Don Stenberg: Why I'm running for the US Senate

NebraskaPolitics ^ | Oct. 11, 2005 | Don Stenberg

[jebanks]

Earlier this month, my wife Sue and I embarked on a 2-day 12-city tour across Nebraska to formally announce my candidacy for the United States Senate.

Prior to this month’s tour, I spent the past 5 months traveling the state listening to Nebraskans. The overwhelming message I heard was it is time for change in Washington – and I couldn’t agree more.

The leadership of the national Democratic Party has been captured by the “blame America first” crowd who want to take America in the wrong direction.

Unfortunately, at the same time, many Republicans in Washington have abandoned basic Republican principles of smaller government, restrained federal spending, and local control of education. Republicans in Washington need to be reminded why they were sent there in the first place.

My twelve years as Nebraska’s Attorney General establish me as a proven conservative, who Nebraskans know and trust. As Attorney General, rather than going along to get along, I earned a reputation for doing what I thought was right. That is exactly what we need in Washington today.

Nebraskans know that when I say I will work to protect our families from terrorists, to reduce energy prices, to cut taxes, to rein in out of control federal judges, and to reduce federal spending and regulation, that I will cast Nebraska’s vote to keep those promises.

Our highest responsibility is the defense of the nation – to protect the lives and safety of our families and our neighbors. I am proud to stand in unwavering support of our men and women in uniform.

President Bush is right when he says that we must take the fight to the terrorists wherever they may be found. If we don’t, the terrorists will surely bring the fight to us – just as they did on 9/11, 2001.

I disagree with those who say we are losing the War On Terror. Leaving Iraq before we finish the job would result in the terrorists gaining enormous financial assets. And their “victory” over the United States would gain them radical new supporters throughout the world.

The other key issues that must be addressed in Washington are summed up in these points: (for more details on these and other issues, visit my website - www.stenbergfornebraska.com)

· We urgently need a common sense national energy policy that will open parts of Alaska and offshore to oil and gas development, that will promote the construction of needed oil refineries, and promote renewable fuels like ethanol and bio-diesel that we can produce right here in Nebraska. · It’s time to restore democracy by putting judges on the Supreme Court, and other courts, who understand that public policy decisions are supposed to be made by our elected representatives, not unelected judges. · We must make the President’s tax cuts permanent.

On each of these issues, the leadership of the national Democratic Party is working to take America in the wrong direction. And Ben Nelson continues to work to put these people in charge of the government of the United States.

At the same time, many Republicans in Washington have lost their way and no longer support smaller government, restrained federal spending, or local control of education.

Since an election is approaching, Democrat Senator Ben Nelson will be doing everything he can to convince Nebraskans that he is not really a Democrat. But the fact is, time after time, he has done his best to put liberal Democrats in control of the government of the United States.

For example, Ben Nelson served as the Nebraska Chairman of Al Gore’s campaign for President. He voted to make liberal Democrat Tom Daschle the Majority Leader of the United States Senate. And, through his political committee, Nelson contributed $10,000 to Daschle’s 2004 campaign and $5,000 to ultra-liberal Democrat Barbara Boxer’s campaign.

Nebraska is not well represented by a man who wants liberals like Al Gore to be our President and Tom Daschle to run the United States Senate. If Ben Nelson is reelected, he will continue to work to put this blame America first crowd in charge of the government of the United States. Democrat Zell Miller walked away from this crowd—Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson has not!

It is time for change in Washington. It is time for new leadership. It is time to send to Washington a proven conservative leader Nebraskans know and trust. That proven conservative leader is Don Stenberg.

[stan_sipple]

Swimming upstream a little bit, as the Bush Administration seems to be doing little favors for Benny now and then, eg putting Johanns up to SECAG, not cutting Offutt AFB; probably dont need Nelson's help on Miers scotus nomination though, who knows?