When I was a child I was constantly taught that if you do something right the first time you don’t have to do it over again. I didn’t always listen at first but soon I learned it was much easier to get it right from the start.

But since Governor Pillen couldn’t get it right during the regular session of the Unicameral he has uprooted the lives of State Senators to hold a special session for property tax reform.

But wait there’s more! There are rumblings that once the special session is completed this fall, the Governor is going to hold another special session to make Nebraska a winner take all state when it comes to Presidential elections.

If that happens it will be a blatant attempt to suppress the vote. If he calls a special session to make us “Winner Take All,” he’ll be using our tax dollars to give us less of a say in Presidential elections.

This issue was brought up during the regular session last winter, but since he didn’t have the votes to get it done then, Pillen is considering holding State Senators hostage even longer.

Recently Vice Presidential candidates Tim Walz and J.D. Vance have visited the so called blue dot. You know and I know and the governor knows that if we go winner take all they will ignore us just like the Republicans ignore California and the Democrats ignore Mississippi. For the Republicans that would be a good thing. Going winner take all is good for the Republican party but it’s very bad for Nebraska.

I know you’ve seen the campaign ads on TV and heard them on the radio where the Harris and Trump campaigns are trying to get your vote. Now as a viewer and a listener you might think that getting rid of those ads would be a good thing. From strictly that perspective I can’t say I blame you.

But going “Winner Take All” would cost the local TV and radio stations millions of dollars in revenue. That money goes to pay the staffs of those stations both on and off the air. Those employees then take that money and pay state income tax, property tax, and sales tax.

Then they take what’s left and spend it on clothes and furniture and restaurants and bars, helping to employ those establishment’s employees. Then those people go on and pay those taxes as well and Nebraska sees an even bigger benefit.

I know I’m being overly simplistic here but this is the impact the Second Congressional District has on the state coffers. That’s not to mention the money spent for hotel rooms, renting cars, and eaing at restaurants for the staffers that come here for a few months to set up the campaign headquarters and support the candidates when they come to town.

I can’t blame Governor Pillen and the Republicans for wanting to make this happen. I can blame the State Senators if they let them get away with this.

The so called blue dot has been a red dot far more times than it’s turned blue. Even when it turns blue we elect Republican Congressmen. The simple solution to guarantee the Republicans remain in control of this district is to have the party nominate better candidates, like they used to.

There’s no guarantee that we turn blue this election. There’s a lot of time between now and November. I can guarantee if Governor Pillen gets his way not only will we be ignored, but it will cost the state millions of dollars in revenue. That money could go to the property tax reform which the governor wants so bad.

We don’t need to redo our election laws. Nebraska got it right the first time.

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.

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