Page 6
Daily Nebraskan
Tuesday, April 27, 1982
Democrats Burrows, Kerrey vie for nomination
i jI, ' 1 a
Photo by Dave Bentz
Bob Kerrey
Editor's note: This is the first of a two-part series about
Nebraska gubernatorial candidates in the 1982 primary
elections. The Republican Party candidates for governor
will be published later this week in the Daily Nebraskan.
By Pat Higgins
State government in Nebraska has to be well-managed
to solve the problems of the economy, Bob Kerrey, can
didate for the Democratic nominaton of governor, said in
an interview Wednesday. Kerrey, a Lincoln native, said he
sees a lot of unused potential in the state.
"I don't know whether or not Gov. (Charles) Thone
sees the potential," Kerrey said. "It is important that
political leaders in the 1980s are willing to take risks."
Americans should not abandon the dream of a society
that is both free and accessible, Kerrey said. He said Ne
braskans who are facing despair should not give in because
it seems there are solutions to their problems.
"Timid leaders aren't going to be successful," Kerrey
said. "We have to get on to challenging Nebraskans to
find the solutions to the problems."
Kerrey said that the main influences on his political
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NebiSafskan-
pliilosophy have been the poor, the weak, and others who
need help. Nebraska should not try to prosper on the
backs of the economically disadvantaged, Kerrey said. He
said that the plan should be to help poor people move up
from poverty. 'The government can t afford to be isolated
from the disadvantaged," Kerrey said.
A decorated Vietnam veteran, Kerrey said he learned
much from the experience.
"Being hospitalized taught me that it is hard to share
pain and loss because it's your own and difficult to exper
ience," Kerrey said. "What I concluded from that time is
that even though 1 am well fed and comfortable today, I
know how the hungry and out-of-work feel."
Kerrey said disadvantaged should work with the advan
taged because of the latter's imagination and innovation in
business.
"I vant to marshall the prosperous who have been pro
ven successful in managing resources," Kerrey said.
Difficulties with the state budget aren't the real prob
lem, Kerrey said. He compared the process to Plato's
myth of the cavemen watching the reflection of fire on a
wall as the reality is much different. Budget documents
aren't that difficult to put together, Kerrey said. He said
that budgets should be based upon the needs of the state.
"The mess with the budget can be handled," Kerrey
said.
Government must work with the people. The solution
is to recruit better people to run the government, he said.
A government estranged from the populace doesn't be
lieve that problems can be solved.
"I believe that I am the candidate of choice because I
can manage well and I want to present a challenge to the
people to do better," Kerrey said.
Thone has good intentions, Kerrey said. Because Thone
has been a "hard-working public servant for close to 20
years," Kerrey said he did not wish to criticize the gover
nor personally.
"My main disagreement with Gov. Thone is his selec
tion of personnel," Kerrey said.
"This state needs both Democrats and Republicans to
make the government work the best. Gov. Thone has not
appointed Democrats; he has appointed only loyal Repub
licans. A lot of talented Republicans have not been
brought into government such as Mayor Bob Phares of
North Platte who is a proven administrator."
"There is a parallel between business and government,"
Kerrey said. "I was not successful just because of myself.
It was because I recruited people to work with me who
were willing to take chances."
Kerrey said the state government does not need to be
reorganized but that it needs to be turned outwards to
ward the people. Farmers and busniness people should be
involved in pulling together with the government, he said.
"I want to tell the 15,000 state employees to go out
and solve the problems of the state," Kerrey said. "This
is a process that will take time and there will be some
failures, but the people of this country know that they are
stronger working together."
The Vietnam War and Watergate have led to suspicions
of government by the people, Kerrey said. The best that
can be said about Ronald Reagan's New Federalism is that
it provides for local control, he said. Grass-roots organiza
tions working for the elderly and disabled are an idea fav
ored by Kerrey.
"Ronald Reagan didn't invent the idea of local con
trol," Kerrey said. "It makes me nervous to hear him talk
about it as his own invention. However Reagan has struck
a chord with people because they are frustrated with the
government."
Kerrey said he is optimistic about his chances for win
ning the governor race.
"It has gone from being a solid wall against me till
now it is on an uphill struggle," Kerrey said. "The obsta
cles are beginning to diminish.
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Members of North Wynd
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Photo by Dave Bentz
Bill Burrows
By Pat Higgins
An increase in the tax on corporations and on indivi
duals making more than $50,000 a year would help solve
Nebraska's financial woes, said State Sen. George W.
"Bill" Burrows of Adams. Burrows, a candidate for the
Democratic nomination for governor, said an increase in
the state corporate tax would bring Nebraska up to par
with other states.
Banks and insurance companies that are reaping bene
fits from high interest rates should pay their fair share,
Burrows said. He said it is obvious that Nebraska's general
fund has been in serious trouble for the last year and a
half.
'The state has been spending about $9 million a month
more than it has been taking in since the fall of 1980,"
Burrows said. "Because of the declining economy and the
federal tax cut, it was obvious that the general fund was in
trouble through simple arithmatic."
Burrows has served two terms as a state senator in the
Nebraska Legislature; if he loses the primary for governor,
he will be out of elective office after this year. He de
scribes his philosophy as that of a populist, moderate
Democrat. If elected governor, Burrows said he would
look first at the state's financial problems with compas
sion for the disadvantaged. A coalition of farmers, labor
and small business people must be formed to offset the
power of corporations, Burrows said.
"I feel that corporations dominate this Legislature in
Nebraska and also the (U.S.) Congress, Burrows said.
"Gov. Thone has failed to veto many measures that are
disastrous to citizens but benefit corporations."
Burrows cited the bill removing the limit on interest
rates as an example of corporate power in the Legislature.
The major problem with the Legislature is its lopsided par
ty representation; the Legislature has 32 Republicans, 16
Democrats, and one independent, Burrows said. The Leg
islature in January of 1981 was organized as a partisan
body in fact, if not in name, with Republicans controlling
all the major chairmanships, Burrows said. The change to
blatant partisanship is part of the reason Burrows is seek
ing the governorship, he said.
'The Legislature is frustrating, but my major reason
for running is Gov. Thone's commitment to a 15 percent
tax rate," Burrows said. 'That rate will give us an ineffect
ive state government."
Continued on Page 7
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