NebraskaPatriot

XL Pipeline Back on Center Stage

 

"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move." ~ Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe

Senate and House Republicans are working on ways to get the XL Pipeline project back on track after President Obama bowed to pressure from his leftist nut-case, environmentalist wacko supporters in refusing to approve it.

Nebraska U.S. Senator Mike Johanns has joined 43 other Senators in support of a bill that would allow the pipeline to begin construction in the U.S. while TransCanada and the State of Nebraska work out the new route through the state and around the Sandhills.

Johanns told the Omaha World-Herald's Joseph Morton, "The president gives speeches about energy security and creating jobs, but this legislation would actually do it. Our bill approves the pipeline while allowing Nebraska and TransCanada the time they need to find the right route through our state," Johanns said. "This pipeline is not only a national priority because of the energy and jobs it will bring, it's also a Nebraska priority."

One Democrat currently has signed on to the bill and that's, no not our Democrat Senator Ben Nelson but West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, who unlike Nelson, sees the common sense logic to the pipeline.

Over in the House, Speaker Boehner has said that they will pass this legislation as well but in their case, they are looking at tying it to a piece of legislation that Obama wants such as the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act.

Stay tuned . . .

 

 

The Nebraska State Fair Begins Anew In Grand Island

a state fair that was sinking fast has a new beginning . . .

The Nebraska State Fair will open Friday, August 27th in its new home at Fonner Park in Grand Island. I can't wait to see the attendance and post-fair comments because all we heard last year from Lincoln and Omaha was how people from our two largest cities would not travel all the way out to Grand Island. Apparently, it's not too far for everyone else in the state to travel to Lincoln and Omaha for every high school state competition or to shop or anything else. Even in Nebraska, the blinders can be draw tight to some people's faces.

I've said from the day it was announced that the folks in the Grand Island area are going to surprise our urban neighbors in Omaha and Lincoln in just how well and how organized the new state fair will be. One must remember that Grand Island has played host to the Husker Harvest Days for the past 33 years. So the good folks do know a thing or two about large crowds and exhibits. By the way, this year's Husker Harvest Days are Sept. 14, 15 & 16 and you can go to the web site by clicking here for more information.

As for the State Fair, click here to read a well written article in the Omaha World-Herald about the new facilities and U.S. Senator Mike Johanns' recent vist and the Nebraska Republican's reaction.

Nebraska's Republican U.S. Senator Takes Lead

it's always good to have people in positions that have been decision makers . . .

Nebraska's Republican U.S. Senator Mike Johanns has introduced a bill that would help those of us in the small towns and cities across the country that chose to take on the power of the Federal Government in court.

Johanns' initiative came as the result of his concern over the ugly battle that the Obama Administration is waging against Arizona that is leading to "a battle brewing between the federal government and our communities when it comes to enforcing immigration laws."

In Nebraska, the city of Fremont, which is just west of Omaha, recently passed a city ordinance that bans harboring, hiring or renting homes to illegal immigrants.

The ordinance will require:

city businesses to use the federal government’s E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of new hires. If a business fails to register with E-Verify or provide the required affidavit, the business will be tried at a public hearing before the city council. And, if the city council determines the business has violated the ordinance, it may revoke the license, contract, or grant issued to the business. In addition, the city attorney will have the power to bring a civil action in district court against any business suspected of violating the ordinance. The measure also requires renters in the city to obtain an occupancy license before they could move into an apartment or house and, as part of the application process, have their immigration status checked.

The Nebraska Republican says measures such as Fremont's have been the result of the void left by our federal government's inaction. He is concerned that the Obama Administration's response to Arizona and cities such as Fremont is not to enforce laws as currently on the books but rather to file lawsuits against the state and local governments and in turn on the citizens of those states and cities.

Johanns' bill would require the Justice Department to reimburse the state or local  governments for any attorney fees and other legal costs if the court rules in favor of local citizens.

I know a couple people in Fremont that voted against the ordinance solely because they are concerned that the legal challenges will bankrupt the city and local tax payers.

With Democrats in control of Congress, this bill will go nowhere but this is one U.S. Senator to whom we Nebraskans need to say "thanks" for bringing some common sense to Washington, something sorely lacking.