I wonder what hurt Governor Pillen more: the time he fell off the horse, or when the Farm Bureau dissed him right before the election.

Few endorsements in Nebraska politics carry more weight than support from the Nebraska Farm Bureau. Last week, when the Farm Bureau put out their list of endorsements, Pillen’s name wasn’t on it.

The Farm Bureau endorsed him 4 years ago, but after seeing the job he’s done, they’ve decided to sit this one out.

They endorsed almost every other Republican candidate, but they refused to nominate the farmer, and that has to hurt.

They didn’t endorse Lynne Walz either, but I can’t remember the last time they endorsed a Democrat. Likewise, there was no endorsement for Brett Lindstrom or any other third-party candidate.

However, the Farmers Union, a smaller organization in Pillen’s industry, did endorse Lynne Walz.

It’s obvious that the people who know Jim Pillen the best don’t think he’s done a good job, and he doesn’t deserve 4 more years.

Another issue before the voters this November is gambling initiatives 440 and 441.

These initiatives would allow people to place bets online in Nebraska, with the tax dollars going to property tax relief.

Now I will vote for it, but the jury is still out on whether it will offer any serious property tax relief. I know Nebraskans spend millions of dollars on sports betting, but will it generate enough revenue to do what they claim it will do?

I have my doubts.

I’m old school. I know I’ll never place a bet on my phone. I miss the days of going to the barber shop or used car dealership to put some money on a three-team parlay. I’ll still go to the casino to get that done.

But it seems stupid for those in rural Nebraska who can’t get to a casino and must rely on placing their bets with the town bookie, to have the state lose out on that tax revenue.

So, I’m going to roll the dice and vote yes on 440 and 441, and hope when it comes to lowering my property taxes, it doesn’t crap out.

What’s up with those taxpayer-funded ads for Donald Trump?

If you watched any football this weekend, you probably saw those ominous ads of the president angrily marching down the hall talking about the “final battle” and how he’s going to weed out the communists, deep state, and “fake news” media.

Another ad featured the President with dark music in the background singing “love me.”

Those ads were not paid for by some presidential campaign committee or some super PAC. Those ads were paid for by you and me, the American taxpayers.

The White House claims that those ads are Public Service Announcements. And to be fair, other presidents have put out PSA’s.

George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama put out PSA’s promoting education. Joe Biden put out a PSA about getting a COVID shot. Numerous other presidents have put out messages that were genuinely in the public interest.

I fail to see how the two ads put out by this administration serve anyone but the president.

Even if you support DJT, you have to admit that with a 40 trillion-dollar debt and cuts in government services, spending millions on a tribute to the leader is reminiscent of North Korea and Kim Jong Un.

Important words etched in stone.

If you look up before you walk through the doors of the State Capitol building, you’ll see these words…

The Salvation of the State is the Watchfulness of the citizen.

Now more than ever, we need to pay attention to all that’s going on and speak out.

I know there’s a lot coming at us every day and sometimes it gets harder and harder to keep up. When you have a president kicking reporters out of the White House and telling the country that anything that doesn’t flatter him is “fake news,” keeping on top of what’s happening is getting more difficult.

I hear people all the time say that they’ve stopped paying attention to the news.

They do so at their own peril.

Our Founding Fathers knew that we needed a free press to stop tyranny. They knew that to keep our leaders from giving in to their worst instincts, the citizens had to pay attention.

This November, pay attention to the races and make informed decisions regardless of what you decide.

The “Salvation of the State” depends on it.

Tom Becka is a long time Nebraska broadcaster who for over 30 years has been covering Omaha and Midwest issues on both radio and TV. He has been a guest on numerous national cable and news shows, filled in for nationally syndicated talk radio programs and Talkers Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 talk show hosts in the country 10 times. Never afraid to ruffle some feathers, his ‘Becka’s Beat’ commentaries can be found online on Youtube and other digital platforms.

Opinions expressed by columnists in The Daily Record are not necessarily those of its management or staff, and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. Any errors or omissions should be called to our attention so that they may be corrected. Contact us at news@omahadailyrecord.com.