2005
Week 21
May 27, 2005

Hi--

We saw some old friends at my seminary reunion in Chicago. Really old.

What is startling is the faculty is all gone. Obviously, I had not thought about this as we considered going. Seemed like the right thing to do. It was.

The founder of our denomination is often quoted: "Let us unite the two so long divided: knowledge and vital piety." The woman who put up the money to initiate the seminary 150 years ago said she had appreciated her Methodist pastors and their piety. However, she thought it would be a great improvement if they had more knowledge.

That thought combo has floated around me so much I took it as mundane. My great insight of the weekend struck me as one alum shared his thoughts about that faculty. He found it remarkable that without exception faculty members demonstrated truth and piety. I suddenly realized, for the first time, his assessment is on target. Our faculty had great variety, but each clearly had piety in her/his search for truth. Powerful moment. I realized their simple integrity had molded me, unconsciously, all these years.

Defining thoughts need definitions. "Knowledge" is truth, not endless study. One prof wrote on my paper, alongside my extensive bibliography, "You should read less and think more." He is the one who assigned five text books for one course. I am so grateful for the drive they quietly instilled in us, to push past the words to the truth. Finding the truth of Hebrew culture as you read English words is a tough go. Too many religious types abuse scripture by reading in their own opinions. I am so glad to have had protection from falling into arrogant quotes of selected scriptures.

"Piety" is not pious. It is a gentle, thorough understanding that each of us is created, and is in the presence of that creator at all times. No matter what. Summary: I am so glad we went. It was a renewing experience.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, is there a therapist in the house? "Repeat Offenders" has been my priority bill for three years. It was to be voted on for the first time Thursday. The agenda flow blocked early. There is no opposition, so that is not the problem. Now I am on for Tuesday, the last bill of the year to be considered on the last possible day. Argh. This bill has 15 years of personal history, as most of you know. I realize I will have to leave the floor for a while if it actually passes.

Our problems this week centered on the governor's vetoes. The governor's thinking on this is incomprehensible. That is not a knock on our governor. All governors evidently think this is the governor thing to do. Makes you a bit macho, I guess. I am not very political, so perhaps that is why the thought pattern escapes me.

Taking this week as an example, but again, no different from other times, consider the action from my rational (!) view. No opinion polls. First, he needed to cut $5 million, or about .08%. That could be done two or three places where no one would be hurt and frankly, few would notice. But he mostly chose to cut back small programs which have no paid lobbyist. Good folks needing a bit of help to do the right thing. Such as:

Community Health centers, providing care to uninsured Nebraskans. Child advocacy centers, on the front line of detecting child abuse, with direct contact with hurting children. Student aid for low income youth trying to get to college. Additional probation officers, to try to reduce the number of young people going to prison. Each program was praised and nicked a bit.

I had a bill to increase transportation aid for the elderly and handicapped. Most of the money goes for operating expenses of handivans. The local community has to provide half the operating costs and we pay nothing on the vans. In the last 20 years, during which the cost of living has doubled, the fund was cut by half. By neglect, mainly. Our system has no agency reviewing the need or requesting help. Be assured, we are changing the system.

So, since the funding is less than one-fourth the need I moved to double it, back to the 20 years ago level, and arranged that it would all come from a cash fund with a good surplus. The Appropriations Committee was unanimous in support and helped arrange the transfer. The appropriation was vetoed back to the bone, which for the two years added $3 million to his veto total. Eight million "saved" was in headlines. Three of the eight is cash for isolated elderly and handicapped and is not in the general budget. So that load goes back onto property taxes. There is no rational explanation.

Again, this evidently is the governor thing to do. To his and our credit, we healed some of the hurt in higher education, greatly increased aid to local schools, and made some progress in health care.

I save the best for last. Our progress in good programs is encouraging, but it is a near miracle that as we did that we took huge strides in economic development, through tax incentives. For the first time we developed some incentives without a company (like ConAgra) in mind. With rural and urban interests at the table. With the governor and every stripe of political thought at the table. It comes to about $65 million a year. In Nebraska. Where we squeeze nickels. Selah.

It sure doesn't seem like Kansas, Dorothy. It is not. It is Nebraska.

Lowen