services, thereby cutting the cost of Government. Then give the public sector employees a choice, great pay now and so so retirement OR so so pay now and better retirement.
And will someone PUHleese either elimit the CIR or at least put a leash on it!
Republicans should just man up and pay their taxes without being crybabies. If a person is confident in themselves, their own talents and ambitions, taxes shouldn't hold them back from achieving their dreams and accumulating wealth. When I want more money I just look at myself and realize I can earn more by working harder and smarter. Republicans on both the city level and national level look to the government for a handout in the form of a tax break.
So apparently the plan is to cut 54 police officers and replace them with 20 sheriff deputies for a grand total negative loss of 34 LEOs? Your right I love more crime!
You all need to learn how to show some respect to firefighters and law enforcement officers be it a city police officer (not refered to as a cop) or a county sheriff. All you ever do is complain but when all hell breaks lose and you or someone you know needs help we will come help you because that is the job we have undertaken, be it a paid or volunteer position. Stop you bitching about all the fire and pollice departments and instead ask what you can do to make it easier on them. For example...I don't even live in omaha but I now volunteer my time to the department because the city of omaha now donesnt have to spend money they dont have to pay someone to do my job. So the bottom line is--stop your bitvhing about all police and fire departments and ask yourslef what can I do to help them because someday they will help me.
-volunteer firefighter/paramedic
Has anyone heard of any candidates stepping up to take on Chris Beutler in the Lincoln Mayor's race next year?
Well, I stuck with this conversation for an entire day and don't see that y'all have made any progress. Again, I instruct: You Must Confront Your TAX BASE Issue If You Ever Want Real TAX RELIEF. When a new business wants to start up in Omaha, forget tax increment financing. When another philanthropist wants to give 'ya another public space, consider the cost of those bonds and keeping the lights on. 'Cause they're gonna' bite 'ya, later...
Both Daves live in the City limits.
It is honestly amazing to me that the street cops and fire crews are the ones taking a beating here. For one thing,everything they have in their contract was achieved through contract negotiations. Negotiations require give and take-by definition of the word.
That give and take was primarily done by Union attorneys and a Mayoral "negotiating team".
Elected officials can only vote on what's in front of them-not what's not in front of them.
The Mayor has the ultimate responsibility-signing a union contract, or, vetoing one.
What did Mike Fahey do when he was in office? Did he sign his brother John Fahey's negotiated contract on behalf of the firefighters?
Who's law office negotiated the OPD contracts for the last 10 years?
Even the FF and the OFD have buyers remorse on this one. They refused to support Daub for Mayor because they could see what an idiot Suttle was and that they could get him to do what their attorneys want.
Now they all say, "better the devil you know, than...".
Get off your zealot like hatred of the street cops and firefighters.
Get up off your asses and get informed before you vote for another idiot for Mayor or accept what you get and keep your mouth shut if you couldn't be bothered to skip your kids soccer practice to go vote for your City leaders anyway.
I don't know what the firefighters negotiated and what should be done about them, but the feds will be sending money soon to keep the cops paid and the teachers too!
Several things:
The Douglas County Sheriff's office is made up of terrific men and women who are just as qualified as the OPD. If you want to use the argument that more screening makes for better ciops...than lets get rid of Omaha and Douglas and have the State Partol do it. If you have ever smoked marijuana in your life, you cannot serve as a State Patrol officer. You cannot live with your girlfriend either (although they may have recently changed that...not sure).
anon @ 11:55--Work harder? Do you think that automatically means that more money appears in my pocket? Some day...maybe. Right now there are no jobs in my field that pay more than what I make. I already have a second job, and as a single mom--the cost of the babysitter and gas almost negates that. Companies are NOT hadning out raises for workers that work harder--they do not have the revenue to do so.
When the smoking ban went into effect in Omaha people went outside the city limits to spend their money. My Tues. night girls and I did..6 of us. The same thing will happen with this 4% tax. Many people, myself included, have a strict budget--I live paycheck to paycheck. I budget myself to $50 per night out: $20 for the sitter and $30 for the bar/restaurant. It has been said that the 4% will not add much..that is true. BUT, I will not go over my $30 limit. So that means one of two things: 1) My server gets less of a tip meaning she has less money to spend in the economy or 2) I have one less drink at the establishment thereby lowering their profits and lowering their tax receipts.
Serious cuts needs to be made. Government should provide only what is needed: infrastructure and public safety.
You think people should shut up and pay thier taxes. Whatever the government says is right. Obey our goverment and everything will be fine.
If you Democrats were around in 1776, we'd still be British.
After Bush got done with our country, we'd have been a lot better off being British.
Anon 10:21...
the thing that scares me is that you are okay with the fact that after Obama is done with our country, it won't be America anymore.
Nathan...police officers don't prevent or stop crimes...they investigate crimes, and when possible, apprehend suspects. From there, the judicial system gives them a slap on the wrist, lets them go, and the criminals go on to commit more crimes. More police won't prevent crimes...but an armed populace trained in the proper use of firearms? Now we're getting somewhere!
Anon 11:03,
As long as America doesn't look like your Fourth Reich, that's good enough for me.
Grundle- AMEN!
The British in the American Revolution and their supporters were called Tories. That is the 1776 word for conservatives. Patriots were the liberals. You GOP people need to stop watching FOX and get your facts straight. America is a lot better off with liberals running the show. We saw how the conservatives did it from 2001 to 2009. It was not pretty. It will take more than a few months to drive this car wreck out of the ditch. The sooner we get democrats in charge in Nebraska the better. Heinmann will not be able to balance the budget much longer with out Obama's help.
Grundle 11:13 You mean like lynch mobs? WOW going back to your beliefs of guilty before you can prove your innonence. You sound like a Republican.
Grundle,
I have a .45 for that reason.
dear god, Franklin Thompson is coming out swinging defending his 2004 police contract vote....looks like hes taken some heat for it
anon 1:21, yeah, the 1.2 trilion dollar deficit Obama has run up is much better than the 250 billion dollar deficit bush had.
ANON 5:14. Since Bush never counted the two wars in his cooked books accounting. His budget blows up are so much bigger than Obamas when they are counted. Obama counted them he was honest. Bush was not. I know you don't like to believe it. But Obamas budget doing it the way Bush did is 2% lower than Bushes. Plus Obama gave the biggest tax cut in history to the middle class last year. Facts are facts. Plus much of Obamas defecit is interest earned by Bush and the GOP. The facts are the facts. Except on FOX and fools. The all star wrestling of tv news. All fake.
Face it, you libs/"progressives are going to lose big. Only thing is this time the People, not the R's or the Conservatives nor even the Tea Party, THE PEOPLE are going to forever remember you as the "type" of people who made this mess as bad as it is.
Anytime the philosophy of the Progressive is uttered it will be in shame and disrespect.
The Suttle pressure isn't going to get any better soon.
Hey have you heard about how Sen's Mello and Nordquist, the Twins, are working with Mike Meister? Yep, seems they are peppering the Executive Branch with letters and pulling a Trial Lawyers trick to keep em busy answereing letters and not letting them perform their normal duties. I won't be surprised to see the information they gather end up in Goobers race.
There Mello keeps spouting about efficient government and all yet he is burying the Dept in requests for information. What a dweeb.
Hey a Goober needs a Dweeb right?
Publius said Anytime the philosophy of the Progressive is uttered it will be in shame and disrespect.
Progressive were the people who wrote the Declaration of Independence. They wrote the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They fought for Civil Rights in the past and today. Progressive / liberals have the proud history of making America great in all of it's nobelest ideas. Progressives believe in Democracy and one man one vote. They believe just because you are rich and powerful does not mean that you are more important than the poor and the weak. In other words progressives are not conservatives.
Wow, Anon 6:47. Talk about stealing a base or two. How in the world did Progressives write the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution since the Progressive Movement wasn't even around until the last part of the 19th century? Hell, none of the founders of the Progressive Movement were even born in 1776.
Macdaddy you know better you know that progressives and liberals are the one and the same. But thanks for reading. Remember the Liberals were the Patriots the Conversatives were the Tories. You know the ones on the side of the British.
The NEGOP is celebrating the 90th Anniversary of Women having the right to vote by stripping the gender-balance policy from their constitution and will go ahead and turn the NEGOP leadership into a huge sausage fest!! Rock On Fahleson!!
I knew there was some reason I didn't like that Winestyles place. I guess I will just have to stick with Spirit World and Brix.
Please, correct me if they charged Janie the Wino full price. If they did, I will put them back on my list of vendors for Christmas.
OK, Anon 7:34, I'll bite even though I'm casting pearls before swine. You need to go back and read a history book if you think today's liberals are the same as yesterday's liberals. Classical liberals, aka yesterday's liberals, believed in limited government and capitalism. The movement came about in the early 1800's. Adam Smith and his Wealth of Nations probably best exemplifies the movement. Does that sound like Hillary Clinton and Obama, both of whom proudly wear the Progressive label, to you? Not hardly. Does that sound like our Founding Fathers? You betcha. From top to bottom, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution show a deep mistrust of government, although it was seen as a necessary evil. Today's Progressives/Liberals see the government as this big benevolent God from whom all blessings flow, unless Michael Moore needs some McDonald's money or 60 Minutes ratings are falling. So, modern liberals = big government. Classical liberals = small government. Progressives = big government in denial.
BTW, read fast. This post has nothing to do with Nebraska in any specific fashion, other than:
Go Huskers!
Progressive were the people .. nobelest
The Federalist Papers were written in English, not chimp. Go finish grade school English, and get back to us.
I can't wait until RWP finally gets upset about all of us on here making fun of him for not voting that he goes down to the election commission and gets registered to vote, then votes for the first time this fall. We'll all get to see the day he registers to vote.
RWP no one and I mean no one cares what you think about anything. Do you ever notice no one and I mean non one ever defends you. You love to say how people pick on you and then in the next sentence you slam some one. I would be willingly to bet that if they checked your one of those who bought his degree on line at one of those paper mill colleges. If you would stop insulting every little typo and slamming people for their opinions. Maybe people would not slam you back. Get some decency. Your chimp line was out of line and was not funny!
Suttle=White
No doubt about it. And the two of them sit around dreaming of being in the same room with Pelosi.
Sorry tommy but it's not going to happen.
I would be willingly to bet that if they checked your one of those who bought his degree on line at one of those paper mill colleges.
OK, chickenshit. You're on for $10,000. You can come down to my office and inspect it. And since y'all are so great at research, you can check it against the records of a certain college in Cambridge, MA, founded 1636. Bring you Latin teacher so you can read it.
Cash preferred, if you please.
So now police and firefighter pensions are just "giveaways", eh? Dave Nabity should really STFU and stick to his smooth jazz. Better yet, just STFU.
We now have the definitive last word on police/fire pensions from Comrade Kuhns. Maybe he should take his own advice and spend his time preparing to relocate to his idea of heaven on earth, Cuba, where they have put into practice his beloved communist philosophy.
A few observations after watching the last hour or so of the City Council meeting last night:
David Nabity is the Mort Sullivan of the 21st century. Why won't Tom Becka ask him about how the folks at Trinity Interdenomiational feel about him and his antics.
Jean Stothert is worse than Kathleen McCallister in terms of civility.
Franklin Thompson is trying to re-write history -- He supported the 2004 police and fire contracts that exacerbated the current budget problems.
I am firm in my opinion that you should leave our places of worship out of your comments. i don't attend Trinity, but I have a lot of friends that were on both sides of that issue. It was a spilt of philosophy. It happens. Look what happened in the 90's to the Methodist Churches.
It is also going on right now in the Catholic Church. I mean seriously, does anyone believe that you can be Catholic and Pro Choice as that jackass lobbyist from Washington stated in his "open letter" to Arch Bishop Lucas?
If you don't have the courage to leave your faith when you don't believe in it, maybe you should question the choices you are making.
So, back to the point, leave the worship houses out of the mudslinging.
Sorry, 9:17. For me, Trinity isn't the issue. I have nothing bad to say about that church.
What is relevant, however, is Nabity's divisive and destructive behavior toward the church. That same behavior is now on full display as it regards the city's budget and pension issues.
For those of you wondering, a few years back, David Nabity led a bizzare effort to divide Trinity's congregation (and assets).
Kinda like what he's doing now.
Sounds like NE Voter is displaying a case of sour grapes. Get over it.
Seems the bottom line is to reduce services, take more personal responsibility, and thereby reduce costs and live within the budget.
Really simple when you think about it.
If Nabity were a Democrat, he would be called a "Community Organizer".
GeoUser, why don't you explain to everyone here your belief that police officers, firemen, teachers, miners, aerospace workers, auto workers, ironworkers, plumbers, electrical workers, bricklayers, painters, truck drivers, and dock workers are all involved in a communist plot to take over America.
Maybe all those folks should move to Cuba and leave the real "heavy lifters" in the corporate offices to take care of business in their own free market capitalist paradise(think Somalia).
Domn:
You're confusing the people with the union. I was in a union once, in NY State. It was presented to me as a condition of my employment, after I'd signed a contract, of course. Later I found out I could have declined to join the union, but they would have deducted 1% of my pay anyway. I was never asked if I wanted to be in the union, or if I wanted them to represent me. I ended up trying to negotiate my salary independent of the union; start at $29 K and earn 3% raises a year, and you don't get very far very fast. It failed, because the union had negotiated away merit raises to the extent that the institution simply couldn't pay me competitively. So I walked.
What you're doing is like confusing police officers, firemen, teachers, miners, aerospace workers, auto workers, ironworkers, plumbers, electrical workers, bricklayers, painters, truck drivers, and dock workers with the former U.S.S.R..
Unions are antithetical to everything this country stands for.
Comrade Kuhns,
You ask about all types of employees who were/are members of trade unions. My simple response is...Outside of slavery and military conscription, when was anyone ever forced to accept/hold any specific job you listed? It's obvious to everyone you suffer from a massive case of success envy apparently resulting from a life of bad economic decisions that have left you yearning for the power to take from the labor of others instead of what you might have produced for yourself...just like all your fellow moochers.
In the 1930's when the Republicans led us into the great depression. The country was in a bad fix. Unions and union leadership and all of the what republicans call the small people helped lead this country out of it. They gave hope along with FDR"s programs that America could be great again. Their was talk of revolution in the air. And in some cases violence. Many historians believe that the unions are a major reason why the Soviets or the NAZIS never got a toe hold in America. Unions created the middle class. You ever notice that reactionary states always out law unions.
Unions led the U.S. out of the Depression??? Oh brother.
Focus on a little event called WWII instead, comrade.
Geo, you and the RWP need to get on the same page. He's arguing that people in unions don't really like them, and you're arguing, well I'm not really sure what the heck you're arguing, but it seems to contradict your pal.
You keep calling me a communist. Why? Because I believe that people ought to be compensated fairly for their labor, and collective bargaining can accomplish this? Or is it because anyone who can see that conservatives are often engaged in class warfare must be a communist, just as anyone who criticizes Israel's policies must be an anti-Semite in some eyes?
If you wonder why I keep ragging on corporate bigwigs, it's because your own philosophy exhalts these people to such an extent that you guys think a corporate CEO making a thousand time what his lowliest employee makes is fairly compensated, while a police officer who wants a decent retirement pension and good healthcare is a "millstone around the neck of taxpayers", to quote one of your town hall mobsters. Blatant class warfare, like I said.
I know why you keep ragging on so-called "corporate bigwigs" Comrade, you're a moocher. It's just that simple. If you don't approve of a corporation's compensation plans, then don't apply for a job there, don't buy their stock or any product/service they produce.
As for police, fire or any other workers, they get the minimum compensation necessary to recruit and retain their services while they render those services. They don't "deserve" anything else. It's the employment market that determines what they should be paid. If it isn't enough, no suitable applicants apply and current employees leave in excess numbers. If it's too much, you have hundreds of applicants for a limited number of openings and current employees stay. Just like the Omaha police and fire departments.
GeosUser,
You rag on those workers like they are moochers. I question whether all the time you seem to have for blogging all day, and all night, isn't because you too are mooching. Only you must be mooching off of your parents. That must make it right, since it isn't mooching off the government. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Geosuser,
The ugliness in politics is you. You are a grade a doucebag who'se understanding pf politics is simplistic and idiotic, to the point where people in your own party don't support you. You are confrontational and offer nothing but a dumbed down regurgitation of Glenn Beck talking points.
I also find it hilarious that the Chamber's President and OPPD CEO Gary Gates condemns Suttle's tax proposals, but has no problem jacking up OPPD's rates for its customers -- Us.
Obviously, those inescapble rate increases are job-killers, no?
By the way, don't forget that Jean Stothert accepted campaign money from the Police union.
Between Nabity, Stothert and the Chamber, the hypocrisy on display just reeks.
Geo, you and the RWP need to get on the same page.
Uh, why? He has his reasons, I have mine. We both hate collectivism.
In my case, I was forced to belong to a union which was actively trying to prevent me from making a living wage, to benefit a group of far better paid employees who had decided to retire in place at age 40. And that is the public employee union in a nutshell.
I find it humorous that folks like Don and Anon 4:11, folks who would lead you to believe they are progressive and independent thinkers, actually subscribe to the 'group-think' mentality..."If nobody else argues the same argument as the person I disagree with, then they must be wrong!"
Might doesn't always make right. Of course, this lesson goes in one ear and out the other, as 'their' party holds the Congressional majority.
They not only supported clean Jean, but they put together a website (or was that the firefighters?) that did nothing, but mock her opponent every inch of the way. Granted, he wasn't the brightest bulb in the pack, but boy that nonstop pounding sure helped the "to be fair" pure as the driven snow conservative Jean.
Yeh right.
Hey folks,
Reign it in an bring the temperature down.
Mellow out a bit or I will just start deleting comments and no one will know what you think (or think you agree with them!).
Thanks
-Ed.
4:00, you've got the GUster all wrong. I used to think he was carrying water for the owners' club, but now I can that see he's a card-carrying master of the universe. He probably produces more wealth in one hour than you have in your entire miserable moochy life. Respect his athortae or he'll drink your milkshake dry.
I think it is time for a new post.
Maybe to spend, or not to spend?
Why does Goober's website mention his divorce under his biography? I mean, there's nothing wrong with it, but it's a bit depressing. Why showcase it?
Maybe if he tells everyone he's divorced, they won't think it's weird that he is out all the time with someone he's not married to?
I don't like the guy, think he's going to get a royal spanking, but I could see the need to explain.
Now the Omaha Police Alliance is airing ads attacking Dave Nabity and his character.
I will no longer support the Omaha Police Union's charitable activities because of this.
GM reports its best earnings since 2004. Well it looks like the democrats and Obama were right again. They saved the car companies tails. All those people have jobs thanks to Democrats. America still has American owned car companies thanks to democrats. The pathetic republicans who always say no. Why? Because they have no plan outside of borrowing money from China to give the rich more tax cuts.
8:08
David Nabity -- his character and his motives -- is fair game. He has voluntarily made himself a public figure.
For all the coverage local hate radio and the newspaper have given to Nabity and the Omaha Alliance, aren't any of you the least bit curious why there has never been a story about the group itself?
Who funds Omaha Alliance?
Why was it formed?
Why was it originally called the Nebraska Alliance for the Private Sector?
Who are its members?
What is each member contributing?
Where do they meet?
Can the general public attend its meetings?
If not, why not?
Why does David Nabity meet with Tom Becka so frequently at Wheatfield's?
How often does Jean Stothert meet/speak with David Nabity?
The media seems content to accept the legitimacy of the Omaha Alliance without examining the organization itself. Pretty fishy.
Bottom line -- The Omaha Alliance is a bunch of conservative phoney baloney budget hacks whose goal is to smash the unions and damage a Democratic Mayor becuase they could not beat him at the ballot box.
By the way, what ever happened to Jim Vokal and OMAPAC? He said he was going to be the "citizens watchdog." Seems like he's content to be a lapdog since he was appointed to the MECA board.
I don't agree with NE Voter on about much of anything, but I can confirm that Tom Becka and Dave Nabity meet so regularly at Wheatfields for breakfast that they have become attached at the hip. He goes to Nabity to be spoon fed a diet of whatever Nabity gives him and regurgitates it on his shows - no matter how error-filled the information is.
Now it makes sense while I was sitting at home geeking out and watching some of the City Council the other night, who happens to get up and testify against the Mayor's budget with Nabity shown on tv right behind smiling while seated in the first row???
You got it the owner of Wheatfields.
LOL
Oh, I wonder how that happened? eh hem- Nabity and Becka....hmmm
I wonder if that owner of Wheatfields- I couldn't make out is name on tv that well, but his shirt looked like it had either "Don" or "Ron" sewn on his chest
Well people have the same questions about Bold Nebraska and Jane Kleeb.
Who funds Bold Nebraska?
Why was it formed?
Who are its members?
What is each member contributing?
Where do they meet?
Can the general public attend its meetings?
If not, why not?
Other questions:
Why does David Nabity meet with Tom Becka so frequently at Wheatfield's? MAYBE THEY LIKE THE FOOD!!!
How often does Jean Stothert meet/speak with David Nabity? How often does Jane Kleeb meet/speak with (first name?) Holland?
_______________________________
And so what if the owner of Wheatfields was there? He has a vested interest as a 4% eating out tax directly affects him.
Maybe the changed the name of the group because it fit better...big deal! Marketing 101 tells you that sometimes a name change is necessary for a group or business.
I am glad that Omaha Alliance is looking into these budget items and the business of the Union--that's what is fishy too me.
@ Anon 8:11...it would be interesting to know how much of GM's reported earnings are from government fleet vehicle purchases.
CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN...
Vile Kyle's latest article basically says NNN is going dormant for a while and that Bold Nebr. is the new leading progressive site. lol
9:04
I would have no problem if the media asked Bold Nebraska the same questions.
The issue is: Why isn't the media asking these questions?
The OW-H and KFAB lost their legitimacy years ago enabling yahoos like Nabity and his Nattering Nabobs of Negativity to run wild with misinformation and harebrained budget ideas that have ZERO applicability in the real world.
The Mayor's job is to govern, and that certainly includes assisting in job creation. Tell me, what has David Brown been doing the last 8 years? Where are the jobs, Dave.
Same question for Roger Dixon -- Where are the conventions? Has't it bee your job for 8 years to book 'em?
No more excuses.
NNN and BN....
That's like a beauty contest that has only two contestants...and both are ugly.
Mary Jayne is back I see and she wants an Obama-White Rally. I would pay to see that!!!
841
Are you stalking Becka or Nabity? And unless you're either Becka or Nabity, how would you know the conversation so that Becka is merely a pawn of Nabity?
GM reports its best earnings since 2004.
Which is not saying much.
So in return for about $70 bn from the US and Canada, and the writing off of over $150 bn in debt, GM turns in a quarterly profit of slightly more than $1 bn.
Of course, In the interim, we've paid more in interest on the money we borrowed to bail out GM.
You can tell that Becka is a parrot for Nabity by listening to his show. My God. How much free air time does Nabity and his alliance get on KFAB in nonstop interviews and call-ins? Come on KFAB, it's getting one-sided.
Most have to pay for 30 or 60 second radio spots while this guy is on blabbing free morning (even Saturday in the 7:00AM hour)until night. Are the police or firefighters getting equal time? I bet not. Or, for that fact the mayor?
Nabity deserves scrutiny by virtue of the fact he puts himself out there as the sage of finance. Well, not all are sheep that see it his way and therein lies criticism.
Heaven forbid if anyone raises the question from where the money for his magnimous oratory flows.
Why hasn't local newspaper done an investigation considering some of their topics of the past?
The radio ad by the police is what Jean refers to as being "fair." Unfortunately, payback is hell when there's more than one dog in the fight.
Mulligan just announced he will vote for the police union contract.
RWP your an idiot. The company makes money. That is what they want to do and are supposed to do. If the government had not helped them out. They would not have made a dime. None of those people would have jobs. The people who make money selling items to GM would be broke. The people who live across the nation selling GM cars would be done. You get wrapped up in your I am a right wing fanatic and so smart that you can't see that this is a good thing for America. If Obama told you the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west you would call him a liar and come up with some BS theory to prove it. Your a tool and no one should pay any more attention to you.
KFAB, Becka included, always invite "the other side." "The other side" has decided it is not worth the effort to show up.
Suttle recall guy has withdrawn his affidavit, ending the goofy attempt to take down the Mayor.
What a dopey idea that was. What am I going to do with all the popcorn I made?
RWP your an idiot. The company makes money. That is what they want to do and are supposed to do. If the government had not helped them out. They would not have made a dime.
General Motors lost $4.3 bn in the last half of 2009. It made $2.2 bn in the first quarter of 2010. Since the bailout, therefore, it has lost $2.1 bn.
Sorry, should have said "it made $2.2 bn in the first half of 2010".
RWP, what's your point? Appears GM is on the road to recovery instead of failing and putting its own employees and many more in related industries out of work. The direction is what's important, not the net over the last year. You should (and I'm sure you do) know better than this. But scoring points and winning? the argument is more important I guess.
Vile Kyle's latest article basically says NNN is going dormant for a while
How will we be able to tell?
RWP don't you care about America? Don't you care that GM is starting to dig out of the hole? Or is all you care about is that your party the GOP be in charge. That no matter what Obama and democrats do is all wrong. Even when it helps Americans. Don't try to pin this, that democrats did not care when Bush was President. Because they did. They voted for many of his things. Do you cheer for the Russians in the Olympics too? How about Texas when the play the Huskers?
Looks like "Bud" is still after you, Prof ... only he has resorted to that last refuge of the epistemologically challenged - the infamous "Anonymous". His writing style (or should I say lack of writing style) is as distinctive as a fingerprint.
Ain't the internet grand?
Did anyone shed any tears for poor Dave Nabity after the hillarious radio ads calling him out for his misleading personal attacks recently? Not me. It was kinda of refreshing to hear the police call this dude out for what he is. This guy with his pal, Tom "I wanna be somebody" Becka, spent the more than the last two months name calling the mayor a liar and filling the airwaves with personal attacks against people, even resorting to "the fix is in - type rhetoric are getting whhat they had coming. Now, they through themselves a pitty party on the radio tonight. What losers.
Since everyone seems to be interested in my eating habits I have only met Nabity at Wheatfields 2 times. The latest time was about 4 months ago. I do meet other friends there on a regular basis. Most of whom are conservative.
I have also had lunch with Michael Leahy at Greek Isles, Tom White and Mayor Suttle at the Dundee Dell and about 3 years ago I had lunch with Franklin Thompson at Goldberg's where we vehemently disagreed.
I'm sure there are others that I have missed but I thought I'd keep you all up to date.
Tom Becka
P.S. I look forward to having dinner with the Mayor at his house in September. I think I'll bring Jean Stothert as my guest.
Did everyone see the poll on Suttle that MOPOA commissioned? Wow. Suttle is toast. They just posted it to their website omahalandlords dot com. The numbers on the city council districts are pretty interesting. Looks like North O isn't too happy with Ben Gray. Frank Brown should make a comeback.
Right Wing Professor, we can just go to NNN to see if Kyle's website goes dormant for a while. Just like we can look at the voter file and see that your voting has gone dormant for quite some time.
Interesting that after two quarters of modest profit, the GM CEO just bailed. No doubt he wanted to let someone else take the credit for GM's vigorous recovery.
Or maybe Obama's going to try to force through an IPO before the election, and the CEO wants no part of it.
You can look wherever you want whenever you want, anonymous coward. But if you don't know what to look for, I expect you won't find very much.
Leave it to the commenters of Leavenworth to digress to something that has nothing to do with the original post...
At any rate... BTO for GM CEO?
Anon 9:39: ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz
939 AKA Vyle Kyle
The attempt to obscure the failing of NNN to compete with LWS is hilarious. Bold will not be able to combat the conservative nature of the NEB because progressivism in general preys on the young, feeble, inner-city minds searching for meaning. However, Nebraskans are rooted in their principles and no amount of union funding will turn Nebraska blue.
Now, why is RWP's voting record public record? Should that not be confidential? And what has it got to do with anything? It is a cop out argument.
Jamie, this is an anonymous blog. Right Wing Professor put his real name on here and made himself out to be some sort of public official with his University tenure. Freedom of speech against public officials is the most protected speech in the country. See The People Vs. Larry Flynt.
God Bless America
A university employee is not a public official by any normal meaning of the term, any more than an illiterate history teacher in the Valentine Public Schools system is.
Police contract = Nabity/Omaha Alliance epic fail.
The only only elected officials afraid of Nabity and his OOPS are Franklin Thompson; Jean Stothert and Pete Festersen.
And don't forget that Thompson voted for the previous police contract that created spiking and reduced the retirement age to 45.
Oh, and Jean $tothert took moneey from the police union during the campaign.
Finally, I guess you can lead a Fasthorse to water but you can't make him drink.
Have a great weekend, ya'll!
9:55 yesterday. Neither Dixon or Brown are elected officials. As far as the jobs, it is a little hard to create jobs in a City our size when all the "job creation" cash is going to large union dominated communities. We are a community based on the railroad and business. If you haven't noticed, this administration is doing everything it can to TAKE from business (fed and city) and the railroads have been busy trying to stay in business in the face of pending Crap and Tax. Besides the point that when people don't buy, manufacturers don't transport goods to consumers.
As far as conventions? Swim trials, Safari, Space Conference, Concerts, etc. But, when you don't have a hotel that can house an entire convention, meetings and all, they go to Vegas instead. I hear you can get a great room at the Belagio for about $60 a night when booked with a convention.
9:55
Keep the excuses coming. David Brown and Roger Dixon are failures by any measure. Dixon, in particular, should be fired.
The arena is doing fine, thanks to Creighton and the past-their-sell-date rockers like Eric Clapton and worst-band-of-all-time Nickelback and crappy country artists who repeatedly gyp gullible baby boomers.
On the other hand, the convention center is empty.
I cannot understand how Dixon keeps his gig. Don't even get me started on his BONUSES.
Although I feel MECA has done as good as they can booking the Qwest Center, the lack of necessary hotel rooms attached to the center at reasonable rates has hurt it...I am going to actually slightly throw up in my mouth as I admit I agree with NE Voter in regards to bonuses that Dixon gets...in fact, NONE of the MECA board should get bonuses!
I don't think anyone on the MECA Board gets paid anything, including and especially bonuses.?
Dixon is not a Board Member. He is an employee of MECA, not the City of Omaha. Like it or not.
They get bonuses...there was a huige brew-ha-ha over it a few years ago...
The Board Members or the Executive Director, Roger Dixon?
The Board Members do not get a salary or bonuses.
Quit drinking so much brew before you post, ha-ha.
speaking of nabity: this site needs to do a comment on bully aaron hansen.
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