Columns

Just two weeks from the start of tax filing season, an efficient and functioning Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has never been more important.

The overwhelming majority of Americans pay their taxes; however, 90 percent of the $80 billion in new IRS funding in the Inflation Act would pave the way for more audits on working-class families.

Instead of addressing problems like the IRS’s massive return processing backlog, customer service failures, and alarming leaks of private taxpayer data, Democrats in Congress last year directed $80 billion to IRS, with 90 percent of that funding focused on vastly expanding the IRS’ audit capacity, and not just for the wealthy.

This week, we officially gaveled in the 118th Congress. With Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House, I know House Republicans will deliver on our Commitment to America to restore a government that’s accountable, a nation that’s safe, an economy that’s strong, and a future that’s free.

Our challenges are great. Inflation is soaring, our supply chains are broken, and with a workforce participation rate which remains historically low at 62.1 percent, it’s clear too many American workers are on the sidelines of the economy.

Crime is out of control, our southern border is not secure, and bureaucrats have tried to rob Americans of their power to make the best decisions for their families time and time again. The stakes are high.

The road to economic recovery clearly leads through connecting Americans to good-paying jobs and making sure wage gains are not destroyed by inflation.

There’s been a lot of talk about preserving the officially nonpartisan nature of the Nebraska Legislature. But there is another issue, occasionally discussed with similar zeal in years past, that’s creeping up again.

(Gasp!) It’s the urban-rural split. While the focus has been on party loyalty—there are 32 Republicans and 17 Democrats in the officially nonpartisan Legislature— there are also 26 “urban” lawmakers (18 from Omaha and 8 from Lincoln) to just 23 “rural” senators. That ref lects the shift of two rural districts, 49 and 36) to the Omaha metro area in the past four years.

District 49 was moved from the upper Panhandle to the Gretna area in 2018 and attorney Andrew La Grone was appointed to be the Senator. He was defeated two years later by current Senator Jen Day. Then, just last year, redistricting moved Central Nebraska’s District 36 to Bellevue when term-limited Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg offered the district number to easily solve the problem.

If you are like many nearly half of the American population, you probably have a New Year’s resolution set for this year, while 38 percent of Americans absolutely never make New Year’s resolution according to research by University of Scranton, 2016.

A majority of those resolutions are self-improvement or education related resolutions (47%), weight related (38%), money related (34%) or relationship related (31%).

University of Southern California’s John Monterosso who is an expert on psychology and neuroscience of self-control offers insight on how to achieve setting those resolutions.

Every year I come up with a list of New Year’s resolutions and somewhere along the way I drop them one by one.

This year, I’ve decided to call them goals. Will that help me keep them longer? Who knows, but we can only hope.

I have learned that trying to set unreasonable resolutions (or goals) for yourself to accomplish in a year is almost immediately setting yourself up for failure.

Therefore, I’ve set goals, but ones that I won’t be too sad if I don’t fully accomplish within the year.

For example, I really want to get back into the habit of reading more. I miss reading and last year I read four books, which doesn’t seem like a lot but is a lot more than I’d read in previous years.

I’ve set a goal of reading 20 books this year, which is a lofty goal going from only reading four books to 20, but my true goal is to just read more each year.

In late December, we celebrated the arrival of Nebraska’s 2022 Silver Shovel. This prestigious national award recognizes states that have successfully attracted major economic development projects.

And it’s no coincidence that three out of the four Silver Shovels Nebraska has ever received came in the last four years alone.

That’s because, since 2015, our state government has operated under four pillars aimed at growing Nebraska: To develop our workforce, make it easier to do business in the state, control spending to reduce the tax burden on our families and businesses, and raise our international profile.

Together, we’ve made real progress in each of these areas. And while awards like the Silver Shovel are recognition of our shared success, what truly matters is the impact these efforts have on our students, workers, families, and communities throughout the state.

On Dec. 21, in consultation with Governor-elect Jim Pillen, Governor Pete Ricketts issued Executive Order (EO) 22-08 to continue to facilitate hospital planning and ensure additional healthcare workforce capacity in Nebraska. EO 22-08 expands the pool of healthcare professionals who are eligible to care for Nebraskans in specific fields of medicine.

Among its directives, the EO suspends various statutes to allow new healthcare providers seeking a license to begin practice under a time-limited provisional license while awaiting examination results, as long as they have completed all other requirements for licensure.

For these professions, the EO also defers requirements for face-to-face and direct, onsite training with a supervisor and defers requirements for in-person client contact hours as part of their training. Both allow for increased use of remote alternatives to complete training needed to obtain a license.

As I reflect on the last year and anticipate enjoying time with loved ones during the holidays, I’m filled with both gratitude and resolve.

As Americans, we have been granted an unrivaled heritage of freedom and prosperity which we now must secure for future generations.

I am deeply thankful for my family, the strong community with which we are blessed in Nebraska, and the country we call home. Despite the challenges we face, and the differences in our perspectives, the United States remains a beacon and destination for those longing for liberty and opportunity the world over.

As is my tradition, I’ve shared here one of President Reagan’s Christmas addresses. The following excerpt is from a speech he gave upon lighting the national Christmas tree in 1985. As they so often do, his words ring true today, capturing well the joy and goodwill of the holiday season.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all Nebraskans.

Here we are sandwiched between Christmas and New Year. Time to take stock of what we’ve been through as it impacts what lies ahead.

In case you were somehow fortunate enough to sleep through it, 2022 was an election year. A couple really rich guys and some others ran for the Republican nomination for governor to replace term-limited deep pockets Pete Ricketts who still managed to throw enough money around to have an influence.

Before you get all upset by that, remember that I have said before it isn’t illegal to spend his own money or the family money that way, it just doesn’t look good.

His money went to millionaire pig farmer Jim Pillen who won the primary. He was up against millionaire Charles Herbster whose campaign was almost derailed by allegations of sexual misconduct. In a last-ditch effort, the agribusinessman brought in the still-boasting former President Donald Trump to rally the troops. It didn’t work.

Dec. 12 marked eight years since I graduated from college, but it feels longer than that.

I’m reminded of my graduation from CSC every year thanks to Facebook memories, otherwise, to be honest, this day may have just passed by.

Not that I don’t treasure it, but at this time of year, we’re busy, and there’s more important things to focus on than what happened on Dec. 12, 2014.

I digress. Since it’s been eight years since I left CSC, you know what that means—yep, eight years that Clay County has had to put up with me. Some people more than others.

This past year, to officially mark my eighth year, felt like it was the busiest of them all.

Three 150th sections and larger-than-usual celebrations scattered in between our usual town celebrations; baseball games; the occasional meeting; and other here-and-there events left little room for much else this summer, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.