Email to Chris Janicek - Please withdraw from the Senate Race so Sasse can be defeated

Greetings, Chris Janicek, 

In light of recent events that have proven to be less than upstanding in regards to sexism and racism, however slight or overblown you may find them to be, or even if you think you've progressed, you now find yourself without the support of the Nebraska Democratic Party, as well as many people who, like you, want to see Senator Ben Sasse ousted from office. 

With such an important office and opportunity at stake, it's imperative we have strength in numbers to accomplish this, and we are prepared to rally around a different candidate, Alisha Shelton. But in order to do so, you do need to step down and withdraw from the Senate Race. 

To not withdraw signifies protection of your ego, instead of dedication to the ultimate goal of getting Sen Ben Sasse replaced with a Democrat. To stay in the race means that you are willing for us ALL to lose to promote and protect yourself and your pride, rather than the goal we share, ousting Sasse and getting a Democrat in the Senate for Nebraska. 

We desperately need change, and you know that. I implore you, for the sake of every blue dot in this state, especially me out in rural Trump country, please withdraw from the Senate race so Alisha Shelton can step in and defeat Ben Sasse with full force. 

Thank you

Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse's awful graduation commencement video

Context: http://seeingrednebraska.com/education/can-we-get-a-wellness-check-on-ben-sasse/ To Ben Sasse

You have disgraced yourself, Fremont High School, the State of Nebraska and the Office of Nebraska State Senator with your absurd, nonsensical address to the graduating class. It was evident that you took little to no time to put any thought into your message and just threw out a bunch of failed attempts at humor, while insulting so many groups of people, as well as false accusations and tired rhetoric. If anything you proved that money will buy you a political seat, but it cannot buy you class, humility, intelligence, or any bit of respect. I am disgusted that you receive taxpayer money to pull stunts like this. The students and their families, all of us, deserve better than what you presented and I await your dismissal from office and your replacement with someone who represents the intelligence, thoughtfulness, and respectfulness our state deserves.

Feel free to copy my letter and send it to Sasse:
https://www.sasse.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-ben

May 15, 2020 Governor Ricketts stop allowing these deaths to occur for money

Again, I write to you, Governor P. Ricketts to tell you that you are responsible for the sicknesses and deaths of every single Nebraskan, especially those connected to the meat packing plants, which you want to keep open, despite the employer's unwillingness to protect their workers AND you want to protect the employers by HIDING THE NUMBERS OF COVID-19.

I do not accept your lies, your corrupt protection of business at the expense of the people of Nebraska, and your unwillingness to do what is right. I do not accept your claim of "pro-life" because these are indeed human lives at stake. DO SOMETHING NOW TO HELP THEM.

I present to you the following post from one of your constituents, a health care worker about a family suffering from COVID-19 as a result of your carelessness and that of the owners of the meat-packing industry.


Post from the health care worker:
"I have a sweet 65yo patient that I purposely did telehealth with last month to keep her home safe. She tells me she is “behaving” and staying home. She tells me her husband, however, continues to work daily at a local meat packing plant. I half-jokingly tell her to tell him he needs to shower, sanitize his hands, and brush his teeth before he kisses her. She giggled. I finished off her visit by telling her take care and stay safe. She responds by saying she will and that she is praying for me during this pandemic.

"This week, while reviewing my incoming paperwork on patients, I see she was taken by squad for shortness of breath and fever. Her oxygen was at 68% at room air. Her chest X-ray showed pneumonia and CoViD-19 was suspected. She was to get admitted.

"Today I see she is now in the CoViD unit on a ventilator. Chest x-ray worse than prior. She was placed face down all night. Her husband apparently was just released from the ICU yesterday from CoViD infection. She is still there.

"Basically, he became infected thru his employer, the meat making plant. He brought it home to his wife. She is now fighting for her life. Alone.

"I tell you this because the meat packing plant workers are “essential” to our economy. However, it is NOT just the workers. Their spouses, their elderly parents, their children AND the whole community and soon the “more affluent” zip codes.

"I am exhausted but I will continue to press and pray for my city and my country and mankind. I pray the death toll won’t be great. I pray for all clinicians and first responders and “essential” workers. I pray for a vaccine. And I pray for my sweet patient. Take care everyone and stay safe!

Governor P. Ricketts re Crete and Grand Island

Governor P. Ricketts,

I am so very disappointed in your performance during this pandemic. Your unwillingness to trust medical experts has put all of us at danger, especially those who work in the meat-packing industry in Crete and Grand Island. Immigrants are human beings, first and foremost, in case you were unaware.

Instead of demanding that large organizations care for the physical well-being of their employees, you have shown your claim to be pro-life is a farce and is not as strong as your desire for profit for you and your friends (Test Nebraska and Nebraska Crossing).

I direct your attention to at least ONE loss suffered during this time as a result of your lack of appropriate action at Smithfield in Crete. See the attached image from Vy Mai, a resident of Nebraska who will no longer see her grandfather because you think Americans will start a riot over meat. Some Americans might, but they are the same ones who spit on nurses and take guns everywhere they go. Those white supremacist terrorists are not my version of American and they shouldn't be yours either.

I do blame you for each Nebraska death since you continue to do little but praise Trump who is unintelligent and also ignores medical experts. A man who ponders the injection of disinfectants during a live press conference is not fit to lead. You are proving the same, over and over again.

Since I know you will do nothing to stop these deaths, acknowledge facts or science, I can only express my disgust and look forward to the day you are ousted from office for a morally conscientious governor who actually intends to keep Nebraskans alive. I would love for you to prove me wrong and take strong and drastic measures to protect us during this pandemic. But I won't hold my breath.

Jan 14, 2020 Senator Deb Fischer opinion about "Hollywood Hypocrites" and carbon footprint

January 14, 2020

Senator Fischer, 

I read your recent January 13, 2020 opinion piece in Agri-Pulse about Hollywood’s choice of meal and the ways in which you called them out “Hollywood Hypocrites” for their carbon footprint. It seems you are pandering to your base and trying to cause division between agriculture and another industry. If they want to eat vegan and wear fancy dresses, they still have less impact on carbon emissions and the environment than does the U.S. Government.

At least you admit climate change is real. 

However, instead of critiquing people for trying to do their small part, you could focus on the ways in which you as a Senator could do a large part, and the ways in which the government makes a hypocrite out of you in your claims to work against climate change that affects us all. 

According to World Beyond War ( https://worldbeyondwar.org/environment/ )

Carbon Cost The U.S. military is one of the biggest polluters on earth. Since 2001, the U.S. military has emitted 1.2 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases, equivalent to the annual emissions of 257 million cars on the road.3 

The U.S. Department of Defense is the largest institutional consumer of oil ($17B/year) in the world, and the largest global landholder with 800 foreign military bases in 80 countries.4 

By one estimate, the U.S. military used 1.2 million barrels of oil in Iraq in just one month of 2008.5 

One military estimate in 2003 was that two-thirds of the U.S. Army’s fuel consumption occurred in vehicles that were delivering fuel to the battlefield.6

Poisoned Water The U.S. military is among the top three largest polluters of U.S. waterways. It dumped 63,335,653 pounds of poison into waterways from 2010-2014, including carcinogenic 

chemicals, rocket fuel, and toxic sewage.7

A Pentagon Report released in 2018 details widespread chemical poisoning of water supplies on military bases and in surrounding communities worldwide.8 The report identifies the presence of PFOS and PFOA chemicals in drinking water at levels known to be harmful to human health and linked to cancer and birth defects. At least 401 bases are known to have contaminated water. PFOA and PFOS chemicals are used in fire retardants during routine fire-training exercises on U.S. military bases worldwide.

The majority of “Superfund” sites in the U.S. are current or former military-related installations, sites designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where extreme hazardous waste threatens human health and the environment.9

Traces Left Behind The most deadly weapons left behind by war are landmines and cluster bombs. A 1993 U.S. State Department report called landmines “perhaps the most toxic and widespread pollution facing mankind.”10 Millions of hectares in Europe, North Africa, and Asia are under interdiction because of tens of millions of landmines and cluster bombs left behind by war.

In Libya, one third of its land mass is considered contaminated by landmines and unexploded munitions from World War II. “Land mines accelerate environmental damage through 1 of 4 mechanisms: fear of mines denies access to abundant natural resources and arable land; populations are forced to move preferentially into marginal and fragile environments in order to avoid minefields; this migration speeds depletion of biological diversity; and landmine explosions disrupt essential soil and water processes.”11

Intentional Damage Compounding the massive ecological footprint of war and ongoing preparations for war, damage to the environment is also a deliberate tactic used in warfare, such as the destruction of forests, farms, and irrigation systems during World War II.

From 1965 to 1971, the U.S. sprayed 3640 km2 of southern Vietnam with dangerous herbicides and defoliants, including the infamous Agent Orange. During the Gulf War, Iraq released 10 million gallons of oil into the Persian Gulf and set 732 oil wells on fire, causing extensive damage to wildlife and poisoning groundwater with oil spills.12

The references and more information can be found here: https://worldbeyondwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/FactSheet-Environment.pdf 

    Knowing that 

• 54% of the discretionary budget goes to the military (Robert Reich Jan 12, 2020 video “Where Your Tax Dollars Really Go”) 
• the U.S. is the #1 arms dealer in the world, (multiple sources)
• and at least 50 members of Congress financially gain from military sales (realsludge.com Jan 13, 2020 article “The Members of Congress Who Profit From War” 

I think you would best stop putting the blame on Hollywood celebrities and work towards real change starting with the U.S. Government’s War Machine. 

Sincerely, 

XX

Nebraska LB848 Indigenous Peoples' Day in Nebraska, replacing Columbus Day

Relevant link: https://nebraska.tv/news/local-politics/proposed-bill-would-replace-columbus-day-with-indigenous-peoples-day?fbclid=IwAR03oEejF-Jy4dDuEbhQudh85uLTAdgzVXFpAUy5EuzQ6CvOKMXTEqFriEo

Hello, Senator X, 

I'm writing in support of LB848, introduced by Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, that would make the second Monday in October of each year be called Indigenous Peoples' Day in Nebraska, replacing Columbus Day. 

It is long overdue to acknowledge that Indigenous peoples were here long before Europeans/Columbus arrived and to honor the Native peoples that inhabit Nebraska. I hope you will support the bill! 

Thank you!

~~~~
Fellow Nebraskans, find your Senator, feel free to use my text and let them know you support LB848 and hope they do to!
Find your senator: https://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/senato…/senator_find.php 

1/9/2020 Letter to Gov Ricketts about proclamation for prayer to end abortion

Relevant link: https://governor.nebraska.gov/press/gov-ricketts-declares-roe-v-wade-anniversary-statewide-day-prayer-end-abortion January 9th, 2020

Governor Ricketts, 

Your proclamation to create a statewide call to prayer to end abortion is unconstitutional, unnecessary, and unrepresentative of the people of Nebraska.

Article I-4 of the Nebraska Constitution says: 

All persons have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences. No person shall be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship against his consent, and no preference shall be given by law to any religious society, nor shall any interference with the rights of conscience be permitted

Your promotion of your own religious beliefs over that of others in our state is shameful. There are many who do believe in prayer, but believe in a woman's right to choose. There are others who do not believe in a deity/deities who resent the religious nature in which you govern. Being told by you to pray is an insult to anyone’s convictions. 

The amount of time and energy it takes to create a proclamation such as yours is wasteful to Nebraska taxpayers, and only serves to make your anti-choice lobbyists happy. The lobbying money you receive and the proclamations you make seem to be a violation of Article III-6 about conflict of interest.  

You call Nebraska a pro-life state, but I am pro-choice as are many Nebraskans I know. Each time you and other (male) lawmakers, who do not have medical degrees, make attacks on women’s right to choose with new legislature, you endanger my rights, as created in Article I-1:

All persons are by nature free and independent, and have certain inherent and inalienable rights; among these are life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, … and such rights shall not be denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof. 

As a woman, I have a right to decide if/how/when children will be a part of my life. There are a multitude  of reasons that women may choose an abortion and each reason is valid and does not need to be explained to or approved by you or anyone else not medically involved. Women are not served by a blanket law that endangers them and takes away their liberties. When you take away women’s choices for your own moral justification, you are breaking your vow to uphold the Constitution. I don’t expect you to understand what it means to be a woman, but it’d be helpful if you attempted to allow us our liberties guaranteed us by the Constitutions of Nebraska and the United States. 

Being forced to gestate a fetus against my will is a violation of Article 1-2 in which Slavery is prohibited: 

There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in this state, otherwise than for punishment of crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. 

Yes, that may sound a bit extreme to relate gestation to slavery (keep in mind that rape and slavery went hand in hand in the antebellum south), but I have no faith in religious-based lawmakers and know they will not stop until they take away all access to abortion, therefore forcing women to birth children they do not want, endangering women and their families. My rights as a human being supersede that of a potential fetus/human that cannot be in my body without my consent. Your religious convictions do not supersede my rights.

I insist that you cease and desist with your religious-based proclamations related to prayer and/or abortion. Please refrain from making proclamations and laws that are unconstitutional, unnecessary, harmful to women and blur the much-needed lines between church and state. 

It’d be swell if you rescind your proclamation and admit that it does infringe on our constitutional rights as Nebraskans. Pretty sure you won’t, but I’m holding you accountable for your frivolous “governing”. And I vote.

Sincerely, 

A Pro-Choice, Non-Religious Nebraskan,