Tom Becka

The People Don’t Want To Live In Fear

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Thu, 05/22/2025 - 12:00am

Maybe I missed something. Maybe Governor Pillen was walking the streets of West Omaha knocking on doors and campaigning for Jean Stothert. Perhaps he marched with her in parades. Was he endorsing her in TV ads, and I just didn’t see it?

If he didn’t do any of that, then why is he blaming West Omaha voters for the mayor’s loss?

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Showing Your True Colors

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Fri, 05/16/2025 - 12:00am

When the National Endowment for the Arts recently took away funding from actors, musicians, authors, filmmakers, and more, it wasn’t just an attack on creativity, but an attack on our democracy as well.

Allow me to explain.

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Thanks To The Oracle Of Omaha

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Tue, 05/13/2025 - 12:00am

The Wizard of West Des Moines doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as the Oracle of Omaha, but it looks like that might be what we’re facing.

West Des Moines resident Greg Able is the probable replacement for Warren Buffett. And the reports are that he’s not driving his U-Haul 129 miles west on I-80.

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Should The Public Be Paying For Religion In Schools?

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Thu, 05/08/2025 - 1:13pm

Before I get on my soapbox and start my rant, let me begin by saying that I support anyone’s religious beliefs as long as they aren’t using their God to hurt someone else. If they don’t believe their God wants them to perform a terrorist bombing, start a religious war, join the KKK or stand on a corner with a “God hates fags” sign I support their religious freedom.

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Let’s Get Fiscal

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Tue, 05/06/2025 - 12:00am

A battle cry we’ve heard over the years from the far right and the Tea Party has been “Taxation is theft.” To which I reply, “If taxation is theft, what would you call using the roads, the schools, the fire, police, and other public services without paying for them? Isn’t that theft as well?” Like it or not, we do need to pay our taxes.

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The Good Old Days

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Mon, 05/05/2025 - 12:00am

I suppose it is only natural for a person to reach a certain age and long for the so-called “Good old days.”

Whether they reminisce about the music of their day, the cars they used to drive, or the freedom they used to have.

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One Bad Apple Spoils The Whole Bunch

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Mon, 04/28/2025 - 8:13am

Remember when you were in school and one of the bad kids would do something wrong and if the teacher didn’t catch them, she’d ask the rest of the class who did it? If the rest of the class remained silent the whole room would get punished with detention or extra homework.

I’m reminded of that when I see what’s currently happening to the Republican Party. Not only nationally but here at home.

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Nebraska Nice Should Be More Than Just A Slogan

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Fri, 04/25/2025 - 6:00am

Let’s pretend for the sake of argument that all members of the Unicameral are intelligent, compassionate human beings. I know some of them really are, but you’ll have to use your imagination for the others.

But let’s assume that for the time being.

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Is This A More Perfect Union?

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Mon, 04/21/2025 - 6:00am

During the first term of the Trump administration, I heard many Republicans say something to the effect that they didn’t like his personality, but they liked his policies.

Perhaps you said or convinced yourself of the same thing.

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The Battle Between The Working Man And The Executive

Published by maggie@omahadai... on Fri, 04/18/2025 - 6:00am

We haven’t even had the mayor’s election yet and the race for the Nebraska Senate seat is already heating up.

Last week, shortly after independent candidate Dan Osborn announced he had a poll showing him in a statistical tie with Pete Ricketts, President Trump announced his endorsement of our incumbent senator.