Additional Contact: oppose LBs 781, 933, 1086, Nebraska anti-abortion laws

 Greetings, Senator X, 

 

I am again writing in opposition to LBs 781, 933, and 1086, which are: the “Heartbeat Act” introduced by Senator Slama, the “Human Life Protection Act” introduced by Senator Albrecht, and the Chemical Abortion Safety Protocol Act, introduced by Senator Geist.

 

I have written on this before but this issue is of utmost importance to me. Please respond to confirm that you have received my correspondence. If I don't hear from you, I’ll want to call the office to ensure that my concerns are being heard. As you can see from the length of my message, an email can better address my thoughts than a phone call. :) 

 

First of all, no one is forcing women to have abortions (that’s illegal), so these bills are needless. However, these bills take away the right to abortion thereby forcing women to give birth, which is dangerous and unethical, and should also be illegal.

 

With all of this anti-choice/anti-abortion legislation I do not feel that women are safe in the state of Nebraska and I do not feel there is an appropriate separation of church and state. 

 

I understand there are people who look at abortion and pregnancy a certain way, but I do not agree that women are obligated to carry a pregnancy to term. No one should be forced into pregnancy to satiate the beliefs of strangers. There are people of all religious beliefs who DO believe a woman maintains the right to make a decision, so these anti-abortion laws are being created to appease a few over-reaching uninvolved people, and that needs to stop. It’s extremely unethical to ban abortion for others, as it is a reproductive right related to bodily autonomy. 

 

I’ve reminded you in my previous correspondence that current legislation around organ donation reflects that a person has bodily autonomy. A person cannot be required to give blood, tissue, or organs to anyone else, even if it saves that person's life. The same should be held as true for pregnancy. 

 

I'm disturbed at the idea that so many people want women to be forced to carry pregnancies to term period, much less in cases of rape, incest, or when it endangers a hopeful mother later in the pregnancy. 

 

My mother mentioned to me just yesterday that two of our neighbors died giving birth and had to be revived, and were then told they should not have further pregnancies. Pregnancy has many risks and is not something to take lightly. Forcing women to continue pregnancies takes away the consent aspect needed in order for a woman to have freely chosen pregnancy. DEATH is a risk of pregnancy. If you force women to continue pregnancies against their will, the state has taken away a woman’s ability to freely consent to that risk. That is NOT freedom of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That is some dystopian government level stuff and needs to be avoided by protecting abortion as the health care it is.

 

You cannot force someone to have an abortion, so a pregnancy, with higher risks and more significant outcomes (a human life), cannot be forced upon a woman, as these anti-abortion laws do. 

 

Women who choose abortions are aware of the significance of either choice. Women have been aware of the seriousness of pregnancy and abortion since a young age and neither choice is made lightly. Women choose abortion for a plethora of reasons, including women who are already mothers, or women who wanted that child but must terminate for the safety of themselves of their child. Some women who are cancer patients must terminate a pregnancy so that they may undergo chemotherapy and radiation that would otherwise injure the fetus. Women need to be able to make these choices themselves, not have options stolen from them by uninvolved parties. 

 

“Your right to swing your fist, ends where my face begins.” A person can choose to not have an abortion for themselves, but they can’t make that decision for someone else. This is common sense and needs to be applied in Nebraska by protecting the right to abortion and opposing LBs 781, 933, and 1086 immediately. 

 

The fact that Nebraska is a state in which rapists have parental rights is disturbing. In the Nebraska that some of these zealots want, a woman could be forced to birth a child from rape and co-parent with her rapist. That is NOT a world I want, nor a world that values women, or their ability to live a dignified life. 

 

Women's reproductive rights MUST be protected from these overreaching attacks on our liberty and bodily autonomy. You must oppose this legislation, or you are complicit in the suffering of women in Nebraska. 

 

Abortion should remain legal and accessible for all who seek it. 

 

If people want to claim pro-life, they need to separate themselves from thinking of it only in terms of birth. 

 

Universal Health Care, Universal Child Care, an Actual Living Wage, comprehensive sex ed in school (abstinence only is a sham in which youth are ill prepared for reality), working to abolish war, and more.... THOSE are all more pro-life than forcing women to give birth by taking away the right to abortion. 

 

Thank you for your time. I sincerely hope I can count on you to oppose LBs 781, 933, 1086 to ensure that women are safe in Nebraska. 

 

Thank you 

 

X

Nebraska: OPPOSITION to LB 781, LB 933, & LB 1086 - Antiabortion bills

I emailed the Judicial Committee ahead of the hearing on three anti-abortion bills in the 2022 Unicameral Legislature.

OPPOSITION to LB 781, LB 933, LB 1086 Greetings, Senator X My name is X in X, District X. I write in opposition to LB 781, the “Heartbeat Act” introduced by Senator Slama. I write in opposition to LB 933 the “Human Life Protection Act” introduced by Senator Albrecht. I write in opposition to LB 1086, Chemical Abortion Safety Protocol Act, introduced by Senator Geist. Outlawing abortion endangers women and is an affront to civil rights, human rights, reproductive rights, bodily autonomy, self-determination, and our basic freedoms. It treats women as second class citizens forbidden from making decisions that affect their health, bodies, and lives. Outlawing abortion means that the state has decided that all women must be subjected to the risk of death should there be complications in the pregnancy. Therefore it does not protect women’s lives. Pregnancy and childbirth is an undertaking that has short-term and long-term risks. When women are not allowed to assess what is best for them and are forced into pregnancies, we are living in a dystopian society that views women as vessels and not autonomous human beings. In Nebraska, rapists have parental rights, so when you take away a woman’s right to an abortion, you are subjecting her to the trauma of possibly co-parenting with her rapist, or relinquishing her child to her rapist. This is cruel and avoidable by allowing women to make the decision they find to be in their best interest (and by preventing rapists to have parental rights). We do not live in a society conducive to pregnancy and child-rearing. We do not have a living wage. We do not have mandatory paid maternity leave. We do not have universal health care. We do not have universal child care. You cannot force women to undergo pregnancies in a society that does not protect them financially. Even if all of these social and governmental ills were addressed, (and they should be) it’s still unethical and wrong to force a woman into a pregnancy. Even if Person A is in need of an organ and Person B is a perfect match, Person B cannot be coerced into providing said organ. Similarly, if Person C has not opted into Organ & Tissue Donation before death, their organs may NOT be harvested once they die. In the same vein, you cannot force a woman to use her body in a way that is against her wishes, even if a embryo/fetus/child will be prevented from developing. The idea of a ‘heartbeat’ has often been misconstrued to promote an agenda. A fetus's heart is not formed until closer to 10 weeks, even if a palpitation is audible closer to 6 weeks when it is still considered an embryo. At any rate, it cannot survive outside the womb until several months have passed, so it is absurd to restrict women from a hugely important decision at such an early stage. Women may not know they are pregnant prior to detection of a ‘heartbeat.’ Scheduling any procedure can take time and appointments may not be available in a timely manner. It requires a woman to be able to change a work schedule (i.e. lose money), find transportation, and rearrange child care. The cruelty of this restriction is intentional and shows no compassion, empathy, or understanding for the real burdens women face. Women choose abortion for a plethora of options, none of which are up for debate. Abortion may even be the best option for protecting women who originally wanted to continue the pregnancy. It is inappropriate and dangerous for uninformed, uninvolved people to make generalized laws that prohibit doctors and health care providers from performing procedures that are in the best interest of their patient. Those who would tell women they cannot terminate a pregnancy are overreaching into realms that do not include them. There is no need to pry into women’s private lives and complicate things that have nothing to do with the unsolicited opinion of a stranger. Laws preventing women from terminating pregnancies are very often shame-based and meant to punish women for having sex. Men escape this scrutiny despite being at least 50% responsible. I am uninterested in the moral beliefs of these people and they are infringing upon my civil liberties with their belief systems. This needs to end. As far as LB 1086, this is yet another method meant to make it harder for women to access abortions. We should be expanding systems of complete sex education, and access to methods of contraception and abortion so that people can safely choose what is best for them. I trust women to make choices for themselves with their chosen medical provider. I know women who have had abortions, women who have given birth, women who have never given birth, women who have struggled with fertility, women who have fostered, or adopted. Some of these women have experienced a variety of those situations. My wish is for all women to have the resources and support they need to make the best choice for themselves without the moral judgments or unnecessary legal restrictions from uninvolved parties. Again, I am in opposition to LB 781, LB 933, and LB 1086. They are needless, cruel, and should be dismissed for their affront to human rights. Vote no to each. Thank you for your time,

X

Nebraska Governor Uses Need for Mental Health as an Excuse to Promote Guns and Deny Immigrant Children Homes

Greetings, Governor P. Ricketts,

Recently you denied the President's request to help immigrant children and said those resources are needed for the state's own foster children and youth in rehabilitation programs. The next day you pledged to protect guns and said that restrictions were a bad idea and we just need to up mental health care.

If you ACTUALLY believe any of this, when are you announcing a huge initiative to make mental health resources and access free to ALL residents of Nebraska? 

I'll wait. 

Hello?

Oh dang, I waited so long for your mental health care initiatives, it looks like hell froze over in the meantime. 

Be honest (if you know how.) You have ZERO intention of addressing mental health in this state and are using it as an excuse and bald-headed lie so that you can dog-whistle to your base in your discrimination against immigrants and your protection to guns, guns, guns, (which are less regulated than wombs in Nebraska).

When in fact, everyone in Nebraska DOES need access and resources to mental health care and it WOULD help tremendously if you had the gall to do something about it, instead of just using it as an excuse to do or not do something.

But in order for these mental health resources to be effective, you also need to address the issues that are at the heart of the difficulties that cause people mental anguish. Here are a few I can think of at the moment: 

• medical costs that bankrupt (Universal Health Care would solve that)
• finances (raise the state/federal minimum wage to a living wage comparative to what it should be with inflation. $15 is a start, but should be more like $20+)
• child care, maternity & paternity leave 
• police brutality (hi, did you not just see 15 cases lumped together in Omaha and dismissed to let cops get away with shit like murdering people? That isn't justice. And body cam footage is supposed to be for the people to hold cops accountable, not for cops to hide behind new rules.)
• The inequity for housing, school districts, etc. The list goes on and on.

So, if you want to deny immigrant children a place to live because you have racism and xenophobia on the brain (thought you were so pro-life, dude), and if you pander to gun-nuts because you want to make sure they don't point their guns on you, that's on you and your conscience. I judge you for it. You shouldn't be in public office because you don't serve the people. I also judge you for using the need for mental health as a reason for your bad calls when you have ZERO intention of doing anything about it. 

You should be ashamed for lots of reasons, including the concept that if this state honestly can't handle a few more children and caring for their mental health, we're a lot worse off than we should be and you should leave office and let some capable people that give a shit about the people of Nebraska step in and do the work you aren't willing to do. 

But I suppose you can always just make another prayer proclamation or else something else useless, like don a cowboy hat and lie about medical marijuana. 

Disappointed, As Always,

Context: 

Gov. Ricketts rejects request to house migrant children in Nebraska

Paul Hammel Apr 13, 2021  

https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/gov-ricketts-rejects-request-to-house-migrant-children-in-nebraska/article_3eb981ca-9c69-11eb-b455-87f4e96d2e3f.html

LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts on Tuesday rejected a request from the Biden administration to house displaced migrant children in the state.

Ricketts’ rejection comes five days after a fellow Republican, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, announced a similar denial. Both governors said it was Democratic President Joe Biden’s “problem,” and he should deal with it.

“President Biden has created an immigration crisis on our border with thousands of unaccompanied migrant children coming to our country without their parents or family,” Ricketts said. “Nebraska is declining their request because we are reserving our resources for serving our kids.”

“I do not want our kids harmed as the result of President Biden’s bad policies,” the Nebraska governor added.

Last month, the U.S. government picked up nearly 19,000 children traveling alone across the Mexican border. It’s the largest monthly number ever recorded, though Biden has said there have been similar surges in the past during the early spring.

“Sponsors” for the children, usually parents or close relatives already living in the U.S., are sought so the children can live with them while pursuing asylum cases in heavily backlogged federal immigration courts.

The huge increase in the number of children traveling alone — some as young as 3 — and families has severely strained border holding facilities, which aren’t supposed to hold people for more than three days but often do. It’s left the government scrambling to find space and hire staff to care for children longer term until they can be placed with sponsors.

Lazaro Arturo Spindola, executive director of the Nebraska Latino American Commission, said Tuesday that unaccompanied children coming to the U.S. dates back to the 1960s, when more than 14,000 children from Cuba came to the country via “Peter Pan” flights.

Spindola said the governor’s announcement “basically lacks a logical reason and humanity,” and repeats talking points of the Republican Party.

An official with Nebraska Appleseed, a Lincoln-based advocacy organization for the poor and immigrants, said the border surge was “cyclical” and is a crisis not for the U.S., but for the children and families seeking safety.

“We have the capacity and knowledge to coordinate an effective humanitarian response. The United States is capable of welcoming with dignity children, families, and adults seeking safety,” said Darcy Tromanhauser, immigrants and communities program director at Nebraska Appleseed.

Ricketts said that the Biden administration should work with Central American governments to “reunite the children with their families in their home countries instead of pursuing the risky strategy of scattering them across the United States.”

When asked what harm would come to Nebraska’s children, Ricketts provided this statement to The World-Herald:

“Nebraska is not positioned to provide the proper supports relative to the necessary trauma-informed care, wraparound services and housing that displaced migrant children would need,” he said. “Taking on this crisis, which was created by President Biden, would also shift Nebraska’s focus away from managing our foster care system and Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Centers.”

This report includes material from the Associated Press.

Gov. Ricketts designates Nebraska as 'sanctuary state' for gun rights

Paul Hammel Apr 15, 2021 

https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/gov-ricketts-designates-nebraska-as-sanctuary-state-for-gun-rights/article_e8e64502-9d3b-11eb-a063-4fca6c88eaf8.html 

LINCOLN — Doubling down on his pro-gun rights credentials, Gov. Pete Ricketts signed a symbolic proclamation Wednesday designating Nebraska as a “Second Amendment Sanctuary State.”

The proclamation comes as President Joe Biden recently announced a plan to address gun violence.

A growing number of Nebraska counties have adopted similar “sanctuary” resolutions. A bill also is pending in the Nebraska Legislature to allow counties to opt out of the state requirement that gun owners register and take a gun safety course to carry concealed weapons.

“The White House and U.S. Congress have announced their intention to pursue measures that would infringe on the right to keep and bear arms,” Ricketts stated in the proclamation. “Nebraska will stand up against federal overreach and attempts to regulate gun ownership and use in the Good Life.”

“Second Amendment sanctuary” refers to a declaration that a state, county or city will not enforce federal gun laws they consider to be too restrictive. At least four states, including neighboring Kansas and Wyoming, have declared themselves “sanctuary states.”

In Nebraska, at least 50 counties, including Buffalo, Hall, Platte and Gage Counties, have passed sanctuary resolutions in recent months, and similar measures are being considered in at least seven other counties, according to the Nebraska Firearms Owners Association.

Biden recently announced plans to ban the sale of so-called “ghost guns,” which are firearms that can be assembled with kits and cannot be traced by law enforcement. He’s also asked the Justice Department to draft model “red flag” laws that states could adopt. Red flag laws, like one enacted in Colorado, allow judges to order the confiscation of guns from someone who is exhibiting mental health issues or threatening behavior. The president also wants stepped-up community efforts to discourage gun violence.

Ricketts, who also spoke at National Rifle Association’s convention in 2018, has consistently opposed steps to impose stricter gun laws, saying that better mental health care and improved law enforcement are the keys to preventing mass shootings.

A representative of Nebraskans Against Gun Violence noted that the governor’s proclamation comes one day after Ricketts refused to offer “sanctuary” to unaccompanied migrant children who are showing up at the U.S.-Mexico border in record numbers.

“This decree is meant to placate those that are avid gun rights activists while shunning children that are seeking refuge,” often from gun violence, said Melody Vaccaro of the gun-control group. “Gun violence is a public health crisis and we support serious funding of research, proven community programming, and using a combination of education, policy, and accountability to reduce (it).”

Legislative Bill 236, introduced by State Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon and prioritized by Sen. Robert Clements of Elmwood, would give counties the power to allow “permitless” carry of concealed firearms. Currently, gun owners must obtain a state permit and pass a firearm course before being allowing to carry a concealed gun.

LB 236 awaits first-round debate in the Legislature.

Another Nebraska gun rights proposal, LB 188 or the “Second Amendment Preservation Act,” would prohibit the State Patrol or local law enforcement officials from enforcing any new federal restrictions on firearms. That bill, which did not receive a priority designation, has not advanced from a legislative committee.

Letter to Government Officials 1-3-2020 on 15 TOPICS

January 3, 2020

Greetings, Senator Sasse, Senator Fischer, Representative Smith, and Governor Ricketts, and local Nebraska Unicameral Senator (addition on Jan 8, 2020)

I haven’t written to a lawmaker since we were required to do so in grade school, many moons ago. I figured to best use my time, I’d contact all of the elected officials at once who make the important decisions that affect life in Nebraska. As you can tell, it’s a long letter, but there are many issues to touch on. I’d rather do it once. :) Bear with me; I have a lot to say and feel my views are not being represented in many decisions being made. 

I doubt that you’ll actually read what I have to say, but I hope you will, as it took me several days to construct this letter, trying to put my thoughts, feelings, frustrations into written form. I expect you’ll at least get the cliff notes version from a staffer and know that one of your constituents has wishes for legislation that may be different from what your supporters like to hear. Hopefully this can guide you to make more equitable decisions that honor all of the people in Nebraska and beyond. 

I write with several things in mind: 

1. The necessary removal of Trump from office
2. The need for abortion to remain legal and women’s choice to be respected
3. The need for heightened separation of Church and State
4. Protection of LGBT people from discrimination
5. The needed boost to minimum wage of at least $15/hr minimum
6. The need for universal health care
7. A move to lower the voting age to 16, automatic registration, disband the electoral college
8. Moving military entrance age to 21 to match alcohol and cigarettes.
9. Free college education and dismissal of student debt
10. Free lunch for public school students 
11. Shutdown the ICE detention centers and reunite families; disband “the wall” idea, fix immigration 
12. Sensible gun law reform
13. Shut down the Keystone Pipeline and focus on sustainable energy sources, green solutions
14. Shut down for profit prisons and end capital punishment
15. Investigation of Epstein’s death

The necessary removal of Trump from office

I believe Representative Smith voted to not impeach. The Senators are now faced with the choice of whether to remove Trump from office. I’m afraid that due to your political affiliation, you’ll vote to keep him in office. And that’s why I’m concerned. When Senator Mitch McConnell says he’s going to side with the White House, that shows how unjust the system is. There is no justice if Republicans just want to protect Trump. The role of our lawmakers is to represent the people of their state, not just their political party or career aspirations. We all lose when people continue to separate themselves into two sides. 

I wish that each of you could look at Trump truthfully and decide what kind of person he is. I cannot trust him. I would not want to be anywhere near that man, accused pedophile who never went to court (named in the same lawsuit as Jeffrey Epstein), man who refuses to pay his bills, created a fake university and scammed many people, has gone bankrupt several times, and cannot control himself when it comes to tweeting. The man who mocks people with disabilities, people who have been prisoners of war, servicemen who have died, who has talked disgustingly of women, separates families at the border and creates lasting trauma for those affected. 

There is nothing normal about that man in the highest office. It’s very clear from all of this and the transcripts of “The July Call” that this man is not conducting the affairs of the U.S. in a legal, respectable, safe, logical way. I hope that for the sake of this nation, Nebraskans, and your own standards of what kind of men your children should admire, that you vote to remove Trump from office and restore some sense of dignity to our nation. 

EDIT: I was ready to send this letter but now get to make an addition due to Trump’s terrorist attack on an international airport killing 7 people, two of which were high-ranking military officials - an act unthinkable if it were Iran’s attack on a U.S. international airport killing our high-ranking military officials. Trump acted without Congressional approval and the U.S. WILL see retaliation and deaths. There have been reports of people in the streets shouting “Death to America”. I see that Sasse’s tweets have already been quoted in the news in support of Trump. That’s unfortunate. I imagine, since support has been reported to be a party line split, that if it were a Democrat acting without Congressional approval, that would be abhorrent to you. Or do you support war in all its formats? Do you benefit from war somehow? I ask all of you to seriously consider what’s going on.

I lost sleep last night at how little thought must have gone into this. Trump acts on ego, did not consult Congress, and has potentially brought about the death of thousands of people/Americans/military in that region, as well as the possibility of strikes on U.S. soil. If we do go to war, I feel it will be without allies, as most nations find Trump to be … not normal. Any blood that rises, I attribute to Trump and his supporters. 

I do find it interesting, these past tweets that surfaced that Trump himself wrote, proclaiming that Obama would attack Iran to start a war (29 Nov 11)  “to save face” (15 Sept 13), “to show how tough he is” (28 Sep 13)  and because his “poll numbers are in tailspin” and “he is desperate” (09 Oct 12). These seem to all be reasons Trump has potentially launched us into war. Not because he really cares about servicepeople, but because he wants to distract us from the impeachment, the trial to remove him from office, and the fact that there are people more qualified to serve than he. 

In fact, it often strikes me how ill-aligned Trump is with supposed Republican values. If he is truly the best representation of your values, perhaps your values are not what you say they are. In that case, I will continue to vote against Republicans. I want a better world than you seem ready to work for. That’s a shame. I know there is common ground, but I don’t want blood on my hands from warmongers that represent my state and my country.

The need for abortion to remain legal 

NOTE: This section also received edits after the January 2, 2020 news amicus brief in which ALL Nebraska Senators and Representatives turned their backs on the reproductive rights of women with the plea to the SCOTUS to overturn Roe V Wade.

  

When I was age 17, half my lifetime ago, I remember realizing that I had an aunt on either side of the family that didn’t have children, that they were happy, and that I wasn’t required to become a mother. Ever since then, I’ve studied up on remaining without children and what pressures I would face, as well as the pressures that women face in considering having children. I also found a spouse who doesn’t want/need children either. Having a child is the single most important decision that I feel a woman faces in her life. All women I know are aware of this and don’t take this lightly. I know women who have had abortions, miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, been sterilized, had children, had no children, or a mix of those. 

In order to have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, women need to be able to be in control of their bodies, their lives, their families. It’s a human right for a woman to decide if, when, how to have children. The government needs to remain impartial and allow women to get the medical access they need. There should be no restrictions imposed by the government as it is between a woman and her medical provider. I understand that certain religions view abortion as murder, but abortion is a personal decision, not a group judgement; besides, religion is not supposed to control the government, so your religious beliefs don’t supercede mine. Outlawing abortion is just one of the ways you insult women with your laws. Women do not need unnecessary impediments such as unwanted transvaginal ultrasounds, or impossible reimplantation of ectopic pregnancies. People protesting women’s clinics are not helping women, nor are the non-medically necessary required restrictions created to make operation of clinics more difficult, such as “admitting access to a hospital within 30 miles” that are not the same for other medical fields. Threatening women and their doctors with crimes and death sentences are absurd and draconian. 

Some women WANT their pregnancies and painfully choose a late-term abortion to prevent the child from suffering in extreme circumstances. One never knows what a woman is going through. Outlawing abortion is dangerous and infringes upon our reproductive freedom. I’m disgusted that men, who will NEVER understand the experience, men who are NOT medical professionals, try to outlaw abortion. I’m disappointed in the women that prevent others from making the choice on their own. You should well know, not all people want the same thing, even if they seem to have the same situation. Just think about dinnertime … everyone is hungry, but likely wants something different. When it comes to pregnancy or reproductive desires, it is NOT one size fits all.

I’m embarrassed but not surprised that all the Nebraska Senators and Representatives asked the Supreme Court to overturn Roe V. Wade in the recent amicus brief. If you want smaller government as a Republican, you all need to step back from trying to control women’s reproductive freedoms. You would no sooner force a woman to have an abortion, so why are you insistent upon making the choice for all women to birth children? What kind of society tries to control women’s bodies? Not one I can support, that’s for sure. Handmaid’s Tale is eerily close when Republican lawmakers ignorantly continue to introduce/enact legislation that takes away women’s rights. I feel that anti-choice Republicans must hate women to continue this fight against us. A fetus is not more important that the woman who may potentially carry it. You cannot force a woman to have a pregnancy unless she consents. Should be simple. 

If people are really concerned about children, more money needs to be invested in free universal child care, universal health care to prevent high costs of doctor appointments and delivery, raising the minimum wage so that women aren’t forced to work multiple jobs and choose between feeding their children or paying rent, paid maternity leave so that women can take time off from work to welcome their children into the world and not lose their source of income, not chipping away at welfare benefits, not separating families and locking children in cages when they cross the border. These are just a few of the ideas I can come up with. 

Our society need to stop shaming women for having the children that anti-abortion people guilted/forced them into having. Unless you’re going to give each woman a quarter of a million dollars for each child she has (the average cost of raising a child to age 17), I really think Republicans need to back down from taking away the right to abortion as one of the many options a woman should have. I’m so frustrated that after all women have had to fight for, we still have men and women in the government who try to take away our bodily autonomy. 

If I sound impassioned, it’s because I am. 3000%. NOT having children is something that defines me, allows me to live the life I choose. I’m an aunt to 9, hopefully more someday. I hope that EVERY woman has the resources and support needed to make HER choice. I wish that anti-choice people would just make the choice for themselves instead of trying to impose their beliefs on this nation of diverse people. If you don’t want an abortion, don’t have one. Stop trying to control women and say you’re really just concerned about the fetus/future child. There’s no child without the woman’s consent. If it’s not your body, it’s not your decision. 

If you are looking for reading to expand your knowledge about the challenges women face and the history of reproductive politics, I recommend “Reproductive Politics: What Everyone Needs to Know” by Rickie Solinger. This book has a great format, is a quick read, and simply lays out the facts. 

The need for heightened separation of Church and State

I was raised in a Catholic family with five kids total. In my 12 years of Catholic schooling, I remember having doubts and questions, and was forced to undergo Confirmation in order to graduate from 8th grade, despite voicing my concerns to the deacon about not being ready to undergo that ‘sacrament’. I am now a person who views organized religion as a means of control, community, and comfort. I see the similar threads in many religions, the searching for answers, and rules. But I also see how Christianity has taken ahold of the government in so many ways, while at the same time bemoaning some perceived persecution. If we are to have a Freedom of/from Religion, that means we need to remain as impartial and respectful of other beliefs as we can. There doesn’t need to be mention of God, call to prayer, spiritual leaders, etc in places of government. There can be a calling to mind of shared values. Lack of religious belief does not mean lack of morals or convictions. I feel more persecuted by religious people because they freely get to shout their beliefs from the rooftop, whereas I have to hide my thoughts and feelings to myself. There is definitely an imbalance in our government and communities. Every time abortion rights are stripped from women, it’s evident that religion has an inappropriate presence in our government that overshadows my rights to religious beliefs and bodily autonomy. This oversight needs to end. 

Protection of LGBT+ people from discrimination

All people are deserving of respect and equality, protection from discrimination in their daily lives, in their job, in their housing. Discrimination should not be allowed in adoption agencies, or in any avenue. Any conversion therapies must be shut down as they are harmful to the well-being of those forced to attend. It is not a psychologically sound practice. 

There are many Nebraskans who do not fit the “average”, but they need to know there is a place for them here, that they are accepted and integral parts of our community. Please remember this as you create and examine legislation. Please take the time to learn and to meet others. I’ve heard it said “Be careful who you hate, because it may be someone you love.”  

The needed boost to minimum wage of at least $15/hr minimum

Did you know that the federal minimum wage ($7.25) is only $3020 different from poverty level ($12,060)? Knowing that health insurance deductibles can be $5000, car payments and repairs, bills that come out of nowhere, you can see that a $3020 pre-tax cushion isn’t really a cushion at all. That $2700 I just coughed over for a furnace would have been that “cushion” keeping me from poverty, if I was on the brink.

So many people have to work more than one job to make ends meet. I’m currently earning a few dollars more than both federal and Nebraska minimum wage at a 40 hour/week job that has NO BENEFITS, but I cannot afford a rent/house payment. I’m so very lucky that my husband paid off his small house shortly after I moved in. But with my regular bills (not in debt, luckily), I’m not able to put aside money. With a $200 car payment each month, I’m lucky to break even. I’m eyeing taking on a second job, just to get more money. That’s not how anyone should be living. Free time is necessary for sanity. Even 40 hours of work sometimes gets to be a drag. 

From what I understand, from a ballotpedia site from 2011, Nebraska Senators make more than $2 million a year, and rank 38th in pay. It’s likely you make 158 times the federal minimum wage every hour. So it’s understandable that you don’t feel the crisis. It’s not to say your job is a regular 40 hour job and doesn’t come with its own challenges and stresses. But I ask that you put yourself in the shoes of the majority of Nebraskans, people in this country. We can’t afford much of anything because the hourly wage has not risen with the cost of gas, milk, insurance, cars, etc. The wages of CEO’s are astronomical compared to what the common worker earns. They will not pay livable wages unless they are required to do so. There are some small businesses that may need subsidies in order to make this happen, but people deserve a fair, livable wage at only 40 hours work. We deserve more than we get. I’m in my mid-30’s, have a Bachelor’s Degree and have never broken $30,000 at a full time job. Good thing I don’t want kids because I simply couldn’t afford it. 

I please ask that you sit down and figure out what kind of expenses a person in their 20s faces when trying to get a one bedroom apartment in Omaha or Lincoln. I’ve tried to live that life before and it was pretty much impossible. I had to move back in with my parents and also had to live in a studio apartment, as I couldn’t ever afford a 1 bedroom apartment. Now factor in children. It gets worse. Help us, please. Raise the minimum wage, both federal and state to at least $15/hour. Yes, all wages should rise, except for CEO’s. They can take a pay cut ;) If someone is currently at $15 or $17 an hour, yes, their wages should rise as they are likely doing difficult or dangerous work. We need to value the time and energy that people provide the companies in this country. We ARE this country.

The need for universal health care

At the beginning of 2019, I went to have a minor pain checked out in my leg. I should have known better. The real pain was that although I was told my insurance “approved” the procedure, my health insurance only covered 2% and I was left with a $1200 bill. That’s a month’s wages for someone on minimum wage.  It doesn’t help that I make a few dollars more. It made me wish that I never went to the doctor in the first place, and that’s not the way it should be. 

If you pay attention, you’ll hear stories of people dying trying to ration insulin, or of people not going to receive medical care because of the cost. That just shouldn’t be. If we live in “the greatest nation on earth” why are people dying and going bankrupt due to medical costs? Why do you allow drugmakers to set prices that are outrageous? When you compare our system to that of other developed nations, we are far behind. Insurance is a broken system - I shouldn’t have to rely on an employer and risk losing insurance if I want to change jobs. As I mentioned, I have a full time job that doesn’t have any benefits and it’s actually pretty hard to find a full time job with benefits in the rural area in which I live. We can and should do better. 

A move to lower the voting age to 16, automatic registration, disband the electoral college

Since the legal working age is 16, it makes sense that anyone working should have a say in the way their taxes are used and who represents them for those purposes. It’s important to get the youth engaged in the political system because they are the ones who will shape the world. I’ve seen some very impassioned youth and they need to be heard. I know the value of voting; as a woman, that right wasn’t always extended to me. People were imprisoned and died so I could exercise my voice. 

We should also have automatic voter registration and Election Day should be a national holiday so people can leave work and have one less roadblock. There are too many restrictions that are meant to prevent people from voting. Gerrymandering voting districts. Need for I.D. Preventing the incarcerated or previously incarcerated from voting. Voter Purge (which should be illegal). It’s all part of the shadows, meant to keep people from having a say. We also need to disband the electoral college. One Vote should be One Vote. If you want people to feel empowered, take away that which makes it shady and difficult for us to get our one and only say: who represents us.

Moving military entrance age to 21 to match alcohol and cigarettes.

Recently the legal age for cigarettes has been moved to age 21 to match that of alcohol. I approve of that because at age 18, a person’s body and decision making skills are still developing. Therefore I think that we should do away with required registration and not allow anyone under age 21 to enroll in the military. If a teenager can’t be expected to make a good decision with alcohol consumption, they shouldn’t have a gun put in their hand either. I highly recommend the book “On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society” by Dave Grossman. Written by a military member, it details how the training for war has changed since our nation began. Now, killing is impersonal, with the ability to drop bombs from thousands of miles away. It’s abhorrent that we train youth to go kill, when often it’s about protecting financial interests, like oil. TRILLIONS of dollars are spent on the military and the war machine. We need to divert some of that money towards teaching conflict resolution, de-escalation skills, and general communication. Luring youth into the military with “free college” is disheartening and deceitful; If college were free across the board, youth would be able to make more informed choices. 

In general, we need to spend money on PEACE; after all, you get what you pay for! Maybe peace doesn’t seem to turn a profit the same way war does, but I’m sure the benefits are there. ;) I understand that even if we want peace and even if we are working towards it, there are humans that will do awful things and we need people ready to step in and protect us. I believe that people around age 18 are still vulnerable, still figuring out the world. My oldest nephew will be turning 21 in the summer and he’s still learning about the world. I was still learning about the world and my beliefs when I was nearing the end of my time at college. I know some people like structure, being told what to do, feeling a part of something, feeling proactive in protection, but there are more ways to integrate into society than by sending our youth into extreme situations where they end up in body bags for the price of oil. Or just as tragic, with PTSD and lack of resources when they come home. Raising the military entrance age to 21 ensures that people are pursuing it for the right reasons. 

Free college education and dismissal of student debt

The amount of student loan debt that the people of this country have prevents them from living life to the fullest. Can you imagine how much better our country could be if the brilliant minds were not restricted by the amount of money they could cough up? You’ve heard the phrase “A mind is a terrible thing to waste”. The U.S. is squandering that most valuable resource: the untapped minds of the youth. If we remove the barrier of finances for both universities and trade schools, so many more people will be able to get into fields and advance the U.S. in so many unknown ways. We can advance our country further if we emulate other countries that focus on intelligence and innovation.

Free lunch for public school students through high school

I’m unaware what the policy is currently, but I think it best if Nebraska/the country enact a law that promises to feed all children attending public schools through high school. It could and should be mandatory in private schools as well. Often times, the child’s home life is unknown and food may be scarce, especially with an unlivable minimum wage or single parent homes. Children need nourishment in order to function and grow. There is no reason that children should face shame or hunger if they are unable to pay for a meal during the school day. In order to alleviate costs, there could be a program in which food is grown on school property and students learn and are involved with the process. I’ve heard of it done in some places and know I would have relished the skill. It makes sense in a state with a strong agricultural ties that students learn about how food is grown. Other ways that schools have worked to combat poverty have included clothes washing and drying machines and food pantries for students. We need to take care of our youth. 

Shutdown the ICE detention centers and reunite families; disband “the wall” idea, fix immigration 

One of the most cruel things the U.S. has done in my lifetime is the current genocide and trauma happening in detention centers. No one can claim they are pro-life when children are being ripped from their parents’ arms and stuck in cages. They are living in terrible conditions and some are being sexually abused. The fact that some children no longer recognize their parents IF/when they are reunited… it’s horrifying. Children being “adopted” by people who don’t know them, rather than returned to their families. Children that are unaware of the situation being forced to testify in court without representation. I know you are a parent. Imagine if that was you and your children! The agony of not being there for your child because the government of another nation took them from you. 

The very fact is that these families are escaping situations that the U.S. has a direct link to: if you look at the events in Latin America in the past 30+ years, you’ll see that the U.S. had a hand in these governments and it has led to current issues. I lived/studied in a Latin American country in which the U.S. government played a large part in a government coup and thousands of people were murdered. The actions of the U.S. government have far-reaching, lasting effects.  

These families are trying to escape violence and death. They are legally seeking asylum and being treated like dogs. This is genocide, believe it or not. The effects of this trauma are lingering. I don’t know if you can imagine what it would be like, but there’s a reason that the centers are off-limits to visitors - it’s horrendous. If you truly value human life and family values, you must speak up and end this atrocious human rights violation that is happening in plain sight.

You will also recognize the hateful rhetoric that creates an “us versus them” mentality that is the foundation to propaganda and genocide: the creation of an enemy. People from other countries are not out to “get us”. Most people want the same thing: safety and opportunity, shelter, clothing, the chance to contribute to the world, to learn and grow.

It’s laughable, the idea of building a wall as a plan of defense or method of control for immigration. It’s laughable because it’s illogical and ill-conceived and impossible and unnecessary. We can use our money for better things. Or Mexico’s money, because aren’t they supposed to pay for it? :P 

There are serious issues with the current immigration/naturalization system as it is. I have a friend who has properly filled out all the paperwork for her spouse’s citizenship and the government agencies keep sending things back long after all the requirements were met, claiming it wasn’t done properly, or some other excuse. Whether you make people jump through hoops or sit in cages, there’s something about America that is appealing. Work on living up to the hype instead of trying to compete with the horrors they are trying to escape. 

Sensible gun law reform

I don’t know how many deaths it will take before lawmakers see how serious this issue is. I know people point to the Second Amendment, but the Founding Fathers had NO idea of the kind of guns that would be developed. You should be aware of the stats now, although they grow every day. According to a New York Post Article on Dec 28, 2019: “More than 210 people died this year in 41 mass slayings, making 2019 the deadliest year in massacres since at least the 1970s.” A recent article from the Latin American Herald Tribune writes “More than 38,000 people have died in the United States from the use of firearms during 2019, according to the Gun Violence Archive.”

I’m not safer because people around me have guns. It’s been proven that a gun in the home increases the chance of violence or injury, death by gunshot wound. There is violence in gun-free countries, sure, but not to the extent of what the U.S. has. It’s awful and needs to be addressed. How many schoolchildren need to die? School layouts, and backpacks and doors… all of these things have seen advancements to deal with active shooters, but lawmakers are avoiding the base of the problem: guns and who has access to them. Please fix it. We’ve all lost track of the mass shootings and that’s pathetic. 

Shut down the Keystone Pipeline and focus on sustainable energy sources, green solutions

Despite being told it’s safe, we keep seeing pipelines burst and endanger water sources, land, and wildlife. There are more sensible ways than digging into the earth and stripping it of finite resources. Solar and wind power have great advantages and are infinite. More time and energy and resources should be focused on these things, as well as ways to protect our natural resources and the balance between the world around us and our human aspirations. With free access to higher education, more people can be trained and make discoveries in how to protect our planet and combat climate change. 

Shut down for profit prisons and end capital punishment

Prisons do best when money is not the driving factor but rehabilitation of inmates is enhanced. Treating people as human beings is generally a better solution than keeping them in environments that are insulated from society and encourage them to come back since they are unprepared for life on the outside. Killing people with injections of illegal poisons, as Governor Ricketts is fond of, is not a good look for Nebraskans. If a person considers themselves pro-life for a fetus, then why does that not extend to human life that has developed beyond birth? I understand there are atrocious things that some people may have done, but killing someone doesn’t undo their crimes. And if it’s later discovered that the person did not commit the crime, it’s too late if you’ve already killed them. It’s cheaper to keep someone in prison for life than it is to bring in illegal drugs to kill them. There are some people who will rise to the occasion, given the chance to change. Some that even face life without parole have potential to do better things as well. It’s always wonderful to learn about inmates that train dogs or horses, or can otherwise contribute to society as some version of penance for their crimes. Treat people as you want them to be, and sometimes they can surprise you. 

Investigation of Epstein’s death

I’ve seen on Facebook that Senator Sasses is calling for an investigation into Epstein’s death. I do agree with you there. Knowing that Trump and Epstein were both listed on the pedophile/sex party lawsuit, it’s highly likely that Epstein had dirt on Trump and many others. Epstein was silenced. 

We shouldn’t allow for the darkness to rule and change the fates, keep justice from happening. I feel there is a dark web underneath the government’s workings. Knowing that so many lawmakers receive at least half a million dollars a year in salary, up to $4 million, not to mention the money from lobbyists and special interest groups… I can see the potential is rife for corruption. 

I hope your Nebraska and family values are enough to keep you away from that and working towards truth, transparency, fairness, and justice. As you’ve heard, what’s done in the dark comes to light.

Thank you for taking the time to read some of my concerns. I hope that even though you weren’t voted in on my side of many of these issues, that you will recognize you do represent ALL Nebraskans, varied as we are, and that my viewpoints can give you reason to reconsider your thoughts on some/all of these issues. 

Sincere Regards, 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This NINE page letter was sent to 4 lawmakers in the mail. On neon orange paper. ;) 

Yesterday, (January 8, 2020) I tried to send the letter digitally through the contact listed on their websites. I also decided to send it to my State Unicameral Senator, since they opened session trying to take away Reproductive Rights.

Here was the result of my attempts to send digitally, which leads me to believe federal representation doesn't ACTUALLY want you to reach them. Go figure. I understand that maybe only really crazy people send really long letters, but what about people who are trying to save themselves time? Unlike my Federal Senators, I don't make $2 million/year.

- Ricketts: I was able to attach the pdf of letter - supposedly went through
- Adrian Smith: Needed to have +4 on zip code in order to even GET to the contact portal. don’t think it went through - got error screen.
- Fischer: access denied error screen - bet it was length
- Sasse - length too long - go figure
- Emailed NE Unicameral District Senator - he actually just provided his email address! AND he actually wrote back the same evening.... I will be responding soon. He said as a State Senator at the Unicameral, he only makes $12,000/year. Big difference from what the federal senators make....

CONTACT YOUR LAWMAKERS!!!! Letters and calls are documented. 

https://5calls.org/ is a great site to help you make those calls important to you.