LJS: White: Nebraska needs Democrat in House

Don Walton, Lincoln Journal Star
October 15, 2009

Nebraska needs a Democratic congressman to look after the state's vital needs, state Sen. Tom White says.

"The Nebraska delegation is isolated from power and cannot effectively protect the state's interests," the Omaha legislator said during an interview this week.

Democrats hold the levers of power in the White House and exercise control in both houses of Congress.

Nebraska's three-member House delegation is all Republican.

A case in point when considering the advantage of power and influence, White said, is the need to protect and secure Air Force operations at Offutt Air Force Base south of Omaha, headquarters of the U.S. Strategic Command.

Recently, he noted, Offutt lost its bid to host the Air Force Global Strike Command headquarters.

That installation was awarded to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana even though Offutt compiled the highest overall score among the finalists in criteria developed by the Air Force.

Some leaders in Douglas County are concerned that could be a harbinger of future vulnerability if, or when, there's another round of military base closings or reductions in operations, White said.

White will challenge six-term Republican Rep. Lee Terry in next year's House race in metropolitan Omaha's 2nd District.

As the incumbent congressman, Terry last Saturday garnered the formal endorsement of the Republican state central committee in his primary contest with Matt Sakalosky next May.

White touched on a number of issues during an interview over coffee in the Haymarket.

"America's economic position in the world" is high among his concerns, he said.

That prompts the need to control federal budget deficits, increase trade, invest in America's infrastructure and counter the decline in the country's industrial base, White said.

If he had been in the House at the time, White said, he would have voted for the economic stimulus package. Terry voted no.

That jolt to the economy may have prevented a deep recession from sliding into an economic depression, White said.

It also provided the funding that propped up programs and services in Nebraska's state budget, he said.

The "next great challenge" in Washington will be to control spending, he said. He'd support a return to "pay-go" requirements that prevent new deficit spending, White said.

When the Nebraska Legislature convenes in special session next month to confront the state's growing revenue shortfall, White said, he'll be among those prepared to oppose any effort to increase taxes.

And, he said, he'll be committed to protecting funding for children and the elderly when the Legislature considers state budget reductions.

"They're the most vulnerable," White said.

"That's where I'll be fighting budget cuts."