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Editorial

THE KEY TO FIGHTING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

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In times of uncertainty Americans have pulled together and forged a path forward. Now, during a worldwide health crisis, is our chance to refocus on solving our urgent health care challenges by unleashing American innovation.

SAWYER’S TIMELINE

Andrew J. Sawyer’s, Lincoln the Capitol City and Lancaster County, Nebraska, published in 1916, included a section entitled “Brief Happenings in Lancaster County History,” which chronicled representative events in the county from 1867 to 1909. These events range from the high profile (location of the state capital at Lincoln, August 14, 1867) to the mundane (location of a pickle factory at Lincoln, July 16, 1874).

COMMEMORATING MOUNT RUSHMORE

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Last week, I had the opportunity to attend President Trump’s Independence celebration at Mount Rushmore. During this speech, the President stated, “Our Founders launched not only a revolution in government, but a revolution in the pursuit of justice, equality, liberty, and prosperity. No nation has done more to advance the human condition than the United States of America. And no people have done more to promote human progress to promote human progress than the citizens of our great nation.” I appreciate President Trump’s strong remarks.

THOMAS J. MAJORS

Thomas J. Majors (1841 to 1932) of Nemaha County was a pioneer soldier and farmer who served in the Nebraska territorial and state legislatures; in Congress; and as lieutenant governor from 1890 to 1894. He narrowly missed being elected governor in 1894 during a confused campaign centering around the silver issue in which Fusion gubernatorial candidate Silas Holcomb defeated both Democrat Phelps D. Sturdevant and Republican Tom Majors.

GOING THE WRONG DIRECTION

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The Affordable Care Act (ACA) – also known as Obamacare – is ten years old However, with ten years of hindsight, it is clear the ACA has been anything but affordable for Nebraska families. In the Third District, insurance on the ACA exchange often costs upwards of $30,000 for a family when you include annual premiums and deductible. Despite the ACA raising health insurance rates instead of lowering them, this week Speaker Pelosi brought a new ACA expansion bill (H.R. 1425) before the House of Representatives.

Thinking Outloud

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How many people can say that they have driven over the speed limit in a motorized vehicle and not broken the law? There is a very good chance that many weekend evenings during the upcoming months in North Platte and Lexington; there are individuals that are speeding within the city limits of North Platte and Lexington; and the law enforcement aren’t concerned with their speed.

WHAT ABOUT THE DEBT?

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The COVID-19 pandemic cast the United States into uncharted territory. Americans were asked to take unprecedented steps in order to slow down the spread of the virus. I have supported bipartisan efforts Congress and President Trump have enacted to fight this virus and provide economic relief. However, I continue to have serious concerns about the costs associated with these bills. We have long had a spending problem, and we must refocus on addressing troubling spending patterns even while fighting COVID-19.

TIMELINES: FOURTH OF JULY

Isham Reavis (1836-1914), pioneer lawyer, judge, and longtime resident of Falls City, began writing his autobiography in 1909. It was never completed, but the existing portion includes Reavis's recollections of a Fourth of July celebration in Falls City in the late 1850s which seemed to have included everything but fireworks.

PUSHING FORWARD ON TRADE

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Exports alone make up more than 12 percent of the United States GDP. Expanding trade markets benefits our economy, relationships with other countries, and consumers. With something so critical as trade, we need to constantly be thinking about ways to improve in this vital area. For this reason, while the ongoing pandemic has disrupted day-to-day life around our nation, the Trump administration has continued its work negotiating and implementing multiple trade agreements with the support of many in Congress.

BEATING THE HEAT IN THE 1930S:

The mid 1930s saw some of the hottest summer temperatures ever recorded in Nebra-ska. When Ruth Godfrey Donovan and her family moved to Lincoln in 1934, the Depress-ion and a severe drought were well underway. Donovan, who lived in a small apartment near downtown Lincoln, recalled: "Sleeping was difficult during that heatridden time. Sometimes it would be so hot inside the building we dragged the cushions from the living room couch out on the front porch and slept on them in the cooler outside air."