Apr 24 2006
Bull-Riding, Fence-Fixing Yale Ph.D. Catholic
For Nebraska’s 3rd District
Scott Kleeb (pronounced “Kleb”) is running for the 3d Disctrict US House seat (to replace Tom Osborne who is not running for that seat this year). Kleeb was in McCook last week. Here are some of his remarks and my impressions.
I. Taxes and Government Spending
Scott, who has deep roots in Nebraksa’s third district, has experience with tough situations. He was a bull-rider for the University of Colorado while an undergraduate there. And he’s willing to face some tough situations in Washington D.C.
He is – thank God! – not parroting the cheap line that all we need is more tax cuts.
“Government can do bad things. (pause) Government can be a powerful and positive force for good.”
He argued that taxes are what we pay in order to do things together that really need doing, but that we cannot do as well, or can not do at all, acting individually. He gave as one example electricity coming to his grandparents (near Broken Bow) in the ’50s because of government initiative. He also brings in public education, and public involvement in health care availability.
On all the billions made available by government to the oil industry, as against government support of alternative energy development (ethanol, wind, bio-mass, etc) and rural economic development he says the government investments in the oil industry represent
“investing in the past, as against investing in the future.”
II. Government Efficiency and Responsibility
A key way to keep government from doing “bad things” is to get responsible representation from our elected officials.
“We don’t need more government or less government. We just need smarter government.”
“I am a fiscal conservative, but it’s about targeting your investments.”
Scott is obviously smart enough to make a contribution to “smarter government” (he’s finishing up a PhD from Yale – on cattle ranching, no less!). And his intelligence shows in his attentiveness to questions and helpful responses. Also, he has the values (”I am a fiscal conservative”) to be making government smarter in the right directions.
Since 2000, the number of lobbyists in Washington has gone from 12,000 to 30,000. Discretionary spending is 15 times greater than in 2000!
“We need to fumigate Washington.”
As to how the House of Representatives does business, he says it’s:
“very technical, very boring, very behind the scenes”
Precisely the kind of place where we need a hard-working, very smart person with a good internal value system.
III. Independent, Public-spirited.
Scott was described in a recent article in the Omaha World Herald as “a practicing Catholic.” He did not mention that to us, but the values and perspectives he expressed to us do imply a strong – and good – inner value system. (See “Candidate’s Resume Part Yale, Part Ranch‘, OWH, April 21).
He seems to me to be quite committed to serving the 3rd District’s interests in a place (Washington DC) where most Representatives serve their own interests, the lobbyists’ interests, and the interests of the nation’s most wealthy and most powerful. He seems smart, hopeful, independent, and really concerned for the situations of ordinary folks of his home state.
One final quote -
“The only way you fight pessimism is with a renewed optimism, and with your commitment to what you have decided to do about the problems.”
And as far as I can tell that’s just what he’s doing.
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A VERY experienced Nebraska political figure told me recently that this is a campaign between a real person and an image. My sense of things exactly. Smith, sad to say, is not the real person in the comparison. Plus his campaign is owned by Club For Growth, and subsidised by the presence of Cheney. He shows all the signs of being a wholly-owned subsidiary of the corrupt radical right wing of American politics and culture.
I really don’t know where you are coming from Admin. He seems to be a nice young lad that had great asperations,
but you make him seem like a great statesman, when in reality he has worked part time as a ranch hand and a student
his entire life. If that make him qualified for congress we do not have common qualities that we look for to
represent us in Washington.
Go to this website and see who has better credentials ——— http://www.necitizen.com/races/3rd.htm
If Scott hangs around Nebraska for a couple years and get involved rather than just election time, I might consider
voting for him in the future. But for now I would encourage you to vote for Adrian Smith.
Just a sidenote — Adrian Smith has been endorsed by Right for Life since he started his political career.
See for your self. When he values the sanctity for life most everything else will fall into place.
Respecting others whether rich or poor.
Yes, I think he does. He has a lot of real work experience, and a lot of background in economics, rural life and problems, and ag economics and rural economic development. Those are all areas of “doing good.”
Does he understand the differance between fighting evil and doing good?