Political News

Meritocratic Myths Of The Playing Fields

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Mon, 03/17/2025 - 6:00am

The unfortunate advent of Legislative Bill 552 in the Nebraska Legislature’s hopper once again exposes the tentacles of national politics creeping into the state’s process of making policy.

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First Omaha Mayor’s Debate Shows Top Candidates Jockeying To Face Stothert

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Mon, 03/17/2025 - 5:00am

Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert spars with former State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha during Tuesday’s mayoral debate at the Omaha Press Club.
(Aaron Sanderford / Nebraska Examiner)

OMAHA — The first debate of the Omaha mayor’s race spent Tuesday amplifying what increasingly looks like a four-way fight to join three-term Mayor Jean Stothert in the May 13 general election.

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Trump Threatens Retaliatory 200% Tariff On European Wine After EU Proposes American Whiskey Tax

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Mon, 03/17/2025 - 4:00am

President Donald Trump speaks during an event with Ireland's Prime Minister Micheál Martin in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, March 12, 2025.
(Alex Brandon / AP Photo)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened a 200% tariff on European wine, Champagne and spirits if the European Union goes forward with a planned tariff on American whiskey.

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Republicans In U.S. Senate Form Group To Study Restructuring The CDC

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Mon, 03/17/2025 - 2:00am

WASHINGTON — Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy launched a working group on Wednesday that will look at ways to overhaul the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cassidy, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, or HELP, Committee, wrote in the announcement that the group of seven Republicans would draft legislation at some point to restructure the agency.

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‘Not Normal’: Democratic Mayoral Hopeful Irked That Party Leaders Communicated With Gop Challenger

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Mon, 03/10/2025 - 7:00am

A mail advertisement paid for by the Nebraska Democratic Party that compares Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert to President Donald Trump. The ad landed in mailboxes in late February, weeks after Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb shared it with the campaign manager of Mike McDonnell, Stothert’s top Republican challenger.
(via Flatwater Free Press)

Nebraska Democratic leaders shared an ad attacking Republican Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert with the campaign manager of her only Republican mayoral challenger weeks before they sent it to voters, according to emails posted online.

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Trump Boasts ‘America’s Momentum Is Back’ In Address To Congress As Dems Protest, Boycott

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Mon, 03/10/2025 - 5:00am

President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025, as Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., listen.
(Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP Photo)

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump touted his administration’s accomplishments after just 43 days in office and the need for billions in federal funds to enact his campaign promise of mass deportations during his first address to a joint session of Congress since returning to the White House.

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How DOGE’s Cuts To The IRS Threaten To Cost More Than DOGE Will Ever Save

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Mon, 03/10/2025 - 4:00am

How DOGE’s Cuts to the IRS Threaten to Cost More Than DOGE Will Ever Save

by Andy Kroll

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.

Dave Nershi was finalizing a report he’d worked on for months when an ominous email appeared in his inbox.

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State Public Incentive And Streetcar Project Fire Up Omaha Mayoral Race

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Mon, 03/03/2025 - 7:00am

The Midtown Crossing redevelopment was among Omaha tax-increment financing-assisted projects reviewed by an accounting and advisory firm the city paid $20,000 to produce a report. This view looks west near 31st and Farnam Streets along the spine of the retail and residential area.
(Cindy Gonzalez / Nebraska Examiner)

OMAHA — Omaha’s use, or potential overuse, of a longstanding, Legislature-approved incentive to help revive blighted areas again fired up the mayor’s race in Nebraska’s largest city.

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That $5,000 Check From Elon Musk? Don’t Spend It Quite Yet.

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Mon, 03/03/2025 - 5:00am

WASHINGTON — Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, claims American taxpayers could receive a $5,000 refund from the federal government — despite no apparent support in Congress, which controls the nation’s purse strings.

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Trump Sees 'A Thirst' For His 'Gold Card' Visa Idea With $5 Million Potential Path To US Citizenship

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Mon, 03/03/2025 - 4:00am

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he plans to start selling a “gold card” visa with a potential pathway to U.S. citizenship for $5 million, seeking to have that new initiative replace a 35-year-old visa program for investors.

“I happen to think it’ll sell like crazy. It’s a market,” Trump said. “But we’ll know very soon.”